sam wrote:Only hesitation for me is the neck reviews I’ve read, many report thicker than typical G&L neck. I’m a 12” or 7.5” guy but could be swayed. What do you think of the neck? How is it compared to a Trinity, not radius but overall feel? (I can do a comparison)
Any comparison to standard Z coils?
Hey now, Sam, thanks! And thanks for your good questions! I had to grab the Trinity and the
Espada. Going by feel (not measuring), I'd say the
Espada is just a little thicker in the first position/cowboy chord area, but doesn't get much thicker as you slide up the neck. So it feels nearly the same as the Trinity thickness overall, but a flatter radius (my Trinity is 7.5", but certificate is unmarked
). The
Espada plays beautifully in all registers—quite easy to get around on.
My Comanche Studio VI (2007) has the classic 1 neck (12" radius), which is definitely beefier than the
Espada or Trinity. My Legacy Deluxe (2008) has the classic 1V, which has the same beefiness and the V added as you go up the neck. Those two are a fair handful (almost Les Paul territory), but I like the radius.
I do pretty well whether the radius is 7.5 or 12 (and now 9.5) on my G&Ls. I am a sucker for the 80s slim necks, like on the purple Skyhawk, some ASATs...
As for the pickups, the
Espada's are quite different than the standard Z coils. Not really that close, in a good way. If I had them in similar platforms (
), it would be easier to compare. If you already have Z coils, the
Espada brings something else. I like 'em both. I'd like to see three
Espada pickups in an S-style body, with an expander switch... it's been done with the Doheny