About the Builder:
Reverend Guitars is the brainchild of Joe Naylor. Joe's decades of formal training and hands-on experience along with his small, highly skilled staff insures that Reverend delivers the goods.
More about Reverend Guitars: http://www.reverendguitars.com/index.html
The first Slingshot Custom was made in the year 2000. From the Reverend Slingshot Custom (SCU) guitar 283 units were build featuring three Reverend P-90 Soapbar pickups with 5-way pickup selector. Fat and bluesy but with just the right amount of bite and twang to cut through. An amazing guitar for both clean and distorted tones.
Here is waht Guitar World Magazine had to write about the SCU:
Hot Rod Preacher
by Dominic Hilton
Guitar World Magazine
Soundcheck 1...2...3... Reverend Slingshot Custom
The Slingshot Custom has fire and brimstone in its looks and hi-tech witchery in its construction. Built by Reverend Guitars, this new model joins the Detroit guitarmaker's congregation of acclaimed instruments and is the result of designer Joe Naylor's tireless quest for powerhouse tone.
Unlike most electric guitar builders, Reverend employs a number of alternative materials in its guitars' semi-solid construction. The Slingshot's body has a center block of white mahogany that contains a steel tone bar close to the bridge. The rim of the Slingshot is made from injection-molded plastic using a technique invented by Naylor himself. Typical of the Reverend's other guitars, the front and back are covered with brightly colored phenolic laminate. (The Slingshot Custom can also be had with a cool, machine turned aluminum finish as tested, for an additional $275 list over the $969 list price.) Lastly, a chromed forearm rest and deco-inspired stepped pickguard indelibly stamp the guitar with a look all its own.
Throughout its design, the Slingshot displays a mix of familiar and contemporary touches. The trio of Reverend P-90-style pickups are teamed up with master volume and tone controls and a Strat-type pickup selector that offers the traditional five positions. Naylor modeled the bolt-on maple neck after the popular profile of early Sixties Stratocasters, flattening its radius and fitting it with 22 large frets for a more modern feel. Other contemporary touches include a through-body six-saddle bridge, roller string trees, a graphite nut and sealed machine heads.
Acoustically, our test model Slingshot resonated like a east-iron bathtub--an excellent indication that the semi-solid body was working its magic. With the guitar plugged into a simmering tweed combo, this resonance was truly spectacular. The body materials may have been unconventional but they produce an enormous tone, with the lush shimmer of a 335 and the punchy definition of a Tele. This awesome combination was also well-balanced between the guitar's focused bassy growls and upper-frequency jangle. The pickups obviously added a lot to this supercharged tone, pumping out the midrange twang and serving wailing blues licks from the neck position. In short, this is one smoking, blues-rock hotrod.
Props to Naylor for designing a neck that feels as he intended it to--like a vintage Strat that has seen a few refrets and a whole lotta mileage. The easy feel is helped along with some crisp fretwork and buzz-free low action.
The Bottom Line
Reverend has done something very right with the Slingshot Custom, using fresh concepts to build a better guitar, without alienating the player. The result is a guitar that feels naturally comfortable, with a tone that will make you into a believer.
More Information: http://www.revfan.com/Reverend-Slingshot-Custom.html
About the Guitar:
This is the most unique SCU you can find. Reverend put that together with old P-90 Les Paul pick-ups wired to a 5 position switch and a Bigsby vibrato on an aluminum body with a custom sandblasted finish.
Here is what Benny Speer remembers of this guitar:
I am Benny from Benny and the Jets band in Detroit. We recorded 3 lps back in the 70s, spent many years touring with Bo Diddley as his back up band. Recently I did a interview with Roger Daltrey of the WHO on his BBC radio show. We talked about life on the road with Bo.
I wanted to write a little about Bo Diddley and the Custom Gold Reverend Guitar. Bo and I were both into car and guitars we spent endless time talking about both. And more recently spent some time talking with Bo's grandson in Florida. He loved the palm trees and the setting sun on the guitar. (It had been said Bo was born with a gold guitar in his hands). Bo owned many guitars over the years, some he hand made, some he had made for him. He could spin great ideas for guitars and accessories, as fast as he could write a song or play a beat.
I often would play a Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson Les Paul. Bo of course loved his square guitar. Bo would often say someone should take Les Paul pick-ups and wire them to a 5 position switch like a Strat. We thought that was a great idea.
Reverend Guitars put such a guitar together for Bo! It started with a Strat type bridge and vibrato arm, but Bo much preferred a older style Bigsby vibrato. Reverend put that together with the old P-90 Les Paul pick-ups wired to a 5 position switch on an aluminum body with a custom sandblasted finish and this guitar really became a head turner.
Bo really liked the sound of the Reverend a very natural sound with a Strat feel mixed with a lot of old Les Paul. Bo's next idea was to have Reverend made this in a square model, but Reverend couldn't do it at that time. Then Bo passed away and now all we have is the memories and this fine guitar.
I think Reverend Guitar Company really liked seeing Bo play the guitar I know they had the photo up in their factory.
Yours Truly
Benny Speer
http://www.bennyandthejets.com/
