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G&L Doheny CLF Research V12 Purple Burst w/Gig Bag *Authorized Dealer*

G&L's 2017 release of the Doheny contained quite a few "firsts" for G&L including the offset body shape, a 21-fret neck unique to the Doheny, and of course the new JM-size MFD pickups. Under the CLF Research moniker, the Doheny V12 provides a new twist with classic 80's cosmetic touches, and their specially developed MFD humbucker with series-parallel-split switching. Uniquely G&L and uniquely flexible, the CLF Research Doheny V12 further pushes the envelop of the offset guitar.

This new CLF Research Doheny V12 features the following:

  • Purple Burst finish on Swamp Ash, 8.8 pounds
  • Black crinkle finish aluminum pickguard
  • G&L 'Modern Classic' neck profile, 9.5" radius, 1-11/16" nut width, 21 frets
  • Tinted gloss maple fretboard and neck
  • G&L drilled and split tuners
  • (2) Wide-bobbin MFD humbucker pickups
  • Series-parallel-split switching for each pickup
  • 3-way pickup selector
  • G&L Dual Fulcrum Vibrato
  • Passive treble-bass tone controls
  • G&L non-compression truss rod for consistent, even relief
  • G&L deluxe gig bag
  • Made in USA with G&L custom build sheet

Leo Fender developed the Jazzmaster around 1959 as the top-line guitar in the Fender catalog. In terms of going after the "jazz" crowd it sorely missed the mark, but did develop a following with the surf music set, and later on with punk and new wave artists. So when G&L finally tackled the offset design they did it the G&L way, with an eye towards making a more flexible, less quirky instrument.

What's new for this year of course is the finish, which is called Purple Burst. In addition they've added Swamp Ash to the mix, which shows nicer than Pine or Alder under a clear finish. Swamp provides a slight midrange scoop and a sweet top end. Given the punch of the MFD pickups it's a nice pairing, and lends a moderating effect to their strong midrange presence.

The big deal of course are the pickups: Two wide bobbin Magnetic Field design humbuckers. For long time G&L fans this brings back memories of the ultra hot F-100 pickups. But G&L went back to the drawing board for the V12 and created a whole new design that is wonderfully nuanced and detailed. The science is the same: Low resistance coils and strong ceramic magnets offer greater output than a conventional ALNICO pickup, but with broad frequency response, exceptional clarity and touch sensitivity. To make it interesting each pickup is assigned a three way toggle switch that allows you to select full humbucker mode, single coil split or parallel mode. Paired with the passive treble and bass controls, the V12 is a study in tonal versatility.

In humbucker mode the neck pickup gives you an ample low end that has plenty of bounce, and the classic "Hi-Fi" treble response that is crystal clear but not brittle. Like any good humbucker the mids are well represented, but compared to the Z-Coil MFD from G&L's Comanche it's less mid-focused. What you get is the girth of humbucker but the clarity and sensitivity of a single coil that can easily traverse the realms of jazz, funk and rock. When you go to split coil mode, it is a single coil sound reminiscent of the Doheny, but with a little less bottom end and a more spanky wound string response. Making the switch to parallel mode offers a similar sound profile but with a softer mid to high end response.

The bridge pickup is a killer mix of power and chime that reminds us of a souped up ASAT Classic. In humbucker mode it has a commanding but refined midrange, focused low end punch and a good dollop of high-end twang. MFD bridge pickups tend to be chameleons, and with the right signal chain you can go from Danny Gatton to Tom Morello. When you split the pickup you get a bright and jangly bridge sound that gives you an authentic Jazzmaster-esque tone that still has plenty of body in the mids and lows. If you're rather sensitive to that jangle, running it in Parallel mode rounds out the high end for a more lush feel.

Running both pickups together is a luscious combination of warmth and chime but with 9 different ways to combine them, we'll resist running through them all. Suffice to say, there are several nice split/series pairings that accentuate different frequency spectrums and moods. Pedal performance is a strong suit with any MFD pickup, and the Tri-Tone switching creates many useful and musical options.

When it comes to hardware, the V12 offers the same features you find on the Doheny, such as G&L's Dual Fulcrum vibrato. While this may be a deal-breaker for diehard JM fans, it's rock solid and can alter pitch both up and downward, and reliably return to tune. The V12 comes standard with a glossy finish Modern Classic 21-fret neck that is exclusive to Doheny. The highly effective passive treble and bass controls utilize high quality hand-wired pots, and we really dig those big chrome knobs.

The V12 is another example of G&L respecting tradition, but making it better and more usable (as Leo would have wanted it). The Tri-Tone MFD humbuckers lend themselves to virtually every style of music, and even if you are not a big fan of offset guitars the V12 is not your average offset.