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G&L Fullerton Deluxe Skyhawk HH Surf Green

Players who dig the limited edition CLF Research line of guitars can now get the CLF Research Skyhawk model in an "off the shelf" series that combines premium appointments and finishes at an very attractive price point. The Skyhawk HH combines early G&L visuals with a pair of their smooth sounding covered humbucker pickups, 'Modern Classic' neck profile, and thin gloss urethane finish. With one foot in the past and another in the future, the Skyhawk HH has something to offer players of all stripes.

This USA-made G&L Skyhawk HH features:

  • Alder body, Surf Green finish, 8.4 pounds
  • 'Modern Classic' profile (1-11/16" width at the nut), 9.5" radius
  • .820" depth at first fret, .870" depth at 12th fret
  • Vintage gloss finish maple neck
  • Caribbean Rosewood fretboard
  • '84 chrome control plate w/ 3-ply parchment guard
  • G&L AS4255C Neck Pickup
  • G&L AW4368C Bridge Pickup
  • Passive Volume, Treble and Bass controls
  • Push/Pull tone for coil split
  • 3-way pickup switch
  • G&L Dual Fulcrum Vibrato bridge
  • G&L Split and Drilled tuners
  • Plek ?? laser-guided fret finishing
  • Deluxe hardshell tolex case

The original Skyhawk was reintroduced as part of G&L's CLF Research line, which offers a window into G&L's past without compromising modern day build consistency. G&L still operates in the same buildings that spanned the majority of Leo's prolific career. His office remains the same as the day he left, and making 15-20 guitars a day, the factory is no cookie-cutter operation. The G&L family is committed to Leo's legacy, and the CLF line is an impressive homage. To provide better availability at an attractive price point, G&L has expanded their Fullerton Deluxe line -- which offer premium appointments and classic finishes at a special savings -- to include the Skyhawk. And much to our delight, they decided to bring out an HH version.

We dig the look of the knurled chrome knobs and 80's control plate, but what we like even more is how they work. Right off the bat you'll notice that the passive treble and bass controls "do something" as soon as you turn them, and provide excellent tone shaping regardless of pickup setting. And it does not take long to discover that being able to take bass out of the neck humbucker is every bit as handy as rolling top end off the bridge. While this control arrangement is not new to G&L, it's particularly handy on a guitars with this pickup arrangement.

In addition to the unique aesthetic, the Skyhawk offers a pair of smooth-sounding covered humbuckers. The model numbers of the G&L pickups are code for how they are made. So the AS4255C neck pickup has an Alnico magnet, is wound with 42 gauge wire for 5500 turns, and is chrome covered. Compared to it's open coil sibling, the tone is a little smoother and warmer, but retains plenty of attack and wound spring response. The Alder body provides plenty of low and midrange punch, and our favorite tones were found with a slight roll-off of both volume and bass. As with many guitars, don't assume the best sound is wide open: Find the tone you like, and if it's not loud enough turn your amp up.

In the bridge we have the AW4368C, wound with 43 gauge wire for 6800 turns. These typically measure around 13.5k resistance which is less than their open coil AW4470 pickup that's standard on most G&L's. The slightly lower output and chrome cover still provides plenty of output, with but with more restrained midrange emphasis and a smoother top end. The Alder body provides a quicker attack and punchier mids than the Okoume version, making it a good choice for heavier styles of music. While covered humbuckers have inherently less note clarity than open coils, the longer scale and bolt-on neck provide additional harmonic "snap" and we like the smooth but percussive feel of this pairing.

The neck on this guitar is the standard Modern Classic decked out with a handsome Caribbean Rosewood (Chechen) fretboard. The color is a little lighter than most Rosewood, and it reminds us of Pau Ferro. It's dense, tight grained, very smooth, and most importantly CITES-friendly. The Modern Classic profile blends a slightly wider nut width with G&L's Slim C profile, and a 9.5" radius fretboard. The wider nut reduces the chance of string falloff, and the slimmer profile and 9.5" radius keeps the extra width from feeling cumbersome.

The G&L Dual-Fulcrum vibrato system is another evolutionary improvement carried over to the Skyhawk. Unlike traditional designs -- and rather than relying on a few wood screws -- it uses two knife-edge studs mounted in giant brass body anchors to act as pivot points for the bridge. This type of floating mechanism allows the player to bend notes upward or downward with complete confidence that the guitar will stay securely in tune.

Players who are not "Les Paul" people will dig the Skyhawk HH: It provides the sonic benefits of dual-coil pickups but with the clarity, dynamics and playing feel that Leo Fender fans refuse to compromise on. The tone is Classic Rock, Pop, and even Funk, but suffice to say the tone controls and floating bridge provide a lot of leeway to cover a plethora of styles. And personally we love the early G&L aesthetic (and you can work on the wiring without taking the strings off). Kudos to G&L for continuing to honor the legacy of Leo Fender in imaginative ways.