Solar Guitars has added a new T-style body shape to its lineup of high-performance electric guitars. But if the silhouette of Solar's new Type T six- and seven-string electrics owes a passing debt to the Telecaster, these are very different instruments, built for very different purposes.
To paraphrase Solar Guitars' founder and chief, Ola Englund, we know that these will chug. The question is whether they will twang. Well it might but that's not the USP here. Boasting the trademark Solar headstock – a design so aggressive you'll need a bit of luck getting through airport security – and a sculpted body, big scooped cutaway and sharp lower horn, these T-types are 100 per cent metal.
To enhance the playing experience some more, there is sculpting on the upper bout, a generous belly carve, and a sculpted heel. A neck-thru build, Solar has chosen maple necks in the brand's typically speedy C profile, with alder bodies on the T1.6C in Carbon Matte Black and the very smart T1.6AN in distressed Aged Natural Matte, and swamp ash on the open pore T1.6FRBOP and T1.7TBR.
Hardware choices are suitably robust, with a double-locking Floyd Rose 1000 vibrato on the T1.6FRBOP and EverTune bridges on the rest, and high-ratio 18:1 locking tuners on all models.
All the Type T models are fitted with Duncan Solar humbuckers at the neck and bridge positions, and are controlled via a five-way pickup selector and master volume and tone controls. That five-way switch should open up some Fender-esque tone road so maybe these will twang after all.
You'll find lots of Solar touches throughout, such as Luminlay side dot markers, the 12th fret inlay, 24 super jumbo stainless steel frets as standard. If you are in the market for an electric guitar for metal and tired of the same old shapes, this fresh twist might just be what you are looking for. And that distressed Aged Natural finish looks very cool on a shreddable guitar like this – perhaps at long last we have a rival for the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2?
The Solar Guitars T1.6C in Carbon Matte Black with EverTune bridge is priced $1,099. The T1.6FRBOP in Black Open Pore Matte with Floyd Rose 1000 vibrato is priced $1,049. The T1.6AN with distressed Aged Natural Matte finish and EverTune bridge and the seven-string T1.7 in Trans Blood Red Matte finish, also with an EverTune, are priced $1,199.
These antisocial T-types are available to preorder now and ship by the end of July. See Solar Guitars for more details.
