Wylde Audio Odin review

Named after the one-eyed Norse god with an affinity for ravens, in case you were wondering, the Odin is a cool twist on Zakk's beloved Gibson Les Paul format.

The Death Claw Molasses model in our clutches has a mahogany body core topped with a slice of flame maple, but you can opt for the all-mahogany Blackout Bullseye model (£1,019). What's the difference?

Well, you might simply prefer the classic Zakk Bullseye finish, but more importantly, maple adds some weight and top-end to a guitar.

That said, we don't know how thick the maple is on the Death Claw Molasses. It could be a thin veneer to make the see-through finish look smart.

The Odin is the only Wylde model you can play sitting down. That's a good thing, 'cos this guitar is so addictive you might lose track of how long you've been playing. It's that neck that's got us hooked.

In common with the rest of the Wylde bunch, the Odin has a fat-profile neck, like something you'd find on a pre- '59 Gibson Les Paul.

It's made from three pieces of maple and that, along with its substantial girth, makes the neck feel rigid. That's great news for tuning stability and tone.

The active EMG 81 bridge unit is a metal staple, stuffed with ceramic magnets for powerful output and sustain, and the razor-sharp response that you need with high-gain distortion.

The 85 neck 'bucker is a bottomless pit of low-end, but in typical EMG style doesn't sound muddy when you kick in the dirt. The fat neck and bright attack of the Odin's ebony fingerboard propel riffs and licks through your amp.