Buddy Blaze K2 Model 2
Dean Guitars
the bridge pickup. The pickups are selected via a three-position toggle just below
the Floyd Rose tremolo.
How it Plays
How a guitar sounds is highly dependent
on the player’s style. The K2, with its high-performance styling, is definitely aimed at
high-powered players and technically proficient shredders. The neck has a graduated
radius that can be felt when doing scale runs
in the 9th fret to the 15th fret area, where
the radius generally flattens out. The factory
setup was a bit high, but with a slight lowering of the bridge and a few minor tweaks of
the tuning and intonation, the K2 was ready
to burn. The ease of playability is also due
to Blaze’s choice of the extra jumbo-sized
frets. Combine this with the radius and you
have speed in the palm of your left hand. The
sculpted heel is a major plus that allows the
unobstructed availability of the higher frets.
Another thing of note was the placement of
the sole Volume control: it’s within reach, so
the player can bring the level up or down
without interruption while playing.
the black pickup cover—no movement of the
pickup. According to Blaze, the neck pickup on
our review model was mounted directly into
the wood via the old-school technique of wood
screws inserted into surgical tubing, rather than
using springs, so it’s possible to raise the pickup
by loosening both screws and allowing the tubing to expand before lowering the pickup to
the desired height. “Though not as instantly
reactive as using springs,” Blaze explained, “I
find this technique to be more stable in the
long run.” Rather than run the risk of removing
the pickup, though, I refrained from unscrewing
the transit screws any further. Blaze says they
are looking into the possibility of using other
screws and/or springs.
because the tone of the single-coil lacks the
biting definition it needs in order to use it by
itself. Altogether, the Buddy Blaze K2 Model
2 is a great alternative for the shredder and
the straight-ahead guitar player.
What it sounds Like
The Blaze-designed Blaze Bucker is a high-out-put bridge pickup that has good clarity at three
stages of amp gain. In a clean mode, there is a
full-bodied tone with no harsh pick attack. In a
moderate high-gain setting, there is a crunch-ability that captures a good low-end thunk. A
straight-up wide-open gain setting is where
the Blaze Bucker truly shines. There is a good
amount of definition with plenty of midrange to
work with. Soloing with this kind of gain using
this pickup goes from scorching to searing. With
the growing trend toward low/medium-output
pickups around, the Blaze Bucker actually
sounds musically relevant, chiming in at a whopping 15.7k with the use of an Alnico 8 magnet.
The sustaining quality of the alder/maple/ebony
combination translates well with this pickup
because the woodiness can be heard in all three
of these gain settings. This pickup is mounted
into the body by a standard humbucking ring
with the pole pieces perfectly aligned to the
string spacing. It is adjustable with the usual
height adjustment screws on either side.
you’re looking for a traditional-looking guitar with technically
advanced appointments.
Buy If...
The neck pickup is a bit less to be desired,
though. Using a low-gain amp setting, the neck
pickup is somewhat muddy when playing partial
chords in the middle of the fretboard. It only
seems to come alive with a biting attack when
soloing in the upper register of the neck. An
attempt to raise the pickup’s height with the
adjustment screws only yielded a loosening of
the Final Mojo
The overall playability of the guitar is exceptional with just a few setup maneuvers. The
stock setup had a medium-height action,
which was remedied by a minor lowering of
the Floyd Rose bridge and adjusting the pivot
screws slightly. The flow of the neck is comfortable and the “progressive” radius can be
felt on scale-climbing solo runs that involve
ascending and descending licks. The fretwork
on the neck makes vibrato technique an
effortless, fluid motion. The unusual 24-5/8"
scale is very comfortable in the middle to
high areas of the neck, especially when you’re
used to the usual 25. 5" or 24. 75" scale guitars, since it makes for a softer string feel
than the Strat-like tightness but is not quite
as loose as a Les Paul. A major plus is the
use of the extra-deep cutaway for accessing
the upper register frets. The only concern I
have is the adjustability of the neck pickup,
Skip If...
you prefer a much more traditionally styled instrument with no aim
toward shredability.
Rating...
4.0
ONTHEWeb
Click here to share your
comments and ratings at
premierguitar.com
Buddy Blaze Fine
Stringed Instruments
MSRP $1799
buddyblaze.com
