to ensure adherence to specs and quality
workmanship, rather than simply buying
guitars that are offered by the factory.
This preface is simply my way of pointing
out that while I’ve played some great mass-produced guitars from overseas, I wasn’t
expecting too much more than what I was
already used to. I guess that you could say
that while I had an optimistic outlook for
the Tradition, the stigma of a Korean-made
guitar with a price tag of over 1K really
had me questioning its potential. Being up
front and honest about my expectations,
I’m hoping, will illustrate just how taken I
was with the S2000 Deluxe. Feature-wise,
the guitar is no slouch. A solid mahogany
slab joined with a 5/8" thick maple top
makes up the body, which is adorned with
5-ply binding along the edges, all the way
around the fretboard and headstock. The
neck consists of three pieces of mahogany
set into the body, with the headstock
topped off with gold Grover Roto-Grip
locking tuners. The off-white metallic pearl
paint job is vibrant, yet professional looking, staying away from that awful sheetrock
shade of white that makes so many foreign
guitars look cheesy and cheap.
Tradition’s own PAF humbuckers are set in
place snugly, ready to pick up the string
vibrations suspended by the Tone Pros locking bridge and tail piece, both of which are
finished in a highly reflective gold sheen.
The guitar also uses Luxe Bumblebee
capacitors, which are supplied to the factory
by Tradition. Obviously, the instrument is
very much influenced by the Gibson Les Paul
Custom, with some slight visual changes
here and there. Those players looking for a
lighter Les Paul-type instrument might want
to consider other options, as the S2000
Deluxe is a rather weighty piece, almost
as much as my own 1978 Gibson Les Paul
Custom. I myself prefer a heavier guitar,
so I felt perfectly comfortable slinging the
Tradition over my shoulder.
considering how amazingly comfortable the
neck felt. No sharp fret ends rubbed up against
my palm when fretting, and the neck profile is
to die for—very similar to Gibson’s own ‘60s
slim taper. The only real qualm that I have with
the neck was the feel of the Indian rosewood
fretboard. It may be a small detail, but whether
it’s the smooth, chalkboard-like quality of ebony
or the lightly porous, natural feel of a good
piece of rosewood, I’m one of those players
who fusses over how the fretboard wood feels.
I prefer a fingerboard completely bare of any
sort of finish—though I know many players like
the added durability that provides. Tradition
assured us the S2000’s fingerboard had no
finish applied, but I couldn’t quite escape the
sense that it felt similar to having a lacquer
sealant over the wood.
The Final Mojo
The Tradition S2000 Deluxe is a tangible symbol of just how impressive and varied foreign-built guitars have become. Once the poster
child for questionable quality and mean tone,
the market has proven itself in recent years
because of companies like Tradition working
closely with factories to craft instruments in
quantity with higher consistency and playability than ever before, even well beyond
expectation in some cases. This guitar even
comes with an homage to the classic Lifton
case, a CaliGirl, complete with brown leather
covering, pink plush interior and Tradition
logo—and it’s quite solid, as well. The tone
is definitely there, but some players might
think the feel is not quite as outstanding.
Regardless, the Tradition S2000 Deluxe is a
fine instrument, and should be on the radar
of any player looking for a well-made, less
expensive single-cut tone machine.
Rating:
you’re looking for a highly
playable single-cut with killer
tone and attack.
Buy If...
Skip If...
you need a lighter guitar.
Most players familiar with well-built guitars will
tell you that a great electric, even unplugged,
should have pronounced resonance and sustain. After playing some open chords on the
S2000 Deluxe, I felt that there was too little to
be inspired by. The notes rang out well, but the
vibrations you can feel from a great single-cut
instrument didn’t manifest themselves in my
hand or against my gut. It just felt rather static,
which was somewhat disappointing, especially
Plugging in
When I plugged it in, however, my concerns
were soon eclipsed by the sound. Running
through a Quidley 22 with matching 1x12
cabinet, the Tradition not only sang, it
roared. The bridge pickup had all of the
intent and authority that a good vintage
reproduction PAF pickup should have, with
a little extra sizzle on the top end for good
measure. The amount of attack was even
more stunning, though that quality was
possibly overshadowed by just how balanced the tone was. Honestly, I don’t know
what impressed me more—I was dazed
by how great this guitar sounded. I love it
when gear takes me by surprise, and the
S2000 Deluxe sure took me by surprise.
Flipping to the neck position and rolling
down the tone knob yielded those great,
warm jazz tones that a great single-cut can
deliver, too. While the midrange had that
superb, sagging PAF quality to it, the low
end sounded a little too immediate, as if
those frequencies didn’t really have room
to breathe. Guitarists who enjoy the slow,
soft tone of Duane Allman might look elsewhere, but aggressive, classic riff rockers
should find this right up their alley.
Tradition Guitars
MSRP $1499
traditionguitars.com
Click here or use a
mobile device to
read this QR code
to hear sound clips
of the guitar in
action at
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ONTHEWeb
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PREMIER GUITAR MARCH 2010 153
