The single-action truss rod is accessed at
the base of the neck and can be adjusted
without removing the neck or strings.
Although Wilkins makes pickups in-house
for other models, Pat gave the WJZ model
its own distinct electronics package, voiced
with a pair of crème-colored DiMarzio Virtual
P90 pickups. These ceramic-magnet pickups
sound fairly hot, even though they’re listed
at 9.14K DC—perhaps due to the active
electronics package. The dual pickups are
wired to a horizontal three-postion white-tipped Switchcraft switch with master Volume
and Master tone controls. A notable feature
of the electronics package is an active mid
boost and presence boost manufactured by
Demeter and powered by a 9-volt battery,
which is easily accessed via a compartment
recessed into the back of the guitar. The system provides +9dB of boost when engaged
by the black on/off switch on the face of the
guitar, and the frequency sweep for each
boost is controlled by the dual thumbwheels
above the pickups. The thumbwheels allow
the player to quickly and easily access a
broad range of tones to find the most appropriate one for just about any performance
situation. Combine this versatility with the
WJZ’s hot-rod aesthetics, and you have the
trappings for a cool stage instrument.
The Jazzmaster-style chrome tremolo bridge
features Schaller roller saddles and is set up
in traditional fashion. The tremolo stays in
tune well and offers a pleasing, subtle effect
consistent with its design—with the help of
the roller saddles and a well-cut 1-5/8" bone
nut. The chrome strap buttons are traditional
style and pair well with the chrome face-
mounted Switchcraft input jack. The 25. 5"-
scale neck is attached to the body at the 16th
fret with the use of a four-bolt neck joint and
nickel neck plate. I found that the neck joint
had shifted slightly during shipping, leaving
a gap on the bass side of the neck pocket,
which caused the high E string to be closer
to the edge of the fretboard in the higher
registers. The problem was easily remedied,
though, and it’s very rare for any guitar not
to need even minor setup adjustments after
shipping. The chrome Sperzel tuners are
well seated and feature staggered posts that
improve string tension, which is augmented
by a single, round string tree. The white Strat-
style control knobs, crème pickup covers, and
three-layer pickguard are nice design touches.
Plugging In
Strummed unplugged, the WJZ is highly reso-
nant, with a round, prominent acoustic voice.
The fretwork is excellent, and strung up with
a set of .010–.045 Thomastik Infeld Power-
Brights, two-step bends were executed eas-
ily. The classic combination of tone woods
(alder body and rosewood board) delivers a
broad acoustic tone with a slight midrange
emphasis and a pleasing touch of harmonic
overtones. Plugged in, the WJZ and its active
electronics offer up a sonic palette that is
diverse enough to handle many tone-chal-
lenged performance venues. The DiMarzio
pickups offer the representative tones that
we all love about the renowned soapboar:
the bridge has that bark and midrange growl;
the neck has the huge, sustain-laden woody
tone; and the combination offers the clar-
ity with a subtle quack. When the Demeter
boost is engaged, the additional tonal control
gives you more than enough sweep to dial in
a tone to combat the effects of a tone-suck-
ing venue. It’s also effective in changing the
coloring of a pickup on the fly. For example,
the bridge pickup can go from very PAF-ish
to Tele-esque through a flick of the thumb-
wheels. I found quite a few usable tones, with
some highlights being the unboosted neck
pickup’s big, round, organic tone and the
bodacious blues tone of the neck pickup with
the Demeter electronics engaged. The bridge
pickup with the presence boost dimed pro-
duced some snarling, Tele-like tones.
The Final Mojo
The WJZ stands out as a versatile player’s
tool. As such, it is not surprising that
Dwayne Larring of the band Theft has
recently adopted the WJZ as his signature
axe. Its broad frequency response, smooth
playability, and attractive aesthetics make
it an instrument worth checking out. Of
course, it doesn’t hurt that you can get one
with virtually any custom finish possible by
one of the best in the business.
Rating:
you’re seeking an attractive,
versatile stage guitar that offers
up a broad array of tones.
Buy If...
Skip If...
you’re looking for more
traditional appointments.
Wilkins Guitars
MSRP $3600 (as tested)
wilkinsguitars.com
CLICKHere…
or use a mobile
device to read
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to hear sound
samples of this
guitar in action at
premierguitar.com
