of those on fancy old archtops), the Schaller
strap locks, the DiMarzio Tone Zone humbucker, and the control knobs.
Even more compelling than the Pirata’s
hardware are its proprietary passive electronics, which were designed with purity of tone
and ease of operation in mind. The guitar’s
single DiMarzio humbucker is controlled by
three knobs—Volume, Tone, and Môd—from
which you can coax an impressive spectrum of
sounds, from single-coil twang to humbucking roar. Overall, the craftsmanship on our
review model was excellent. The fretwork was
faultless and the setup was spot on.
Although I tried, I could not coax an
unlikable sound from the Pirata.
Super Stylish and Solid
Our review La Pirata, a Custom Plus, came
with a number of upgrades—a korina body
and walnut neck (standard models use mahogany for both), an elaborate “Bedouin” fretboard
inlay pattern, neck binding, and a handrubbed
finish—that doubled the its base price.
Our Pirata is undeniably cool looking,
especially in terms of the metalwork, with its
Southwestern-inspired motifs. The back control
cover, an undecorated piece of metal extending
diagonally between the upper and lower bouts,
is fittingly shaped like a sea creature.
The woods were also visually appealing.
Devoid of filler, and handrubbed with a light,
violin-style finish, the black-spalted korina body
was deeply grained and luminous. Choice wood
specimens and careful wood selection were also
evident in the flawless ebony fretboard, walnut
neck, and walnut headstock overlay.
