REVIEW > JARRELL GUITARS
output in these split and parallel positions is
significantly less than in full humbucker mode,
but there’s no sacrifice in harmonic richness.
Going through the JZH-1x’s pickup combinations is a great way to blow an entire afternoon experimenting with songs you thought
you’d finished. I played several original pieces
the same way I’ve played them for years, but
with the flick of a switch, I was hearing them
in a brand-new way. The JZH-1x delivers a
fistful of tones without the hassle of adjusting
parameters on an effects device.
The SH- 2 neck pickup did not take as
kindly to distortion as the TB- 11. The woofier
qualities of the semi-hollow were much more
apparent in the neck position, and its booming
low-end punch in series mode tended to overshadow the highs. Backing off the gain helped
immensely and brought the SH- 2 to a more
reasonable balance. In parallel mode, the SH- 2
had a beautiful, chiming voice with a round,
smooth tone. Playing both pickups together in
parallel mode yielded tight, cutting sounds and
opened up a world of noiseless, single-coil joy.
The only thing I would change on the
JZH-1x is the layout of the controls. The SSP
mini-switches are placed on either side of the
taller pickup selector, so several times I acci-
dentally bumped the pickup toggle into the
middle position, when I was trying to change
the bridge mini-switch. I’d prefer to have the
mini-switches next to each other in front of
the pickup toggle, so you wouldn’t have to
jump over it to get to the bridge SSP switch.
The Verdict
The JZH-1x’s chameleon-like tonal abilities,
quality workmanship, and top-shelf parts add
up to an instrument that can handle myriad
musical styles with class. Experimenting
with tones is a great way to grow your personal sound, and it’s inspiring to have that
much sonic versatility at hand before you
get anywhere near your amp EQ or effects
box—especially when it comes to working in
a home studio or stage when swapping out
guitars for each part may not be practical or
possible. The JZH-1x doesn’t come cheap,
and its looks can be polarizing. But what it
offers in craftsmanship, electronics, and tone
means you might save some dough on all
those guitars you won’t need.
Rating:
Buy If...
you want a versatile, fully loaded
semi-hollow capable of a multitude
of tones, including some heavier
sounds not usually associated with
thinline archtops.
Skip If...
you want a straightforward rock or
metal guitar and prefer to upgrade
parts to your liking rather than get
them all in one shot.
Jarrell Guitars
Street $1500
jarrellguitars.com
premierguitar.com/may2011
"A great sounding, handmade, high-quality stompbox that can also take you on some less-than-conventional sonic sojourns, the Electroman is an echo machine well worth investigating." - Premier Guitar, April 2011
+ 600ms of delay
+ tone control
+ effects loop
+ mind-blowing warp switch
+ warm analog delay tone
+ true bypass switching
174 PREMIER GUITAR MAY 2011
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