Description
The Espada shape sat dormant in the CLF Research archives for decades before G&L brought it back to life with a pair of humbuckers. The Espada HH Active builds on the standard HH model by adding a G&L Micro-Preamp, opening up tonal territory that passive wiring alone can’t reach.
Under the hood are G&L alnico humbuckers voiced with a smoother, rounder neck tone and a hotter bridge pickup — the same combination found across G&L’s other HH-equipped guitars. The control layout is straightforward: volume, treble, and bass on chrome CLF Research knobs, plus a coil-split mini-toggle for both pickups. Where the passive Espada HH uses a kill-switch, the Active version swaps in a 3-way mini-toggle for preamp mode selection — passive, active, or active-bright.
With the preamp switched off, the guitar behaves like its passive sibling. Engage it, and the pickups reveal more of their natural harmonic detail, thanks to an onboard buffer that isolates the pickups from cable loading — Leo Fender’s own solution to what he called “the cord problem.” The payoff shows up across the pickup selector: split settings deliver convincing single-coil jangle, while full humbucker mode stays articulate and defined even when pushed into overdrive.
Anchoring the whole instrument is the G&L Saddle Lock hardtail bridge, a design dating back to 1979 known for sustain and playing comfort.
Available finishes:
- Jet Black / Alder / Caribbean Rosewood fretboard / 3-ply Black pickguard / Vintage Tint Gloss Neck
- Vintage White / Alder / Caribbean Rosewood fretboard / 3-ply Black pickguard / Vintage Tint Gloss Neck
- Honeyburst / Ash / Caribbean Rosewood fretboard / 3-ply Parchment pickguard / Vintage Tint Gloss Neck
- Cherryburst / Ash / Caribbean Rosewood fretboard / 3-ply Parchment pickguard / Vintage Tint Gloss Neck
G&L is not affiliated with Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
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