Reverend Wildwood-Exclusive Spy

Live and Let Spy

Wildwoodians, I have to be upfront about my significant biases regarding the Reverend Spy. Lipstick pickups are a desert island sound for me, but they're hard to find, so I was overjoyed to learn that Reverend was bringing back their Spy model. To say I was pumped when I found out we were getting 24 in Wildwood Exclusive sparkle finishes would be the understatement of the century! When the first Spies arrived, I spent a magical day inspecting them, weighing them, measuring their necks, and plugging them in (purely to confirm the electronics were working, of course, just doing my job), and I came to fall in love with them.

While I raved about how great they were to my coworkers all day, one particular serial grabbed my heart harder than the rest. As six o'clock rolled around, I pondered the idea of leaving without it, and the thought alone made me sick to my stomach. So, my apologies, Wildwoodians: I am the reason that only 23 of the 24 Spies from this run are available. The last one is in my house, and all I can think about is how badly I want to go home and play it some more.

This is all a roundabout way of saying that I'm probably one of the biggest Reverend Spy fans on the planet. I think they're some of the coolest-sounding guitars I've ever laid hands on, and I think everyone should live and let Spy. Let's dive deeper and see why they're such a wellspring of musical creativity and inspiration.

(Lip)Stick the Landing

First and foremost, the magic of the Spy lies in its Reverend Power Tube lipstick pickups, which guitar players have revered for their fantastic tone since the sixties, when budget guitars made by Danelectro and Silvertone guitars popularized them. Fun fact: all the lipstick pickups from those Danos were actually made using lipstick tubes, as Nathan Daniel discovered he could get them much cheaper than actual pickup covers. The originals were crude (just an AlNiCo V bar magnet swaddled in cellophane and potting, no fancy polepieces or hi-falutin' bobbins) and just the right amount of rude (as evidenced by Jimmy Page's monster tone on Kashmir). Stevie Ray Vaughan loved him so much that he played a Custom Strat copy with lipsticks, nicknamed "Charley!"

The folks at Reverend have significantly refined the lipstick pickup in creating the Power Tubes (in fact, I'd argue that they're the apex of lipstick tone), but the soul and character of the vintage examples are in every fiber of their DNA. Vintage examples can sound a bit weak (some measure in at less than 5k!), so the folks at Reverend overwound these pickups slightly to make sure they have plenty of muscle while keeping everything that made the originals so awesome.

The finished product sounds like nothing else out there, and that's what makes them so profoundly inspirational. They have the sparkle, chime, and jangle of a great Rickenbacker, the percussive bite and snarl of a great Tele, and the vocal chirp and quack of a Strat.

It all adds up to a sunny, sweet tone with exceptional lushness and three-dimensionality, and superb percussive twang and bite. To my ears, it's a perfect bright electric guitar sound. There are no harsh, strident, icepick frequencies to be found--a common pitfall for bright guitars. It sounds full and rich, but it fits perfectly in a mix, and it's exceptionally articulate with wonderful bell-like clarity. To boot, the vocal Stratiness of it all adds another layer of expressiveness to the equation.

All in all, the Reverend Spy is a guitar that sounds completely original. Because you're in new sonic territory, it almost forces you to be creative and find new ideas. As soon as you come in, the inspiration flows like the roaring Colorado River!

Built to Be Played

Before starting Reverend Guitars, Joe Naylor (the brains behind Reverend designs) worked as a guitar repairman. Over the years, he kept a mental checklist of all the most common guitar ailments and afflictions. Once he started building, he sought to improve his designs to head these issues off at the pass with thoughtful designs meant to improve durability, stability, and playability. For instance, input jacks always go squirrelly, so each Reverend has a four-bolt jack plate instead of a two-bolt, because more bolts means it's less likely to move.

The same principle applies to many aspects of this guitar's design. It has a six-bolt neck plate instead of the usual four, so the neck is much less likely to move. It's also at a slight angle, which makes it easier to access the upper frets. Speaking of which, the neck is made of roasted maple, which has a lower moisture content, so it's less likely to move with humidity (and it acts as a wooden tuning fork of sorts, boosting the guitar's sustain and resonance a little bit). For those who love to whammy it up, it has a Wilkinson WVS50 IIK Tremolo, which is as bulletproof and stable as they come. Speaking of tuning stability, the Boneite nut and pin-lock tuners make tuning (and staying in tune) a breeze. To top it off, it has boutique-quality pots and caps, which ensure each guitar has reliable, consistent electronic components. Basically, all of that makes each Reverend supremely reliable, capable of withstanding abuse night in and night out.

Reverend's playability matches the sky-high standards it sets in durability and stability. Their necks are a marvel: an uber-comfy medium oval C with a 12" radius and 0.110" wide x 0.050" high frets create a comfortable home for just about any play-style. The flat radius allows for a lower setup and lets you bend strings with low action without the notes choking out and dying. The larger frets also reduce left-hand exertion and make it easier to play precisely, and the overall profile sits squarely in the Goldilocks Zone: not too thick and not too thin. It's a configuration that works well for just about any play style, and it is universally beloved by the Wildwood staff.

That's all a long-winded way of saying that this Reverend will be a dependable and helpful companion throughout all your fretboard adventures, making it easier for you to express yourself creatively at every turn.

Rocky Mountain Spy

Wildwoodians, everyone's ears hear differently, and everyone's heartstrings have different sympathetic frequencies, so your mileage may vary, but I think a Spy belongs in every guitar player's quiver. Whether it's your main guitar like mine or a change-of-pace wildcard that keeps things fresh, it has tremendous power as a creative tool. I cordially invite you to live and let Spy, Wildwoodians. I have no doubt you'll love them as much as I do!