What body material is used for the Hartwood Drifter?

The guitar features a lightweight basswood body. This wood is chosen for its comfort and balanced tonal properties.

What type of pickups does the Hartwood Drifter use?

It is equipped with a set of P90 pickups. These are designed to provide bright, punchy tones with enough grit to handle overdrive and distortion.

What is unique about the neck of this guitar?

The neck is made from roasted maple. This material undergoes a heat treatment process that improves stability and provides a vintage-look finish.

What is the fretboard radius of the Drifter?

The guitar features a 16-inch laurel fretboard radius. This is flatter than traditional vintage guitars, making it easier to play lead lines and bend strings.

How many frets does the Hartwood Drifter have?

The instrument features a total of 22 frets. This allows for a wider range of notes for soloing compared to 21-fret vintage models.

Does the Hartwood Drifter include a tremolo system?

Yes, it features a vintage-style tremolo bridge. This allows the player to add vibrato effects and pitch bends to their playing.

What is the neck profile of the Hartwood Drifter?

The neck uses a modern C profile. This shape is designed to offer immediate comfort and control for a wide range of playing styles.

What controls are available for tone shaping?

The guitar has a straightforward control layout consisting of a three-way pickup selector switch, a master volume knob, and a master tone knob.

What kind of nut is installed on the guitar?

The guitar is fitted with a synthetic bone nut. This helps in providing solid tuning stability and clear string resonance.

Where was the Hartwood Drifter designed?

The Hartwood Drifter was designed in the United Kingdom. It aims to blend classic British design sensibilities with modern manufacturing.

What finish is available for the Drifter mentioned here?

This specific model features a glossy Sunburst finish. The finish highlights the grain and provides a classic, retro aesthetic.

What genre of music is the Hartwood Drifter suited for?

Due to its P90 pickups and offset design, it is well-suited for indie, rock, blues, and surf music. The pickups provide the clarity for clean tones and the grit for gain-heavy styles.

Gear article

Hartwood Drifter Electric Guitar

The Hartwood Drifter is an offset electric guitar designed in the United Kingdom, combining vintage-inspired aesthetics with modern playability features. It is characterised by its lightweight basswood body, roasted maple neck, and a pair of P90 pickups intended for punchy, articulated tones.

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Overview and Design

The Hartwood Drifter is a sleek, offset electric guitar that draws design inspiration from classic surf and alternative rock instruments of the mid-20th century. Designed in the UK, it features a lightweight basswood body finished in a glossy Sunburst. This choice of wood ensures the instrument remains comfortable for long playing sessions while providing a neutral tonal foundation.

One of the standout design elements is the roasted maple neck. The roasting process removes moisture and impurities, resulting in increased stability and a distinctive dark aesthetic. This is paired with a laurel fretboard, which offers a smooth surface for technical play.

Playability and Hardware

The Drifter is engineered for immediate comfort, featuring a modern C-profile neck that fits a wide variety of hand sizes. The fretboard has a relatively flat 16-inch radius, which facilitates easier string bending and reduces the risk of notes 'choking out' compared to more traditional, curved radii found on vintage instruments.

The hardware includes: * 22 Frets: Providing a full two-octave range for lead work. * Vintage-style Tremolo: Allowing for expressive vibrato and pitch manipulation. * Synthetic Bone Nut: Aiding in tuning stability and string vibration transfer. * Retro-style Tuners: Maintaining the vintage aesthetic while providing reliable tuning.

Electronics and Sound Character

Equipped with two P90 pickups, the Hartwood Drifter delivers a sound that sits between the brightness of a single-coil and the thickness of a humbucker. These pickups are known for their bright, punchy attack and sufficient clarity to cut through a dense mix.

The electronics are kept intuitive and straightforward to allow for quick adjustments during performance. The control layout consists of a master volume knob, a master tone knob, and a three-way toggle switch for selecting the bridge, neck, or both pickups. When used with gain, the P90s produce a gritty, aggressive texture suitable for rock and blues styles.

Comparison and Market Position

Positioned at a competitive price point of approximately £150, the Hartwood Drifter competes with entry-level offerings from larger brands. While instruments like the Squier Mini Stratocaster or Stagg SES-30 are designed for younger players or smaller frames, the Drifter is a full-scale instrument.

Compared to higher-end P90-equipped models such as the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s or the Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar, the Drifter offers a budget-friendly entry into the world of offset guitars. While it lacks the premium woods and brand prestige of a Fender American Professional II or a Custom Shop Telecaster, its inclusion of a roasted maple neck is a feature typically found on much more expensive modern instruments.

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Frequently asked questions

What body material is used for the Hartwood Drifter?: The guitar features a lightweight basswood body. This wood is chosen for its comfort and balanced tonal properties.
What type of pickups does the Hartwood Drifter use?: It is equipped with a set of P90 pickups. These are designed to provide bright, punchy tones with enough grit to handle overdrive and distortion.
What is unique about the neck of this guitar?: The neck is made from roasted maple. This material undergoes a heat treatment process that improves stability and provides a vintage-look finish.
What is the fretboard radius of the Drifter?: The guitar features a 16-inch laurel fretboard radius. This is flatter than traditional vintage guitars, making it easier to play lead lines and bend strings.
How many frets does the Hartwood Drifter have?: The instrument features a total of 22 frets. This allows for a wider range of notes for soloing compared to 21-fret vintage models.
Does the Hartwood Drifter include a tremolo system?: Yes, it features a vintage-style tremolo bridge. This allows the player to add vibrato effects and pitch bends to their playing.
What is the neck profile of the Hartwood Drifter?: The neck uses a modern C profile. This shape is designed to offer immediate comfort and control for a wide range of playing styles.
What controls are available for tone shaping?: The guitar has a straightforward control layout consisting of a three-way pickup selector switch, a master volume knob, and a master tone knob.
What kind of nut is installed on the guitar?: The guitar is fitted with a synthetic bone nut. This helps in providing solid tuning stability and clear string resonance.
Where was the Hartwood Drifter designed?: The Hartwood Drifter was designed in the United Kingdom. It aims to blend classic British design sensibilities with modern manufacturing.
What finish is available for the Drifter mentioned here?: This specific model features a glossy Sunburst finish. The finish highlights the grain and provides a classic, retro aesthetic.
What genre of music is the Hartwood Drifter suited for?: Due to its P90 pickups and offset design, it is well-suited for indie, rock, blues, and surf music. The pickups provide the clarity for clean tones and the grit for gain-heavy styles.