This Tulsa features a light weight, chambered body of white African limba with a stunning curly maple top. The front and back have been contoured in the traditional German-carve manner, making the instrument extra comfortable to hold. The body is chambered and is extremely resonant. The matching figured limba neck is carved in a robust "D" shaped vintage carve—recalling the beefy necks of the 1950s.
Dantzig guitars utilize a low-mass single carbon steel truss rod that is pre-stressed to allow both forward and backwards adjustment without resorting to tone-robbing double rods.
The fretboard is a beautiful slab of dark Brazilian rosewood fretted with 22 medium oval nickel silver frets on what Jol describes as a compensated 25.5" scale. Rather than merely copying vintage practices, this fret scale is adjusted for current string manufacturing techniques, and the resulting intonation is perfect for the modern player.
The fretboard radius is a comfortable 12". Inlays are mother of pearl chevron design. Side markers are genuine mother of pearl as well.
Pickups are vintage style low-wind P90s from John Grail. These extremely hard to obtain pickups (which Jon calls G90) are uncommonly clear and articulate. The middle position tones are funky and clear—perfect for blues and old school R&B.
This extremely resonant instrument features a lightweight aluminum wraparound bridge made in the USA for Dantzig. The hex-key locking studs (also USA made) transmit vibration to the guitar's body through 1018 steel anchors with striking efficiency, allowing notes to jump out clearly and sustain readily. You will be amazed by the clarity of each note in chords, and surprised by the amplitude of the high E string as well.
Controls are the classic 2 volume, 2 tone. The tone controls are what Dantzig refers to as "contour controls," combined with a passive treble bleed circuit for each pickup. The Bournes pots give a surprising amount of control and variety of tone. The Switchcraft 3-way toggle is placed easily at hand, and vintage fans will appreciate the properly shaped switch tip. Tone caps are the cherished Orange Drops made famous by Sprague and now manufactured by Vishay.
All hardware is finished nickel, including the locking Sperzel tunersn and Straplock-compatible strap buttons. An added vintage touch is the grained ivoroid tuner buttons. The headstock head-plate is genuine ebony with matte nickel logo and monogram.
This Tulsa is finished in a lovely sunset burst with faint amber-burst sides, back and neck. Jol has expressed a distaste for glossy "bowling ball" finishes that are akin to kitchen appliances. Therefore the instrument is finished in lower-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer that is warm and friendly to the touch. Rather than machine-buffed, every Dantzig guitar is hand rubbed in a French polish style, with the top receiving the more aggressive polishing. The resulting feel is reminiscent of vintage instruments, without resorting to "relicing" techniques. The goal is a new guitar that feels like a fine musical instrument—not a toaster.
- Serial number: 80117
- Color: sunset burst top, light amber burst neck, back and sides
- Body: white African limba
- Neck: white African limba (some curly figure visible)
- Top: bookmatched premium curly maple upgrade w/German carve
- Back: 2 piece white limba
- Scale length: compensated 25.5"
- Fingerboard: Brazilian rosewood
- Fingerboard: radius 12"
- Frets: wide oval Jescar .050"x.090"
- Inlay: pearl chevron
- Neck shape: massive vintage D
- Nut: bone
- Headplate: ebony
- Logo/Monogram: matte nickel
- Tuners: locking nickel Sperzel with ivoroid buttons
- Pickguard: NA
- Pickups: John Grail "G90" lo-wind
- Bridge: low mass aluminum w/locking studs
- Tailpiece: NA
- Strap buttons: Straplock
- Control config: 2 volume, 2 tone contour, 3 way Switchcraft toggle
- Pots: Bournes
- Passive treble bleed circuit on both pickups
- Caps: Orange Drops