Impressively spec’d guitars come pre-loaded with titanium tremolos, brass blocks, custom humbuckers and much, much more
In the market for a spectacular new guitar? How about eight of ‘em? Then join Paul Riario as he demos a clutch of new FU PRO axes – the new line of innovative, impressively spec’d and incredible sounding guitars from lauded tremolo upgrade brand FU-Tone.
What makes these FU PRO guitars so exciting?” Paul asks. “For one, FU-Tone is well known for making hardware upgrades in case you want to take your guitar to the next level of playing when it comes to setup, sound and feel.
“But what they did this time was FU-Tone decided to launch its own line of guitars where all these hardware upgrades are installed. So what you get is a guitar with everything baked in."
This includes, for starters, an FU-Tone FU2 Locking Tremolo with Titanium String Lock Inserts and an EVH D-Tuna.
Paul then flips the guitar over to reveal what he calls the “sonic engine of what FU-Tone does.”
(Image credit: FU-Tone)
“This is where all the magic happens as far as sustain and tone,” he says, pointing to the rear cavity, which is loaded with an FU-Tone 42mm Big Brass “L” Block, two Heavy Duty Noiseless Springs, a Brass Claw and Claw Screws and a Brass Tremolo Stopper.
“And you can see it all through this clear back plate,” Paul says. “A nice touch.”
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As for pickups, you get two FU-Tone humbuckers mounted on a P.M.S. Pickup Mounting System, and each with its own mini-toggle coil tap switch.
"Between the coil split switches and three-way toggle you get a variety of single-coil and humbucker tones, and everywhere in between,” Paul says.
Construction, meanwhile, consists of a lightweight alder “San Dimas” style body in colors ranging from Ferrari Yellow and Sea Foam Green to Trans Purple and Antique White, an unfinished oil maple neck with a Thin C rear profile and a choice of a maple or ebony fingerboard with a 12”-16” compound radius and 22 jumbo frets.
“One of the best things about the neck,” Paul says, “is that it has this bare oil finish as opposed to a satin or a gloss finish, so you really feel connected to it. It allows you to glide without being hindered. And it’s one of the best neck profiles I’ve come across.”
The result, as Paul puts it, is a “next-level superstrat.”
“These are professional, premium, performance ready instruments for the studio and the stage. And the one thing I can tell you is that they are consistent with stellar setups, they sound great and I’ve just never played a superstrat quite like this before.”
Furthermore, Paul continues, “When you factor in all the premium upgrades that you’ll never have to change, it makes this guitar just a cut above the rest.”
The FU PRO, he concludes, “inspires you to play.”
To try out an FU PRO for yourself, head to FU-Tone.com.
Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.
