Rather than retrofitting a 6-string design, Reverend crafted the Airwave 12-string Semi-hollow Electric Guitar from the ground up — a claim that few, if any, classic 12-string electrics can make! What results is a boutique-level instrument at a player-friendly price. A semi-hollow korina body yields warm, rich tone enhanced by a spruce top for a touch of acoustic zing. A glossy rosewood fingerboard and 5-piece korina/walnut neck facilitate top-notch playability for years to come. When it’s time to plug-in, the Airwave quickly adapts to any rig or recording scenario thanks to Reverend’s signature Bass Contour and two custom P-90 pickups packed with single-coil clarity, enhanced output, and midrange oomph that let all 12 strings shine. Between extra maintenance time and doubled string pressure, many guitarists dread picking up a 12-string, but the Reverend Airwave sets the mind and fingers at ease with an outstanding design.
The 12-string zing of korina and spruce
Korina bodies are well known for their presence in boutique and custom-shop instruments, exuding velvety warmth while balancing lows, mids, and highs exceptionally well. The Airwave’s korina body does just that with a dash of extra energy, courtesy of a spruce top. Spruce adds just the right amount of acoustic resonance and snappy response that fuels tried-and-true 12-string tone and helps the Airwave stand out in a mix.
Custom P-90s
Does it jangle? Of course! The Airwave nails the sound of countless Laurel Canyon classics but does much more. Central to the Airwave’s tone are two custom single-coil 9A5 pickups, akin to vintage P-90s tweaked for 12-string excellence. The 9A5 in the bridge bites like a P-90 should, with added thickness and heat suitable for modern genres, gain, and effects. Players quickly noted the clarity of the 9A5 neck position: it’s cleaner than your standard P-90 while possessing all of the smoothness and prominent mids of its inspiration. Whether you’re strumming to “Hotel California” or require a solid 12-string for your next EP, this impressive set of pickups will give you a standout sound.
Boutique tone tweaking
The 12-string sound is iconic, but it can be a finicky beast for players to dial in. Thankfully, the Airwave is set up for versatile tone tweaking immediately, which boosts sound quality and saves time hunting for usable tones. For starters, the tone control features a treble bleed circuit that retains high end, even at low volumes, then enhances that further with 10% poly caps and pots for extremely consistent performance. Moreover, Reverend’s signature Bass Contour knob expands control even further with the power to tighten up flub and change the characteristics of your pickups — humbuckers can quickly morph into single-coils in seconds! Tone possibilities range from cutting 12-string shimmer to meaty low-mid heft for driven electric blues. And like all Reverend instruments, the Airwave comes equipped with an upgraded jack courtesy of Pure Tone Technologies. Rather than employ the standard single contact, Pure Tone jacks use a pair of contacts for a tighter connection and a more consistent signal. With a Reverend guitar, you can rest assured that only the best components are under the hood.
The ultimate 12-string electric? We think yes!
The Airwave truly stands apart with a blend of masterful features and hardware that address unique 12-string challenges. For starters, 12 locking tuners onboard mean tuning breaks are rare and string changes are fast — that’s two big 12-string time drains put to rest. A dozen tuners often make for a hefty, diving headstock, especially on a semi-hollow! But this is remedied on the Airwave by an extended upper horn that wards off neck dive for balanced playing comfort standing up. A custom bridge offers fully adjustable independent saddles to ensure perfect intonation for each string. The Airwave bridge’s innovative split design also boosts resonance: six strings mount on top and six are string-through. What’s more, this design cuts down body and bridge strain. By diversifying string anchor points, the Airwave’s string pressure is more equitably distributed, which means excellent stability and a significantly reduced risk of the “bellying” effect that plagues many 12-string acoustic and electric guitars as they age.
Finally, Reverend outfitted the Airwave with a strong, durable multi-piece neck. Masterfully set for extra security, the Airwave’s neck boasts an incredibly resilient 5-piece korina/walnut build that handles both long-term stability and the short-term climate and humidity challenges like a champ — perfect for gigging musicians and hobbyists alike! As a matter of fact, these features were all road-tested and developed with working musicians like Chris Funk of the Decemberists to ensure quality.
Reverend Guitars: expertly crafted and designed with the player in mind
From humble beginnings working out of a Detroit-area garage to worldwide praise and presence on the globe’s biggest stages, Reverend Guitars has solidified its place as a reliable source of exquisite guitars and basses. The brainchild of designer and luthier Joe Naylor, Reverend instruments are found accompanying many of today’s most influential players, including Billy Corgan, Reeves Gabrels, Meshell Ndegeocello, Matt West, and many others. Now based in Toledo, Ohio, Reverend’s firm commitment to quality and exceptional tone is found in every instrument, each donning custom-shop components to deliver the purest sound possible.
Features
- Boutique-quality 12-string with stunning playability
- Semi-hollow korina body delivers full-bodied electric tone
- Spruce top enhances tone with extra warmth and speedy articulation
- 5-piece korina/walnut neck — outstanding 12-string neck stability ensures playability and reduces long-term maintenance requirements
- Smooth rosewood fingerboard
- 2 P-90-style 9A5 pickups offer single-coil clarity with enhanced output and broad tone diversity
- Bass contour knob and treble bleed circuit offer huge tonal refinements compared to other 12-strings
- Hybrid bridge with independently adjustable saddles for all 12 strings
- Unique 6 string-through/6 top-load bridge boosts resonant sustain while decreasing bridge wear
- Pure Tone jack, 10% pots, and poly caps deliver a consistent, professional performance
- Low-profile dome knobs and jack plate
- Synthetic bone nut reduces friction while improving stability and resonance
- Premium pin-lock tuners mean fewer tuning breaks and speedy string swaps
- Independent bridge intonation for each string ensures top-notch performance for studios and stages
Specifications
- Number of Strings12
- Left-/Right-handedRight-handed
- Body
- Body TypeSemi-hollowbody
- Body ShapeAirwave
- Body MaterialKorina
- Top MaterialSolid Spruce
- Body FinishGloss Polyurethane
- ColorDeep Sea Blue
- Neck
- Neck Material5-piece Korina/Walnut
- Neck ShapeMedium Oval
- Neck JointSet Neck
- Radius12"
- Fingerboard MaterialRosewood
- Fingerboard InlayPearloid Blocks
- Number of Frets22, Nickel Alloy
- Scale Length24.75"
- Nut Width1.75"
- Nut MaterialBoneite
- Hardware
- Bridge/TailpieceGotoh 12-String Bridge
- TunersPin-Lock
- Electronics
- Neck PickupReverend 9A5 Single-coil
- Bridge PickupReverend 9A5 Single-coil
- Controls1 x master volume, 1 x master tone, 1 x bass contour
- Switching3-way toggle pickup switch
- Miscellaneous
- Strings.010/.010, .012/.012, .017/.008, .026/.012, .036/.018, .046/.026
- Case/Gig BagSold Separately
- Manufacturer Part Number:AW-G-dsbl-RW-9090-CR-HT