Since joining Fu Manchu in 1996, Bob Balch has earned a reputation for dishing out flurries of fuzz. Now, Reverend has teamed with the utmost dealer of distortion himself to bring you the Bob Balch signature guitar. This hot rod of howl puts an elevated spin on Reverend’s Sensei body-style, with masterful beveling and a finish that looks as tough as Bob’s signature pickups sound. The korina neck and body are paired with a rosewood fingerboard, resulting in rich, warm tones. Locking tuners and a Tune-o-matic bridge keep this solidbody firing on all cylinders, just the way it’s meant to be heard. Finally, each guitar is hand initialed and serial numbered on the back of the headstock. Grab one today and hear what Reverend is preaching with this Bob Balch signature guitar!
Sturdy solidbody tone
For the Bob Balch signature guitar, Reverend used korina liberally and deliberately in both the body and the set-in neck. This tonewood is noted for its sonic similarities to mahogany, in addition to its natural warmth and depth plus a thickness to its midrange. It generally keeps a well-balanced tone while maintaining a substantial heft. The korina body’s naturally rich resonance is complemented by the unique addition of a strategically placed chamber underneath the pickguard. Likewise, the rosewood fingerboard provides a subtle expansion to the korina’s sonic profile, as it is known for its fuller low end and brighter trebles. The pairing of these tonewoods results in a sonic profile that emphasizes the midrange, while dishing out a full-bodied low end and crisp, articulate highs.
Signature sound, deliberate design
It’s clear that this guitar was designed to sound good, loud, and good and loud. Interestingly, the onboard Railhammer passive pickups were engineered by the same mind behind the guitar: Joe Naylor, founder of both Reverend and Railhammer. Bob Balch worked alongside Railhammer to produce the ideal pickups that would bring out the tonewoods’ best natural properties, featuring ceramic magnets and a brass cover for fat lower mids. A standard volume knob, tone controls, and 3-way pickup selector are accompanied by a bass contour knob, letting you control the roll off the low end, giving you variable voicing to tighten up the lows on the fly. Moreover, the sound is captured by an upgraded Pure Tone Technologies jack, which has dual contacts (instead of the standard single), improving grip, audio signal, and reliability.
Consistent tone at any volume
The Bob Balch signature guitar's set-in, 3-piece korina neck is designed with a 12-inch-radius, 22-fret fingerboard. Plus, a medium oval neck shape ensures smooth, comfortable access that’s perfect for chugging away. Inside the neck, you’ll find a dual-action truss rod with headstock access, making maintenance unobtrusive. Restringing and tuning are a breeze, thanks to the locking tuners and Tune-o-Mmatic bridge and stop-tail combo. A treble bleed circuit is used to preserve the treble qualities when the volume knob is rolled back. Additionally, the neck features a 43mm-wide Boneite nut with synthetic bone properties that reduce friction, improve tuning stability, and produce a resonance more consistent than natural bone. Custom etching on the proprietary jack plate adds a touch of detail while bolstering jack stability, thanks to the two additional mounting screws.
Features
- Korina body and neck for balanced, articulate resonance with a robust midrange
- Strategically positioned body cavity under pickguard enhances resonance for a deeper, richer tone
- Beveled contours and gloss finish for a distinct design
- 3-piece neck design is stronger and less prone to twisting
- 2 Bob Balch Signature Railhammer pickups designed to produce a tight lows and fat highs
- Reverend pin-lock tuners maintain turning stability
- Dual-action truss rod has access via headstock for convenient maintenance
- Boneite nut delivers consistent tone and reduces friction on strings
- Bass contour knob provides quick, onboard roll-off for bass frequencies and instant pickup re-voicing
- Tune-o-matic bridge with stop tail means easy restringing and ensures you’ll stay in tune
- Triple-bleed circuit preserves treble frequencies and tone even when rolling back volume
- Upgraded Pure Tone Technologies jack has dual contacts for improved grip, audio signal, and reliability
- Custom jack plate features laser etched logo and 2 additional mounting screws to prevent it from tearing out of the body
Specifications
- Number of Strings6
- Left-/Right-handedRight-handed
- Body
- Body TypeSolidbody
- Body ShapeBob Balch Signature
- Body MaterialKorina
- Body FinishGloss Polyurethane
- ColorViolin Brown
- Neck
- Neck Material3-piece Korina
- Neck ShapeMedium Oval
- Neck JointSet Neck
- Radius12"
- Fingerboard MaterialRosewood
- Fingerboard InlayPearloid Blocks
- Number of Frets22, Nickel Alloy
- Scale Length24.75"
- Nut Width1.692"
- Nut MaterialBoneite
- Hardware
- Bridge/TailpieceTune-O-Matic Bridge with Stopbar Tailpiece
- TunersPin-Lock
- Electronics
- Neck PickupRailhammer Bob Balch Humbucker
- Bridge PickupRailhammer Bob Balch Humbucker
- Controls1 x master volume, 1 x master tone, 1 x bass contour
- Switching3-way toggle pickup switch
- Miscellaneous
- StringsD'Addario, .010-.046
- Case/Gig BagSold Separately
- Manufacturer Part Number:BB-G-vibr-RW-RARA-BK-HT