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Key Features
The Fret King Jerry Donahue SD Signature Model is a new black edition to Jerry Donahue's signature range. Like others in this range, the SD is equipped with two pickups including a Seymour Duncan APTL-3JD and a APS-2JD that offer a warm, punchy tone with a vintage edge. Controlling these pickups is easy thanks to the unique 5 way switching system which provides some of the most iconic guitar tones of the last 60 years. In addition to the pickups, a chrome pickup surround provides a perfect sustain and ultimate tone transfer. The Jerry Donahue SD is the perfect guitar for any level of player. Includes a Fret-King carry bag for transportation and protection.
Product Ref: 74608
Jerry Donahue is know best for being the co-founder of The Hellecasters, and is an incredible guitarist who has collaborated with many stellar artists over the years. He has an extensive knowledge of guitar tones, and how it has been developed over the last few decades, and has had a considerable amount of input into the design of this SD model.
The Fret King Jerry Donahue SD Signature Model features Donahue’s California built, Seymour Duncan APTL-3JD signature pickup in the bridge position. This unique pickup was especially designed by Seymour Duncan to duplicate the warm, punchy bridge pickup tone of Jerry’s own favourite ’52 touring guitar. In addition to this initial pickup, the SD model also features Jerry’s custom designed, California built covered APS-2JD signature pickup in the neck position. Seymour designed this particular pickup with a balanced field for an even response, to distort "earlier", yet retain a clean, vintage-like tonality.
Controlling these pickups is easy with a five way switch and circuitry which is tuned to exactly to Jerry’s specifications. The Fret-King SD model meets Donahue's vision of having a single guitar with a versatile sound, that can sound like many of the most instantly recognisable solid-body and semi-acoustic tones of the last 50 years.
(Neck) The custom designed Seymour Duncan Jerry Donahue APS-2JD signature pickup yields the rich and unmistakable, sparkling neck position tone of the traditional three-pickup guitar. This results in an unmistakable vintage single-coil sound that echoes the soaring, majestic blues tones of the '60s and '70s.
Whilst in position two, the neck pickup offers a special tonal quality you would usually expect from a full-body jazz guitar, giving you a strong projection.
The neck and bridge pickups are in a customised parallel wiring, producing an enhanced, more contemporary version of the customary middle position timbre on the classic two-pickup guitar.
By combining both pickups with a capacitor and resistor in a controlled degree of reversed phase, this position offers the popular ‘in-between quack tone’ found in this position on three-pickup guitars.
Finally, by using the Seymour Duncan APTL-3JD Jerry Donahue signature bridge pickup, you can captures that amazing lead sound found on the very best of those traditional two-pickup guitars, including his own personal ’52, where his inspiration came from.
Featuring a two-piece centre-jointed American alder body with bound ash top, the SD provides a lightweight design that can be played all night long. With its updated black finish, this guitar is perfect for any type of music due to the versatile tonal properties on offer.