Fuzz metal pioneer Bob Balch has been flying the flag for Reverend for quite some time now, and for good reason: his flagship Sensei-style signature guitar has been able to accommodate some of the most gruelling and brutal sonic experiments the Fu Manchu visionary has dared to dream up.
Following the launch of his first signature, Balch has been predominantly playing the Stop Bar-style six-string for much of his music, but when he requested an updated version that would entertain his locking tremolo fancies, Reverend was happy to oblige.
Enter the newest Reverend Bob Balch signature model – an overhauled take of Balch’s trusty original, which drafts in a Floyd Rose tremolo for greater experimental potential.
Now, Reverend has been on a Floyd Rose kick over the past few months, and it was only very recently that the firm first decided to introduce the locking trem system into its lineup. Vernon Reid’s signature model was one of the first to be fitted with such a spec, and now Balch’s build has followed suit.
The FR variant is spec’d to the same sheet as the OG model. That means there’s a solid korina body with a strategic resonance chamber, a three-piece korina neck, and Railhammer Bob Balch bridge and neck humbuckers. The 24.75”-scale guitar also has 22 frets, a 12” rosewood fingerboard and a control layout that also features a Bass Contour parameter.
In terms of finishes, High Tide Blue and Silver Burst are on tap. The Bob Balch FR joins the lineup alongside the aforementioned first Balch model, which arrives in 3-Tone Sunburst and Gloss Violin Brown. It also has a T.O.M-style bridge and Stop Bar tailpiece.
“It’s a real home run of a guitar. It’s a joy to play,” says Guitar World’s Paul Riario. “If you’re a rock or metal player, it pretty much has everything you want.”
The Bob Balch FR is available now for $1,399.
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