Many guitars are a blend of common styles, but few have gone as far as the Knaggs Chena A, a hollowbody in the shape of a Telecaster… sort of.

Sporting a hollow one-piece mahogany body with integrally braced/arched spruce top, ebony fretboard, and gold hardware, the Chena A lends a certain visual impression enhanced by its gorgeous Violin Honeyburst nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

Plugged into a low-watt tube combo, the Chena A revealed tonal versatility that belied its “jazz” aesthetic, thanks to a neck humbucker and Fishman P2 piezo pickups. Selecting the humbucker for jazz runs was an obvious choice, and it produced Joe Pass-style warmth with an engaging extra treble clarity. It also had no problem with solos in the style of B.B. King. Pushed to mild breakup, the humbucker revealed a hardy penchant for modern blues-rock, and it was easy to get full-on rock tones by simply picking closer to the bridge.

Hovering the pick almost over the bridge helped the Chena reveal the Telecaster elements of its personality. Country licks were very convincing and bolstered by increased upper midrange. The hollow body made acoustic tones from the piezo pickup much more realistic than a similar system mounted to a solidbody guitar. Strumming ballads stolen from folk-rockers became a foregone conclusion.

Combining the two pickups opened all-new sonic frontiers. With individual Volume knobs, the balance between the two could be precisely tuned in, giving extra sparkle to the humbucker or additional substance to the piezo.

The sub-six-pound weight, relief along the back edge of the body, and gentle C-shaped neck make the Chena a pleasure to play for any style and setting. While its appearance may hint at “one-trick pony,” Knaggs’ Chena A is a surprisingly versatile instrument that can meet the needs of any player.

This article originally appeared in VG’s November 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.