Wait – what? Did Eastwood just bring back the Super Axe, that incredibly rare bird from the late ’70s?
Indeed, they did. A Korean-made reissue, it captures the spirit of Gretsch’s chambered curiosity.
Grabbing one, the first thing you’ll notice is the oversized yet thin body, with its arched top and the enchanting lines of its neck/body joint. The Super Axe has the general footprint of an archtop, but reduced to something even thinner than a traditional thinline. Since it’s “tone chambered,” the weight is a reasonable nine pounds – hefty, but not uncomfortably so. The body is mahogany with maple veneer on the top, back, and sides, and a familiar Orange finish or a darker option called Ebony Stain. The set neck is maple, with a shape that’s thin, quick, and sports a 24.5″ scale, appointed with a bound ebony fretboard with cube inlays.
There are two humbuckers, master Volume, two Tone knobs, and three-way pickup toggle. Where the Gretsch Super Axe had onboard phase shifter and compressor effects, Eastwood (knowing those effects are commonplace today) made clever substitutions. First, there are coil-tap switches for each humbucker. Don’t expect Fender tones, but certainly, there are brighter flavors to explore.
Players will be fascinated by the OBEL (on-board effects loop) circuit, which runs through the Super Axe, not your amplifier. OBEL was used by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead to control the volume of his effects onstage. Using a breakout box with TRS and other cables, you can put stompboxes into the loop and isolate them from the guitar’s preamp. In essence, it reduces the guitar’s volume while allowing the full depth of each effect. An innovative feature, no question.
Another tone tip: If you plug in the Super Axe and notice edgy breakup, that’s the Transwarp Preamp, which is powered by a 9-volt battery and can’t be turned off. If you want Garcia grit, leave it alone, but for cleaner textures, remove the battery cover, where you’ll see a small trim pot. Turn it counterclockwise with a small screwdriver and you’ll find cleaner preamp colors.
In all, the Eastwood’s Super Axe is an excellent reworking of a one-of-a-kind ’70s axe, offering great sustain, a fast neck, and cool electronics. Twang one. – Pete Prown
This article originally appeared in VG’s April 2025 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
