Echopark Arroyo
 
Obviously, a drop-dead gorgeous green luthier-built guitar with interesting looking pick-ups and a lady’s foot for a headstock isn’t that hard a sell. I’ll try and describe what’s so special about this one.
 
I’ll start with the Echopark Goldfoil neck pick-up. This features the extra wide magnetic aperture – like an exaggerated version of the original gold foil, and is a single coil pick-up, not a humbucker despite its size. Get over the Guyatone connotations for a moment and find out a little more why Ry Cooder goes for them. This isn’t about the power; it is not about the retro microphonic howls of a 1960 Teisco Audition. There is a very good reason why most boutique and high-end pick-up manufacturers produce their take on this iconic pick-up. What weak rubberized magnets give us is a set of playing dynamics not seen in many other places since 1965 in Nagano. Gabe does away with the rubberized magnet and uses a ceramic magnet but still captures the soul correctly. A word-soup of emotive descriptors could follow, but it would be up to your ears and fingers to pick the ones you need. Most seem to agree on Lo-Fi, but that doesn’t mean lack of clarity or sparkle, what I think people are getting at is that your amplifier will react differently. There is a looseness – but this becomes familiar after a few hours. I find the character easier to exploit with fingers, rather than a plectrum, but that’s me. There is absolutely no boomy muddy nature to the tone even with the controls dialled back. Playing high up the neck it is sometimes necessary to check whether you are still on that neck pick-up such is the treble response. Original goldfoils are genuinely love-hate things – very little in the middle. But these re-imagined versions are produced to massively higher standards and have a greater dynamic brief to fulfil.
 
For the bridge pick-up, just listen to the Reading 2014 QOTSA Burn the Witch – that guitar is the exact same model and spec as this one. It is an Arcane Echotron which cuts and bites without overdoing it. The balance between the two is sublime. This is a guitar that lends its lo-fi character to every other tone you have in your head and delivers something more than you may have expected.
 
It is old-stock Mahogany for body and neck, and a Macassar Ebony fretboard with medium Jescar frets. The bridge is a Tonepros wraparound, all other components are what you would expect (CTS, Gotoh, Switchcraft, PIO capacitor).
 
There is a characteristic of all Echoparks that I have experienced – is it one of Mr. Curries idiosyncrasies? Maybe. The scratchplate doesn’t fit brilliantly – it curls a bit at the edges. It is a lot better than the aluminium affair that graced the Clarence that passed through here a while back. It’s character – proves it’s a real one!
 
This is one of Gabe’s Californian builds – some say his best era. He’s not the easiest chap in the world to deal with, especially lately, but this guitar represents the finest qualities of his hands and mind. A solid handshake without being heavy, a neck like a telegraph pole without being unwieldy, and a green-burst finish that oozes quality and class. This is one of 2 Echoparks we have had here recently – both sublime. This one is still available here at the Hall – come and try it to see what the fuss is all about.
 
I had a spare hour recently late at night, no-one around, just me and the Arroyo. I recorded a probably totally inappropriate ditty (sorry Mr. Stapleton, you do it so much better) but this was the song in my head and I fancied seeing how the Arroyo fared. Well, it’s talents far outweigh my own, but I can wholeheartedly recommend coming in and seeing what it can do for you.
 
Gabe is producing a lot more guitars now than he used to, and his prices are heading up, the waiting lists getting longer. Knowing Echopark as I do, these guitars are like fine wines. There are good years and not so good years. This is Grand Cru – top stuff.