Kz Guitar Works

Kz ST Trad 22 SSH7

Kz Guitar Works has offered a number of guitars packed with original features. The know-hows we have gained since our brand’s foundation in 2001 enabled us to develop even better instruments.

On the occasion of our brand’s 20th anniversary, we released new models offering our craftsmanship and know-hows we have gained from reassessing the tradition of electric guitars.

 

mahogany natural

 

black

 

Kz ST Trad 22 SSH7
Price: 2530 USD

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Overview

Kz Guitar Works has offered Kz One and a number of guitars packed with original features. Our new model Kz ST Trad 22 SSH7 released in December 2021 features an ST-style body which is more familiar to most guitarists. The selection of the pickups and their placements as well as the synchronized tremolo are also traditional features.

On the other hand, we selected Honduran mahogany for the materials for the neck and the body. Also, our unique “RS joint” method is employed for the neck joint.

The price of 2530 USD is reasonable for a guitar using premium Honduran mahogany and built in our own shop in Zushi.

mahogany natural

black

Using Honduran mahogany reserved for the custom line guitars

Mahogany wood has been popularly used for the body and the neck of the guitars. It is difficult to make a good-or-bad comparison of the sound characteristics of Honduran mahogany against those of more popular African mahogany. However, as proved by the sound of our custom line guitars and vintage guitars, Honduran mahogany has been regarded as the material of rich resonances. We have used the material only for our custom models simply because it is rare and pricy but we decided to use our stock material for our new Kz ST Trad 22 SSH7 models

 

We use a three-piece Mahogany body, so that the neck, the bridge, and the pickups are all mounted on the same one piece in the center. We believe that this construction will ensure the maximum and stable string vibrations.

 

 

The newly developed RS joint inspired by and improved on the neck joint of the Red Special.

Our brand Kz Guitar Works may be more associated with the Red Special guitar. The neck joint is one of the unique features of the Red Special. Brian May, while he was in his teens, came up with the idea of extending the neck joint deeper into the body and fixing the neck with one bolt from the back and two screws from the top. Kz ST Trad 22 employs the same “one bolt from the bottom and two screws from the top” method but the length and the depth of the joint are optimized for the better resonance of the materials of the body and the neck.

In addition, the back side of the joint are round-cut for the better playability in the high position.

This is where our meticulous craftmanship and care for the instrument’s resonance at our Zushi shop shine!

What is “RS joint”?

Features:
・Improved method of the bolt-on joint for the direct contact of the neck and the body without the glue lying between them.
・The length of the joint is more than two times longer than that of the conventional joint.
・The neck is fixed at three points from the top and the bottom.
・Precise joint work by Kz Guitar Works.

 

▲The joint fixed with one bolt from the back of the body.

▲The joint fixed with two screws from the top of the body. The joint extends to the cavity for the middle pickup.

 

Ultra-thin lacquer finish on the body and the neck.

Both the body and the neck are finished with the ultra-thin lacquer for the minimal loss of the vibration of the material.

 

Bare Knuckle Boot Camp Series “True Grit” SSH pickups.

The pickup system employs the single-single-humbucking combination.

 

◆Bare Knuckle Boot Camp Series ” True Grit ” SSH

We selected an SSH set of Bare Knuckle Boot Camp Series “True Grit” pickups. They offer fat, rich, and clean tone and punchy overdrive tone. (Their polepieces are made of alnico V magnets)

 

◆Controls

The control system consists of one volume, one tone and a 5-way pickup selector switch. The tone knob can be pulled for the coil-tap mode of the humbucker pickup in the bridge position, which enables the selection from the total of seven different combinations.

 

Synchronized tremolo

We selected GOTOH 510T-SF1 synchronized tremolo bridge. The string spacing is 10.8mm.

 

25-inch scale and slim “C” neck grip.

The scale is 25 inch (635mm) which is the same as that of Kz One. The grip is of our popular “C” shape. Along with the smooth trimming of the edges of the fingerboard and the frets, the neck offers the best playability.

 

▲25-inch (635mm) scale.

 

▲A slim “C” shape neck grip.

 

▲We use Jescar FW55090 fret wire. The edges of the frets and the fingerboard are trimmed for the best playability.

 

New headstock shape.

We designed the new 6-in-line shape for the headstock. Instead of our brand decal, we decided to use Kz logo medal for the fresh impression of the model. The tuners are GOTOH SG381-07-CR L6 MG-T (Magnum Lock).

Kz ST Trad 22 SSH7 Black

In addition to the natural finish, we offer the black finish.

 

 

The pictured guitar is a prototype.

Spec:
Body: 3-piece Honduran mahogany
Neck: 1-piece Honduran mahogany
Fingerboard: Indian rosewood, 305mm (12”) R
Scale: 635mm (25”)
Neck grip: Bolt-on, slim “C”
Number of frets: 22
Frets: Jescar FW55090 (2.3mm W x 1.4mm H)
Tuners: GOTOH SG381-07-CR L6 MG-T (Magnum Lock)
Bridge: GOTOH 510T-SF1 (10.8mm string spacing)
Pickups: Bare Knuckle Boot Camp Series “True Grit” SSH
Controls: SSH7 (1 vol., 1 tone with coil-tap switch, one 5-way pickup selector switch)
Color: Mahogany natural (black pickguard), Black (brown faux-tortoise pickguard)
Finish: Lacquer
Accessories: Tremolo bar, Adjustment tools, Semi-hard case.

Data and specifications are as of December 2021 and are subject to change without notice.