NAMM 2017: Supro revives guitar line with 14 new electrics
Island and Americana Series feature retro looks and wide-frequency tones
Introduction
NAMM 2017: The return of Supro guitars has been teased for some time, but this year's NAMM show makes it a reality, with a whopping 14 new models confirmed.
The guitars are divided into two series: Island and Americana, promising to fuse contemporary playability and performance with retro looks and classic tones.
Island Series models comprise three pickup configurations: the single-pickup Jamesport, twin-pickup Westbury and triple-pickup Hampton.
The models feature solid alder bodies with set maple necks, and Gold Foil pickups based on '50s designs, which offer a wide frequency response for use with drive pedals and vintage-voiced amps.
Americana Series models, meanwhile, utilise Supro's vintage body design with Acousti-Glass top paired with a semi-hollow mahogany back, plus a two-bolt neck joint for the mahogany neck.
Models include the single-pickup Sahara, Dual-Tone and Belmont; twin-pickup Holiday, Coronado II and Martinique; plus the Coronado II, Martinique Deluxe and Belmont Vibrato, which all feature period-correct fulcrum vibrato tailpieces.
All Americana Series guitars pack vintage-correct Vistatone pickups to replicate the tones of original Supro, National and Airline guitars, while the '50s wiring emulates Ralph Keller's Valco designs.
Finally, there's the Jet Airliner Lapsteel, which utilises a vintage Supro body design with string-through-body hardtail bridge, as well as vintage Gold Foil pickups with '50s wiring and volume and tone controls.
All of the guitars are a result of collaboration between Supro's Dave Koltai, famed designer Trev Wilkinson, vintage pickup expert Ken Calvet and luthier Glenn Sweetwood.
Head through our gallery above for a closer look at each of the guitars, as well as pricing and spec.
Supro Island and Americana Series guitars will be available across Europe in January and February respectively. Head over to Supro USA and JHS for more info.
Supro Island Series Hampton
- Vintage Supro body design
- Set neck with black satin finish
- 3x vintage Gold Foil pickups
- 50’s-wiring volume and tone controls
- 5-position pickup switch
- Wave tailpiece
- Alder body
- Dot inlays
- 6100 frets
- 12″ radius fretboard
- 25 ½” scale
Supro Island Series Westbury
- Vintage Supro body design
- Set neck with black satin finish
- 2x vintage Gold Foil pickups
- 50’s-wiring volume and tone controls
- Wave tailpiece
- Alder body
- Dot inlays
- 6100 frets
- 12″ radius fretboard
- 25 ½” scale
Supro Island Series Jamesport
- Vintage Supro body design
- Set neck with black satin finish
- Vintage Gold Foil pickup
- 50’s-wiring volume and tone controls
- Wave tailpiece
- Alder body
- Dot inlays
- 6100 frets
- 12″ radius fretboard
- 25 ½” scale
Supro Americana Series Sahara
- Vintage Supro body design
- Wedgewood Blue Metallic finish
- Redesigned two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickups
- 50’s-wiring volume and tone controls
- Rosewood bridge
- Chrome tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Americana Series Belmont Vibrato
- Vintage Supro body design
- Poppy Red finish
- Re-designed two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickup
- 50’s-wiring volume and tone controls
- Rosewood bridge
- Vibrato tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Americana Series Martinique
- Vintage Supro body design
- Ermine White finish
- Re-designed two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickups
- Piezo-equipped rosewood bridge
- Volume and tone control for each pickup
- Rosewood bridge
- Art Deco stairstep tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Americana Series Coronado II Vibrato
- Vintage Supro body design
- Jet Black finish
- Re-designed two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickups
- Volume and tone control per pickup
- Rosewood bridge
- Vibrato tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Americana Series Black Holiday
- Vintage Supro body design
- Jet Black finish
- Redesigned two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickups
- 50’s-wiring volume and tone controls
- Rosewood bridge
- Art Deco stairstep tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Americana Series Dual-Tone
- Vintage Supro body design
- Ermine White finish
- Redesigned two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickups
- Volume and tone control per pickup
- Master volume control
- Rosewood bridge
- Art Deco stairstep tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Americana Series Martinique Deluxe
- Vintage Supro body design
- Ermine White finish
- Redesigned two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickups
- Volume and tone controlper pickup
- Piezo-equipped Rosewood bridge
- Art Deco stairstep tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Americana Series Coronado II
- Vintage Supro body design
- Jet Black finish
- Redesigned two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickups
- Volume and tone control per pickup
- Rosewood bridge
- Art Deco stairstep tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Americana Series White Holiday
- Vintage Supro body design
- Dawn White finish
- Redesigned two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickups
- Independent volumes for each pickup
- Master volume and master tone knobs
- Rosewood bridge
- Vibrato tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Americana Series Belmont
- Vintage Supro body design
- Sparkle White finish
- Re-designed two-bolt neck joint
- Vintage-correct Vistatone pickup
- 50’s-wiring volume and tone controls
- Rosewood bridge
- Chrome tailpiece
- Acousti-glass top
- Semi-hollow mahogany back
- Mahogany neck with dot inlays
- 24 ¾” scale
Supro Jet Airliner Lapsteel
- Vintage Supro Jet Airliner body design
- Black & White tuxedo finish
- Art Deco fretboard design
- Supro Silver Foil pickup
- 50’s-wiring volume and tone controls
- String-through-body hardtail bridge
- Ships in open-E tuning (E B E G# B E)
- 23” scale
Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.
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