Airline Bighorn Red – For Those Who Want Something Different

Body And Neck:
Electronics:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

• Check Price

Now if you like your guitars unconventional and a bit on the wild side, have we got the choice for you! Popularized by the one and only Mr. Jack White, the Airline Bighorn Red delivers a peculiar sonic mixture of heavy groove and fuzz.

We had the chance to take this fella out for a little test run, you can check out our thoughts and conclusions in the full review below.

Body & Neck

The guitar utilizes a solid body combined with a strong maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, 19 frets, a 24.75-inch scale, and standard white dot markers.

This combination reels in a distinctive groove driven by middles and trebles, but still with enough basses to round up the mix. The neck is a nice little strong piece that feels chunky on the lower frets, but comfortable and slim enough on the higher registry.

On the aesthetic side, this is one memorable guitar and an instrument you can't really miss during any show. When you wield it, the spotlight is yours even when another guitarist is soloing!

Hardware

In the hardware section, we are looking at fairly basic stuff – an adjustable bridge, a pack of 6 decent tuners, a truss rod, a bone nut, and a large pick-guard. The fret job is alright with minor buzzing issues and sharp edges, and the components in general do a solid job in keeping the instrument in proper shape.

Some minor issues with tuning can be reported, but no biggie. In this section, the guitar isn't exactly shining, but it's still nowhere near the poor-quality domain. Decent stuff!

Electronics

In this section, we are looking at a pair of Airline humbuckers with individual Tone and Volume control knobs, as well as a standard 3-way pickup selector switch. The pickups are a bit on the hot side and loaded with fuzz, but still rather articulate and rooted in the realm of blues.

There is enough room to make a fair specter of sonic adjustments here, but know that a pinch of fuzz is something you can always expect from this guy.

Sound

So, how does it all sound then? Pretty unique and pretty good according to many players. As noted, the sound is always a bit on the hot side, so if you are looking for a clean guitar, search elsewhere.

But what this guitar does offer is a unique dirty blues tone with plenty of fuzz but still enough articulation and control to express a wide array of emotions. This is not a tone for everyone, but it is a tone with its unique stamp and a tool you can make magic with.

Value/Conclusion

For the listed price, this just might be your top choice as the best guitar under 500 bucks. From the aesthetic side to the sound, this is one memorable instrument worthy of checking out. Finally, kudos to the manufacturer for not skyrocketing the price after Jack White made hits with it. Neat stuff!

For more info about the Airline Bighorn Red, click here.
For more Blues electric guitars, click here.