Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat

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Fender Tim
Armstrong Hellcat
This acoustic signature is the second
most anticipated Rancid release of 2009
For: Great sound, ballsy appearance
Against: No cutaway, too mellow for some
S
ignature guitars are
the calling card of any
bona fide guitar wielder
these days, but it’s not a
privilege reserved exclusively for
million-note-a-minute shredders.
Punk anthems need to begin
somewhere too, and when
the Rancid frontman feels like
penning yet another chant-
along chorus, he reaches for his
battered Fender acoustic.
The Hellcat (named after
Tim Armstrong’s record label)
is based on this guitar. It’s an
electro-acoustic at a wallet-
friendly price with a solid
mahogany top, Hellcat inlays and
Fender’s FTE-3 TN preamp.
After admiring the included
signature pick and ‘Let’s Go!’
commemorative strap, you can
get down to business. As with
many of Fender’s acoustics, the
25 ¹/
³
-inch neck scale isn’t far
off that of a Strat, so electric
players should be able to switch
relatively seamlessly. Strumming
some chords gives you a tone
that’s sonically straight down
the middle. The mahogany has
a darker tone than spruce with a
controlled bass end, and means
that the Hellcat doesn’t resonate
with as much volume or sparkly
high frequencies as you get from
spruce, so it should appeal if you
prefer a mellower sound.
The neck holds its integrity
as you move further up towards
the dusty end, and the action
remains comfortably low without
restricting the string movement
when you’re playing harder.
However, the lack of a cutaway
could be the deal breaker if you
plan on venturing to the top frets.
Try it plugged in, though, and
these points start to make sense.
The lack of bottom end energy
(which could cause a larger-
bodied guitar to rumble its way
towards feedback) ensures that
the Hellcat stays calm. Adjust
the EQ system and this guitar
provides both smooth strumming
fluidity and just-sharp-enough-
to-cut lead sounds. The onboard
tuner is a handy feature too.
Conclusion: We were surprised
(but not disappointed) when
we found out that the usually
Gretsch-toting Armstrong was
releasing a signature electro-
acoustic. Fender’s website
shows other pros are using this
guitar too, among them Alkaline
Trio’s Matt Skiba and Angels &
Airwaves guitarist Matt Wachter.
The acoustic qualities of the
Hellcat make it a very playable
instrument, but it scores highest
when you plug it in. Sure, there
are some competitive options
to be had out there, but not
with this much attitude. If you’re
a gigging electric/sometimes
acoustic player who wants an
affordable additional guitar then
the Hellcat is for you.
Stuart Williams
✮✮✮✮✮
SUMMARY
TG says… The Hellcat is the (Time) bomb!
The Hellcat’s
acoustic
qualities
make it very
playable,
but it scores
highest when
you plug it in
■ Body
The Hellcat’s solid
mahogany top is a nice
alternative to spruce
■ Inlay
The Hellcat Records
logo is inlaid along
the fingerboard
At a glance
Fender Tim
Armstrong Hellcat
BODY: Solid mahogany top,
laminate back and sides
NECK: Maple
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood
SCALE: 25 ¹/
³
”
ELECTRONICS: Fender
FTE-3 TN preamp
HARDWARE: Chrome with
vintage buttons
LEFT-HANDED: Yes
C O N T A C T: Fender GBI
01342 331700
WEB: www.fender.co.uk
Armstrong fans will
reckon these inlays
are the cat’s pyjamas
■ Preamp
Fender’s FTE-3 TN
gives a good tonal
range when plugged in
£329
TGR193.gear_hellcat 124 14/8/09 7:47:4 am