Shabat Lynx Hardtail S-Style w/ Lollar Sixty-Four Pickups Thru 3rd Power Spanky MKII+ Combo

What Do We Think?

This is a warmer, more balanced S-Style perfect for those who need a little different Strat in their arsenal or who can’t quite make the jump to a tremolo Strat with all its quirks and sheen. The hardtail bridge emphasizes the lower midrange of the alder body and forms the perfect sounding board for the Lollar Sixty-Four pickup. This medium-hot output set measures 6.4k/6.5k/6.8k neck to bridge, all Strat at heart but with a little more depth and a bit less quack when compared to some other prevalent choices.

The neck position is lush and confident. The maple fretboard lends a perfect clarity to the position, giving a nice snap to the full-throated expression of the pickup. The middle pickup may be the “sleeper” pickup of the whole combination. It has an excellent punch across a broad, neutral EQ spectrum. The highs are crisp over bloomy lows and barely-scooped upper mids.

The bridge position has more grunt than you’re used to on a Strat, given the hardtail configuration. It retains the rich lower midrange of the other positions, making it more “bark” than brash. We find the anodized pickguard serves almost as a bridge plate so you can even lay down some convincing Tele chops. The second tone knob is dedicated to the bridge pickup so you also have plenty of control over the contour of the top end.

This guitar doesn’t shy away from some dirt. The neck position has a nice, thick vowel when thrown through a drive channel or pushed amp. The bridge is tight and punchy with an air of nuanced compression. The extra oomph of this particular S-Style encourages you to push the gain a little further and with excellent result.

Clean or dirty, the combined positions have just the right amount of quack, subtle and flavorful without overpowering the balance with the other positions. You get a little more “pop” and “scoop” without volume drop. Position 2 draws on the bark of the bridge pickup for a naturally compressed attack mixed with tamed upper mids. This position places rhythm parts just right in the mix. Position 4 has the same sweetened midrange along with juicy string-to-string definition.


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