Paoletti Alfa Lounge SSS “Stratospheric” Thinline S-Style – Butterscotch Black

Information

Brand New w/ Warranty. We are an authorized Paoletti Dealer.

Like what you see? All photos are of the exact instrument you will receive. 

Formerly known as the Stratospheric, the Alfa model is Paoletti's S-Style guitar featuring 130-150 year old reclaimed chestnut body and superb custom hardware appointments. It is available in SSS, HSS and HH configurations and in both the solid body "Loft" and thinline "Lounge" variations.

What Does Parker Think? 

This Alfa Lounge is a great Strat, full stop. Made from old Chestnut harvested from wine barrels, there is endless vibe in this guitar. The patinaed pickguard and shotgun knobs complete the “barn find” look that Paoletti is known for. The aged “butterscotch black” finish is tastefully done, and compliments the pickguard and knobs perfectly. This is a killer Strat with a unique twist and I’m all for it!

The neck pickup is clear and articulate, which I really like in a Strat pickup. It is punchy and sounds great pushing a clean amp. It nails the SRV sledgehammer tone, with just the right amount of output to really hit an amp hard when you dig in, but is dynamic with the strength of your pick attack. I like that the slightly more mid-forward character compliments the thinline body and adds the punch that can sometimes be lost as the body gets lighter.

The middle pickup is nice and even across the frequency range, which is what I look for in a good middle pickup. It sounds great for rhythm especially because of how even it is, with the thinline body adding just a bit of air on the top end that almost gives it an acoustic-like sound. I also like it for lead, as it has a balanced sound and will sit nicely in a fuller band mix!

The bridge pickup is clear and articulate without any of the harsh top end that plagues so many Strats. I found myself switching to the bridge pickup often while testing this guitar, which I don’t often do unless it’s a particularly good sounding pickup. I love how much twang it has as well, it has an almost Tele-like quality to it which sounded great for chicken pickin’ country riffs. And to complete its versatility, with a bit of gain it can rock just as hard as any humbucker. The sizzle on the top end sings with gain, and the thinline body means you get sustain for days!

How Does It Play?

The C shaped neck is very comfortable, filling the hand without getting too chunky. The back of the neck is finished but does not get sticky like some glossier finishes can. The edges of the fretboard are also gently rolled for a nice played-in feel. Complete with a 12” radius, this neck plays smoothly without buzz up setup with low action. The string action measures just 4/64” across all strings at the 12^th fret.

Weight: 7lb 1oz

The Paoletti hardshell case pictured is included.

Specifications

BODY MATERIAL: Aged Chestnut Wood

BODY COLOR: 235 Butterscotch Black

NECK MATERIAL: Canadian Roasted Maple

NECK SHAPE: Medium "C" Profile

NECK DIMENSIONS: 21mm 1^st fret, 24mm 12^th fret

FRETBOARD MATERIAL: Exotic Ebony

FRETS: Dunlop 6110

FRETS NUMBER: 22

FINGERBOARD RADIUS: 12"

SCALE LENGTH: 648 mm

NUT: Bone

ELECTRONIC: Volume/Tone/Tone CTS Pots 250K / CRL 5Way Switch

TUNING MACHINES: Kluson Deluxe

NECK PICKUP: Paoletti 60's – 7.5K Alnico 5

MIDDLE PICKUP: Paoletti 60's – 7.5K Alnico 5

BRIDGE PICKUP: Paoletti 60's – 7.5K Alnico 5

BRIDGE: Paoletti 6-Screw Tremolo

PICKGUARD: Paoletti Brass

CASE: Hard Case

MISC: Certificate of Warranty & Authenticity

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