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Alder
Bolt-on maple w/rosewood fingerboard
Dots
21 narrow and tall
25.5"
1V, 1T, 3-way switch
2 Malden P-90 single coils
Chrome
3-tone sunburst

Does every guitarist on the planet dig an offset- bodied, P-90-loaded raunch machine, or is it just me? The Liquid is a bolt-neck instrument that most closely resembles a stripped-down Fender Jazzmaster—although its two P-90 pickups and forward pickup selector are enough to lend it a little Firebird mojo. The ivory polyurethane finish (black and three-tone sunburst finishes are also available) is partnered with a three-ply white pickguard, and white pickup covers and knobs for a clean and somewhat retro look. In addition, while the faux-clay position dots in the rosewood fretboard are more of a salmon hue than the “dirty clay” dots found on early 1960s Fenders, they also enhance the vintage vibe.

Regarding the Liquid’s construction, I was impressed by a tight-fitting joint in a very smoothly cut neck pocket, and by one of the finest fret jobs I’ve experienced on a guitar in this price range. The fret ends are beautifully dressed and rounded off, with nary a hitch from one to 21. The maple neck has been nicely carved, as well, with a rounded “C” profile that slides smoothly through the palm. The shoulders might feel a little angular to some hands where they meet the fretboard edge, but, overall, the Liquid is a comfortable player.

Hardware is generic but functional: enclosed chrome tuners, a pair of butterfly string retainers for the E/B and G/D pairs at the headstock, and a chrome-plated vibrato tailpiece. The vibrato has die-cast metal alloy saddles, and a narrow inertia block that’s cast from a lighter alloy material than most tonehounds would approve of, but it all works smoothly. The review model’s bridge plate was pulled flat to the body with a tight adjustment of its three springs, but it can also be adjusted to float a little to provide more give and take in its action, as well as a bit of upward pitch bend. The single-coil soapbars on the Liquid are wound very close to vintage P-90 specs, and the pickups on all three of the test guitars were custom made to Malden specs by a Korean pickup manufacturer.

I found the Liquid totally approachable right out of the box—it’s an easy instrument to develop a taste for. The rearward positioning of its offset treble-side waist renders the guitar a little neck-heavy when played seated, but it balances nicely when strapped on. I expected the extra G/D string tree to cause some tuning headaches with liberal whammy use, but the vibrato returns to pitch pretty well for a non-locking unit.

Unplugged, the Liquid has a solid, round resonance and good sustain. Amped up through a TopHat Club Royale 2x12, a Dr. Z Z-28 1x12, and a Marshall JCM800, it offered admirable definition and clarity, steering clear of that muddy, slightly overcooked sound that many makers seem to go for with their P-90 guitars. At clean amp settings—and from all three pickup selections—the Liquid yielded good articulation with just enough five o’clock shadow to let you know you’re playing vintage-styled soapbars. Wound up into the crunch zone, the Liquid oozes the hairy, slightly gritty grind that many players love from their Gibson Specials and Juniors. The Liquid’s basswood/maple pairing, bolt-neck construction, and longer scale offer a little more pop

and twang than would likely be achieved from a set-neck mahogany guitar (BTW: the three-tone sunburst Liquid features an alder body).

Versatile, modestly original, and full of character, the Liquid is a cool and very successful addition to the field.

Guitar Player