I dialed back the bass on the amplifier
and got the clarity necessary for strummed
rhythms. Up and down the fretboard,
string-to-string volume balance was excellent.
With the volume and mids cranked
on the Sportsman, the neck humbucker is
great for chunky Cream-era Clapton rhythm
tones, which I could easily juice back up to a
smoky, thick lead tone with a quick twist of
the guitar’s Volume knob. I loved the combination
of Fender-like clarity and humbucker
warmth and muscle at this medium-gain
level. My only minor gripe with the mini
humbucker was a slight thinness in the high
E string, which did improve as I raised the
pickup height on the treble side.
Middle-position clean tones drip with a
funky, soulful, and open bottom end, yet
also possess a biting toppiness. This blend
of percussiveness and sweet vocal quality
inspired me to run through my favorite
Cornell Dupree licks.
Middle-position clean tones drip with
a funky, soulful, and open bottom end,
yet also possess a biting toppiness.
The flat pole piece “Real Broadcaster”
bridge pickup packed major twang and
awesome sustain on bluesy bends. The
pickup’s energetic twang factor is reinforced
by a boosted midrange that, in combination
with the Bakersfield’s robust bass output,
gives the bridge position a relatively hot and
aggressive voice.
The bridge pickup is an excellent
match for the mini humbucker, powerful
in output and warm enough to make the
pickups sound related. That is not to say
it can’t provide bite—some of the most
fun I had playing the Bakersfield was ripping
through cutting lead lines and spanky
pinch harmonics all over the fretboard. And
low-string runs demonstrated how readily
the pickup can move from snappy to lowmidrange
grunt.
the Verdict
Tele-style purists may balk at the body
contours or the Les Paul-style input jack,
but it’s important to remember that the
Bakersfield was built to acknowledge the
earliest modded Teles, as well as the originals.
In a sea of Tele-style guitars, Larrivée
put together something significantly different
in the Bakersfield, executed at a level
that’s competitive with custom builders, yet
more accessibly priced. It’s got all the sweetness
and wicked twang you need to cover
the traditional bases in a country application,
but with added power and girth to
handle the heavier ranges of your repertoire.
If that expanded sonic range, a wide, flat
fingerboard, and the meatier neck of a ’52
Telecaster is your thing, the Bakersfield
should land high on your list of slightly
twisted Teles.
Buy if...
you want a bigger neck
on a nicely tweaked, well crafted
T-style guitar.
Skip if...
you like a more radiused fretboard.
Rating...
