Breaking with style dogma delivers new sonic, ergonomic, and aesthetic joys. The PG Fano Omnis GF6 review.
RatingsPros:Excellent quality and attention to detail. Suprisingly airy humbuckers. Neck feels great. Compound fretboard radius. Cons: A touch expensive. Two-control layout is limiting. Street: $999 Fano Omnis GF6 fanoguitars.com | Tones: Playability: Build/Design: Value: |
If you ever get the chance to play an original Fender Starcaster, don’t pass on the experience. Not that it’s a common opportunity. Fender didn’t sell many Starcasters, and sightings today are an irregular-to-rare event even in the highest profile vintage shops. But many specimens were great guitars, full of unique sounds and feel. In recent years, the Starcaster’s unusual shape, component parts, and tones became things of interest to boutique builders—including Fano, of course, which released its first version of the up-market Alt De Facto GF6 in 2013. Interest hasn’t abated since. The instrument’s steadily elevated profile has even prompted the release of mass-produced affordable takes on the Starcaster style.
Significantly, Fano’s new China-made Omnis-series GF6 is among the first Starcaster-influenced instruments to bridge the gap between entry level and boutique categories. And while it’s not cheap at just under $1K, the Omnis GF6 delivers many of the ergonomic and aesthetic joys of its inspiration while ironing out eccentricities that could estrange more straight-ahead players.
Staring by Star Glow
It’s not hard to imagine why the original Starcaster’s shape was polarizing. Semi-hollow guitars often appeal to traditionalists, and there was little in the way of tradition to turn the heads or change the minds of prospective ES-335 buyers. The offset waist, for instance, screamed Jazzmaster and Jaguar at a time when Fender’s ’50s designs were back en vogue and their surfy ’60s shapes considered passe. For many players just now basking in the afterglow of popular offset reappraisal, the compound curves, arches, and shifting lines will be a revelation. Fano’s glossy “bull black” shade in particular highlights the complex lines—simultaneously evoking the sweeping fenders of a ’48 Buick Roadmaster and the irreverence of mid-’70s small-batch guitar-craft.
Rather than laminate maple, which is used on most semi-hollow archtops, the Omnis GF6 is fashioned from arched solid alder on top and a flat, solid alder back and sides. At about nine pounds, the Omnis GF6 is pretty hefty, too. The 2-piece maple neck feels like a not-too-chunky Fender ’60s C-shape, and it’s a nice fit for the compound 9.5"-12" radius pao ferro fretboard, which facilitates bends up high and chording among the lower frets. Despite its very non-vintage spec, it manages to feel both fast and vintage-y, and the flatter radius encourages you to take advantage of the contoured heel, which tapers on the treble side to give you easy access all the way to the 22nd fret. Medium-jumbo frets make the guitar feel even more bend happy. Semi-hollows rarely feel so shreddy past the 12th fret.
We’ve grown used to high quality in accessibly priced, import guitars. And even though the Fano’s $999 price tag pushes “affordable” to the limits of its definition for most folks, the build quality remains impressive. The polyurethane finish is smooth and flawless around the f-holes. The neck pocket is uniform and tight. The guitar is also very tuning stable.
Stylistic Omnivore
Starcasters were distinguished by their Wide Range pickups, which famously (or infamously, depending on your perspective) mated the sum of the chiming qualities of a Telecaster pickup with the brawn of a Gibson humbucker. Here, Fano uses what they call a “proprietary” humbucker—presumably based on a PAF.
Fano—or their OEM pickup provider—did a lot of things right with these pickups. They’re not plagued by the muddiness that ruins most affordable PAF-style humbuckers. They’re airy, not too hot, fairly dynamic and remarkably well balanced between high-end sparkle and bass ballast—making them able to stand in for a Telecaster, a Rickenbacker, or a Gretsch in a recorded mix if you’re clever and attentive to your volume, tone, and approach. Not all humbuckers are equally suited for folk-rock jangle and smoky jazz-blues duties, but the Fano’s pickups—assisted no doubt by the body’s zingy and outstanding acoustic resonance—can span that range.
It’s a shame that good Wide Range replicas are so expensive, because I would love to hear a set in this guitar, which otherwise flirts so unabashedly with Starcaster style. With its well-balanced pickups, the GF6 tends to sound like a more open, less burly Gibson ES-335—which is no bad thing. But it would be awesome to experience such a different-looking guitar with an equally unusual pickup pairing. And while you wouldn’t be able to fit a set of full-size Wide Range pickups without re-routing the body, there is no shortage of options that can fit here if your inner deviant wins the day. It would be neat to see Fano offer such an option.
The Verdict
There’s a lot of the original Starcaster’s rebel spirit in the GF6. Sticklers may lament the smaller pickguard and headstock, the lack of Wide-Range pickups, or omission of the 5-knob control array with master volume that appeared on the original. But the GF6 is a great instrument on its own merits. If you’re in the market for a 335-sounding axe that breaks from style dogma, you’re in business with the GF6. And if you’ve lusted for a Starcaster-style axe and can hang with deviation from the Wide Range humbucker sound and style, you, too, are likely to reap many benefits, sonic and otherwise, from your investment.
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The series includes the JM6, SP6 and GF6, as well as the return of the MG6.
Tempe, AZ (January 13, 2020) -- Fano Guitars announces the release of the new Omnis Series line of guitars. For the first time, Fano’s unmistakable style, quality and playability is available on a family of guitars priced under $999 USD! Omnis, from the Latin “all” and “everyone”, is a series designed with all of the features players love about Fano Guitars at a more affordable and accessible price point.
The Fano Omnis Series includes the JM6, SP6 and GF6, as well as the return of the MG6! Each model is available in 3 colors and come with a quality, stylish gig bag. Specs include a polyurethane finish on alder bodies, maple necks and pau ferro fretboards. The back of each neck has a smooth, comfortable satin finish for a more vintage feel. Each model is loaded with Fano’s custom designed and voiced pickups many players are already very familiar with that were included in the Standard Series builds. The result is a guitar that sounds as amazing as it looks and feels in your hands!
The new Fano Omnis Series will debut in January 2020 at The Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA and will be shipping to Authorized Fano Dealers worldwide by April 2020.
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Fano Guitars
Irishman Kryz Reid details additions to his Star Wars family of guitars and why he went from vintage to digital, while Stephan Jenkins’ tech explains why price tags don't matter.
Before the band's co-headlining slot alongside Jimmy Eat World at Nashville's Ascend Amphitheater, lead guitarist Kryz Reid took some time with PG's Perry Bean to update us not only on the additions to his guitar arsenal (yes, he still names them after Star Wars characters, although he has avoided using Jar Jar Binks), but also explains why he stored away his vintage Marshalls and Custom Shop Fender heads in order to embrace the 21st-century power of a Kemper. In addition, we get a peek at lead singer/guitarist Stephan Jenkins' lineup of electrics and acoustics thanks to tech Danny Nolan.
This is Kryz Reid’s No. 1 Gibson Les Paul. It’s named “The Emperor,” and is a custom ’59 made with aged wood and outfitted with relic’d hardware.
This Gibson SG (that’s actually Stephan’s guitar) is only in the touring vault because “Blinded” is in the set within a melody of jams and requires an odd tuning (F–A–C–F–A–E).
Another one the modern side, Kryz Reid plays a 2011 Fano JM6 named “Fett.” Based on a Jazzmaster, the guitar has Lindy Fralin P-90s in the neck and bridge positions and a Bigsby vibrato.
This is Kryz Reid’s Fano TC6 that’s named after Maul.
In our 2014 episode with Kryz Reid, he was traveling with a stock 1966 Fender Telecaster Custom, but this Fender Custom Shop Tele has taken over the touring duties and name of “TK-421.”
This is Kryz Reid’s 2009 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul named “Tarkin” that is tuned a half-step up.
Here is the newest addition to Kryz Reid’s guitar family—a 2009 Gibson Les Paul Traditional II that comes with pull pots, but he wanted the guitar to be as black as possible (to match its dark name, “Vader”) so all the pots and pickguard were exchanged for something a tad eviler.
One of the newest guitars brought in by Kryz Reid is this Gibson Custom Shop R8 Les Paul that he’s dubbed “BB-8.” All of his guitars use D’Addario strings—this one and all other standard-tuned instruments take .010s. Guitars that are tuned down a whole step take .011s, and anything tuned lower than that uses .012s so Reid has a consistent feel under his fingertips.
This Gibson Custom Shop R0 Les Paul is nicknamed “Tydirium.” Reid keeps it tuned to open D (D–A–D–F#–A–D). It has a weight-relief body with a ’60s profile neck. Kryz shyly admits that it came specially loaded with a set of the same humbuckers put in Jimmy Page’s Custom No. 2.
For stage volume, feedback, and the ultimate, last-ditch backup, Kryz Reid has the Fender Tone-Master ready to rock. The custom finish was done by TokiDoki creator and Italian artist Simone Legno.
In our 2014 Rig Rundown, Kryz Reid was all tube, all day (using a ’93 Custom Shop Fender Tone-Master with a 1965 Marshall Plexi), but since then, and at the behest of the band’s FOH, he and Stephan made the move to the Kemper Profiler. Kryz admits in the video he was a big-time skeptic, but after working with “Dr. Kemper” aka Michael Britt to profile all his tube amps into the Kemper, he was onboard for the ease of touring.
And everything is under Kryz Reid’s control via his feet thanks to this RJM Mastermind GT and a trifecta of Mission Engineering EP-1 pedals.
This Gibson ES-335 used to be Stephan Jenkins’ longtime No. 1 before the Iceman came into the picture.
A second Gibson Explorer that is set to DADGAD for the song “Wounded.”
Here’s an old Gibson Explorer that Stephan Jenkins’ hasn’t toured with since 2002/03.
Paul Stanley’s John Hancock on the guitar’s back plate.
Stephan Jenkins' 1981 Ibanez Iceman
Before you laugh, you gotta watch the opening part of the video where Stephan Jenkins’ tech Danny Nolan explains why and how this became Perkins main ride. Yes, you read that right, a 1981 bolt-on neck Ibanez Iceman is Stephan Jenkins favorite touring guitar. About 10 days before the Nashville date, one of Danny Nolan’s buddies called him up and said that he just got an old Ibanez Iceman signed by Paul Stanley and wondered if he or Stephan would want it. Well, after inspecting it, it was determined it was obviously an import guitar from the early ’80s with a single owner. Danny bought the guitar for less than a new Squier and was walking back to the bus when Stephan spotted the black beast. He grabbed it, took it on the bus, and at soundcheck the next day, Stephan plugged it and blew the FOH guy away. It’s been Stephan’s go-to ever since because it sounds like Dokken—loud and raunchy!
Stephan Jenkins' 1954 Gibson LG-3
During a visit to the tone heaven that is Chicago Music Exchange, Stephan Jenkins nabbed this 1954 Gibson LG-3 and now uses it for most of the acoustic numbers. And to bring its voice to life onstage, tech Danny Nolan put in a Fishman Matrix pickup system.