Shabat Lion Special 24.75" Scale P-90/Humbucker Guitar – Faded Dakota Red

Information

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

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

The Lion Special was designed for players who want a Lion guitar, but with a little different sound than a standard T-style. The Lion Special offers a pair of Lollar P-90s or Imperial humbuckers, and a Gotoh hardtail or Graph Tech ResoMax wraptail bridge—all wrapped in your choice of classic nitro finishes.

What Does Parker Think?

This Shabat Lion is nothing short of fantastic. With a lightweight alder body finished in a tastefully aged Faded Dakota Red, it certainly will turn heads! The body shape is of course reminiscent of a traditional Tele, but with some minor changes like the contoured heel joint and belly cut for extra comfort. I really love the blend of traditional Tele with the wraparound tailpiece and P90/Humbucker combo of a Gibson-esque guitar. It provides a unique flavor that plays and sounds superb.

The Lollar P90 in the neck is a great choice, as it sings clean and with a bit of dirt. Clean it compresses in just the right way, without any wooly or dark tones you might find in other neck pickups. It is extremely articulate and really brings out all your picking dynamics. I love that it has the sparkle of a great single coil with just a little bit of extra punch, it makes for the perfect neck pickup!

The Lollar Imperial in the bridge is one of my absolute favorite choices in any guitar, and here it is no exception. It is clear and dynamic, with the right amount of compression that just feels great under the fingers. It never gets too bright or feels brittle, but still will cut through the mix when it’s time to solo. It also comes wired with a coil-split which sounds almost Strat-y, not too thin like some coil splits can be but retaining the right amount of stringiness.

The middle position also sounds fantastic, with a perfect blend of the P90 and humbucker. It works especially well for rhythm, or if you want more balanced single-note lines. I found I particularly liked the middle position with the bridge humbucker split doing my best Mark Knopfler impression!

How Does It Play?

This Lion plays great, with the 9.5-12” radius accommodating low action and big string bends across every fret. The string action measures just 4/64” on the low E string at the 12^th fret and even a touch lower on the high E. The neck is Shabat’s Medium C and it is extremely comfortable. It is a solid middle of the road size, not big enough to get in the way but still with enough there to fill the hand comfortably. An added note is the bound fretboard, which Shabat expertly rolls for a very smooth edge.

Weight: 7lbs 6oz

The G&G custom hard case pictured is included!

Specifications

Body: Alder

Body Binding: Cream

Contours: Tummy Cut, Neck Heel Contour

Scale Length: 24.75”

Bridge: Graph Tech ResoMax Wraptail

Pickups: Lollar P-90 (neck) & Imperial HB (bridge) w/ coil split

Headstock: Snakehead

Tuners: Kluson Deluxe

Inlay: Pearloid Blocks

Radius: 9.5-12” compound

Neck: Hard maple

Fretboard: Rosewood

Frets: 22

Fretwire: Dunlop 6105 nickel silver

Nut: 42mm (1.65”) TUSQ

Neck Binding: Cream

Neck Profile: Medium C (0.84-0.95")

Hardware: Aged Nickel

Finish: Faded Dakota Red nitro

Pickguard: 4-Ply Brown Tortoise

Aging Level: Medium

Electronics: Switchcraft input jack, 3-Way pickup selector

Strings: 10 gauge

Tuning: E standard

Case: G&G custom hardshell

Notes:

Natural headstock

Reviews