UNDER THE HOOD
The immaculate presentation continues in the circuitry
Unlike the complex circuitry of the Jazzmaster or Jaguar, the Piet goes for a very simple master volume and tone setup wired in modern style with a three-way lever pickup selector. Yet even this is immensely tidy, not least the fit of the recessed tortie cavity cover with its copper foil shielding. The cavity, too, is covered with black conductive paint that shows off the large 660V .022 microfarads Tube Amp Doctor (TAD) Sprague ‘orange drop’ tone capacitor. On close inspection you see the pots are valued at 300kohms and there’s an unusual-style TAD treble bleed, a 250 picofarads silver mica capacitor.
But it’s not just the sound. Both Piet models here feel excellent on a strap or seated, and the guitar disappears in your hands – it’s extremely absorbing. By design, it feels way less bulky than any offset we’ve played and considerably lighter, too.
Verdict
As we discuss with Nik over the page in this feature, an awful lot has changed since he began making guitars over two decades ago. The proliferation of small ’shop makers means that if you want to step away from the mainstream to this highly bespoke service, you now have a huge amount of choice. But experience counts and the Piet shows off a maker in his prime mixing up his inspired sonic references and ending up with a unique instrument that’s effortlessly playable, immaculately dressed and, above all, full of character.
Yes, the offset-style vibrato is a very different drive from a wrapover bridge and therefore won’t be for everyone. And while it might fall into the low tier of Huber instruments, it’s far from a cheap date in terms of price. But then there is nothing cheap about this guitar, either in terms of its build or indeed the hugely evocative, characterful sounds we hear.