Used 2024 Frank Brothers Sonar – Heavy Relic

Sonic Evaluation

Everyonce in awhile, we get a guitar in here at Wildwood that sounds so fresh, exciting and inspiring that I have no choice but to spend my lunch hour fiddling with it, this heavily-relic'd Sonar from Frank Brothers Guitars is one of those guitars worth an entire break (and then some--I could hardly put it down). Apart from its multitude of sweet tones (we'll get into that in a moment), it's also one of my favorite new designs in recent memory, as it evokes classic American and Japanese guitars from the '60s and '70s without really imitating anything directly, creating something entirely new.

Speaking of which, you don't see a guitar with three mini-humbuckers too often, which is a shame, because I found this electronic configuration to be tonal nirvana. First things first: this guitar has one of the widest dynamic ranges I've ever found in an electric guitar. It is truly amazing how much you can alter its tone by varying your right-hand velocity. If you play as hard as a baby breathes, the notes sing out sweetly with exceptional warmth, openness, and crystalline purity. As you dig in more and more, the guitar starts to snarl and twang more as it becomes more focused and church bell-like overtones pop out all across the frequency spectrum.

It's hard not to draw parallels between a guitar with a 5-way switch like this Sonar to a Strat, and that comparison is apt here. It has that same vocal cluck and quack, but each position sounds meatier, with a brick of powerful low-end, a focused midrange punch, and open highs with plenty of sizzle sparkle. In other words, it sounds like a Strat that packed on a hundred pounds of muscle at the gym and developed a 'roid rage problem! Tha'ts not to say it can't whisper sweet nothings, too--it just emphasizes how expansive this guitar's personality is.

If you're looking for a supremely well-built instrument with tons of dynamic range and an inspiring, fresh sound, you have to check this Frank Brothers Sonar for a spin. Once you do, we have no doubt you'll be addicted to riding its sound waves!

Condition Report

This Sonar is in minty-fresh shape with minimal signs of use and no cosmetic flaws to report. It comes with its original hardshell case (which, it must be said, has some of the most satisfying latches of all time) and a certificate of authenticity, too!