About Navigator
Navigator is the ultimate shredding machine. It is made for musicians with advanced technical skills who need an instrument that will add to their fine touch. From tonewoods to the designed geometries and hardware selection, Navigator is created with every detail in mind. It will cut through the mix without being harsh and trebly and will provide unparalleled playability and comfort. Just use your technique and imagination to create art with this piece of excellence.
Geometries
Our experience with guitars created for technical playing is that sometimes balance gets lost. Extremely thin necks and flat fretboards may look attractive in the beginning, but there are more concerning playability and they are not about extremes at all. Comfort is about finding the sweet spot between several parameters and neck thickness is only one of them. We created a custom D tapered neck profile that you won't find on any other guitar in the world. It is designed to be flatter at the mid section of the profile, compared to the C type necks. It also changes its profile as we go towards the headstock in a way to maintain the perfect shape for chord strumming. Navigator's neck is not as thin as you might expect. It is as thin it has to be to maintain its stability. It is the sweet spot among all shredding necks.
Tonewoods
When it comes into speed playing we have to be aware of the guitar's dynamic behavior. We needed a tonewood combination that would create a pronounced attack and a tight response. Navigator features Ebony fretboard. Ebony is the perfect choice when attack is required. It is clear, with more treble than other tonewoods usually used on fretboards. It has to be treated carefully because it might provide extremely trebly tone if combined with the wrong neck tonewood. Having that in mind, we have chosen Mahogany for the Navigator neck. Mahogany compensates the strange and difficult nature of Ebony. It adds body to the tone and the final neck tone maintains the attack of the Ebony as well as the fullness of Mahogany.
Navigator body is made of Basswood. Lead tone needs mid frequencies and basswood provides those generously. It is also a medium weighted tonewood and helps maintaining a descend guitar weight.
Hardware
Navigator features Schaller hardware. The Lockmeister is an excellent tremolo device that will allow extreme dives without loosing tuning stability. The tremolo springs are mounted on the Schaller's Sure Claw tensioner. Spring tension is easy adjustable with an Allen wrench from the backside without even having to take the springs' cover off. Schaller M6 tuners are combined with beautiful Perl buttons. The truss rod is easily adjustable by its spoke wheel and the strap buttons are locking type.
Electrics
We designed the electric circuit of the Navigator to be flexible. Two 3-way mini switches, dedicated to each of the guitar pickups, provide the Series/Split/Parallel coil connection ability. With the use of the main 3-way lever switch, Navigator becomes a guitar with endless tonal capabilities. Use the main switch to choose between the guitar pickups and experiment with the mini switches and Volume/Tone controls to fine tune your desired tone.
Buzz Feiten Tuning
Navigator features the Buzz Feiten Tuning System. We really couldn't resist to the benefits of tuning compensation. We created Navigator for demanding musicians and we know that good intonation is a must have feature. Take a look at the "Quality in Depth" section for more concerning the BF tuning system.
Guitar Specs
25.5" Scale Length
Buzz Feiten Tuning System
Setup: 010-046 Elixir String Set
Am. Basswood Body
Mahogany Neck - BMC Custom D Tapered Profile
Ebony Fretboard - Compound Radius
Schaller M6 Locking Tremolo - R3 Nut
Schaller M6 Tuners - Perl Buttons
Schaller Sure Claw Spring Tensioner
Schaller Locking Strap Buttons
BMC Tight Neck Screw System with Brass Inserts
DiMarzio Transition Pickups Set
CTS Pots
CRL 3-way switch
Mini Switch for Series/Split/Parallel for each Pickup
NOS Pio Capacitor
Switchcraft Jack
24 Jumbo Stainless Steel Frets
2-way Spoke Wheel Truss Rod
Gator Hard Case