(SOLD) Cole Clark Re-Offender Black 2002
Cole Clark Re-Offender, black, made in Australia around 2002. Cole Clark are very well known for their Fat Lady and Angel acoustic models, but their lesser-known and relatively short-lived electric offerings were awesome too. Debuting in 2001, they offered three models: the Strat-style 'Defender', Tele-ish 'Offender' and this slightly offset T-style dubbed 'Re-Offender'. The cheeky names and headstock shape drew the ire of Fender, so the models were shortly thereafter renamed Guardian and Culprit, but this is an early one, pre-dating the switch. First up, it's got a great neck. The profile is a modern C style, with a 12" radius and 22 frets, made from a saucy piece of Americn rock maple and Indian rosewood. The body is made from Australian tonewood bunya, which is a species of pine that's both tonally responsive and environmentally sustainable. It was always routed for an HS-style setup, but the pickups have been replaced and the wiring has been modded to offer a stack of options. The neck pickup is a Fender Texas Special single coil, but the Strat-style one, with the case removed. That delivers a fat, punchy single coil snap with heaps of body and warmth. The bridge pickup is a Duncan P-Rails, which is a P-90 paired with a single rail, so you can get single coil, soapbar or humbucker tones out of it. The switch is a five-way, so you can get Strat-style in between tones, Tele-ish middle tones from the P90 and neck alongside the pickups on their own. The push/pull tone pot offers cocked-wah style out of phase tones on the middle positions too... geez, there's enough options there! All the options highlight the natural fatness and snap of the body and neck, it's a really great sounding Tele. The black nitro finish has worn with play over the last decade or two, but it's in good shape and looking very cool. The slightly offset body looks quirky at first, but it didn’t take me long to decide I like it. Go ahead, try and find another one... I'll wait.
Model: Cole Clark Re-Offender
Made: Melbourne Australia, 2002 approx (serial RF000040)
Finish: black, gloss nitro, neck finished in satin that's worn to gloss
Body: Queensland bunya
Neck: USA rock maple, Indian rosewood fretboard, 25.5" scale, 12" radius, C-shape
Weight: 3.820kg
Mods: pickups replaced, re-wired w/ push/pull phase switch on the tone pot and five way switch, tuners and strap buttons replaced
Pickups: Fender Texas Special ST single coil (neck), Seymour Duncan P-Rails combo humbucker (bridge)
Case: basic non-original gig bag
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has some dimples on the end and edges as well as some checking lines on the back. The neck has a checking line coming off the low-E tuner as well as glossing from contact all the way up the neck, no major marks. The back has a few dimples around the ferrules and widespread light scuffs, no major marks. The sides have minor scuffs and dimples around the whole body, as well as a couple of little chips in the elbow area and some minor cracks in the finish only around the neck pocket. The front has some dimples in the elbow area, up from the bridge pickup and on the back edge, as well as widespread light scuffs and play scratches on the guard and horns. Overall: good condition (7/10).
Playing condition notes: action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. The frets have some normal wear but they're pretty even with no major buzz issues, 7/10 for fret life left. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.