Reverend Contender 290 Medieval Red

Welcome to the brand new 2020 Reverend Contender 290, presented in a Medieval Red finish with contrasting three-ply parchment pickguard. A classic single-cut, flat-top electric guitar from Reverend’s set neck range, the Contender comes packed with Reverend innovation. The resulting combination of looks, feel and tone make this a brilliantly unique take on a well-loved formula: A six-in-line headstock and offset body bring the looks bang up-to-date; reverend’s own 9A5 pickups masterfully improve that classic P90 tone, while minimising hum; Bass Contour Control gives you a level of tonal control which puts the Contender in a class of its own.

Here at Merchant City Music we are extremely proud to have been a specialist Reverend dealer for many years. It’s been really exciting to have been a part of this plucky little Ohio company’s story, one which has taken the sometimes-stuffy guitar world by storm. We stock a huge range of Reverends, making us a go-to shop for Reverend fans worldwide. Each one is given a comprehensive check over and professional set up before it goes out the door. If you have an address – virtually anywhere in the world – we can ship one to you, fast!

THE CONTENDER 290 IN MEDIEVAL RED – REVEREND’S NEW FLAT TOP, SINGLE CUT, SET NECK ELECTRIC GUITAR

With their intoxicating mix of phenomenal quality, outstanding playability, standout looks and world class tone, Reverend guitars are winning over a rapidly growing number of guitarists. True to this mould, the new Contender model is designed to appeal to the guitarist looking for a new take on the classic, no-nonsense set neck guitar with flat top and single cutaway. As with other solid body set neck guitars in Reverend’s line up, the Contender’s body is carved from Korina – an acoustically resonant, yet lightweight tone wood. To this is set a 24 3/4” scale, three piece Korina neck, topped with a six-in-line headstock for unique looks.

For this Contender 290 model, Reverend have used two of their own Alnico 5 magnet P90 pickups. The bridge pickup is slightly hotter than a vintage P90, offing raw, classic tone with less hum than most other P90’s. The neck pickup is cleaner than vintage P90’s. It gives you a clear, open tone and less hum. The overall sound is defined by fat, raw, and bluesy tones with enough bite to cut through the mix.

BASS CONTOUR CONTROL, KORINA BODY AND TOP QUALITY COMPONENTS

In addition to a three-way switch, you also get Reverend’s secret weapon: the Bass Contour control. This passive bass roll-off is great for tightening up the low end, or re-voicing the pickups. Used in conjunction with the Contender 290’s P-90 pickups, you can dial in a much greater level of classic single-coil twang. Variable pickup voicing at your fingertips!

The Contender 290 in Medieval Red comes with a 12” radius Rosewood fretboard, resulting in a modern feel. The 22 medium jumbo frets are beautifully finished, allowing the action to go nice and low without buzz. A strategic chamber under the pickguard increases resonance and reduces weight – both factors augmenting Korina’s natural harmonics and light weight. This makes the Contender 290 a great working instrument, perfect for hours on stage or in the studio.

In terms of components, Reverend uses top shelf hardware and electronics. The pure tone jack socket features dual contacts for much improved reliability compared to standard sockets, which only have a single contact. A treble bleed circuit is used for the volume control, preserving the trebles when you roll back the volume. Reverend also uses 10% Alpha control pots and 10% polyester capacitors. The tighter tolerances (most pots and caps only have a 20% rating), result in much improved consistency and reliability. Reverend’s outstanding locking machine heads are a joy to use and virtually eliminate string slippage, as well as making string changes a cinch.

The overall result is that the Contender 290 in Medieval Red punches significantly above its price bracket, both in terms of tone and usability. This guitar is designed to service a heavy gigging schedule with peerless reliability, fantastic looks and world class tone.