"SLY"
The LA Custom Shop aimed to create a one-off custom AZ that preserved many of the visual cues and characteristics that have made the AZ series so popular. Features like a 22-fret neck, HSS Seymour Duncan Hyperion pickups, a white pearloid pickguard and a dyna-MIX 9 switching system bestow this instrument with every bit of a conventional AZ’s versatility and playability, while the additional custom elements take it a step further. The pickguard plays off of the Flamed Maple top for a unique combination that blends the best of modern and traditional designs. The back of the guitar features a spectacular Metallic Tangerine Gloss finish on the body wings, juxtaposing flawlessly against the natural finish of the neck and center block. In the end, this AZ is all about balance: balance in aesthetics, design, tone and playability. The name “Sly” is actually a play on the finish name, “Tiger Eye Gloss” and a reference to a celebrated, classic movie that took place in Philadelphia, which is very close to Hoshino USA’s company headquarters.