La Grange Guitars has reinvented The Wheel—literally—to further enhance the guitar that started it all. Already known for its uncompromised playability, The Wheel is available with Sheptone humbucker pickups reinforcing its status as the ultimate tone machine. Players in the market for a boutique-style electric will want to get their hands on The Wheel and never let go.
The Wheel was the result of La Grange founder Benjamin Wasservogel’s long journey in quest of a new “classic” instrument for the blues and rock guitar player. Its solid-body construction begins with premium korina, a light, soft wood with a warm tone that’s treated with a dog-hair finish. The maple neck has a purple-heart stripe with an ebony fretboard, while the headstock has a faux shell inlay logo on a dark ebony veneer. The c-shape neck measures 22 mm at first fret up to 23 mm at the 12th fret, with a nut width of 42.65 mm, a short 24.75’’ scale and 12’’ radius. The 22 frets are made with Jescar jumbo wire for appropriate alloy and hardness to avoid premature wear. The double-action welded nut truss rod and handmade ebony truss rod cover reinforce this guitar’s high quality.
To sonically enhance The Wheel, La Grange chose Sheptone, a brand equally committed to authenticity and unrivaled vintage tone in pickups. Sheptone’s Heartbreaker Humbuckers are built with Alnico 5 magnets and 42 plain enamel wire to deliver the highly desired “Patent Applied For” range. Heartbreaker Humbuckers are inspired by Jimmy Page’s tone, as their name implies, and are ideal for classic rock with excellent character for riffs and licks.The Wheel’s controls are simple, yet effective, with a 3-way toggle switch and CTS 250K volume and tone pots. The orange 22K capacitor and the treble bleed circuit allow the player to dial in their tone using the volume and tone controls. Overall, the combination of high-quality electronics and excellent materials allows The Wheel to churn out a wide range of tones, from fat and juicy low-ends to sparkling highs, as well as crunchy mids.
Staying true to classic hardware, The Wheel has an ABR-1 Tune-o-matic nickel bridge that provides a firm seating for the strings and allows players the ability to adjust and fine tune intonation and string height. The vintage-style lightweight tailpiece is made with American aluminum, providing extra resonance, while its locking studs greatly improve sustain and tuning stability. Gotoh tuners balance modern, improved gearing for more precise action with vintage appeal, particularly with their distressed relic nickel plating. Players are given the option of adding a Bigsby B5 Vibrato tailpiece.
The Wheel is available to order at a base price of $3,480, which includes a hard-shell black case.
Learn more about The Wheel and other La Grange guitars at lagrange.guitars.
