From the 6th grade onward, the guitar has been more than just an instrument; it’s been a constant companion. My first serious electric guitar was an RG750, purchased new in my high school years. It was meticulously set up by guitar techs and remained my main instrument for years, only briefly supplemented by an Epiphone SG when the RG was undergoing repairs.
Throughout those years, I explored a wide range of guitars through friends – from classic Strats and aggressive Jacksons to powerful ESPs, iconic Gibsons, and shred-ready Kramers, even experiencing custom setups and various tunings. My sound was amplified through a Laney lead head and custom cabinet, eventually upgraded to a Bogner Ubershall half stack. Despite this extensive exploration, none of these guitars truly resonated with me or captured the specific tones I was chasing at that time.
Life took a turn with the arrival of my son 14 years ago. Priorities shifted, and I made the difficult decision to sell my beloved RG to a friend and former bandmate. The Bogner also found a new home via Craigslist. However, this wasn’t the end of my musical journey. Bass guitar had always been a parallel passion, pursued with equal dedication. My creative output also diversified into EDM production and various musical projects whenever time permitted amidst family life.
About a year ago, the band Does it Doom appeared in my music feeds. This discovery was a revelation, reigniting the initial spark that drew me to the guitar in the first place. I recalled watching Matt Pike of High on Fire playing his First Act 9-string during a performance of “Rumors of War” on Headbangers Ball back in 2009. Inspired, I picked up my acoustic guitar daily, playing anywhere from ten minutes to an hour. This renewed engagement led to songwriting, culminating in eight new songs, two of which were older ideas from 30 years prior that I was finally able to complete.
Initially, the EVH guitars caught my attention, driven by admiration for Eddie Van Halen. However, watching numerous EVH guitar reviews, I noticed a recurring pattern: reviewers primarily played Eddie’s signature licks. This gave me pause, raising concerns that my own compositions might inadvertently become derivative of Van Halen’s style if played on an EVH. Seeking a different direction, in September 2024, as a birthday gift to myself, I acquired a Woodrite Warlord Silverburst – one of the last from its production run.
The unboxing experience, right in front of the FedEx driver, was captivating. The guitar’s aesthetics were immediately striking. Yet, after this initial admiration, the Warlord was placed in its case and remained untouched until recently, pending the selection of a suitable amplifier. Finally, the time came. Tuned to Drop C and Standard D, I plugged the Warlord Silverburst straight into the amp, completely stock out of the box. The songs I played immediately sounded distinctly mine. In fact, they sounded even better than I had envisioned in my head. The mid tones were prominent and added a depth to the riffs that I had previously doubted would translate effectively.
I’m not typically one for writing reviews, and this wasn’t initially my intention. However, the Woodrite Warlord Silverburst has compelled me to share my experience. It deserves a resounding 5-star rating. To sum it up succinctly:
The Woodrite Warlord is simply dark, dirty, and utterly sick!
