“This may bethe ultimate Superstrat-Tele hybrid”: Caparison Dellinger-JSM V2 review

What is it?Way back in the dark ages (aka the ’80s), there were two distinct types of guitar shredders who occupied opposite sides of the spectrum: the hard rock player whose weapon of choice was a Superstrat versus the country picker who inevitably opted for a Telecaster. The lines were clearly drawn, and never the twang shall meet.

Over the years we’ve seen a lot of cross-pollination as far as players and styles go, but guitars that crossed that gap were few and far between… until now.

The new Caparison Dellinger-JSM V2 is a signature model designed with Killswitch Engage’s Joel Stroetzel that merges the sexy asymmetrical cutaway curves of a super Strat with Tele-style appointments like a fixed bridge, chrome control plate with three-way blade switch and master volume and tone controls, and signature Tele-style upper bout pickguard.

A Fishman SSA single-coil neck pickup and a dual-voiced Fishman Fluence Ceramic Killswitch Engage bridge humbucker with coil tap deliver tones that range from cluck to clang at the flick of a switch.

Playability and sounds

(Image credit: Caparison)If you know anything at all about Caparison, you already know the reason for the five-star ratings. Caparison’s Japanese craftsmen deliver some of the most finely detailed and meticulous work and most immaculate tone woods you’ll ever find on a super shred guitar. Simply put, they threw the wabi-sabi out the window and went straight for the highest possible standards of perfection.

Our example came with an opaque Vintage White finish, while the Tobacco Sunburst finish version shows off the tight arrow-straight grain of the walnut top and Australian blackwood body.

(Image credit: Caparison)The slim five-piece neck is a shredder’s delight, carved from maple with thin walnut “stingers” to a wide, flat profile that makes it easy for fingers to fly across the 24 vintage-style thin/tall Jescar stainless steel frets and maple fingerboard with its compound 350mm-400mm radius.

Although the Dellinger-JSM V2 has a standard 25 ½-inch scale length, it ships with .011-.049 and is tuned down to drop C tuning (CGCFAD, low to high).

(Image credit: Caparison)I’ve played many guitars equipped with Fishman Fluence pickups over recent years, but I think that the Ceramic Killswitch Engage bridge humbucker on this guitar may be my favorite yet. It has the stellar clarity and note-to-note definition typical of Fluence pickups, but the bass seems more robust and round and the treble is extra sparkly.

The two voices accessible via the push-pull master volume knob have alluring midrange tones, with the “up” setting delivering more pronounced midrange body and slightly darker character.

(Image credit: Caparison)The master tone’s push/pull function activates the humbucker’s coil tap, which delivers shimmering single-coil spank but also typical single-coil noise. The Fishman SSA single-coil neck pickup produces delicious hot-wound Strat neck tones that can handle blues solos, country leads and Yngwie-style sweep picking with aplomb.

The Caparison fixed bridge with its individual steel saddles for each string is more refined than a typical vintage-style Tele ashtray bridge with three brass saddles, but it still delivers de rigueur twang with the bridge pickup in coil tap mode.

However, it particularly excels at crisp, punchy down-tuned rhythms and riffs with walloping attack and supreme clarity. This guitar sounds equally good with the most extreme high-gain distortion as it does through an ultra-clean amp.

Verdict

(Image credit: Caparison)Guitar World verdict: While the Caparison Dellinger-JSM V2 is mainly aimed toward metal players like Joel Stroetzel who need killer distortion and clean tones, it’s also classic enough in appearance and tonality for adventurous country players who want to switch from hillbilly to heavy in a heartbeat. This may be the ultimate Superstrat-Tele hybrid.

Specs(Image credit: Caparison )Price: $3,899
Body: Australian blackwood with walnut top
Neck: Five-piece maple/walnut/maple/walnut/maple bolt-on
Fingerboard: Maple with Black Clock inlays
Neck Profile: Slim “D”
Radius: Compound 350mm-400mm
Scale Length: 25.5-inch
Frets: 24 small Jescar stainless steel
Nut Width: 42mm
Pickups: Fishman Fluence Ceramic Killswitch Engage bridge humbucker, Fishman SSA single-coil neck
Controls: Master Volume (pull voice 2), Master Tone (pull coil-tap), three-way blade pickup selector
Bridge: Caparison fixed bridge
Tuners: Gotoh SG381-07 MG-T locking
Finish options: Tobacco Sunburst, Vintage White
Contact: Caparison Guitars

Hands-on videosRiffs, Beards & GearCaparison Guitars Horus FXAM review