Looking supremely ’60s-like with its gorgeous, vintage-y cherry-red finish, petite body, and fancy-topped pickups, the Supro Huntington is inviting as all get-out. A short-scale axe, it combines a classic shape (think Ozark/Supro Pocket Bass) and passive electronics with a modern touch or two.

The Huntington’s gold-foil pickups are, according to Supro, replicas of the Pocket Bass’s Clear-Tones: high-output single-coils that produce very usable tones that stay warm and balanced even with the Tone knob dialed all the way dark or bright – and they never buzz or hiss. Supro places them in single, double, and triple configurations on the model’s three variations (an optional piezo offers versatility). Control knobs are arranged logically – Volume(s) first, following the order of each pickup’s placement; Tone is last in line. The high-mass bridge is one of the modern touches and it does its part to bolster overall sound.

Supro offers the Huntington with mahogany, ash, or alder bodies in a handful of finish options. All have maple necks with rosewood fretboards and block inlays. Piezo models ship with flatwound strings. The 30″ scale and matte-black finish on the back of the neck give the instrument a comfortable, super-smooth playing feel that makes those first few hours of “get acquainted” time downright fun. It’s different in a really good way.

Finally, lest you’re thinking, “Short scale and flatwounds – gotta sound thuddy…” well, allow Supro’s website to set your mind at ease with help from demos by Doug Wimbish and a couple other heavy hitters who (ahem) capably reveal the Huntington’s full potential.

This article originally appeared in VG February 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.