A swank retro plank with four pickups? Heck, yeah! The Vintage Revo Surfmaster Quad is a semi-hollow with a quartet of pickups from noted U.K. winder Alan Entwistle, along with his ATN Variator knob serving up 75 tonal possibilities.

The Quad has an offset shape vaguely like a Jazzmaster, but with a body made of okoume laminate that weighs about 8.2 pounds. The 24.75″ bolt-on neck is maple with a bound/22-fret jatoba board sporting block inlays. The Fenderesque headstock has Wilkinson E-Z-Lok tuners and variable-height string shafts for intonation, while the roller bridge and vibrato help create a shallow retro twang. Finish colors include Boulevard Black, Firenza Red, and Metallic White.

Most folks, however, will be more interested in the Quad’s passive Entwistle ETS3 Astrosonic pickups, which have individual on/off switches instead of a selector, and the ready-for-exploration ATN5 Variator. Since the aim of the Quad is to evoke the early-’60s British sounds of the Shadows, Jet Harris, Vic Flick, and Joe Meek productions, its overall sound is more-glassy and metallic compared to the twang of a Fender or Mosrite. Tonally, it’s also suited to the ambient textures of indie, shoegaze, and other contemporary styles.

In hand, the Surfmaster Quad is a solid performer. The neck on our tester arrived with super-low action, better for chords and arpeggios than leads, but you can raise the bridge to accommodate bends. The carve is a big D shape that’s relatively comfortable, again with an emphasis on rhythm textures. Build quality is satisfactory for a mid-price performer.

With its four pickups, the Surfmaster Quad stands out for being quite different from the norm. It’s fun, functional, and funky – and with its chrome-laden finish, it’ll certainly jump out onstage.

This article originally appeared in VG’s June 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.