Whatever the reasons, we could suggest there’s a bit of a trend emerging: the stripped-down, high-quality that’s far from hard on your income. It was the theme of our last cover story and, working on that, we got wind of a new entry, PJD’s new Apprentice. We say ‘new’ because the brand released some small runs of single-soapbar-pickup models back in 2022, with lightly reliced gloss nitro finishes, which were the first to introduce the gold decal logos now standard for all its models.
Those guitars were very special, but nudging £2k, they were hardly impulse buys. This new version very nearly is. We’re not saying £899 is pocket change, but for a UK-made, quality-led, satin-finished, obeche-bodied single-pickup guitar with a hand-wound .
.. Well, we rest our case.
In the flesh, there’s nothing cut-price in this cleanly presented St John (PJD’s most popular body shape). It’s not unique to PJD, of course, but its take on the theme exudes some style, not least in the moody Nato Olive finish (a vintage Porsche colour, we’re told). Full-scale offsets can be weighty: not here.
Yes, it’s a big slab body, but it’s slightly downsized from the original Fender outline and looks and feels pretty contemporary with that forearm chamfer but without a rear ribcage cut. The same level of Gotoh hardware that’s used on PJD’s Standard and Custom Shop models features here and it’s lightly reliced, the fingerboard edges are nicely worn in, the neck back is low gloss wi.
