Saito S622-TLC, maple syrup finish, made in Japan 2024. Well well well, this is rather slick, is it not? The model number here stands for six strings, twenty two frets, TL concept. There's a couple modern minimalist twists on the standard Tele offering, so firstly: the body. It's swamp ash, and extremely carefully selected, lightweight, two-piece matched centre-joined stuff at that, but you get a belly carve, recessed neck plate and a carved top for reduced weight and increased comfort. That's paired with Saito's glorious Standard Grip neck: a moderate C shape with a sneaky 10-12" compound radius, rolled and bound edges and an access heel join, carved from some frightfully good hard rock maple. It feels incredible: so resonant, so fast and easy to play, so comfy to hold and move around on... it's an absolute joy in the hands. The tone is fantastic too: a good Tele is bright and chiming but with a certain fatness, and this definitely delivers that, the Saytone TLC pickups are outstanding. The highs are wide and open with a shimmering complexity, and they're balanced by a weighty, piano-like low end that lends depth and nuance to every note and chord. It's great for funk and blues stuff, as it has a very percussive attack and a brilliant clarity. The bridge pickup delivers that midrange kick we all love too, it's glorious into a dirty amp. The natural finish on the back looks and feels slick and classy, and the subtle amber warmth of the maple syrup top is decidedly delicious. This will scare USA made offerings at twice the price or more, it's seriously... scary. No tabs for TLC's seminal hit Waterfalls included, sorry friends. 

SAITO GUITARS aim is simple: to create 'Simple and Beautiful Tools'. Company founder Masaaki Saito opened a guitar repair shop in Tokyo in 1991, diligently bringing out the  best in customers' guitars for twenty years before turning his attention to product design. In 2011, Saito's SAYTONE Hand Wiring pickups were released, offering gorgeous vintage-inspired pickups wound totally by hand by master craftsmen. In 2015, they launched their solid body S series guitars. The design philosophy is all about functional beauty: stripping away everything that doesn't contribute to function and playability, in order to serve modern players pursuing an increasingly diverse mix of genres and applications. Masaaki calls it 'Beautility'.

SAITO GUITARS all feature these thoughtful details:
Compound radius fretboard for comfy chords down low and precise movement and easy bends higher up the neck
Rolled fretboard edges for improved ergonomics
Wooden fretboard binding to hide fret ends and maximise smoothness
Luminlay side dots for easy visual reference on dark stages
Recessed aluminium neck joint plate paired with a curved heel to minimise weight and allow for easy access to the top frets
Gotoh MG-T locking tuners and 510 series bridges for excellent tuning stability
SAYTONE Hand Winding Pickups, all designed and wound by master craftsmen in house using the best of vintage and modern techniques and materials. Pickups was Saito's primary business for several years, so they're truly boutique quality

Model: Saito Guitars S-622TLC
Made: Japan, 2024
Serial: 242749
Finish: maple syrup, satin poly
Body: swamp ash, 'modern archtop' shape, 45mm deep
Neck: maple, maple cap fretboard, 25.5" scale, 10-12" compound radius, 'Standard Grip' profile, maple fretboard binding, rolled fretboard edges, 42mm nut, 21mm deep at 1st fret, 24mm deep at 12th fret, Jescar FW-51100 Nickel Silver frets
Weight: 3.0kg
Mods: none
Pickups: SAYTONE Hand Winding Pickups. TLC single coil x2
Accessories: Saito SHE-150L semi hard case, trem arm, tools and docs

Cosmetic condition notes: brand new condition, no major marks. Note this guitar has been used to film demo videos and played in store.
Overall: brand new condition (10/10)

Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/46 D'Addario strings.
Fret life: 10/10, brand new