“A real journeyman instrument that channels the Gibson classics yet ends up very much its own thing”: Knaggs Kenai Hollowbody Genie review

What is it?

Named after an Alaskan river, the Kenai is Knaggs’ ‘Les Paul’, a cornerstone of the range these past 15 years but far from a copy with a redrawn headstock.

Yes, it’s a single-cut and uses the time-honoured ingredients – mahogany back, maple top, a glued-in mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard, not to mention its dual humbuckers, shoulder-placed toggle pickup selector and that classic four-control layout – but in outline there’s a definite taste of Telecaster, isn’t there?

And while the top carve to the 52mm thick body is beautifully contoured, the back is heavily chamfered on the bass side and base, which not only reduces the bulk of the rim but comes across as rather more toned than the good ol’ porky Les Paul.

Latest Videos From

Watch full video here:

The Kenai also forms the basis for other models: the simplified slab-bodied J and J-MT designs, for example, as well as the more opulent Eric Steckel signature model. It’s little surprise, then, that in all its variants this is now the best-selling Knaggs model.

Each of the models, like any in the range, has an extensive options list and huge colour choice, including aged finishes. And if you really want something very special, there’s the Creation Series level.

This Genie version of the Kenai is a great example of this custom ‘anything is possible’ ethos, but, unusually, there’s no wood on show, with the exception of the deep, dark brown of the East Indian fingerboard and glossed ebony headstock face. Nevertheless, under the paint, it sticks to those classic ingredients and you can see a glimpse of mahogany through that lightning bolt soundhole.

As the name states, this is the Hollowbody version of the typically all-solid Kenai (an option first introduced at the end of 2024), although ‘semi-hollow’ would probably be more accurate as the air seems to be primarily on the bass side and behind the bridge.

It’s nowhere near as hollow as the slightly larger and deeper-bodied Chena model. And what appears to be quite chunky body binding is, in fact, the natural edge of the quite flame-y maple top, which is blue-stained before a violin-like purfling strip barriers the opaque, slightly off-white finish.

In style, it’s little surprise that the neck construction is similar to that of Joe’s former employer (one-piece stock, the full width fitting into the body), but here the body extends out in a boat-bow point to form the heel.

Then there’s the very classic splayed and back-angled three-a-side headstock – slightly shorter than a Les Paul’s – that wouldn’t look out of place on an old archtop. You’ll see and feel a slight in-turn to the fingerboard edge, the fretwork is perfect, and if you want to learn how to perfectly cut and finish a bone nut, here’s how it’s done.

Designed to maximise resonance, the Influence 2-in-1 bridge has been a part of Knaggs since day one. The bridge is a regular tune-o-matic type that is co-joined to the rear string anchor, rather than being separate like the classic Gibson setup. This gives the guitar another unique spin.

There’s no truck with coil-splitting or expanded sounds here. What you see is what you get and that’s a pair of Bare Knuckle Mules and a classic volume and tone for each. That shoulder-placed toggle switch is another option to consider; it can also be placed by the rotary controls in more SG-like style.

Specs

• PRICE: £5,500 (inc case)
• ORIGIN: USA
• TYPE: Single-cutaway, carved top, hollowbody electric
• BODY: 1-piece mahogany with carved maple top
• NECK: Mahogany, Knaggs C w/Slight V profile, glued-in
• SCALE LENGTH: 629mm (24.75”)
• NUT/WIDTH: Bone/43.04mmmm
• FINGERBOARD: East Indian rosewood, red pearloid dot inlays, 305mm (12-inch) radius
• FRETS: 22, medium jumbo
• HARDWARE: Knaggs Influence 2-in-1 combined bridge/tailpiece Kluson Revolution tuners w/ ‘keystone’ buttons – all nickel-plated 
• STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 51mm
• ELECTRICS: Uncovered Bare Knuckle Mule humbuckers, 3-way toggle pickup selector switch, individual pickup volume and tone controls
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.2/7
• LEFT HANDERS: No
• FINISHES: Genie Crème (as reviewed) – gloss nitrocellulose finish with blue stained binding
• CONTACT: Knaggs Guitars

Playability and sounds

This writer has never played a guitar Joe Knaggs has had his hands on that isn’t very fit for purpose. This Kenai maintains that hard-earned impression, and the semi-solid design just seems to enhance the response compared with our solid-bodied Kenai reference.

This Genie is superbly alive-sounding but still has that hallmark ring and sense of strength that comes with the Knaggs name. Unlike a Les Paul, it’s very well balanced played seated, slighter lighter in weight at 3.2kg (7lb) compared with our solidbody, and strapped on it seems to stick to your body. It’s a deceptively clever design.

The neck shape is typical Joe Knaggs, too: a pretty full 50s-style handful (43mm wide at the nut with a depth of 22.7mm at the 1st fret and 25.5mm by the 12th), but with a hint of a V that makes it feel a little smaller than the dimensions suggest.

Paired with the Mules, it’s like hearing an old friend. It’s obviously in the Les Paul camp yet slightly trimmer with good definition in the high-end. As ever, evaluating what the semi-solid construction brings to the plugged-in voice is harder to define, but compared with our reference there’s just a little more give, a little more looseness – we’d swear we were listening to a much older guitar – that benefits its cleaner jazz duties as much as it does its power-rock bluster.

The vintage-wired controls mean that the guitar responds really well to a little volume and tone reduction, which clears the voice, sounding more like we’re listening to single coils but sweeter with a balanced clarity that’s never oversharp. This style of wiring really suits the guitar and the Mules, and hugely broadens the sounds we hear.

All in, we don’t know about Mick Ronson, but we’re hearing Mick Taylor in his regal Stones period. We can only wonder where a guitar like this would take us?

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

What might be considered as a whimsical homage to Mr Bowie hides the simple fact that this is one of the best Kenais we’ve had the pleasure to play over the past decade and a half.

It sits perfectly in terms of voicing between the all-solid model and the true hollowbody Chena – a real journeyman instrument that channels the Gibson classics yet ends up very much its own thing. As we said, the Kenai is a deceptively clever design and to our hands and ears the semi-hollow version here just takes it up a level – or even two.

Guitar World verdict: There will be plenty of coughing and spluttering about the price, of course, but the vast accumulated experience of Joe Knaggs and his team oozes from every pore, plus you can tailor your Kenai to precisely your taste. Simply great craft on every level with sounds to match.

• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.