The DL-90 is proof that stepping off the beaten path can lead to something truly inspiring in tone, feel, and style.

While Scott Lentz Sr. and Jr. have earned their reputation building some of the finest Strat- and Tele-style guitars around, those who venture into DL-90 territory tend to have the same reaction: total revelation. We get it as we’ve been playing ours for years, and it just might be our favorite model from the California father-son duo.

The DL-90 takes the familiar Tele-esq recipe and gives it a muscular, P90-powered twist. Lentz winds their own pickups, voiced with the clarity and snap of a great Fender but with richer mids and more punch. The bridge snarls with a Tele-meets-P90 growl, while the neck pickup delivers a warm, rounded tone with shades of a fat Strat, ultimately avoiding the wooliness some P90s can have.

Its clever wiring - individual volumes for each pickup plus a master tone - makes blending in the middle position a tonal playground, from airy rhythm chime to gritty, focused leads. And like every Lentz, the feel is addictive: slinky, responsive, and effortless under the fingers. Add in its distinctive silhouette - somewhere between an SG, Mosrite, and Duo-Sonic - and you’ve got a guitar that feels like a lost classic with a modern edge.