Black Knight CP-200F

The gloss black face is edge bound and boasts the Black Knight brand name squeezed in between the tuners. These are gold-plated and their design combines a small chassis with a large, Grover-style, kidney-shaped, metal button. Nut slots are regularly spaced and have actually been cut a mite too low, which means less than minimal clearance at the first fret, although, surprisingly, no buzzing is apparent, at least at present.

Somewhat unexpectedly at this price point, the headstock is not scarf-jointed to the glued-in neck. Instead the latter’s three-piece laminated mahogany construction extends all the way up from a compact heel. A nicely shaped volute reinforces the area under the nut, while overall proportions and a classic C-shaped profile feel instantly familiar, contributing to equally amenable playability.

The gently cambered rosewood fingerboard is neatly bound and boasts crown-type position markers, the majority of which have been tidily installed using a minimum of filler, although one has lost a corner. The medium-gauge frets have been left quite high, so excess finger pressure can cause strings to go sharp, which is a minus point, especially on entry-level instruments, because beginner guitarists need all the help they can get to play and stay in tune. All 22 are suitably smooth-ended and most are well polished, although a few of those up at the top feature some scoring, making them rough to the touch.

Body styling is undoubtedly inspired by the classic Les Paul shape, but the single-cutaway silhouette is slightly bigger all round, creating a beefier image. Construction comprises three sections of mahogany, and the top boasts broad bevelled edges, which provide some character-inducing contours and forearm comfort. The model’s ‘F’ suffix denotes that the front is faced with flamed maple, but the beauty of this fancy figuring may be no more than skin deep, as it doesn‘t extend into the carved scoop on the cutaway. This is a pity, as the latter is actually more for looks than practical benefit, being in the wrong place to offer any assistance when fingering the furthermost frets.

The control layout keeps things conventional, being predictably Les Paul-like, which means a quartet of knobs comprising volume and tone per pickup, plus a toggle-type pickup switch sited on the upper bass bout. The two outermost pots are slightly recessed into the contoured body top, which is an unexpected upmarket touch. However, the classy effect is spoilt slightly by the fact that one of the four Gibson-style knobs is distinctly different to its companions, which is hopefully just an isolated cosmetic glitch reserved for the review guitar. The quite severe chamfering of the front also results in slim depth sides, necessitating a barrel-type output jack, rather than the usual plate-mounted equivalent.

The Gibson theme continues via the six-saddle bridge, which unashamedly treads the time-tested Tune-o-matic route, while the accompanying stop bar tailpiece design is another copycat component. Both are gold-plated, as is all other metalwork, apart from the pickup pole pieces. The latter accordingly look a bit left out, but it isn’t really fair to expect them to be similarly gilded at this lowly price point.

The body back features some comfort contouring and accommodates a sizeable, semi-circular control plate. The latter is suitably recessed, although it could be cut a little more precisely, while the gloss black plastic employed contradicts the matt type used for the companion switch cavity cover. This is obviously only a minor cosmetic carp, but it still looks a little untidy.

The neck pickup accordingly provides a predictably meaty delivery, combining dark and woody low end with smoky-flavoured treble. Selecting the bridge position introduces a throaty bark via a combination of more mid-range and aggressively edgy upper frequencies. With both pickups in play, the sound takes on a nasal-tinged chime, while bass becomes slinkier. Each selection is certainly beefy, but tonal balance is good, ensuring good note separation and definition. These qualities are apparent whether playing clean or dirty, with the latter proving more appropriate for a sonic menu that’s far from shy and retiring. Somewhat in contrast to this upfront attitude, all four pots provide impressively smooth and gradual roll-off, which is more than many pricier six-strings can manage, and this useful ability does allow for some subtle, but effective aural alterations.

A small degree of originality is apparent, but the reasoning behind the CP-200F is to provide predictable styling and features in an attractively presented and competitively priced package. This aim is successfully achieved via a good-looking end result that certainly does play and perform well in suitably no-nonsense manner. It should therefore appeal to anyone in the market for a start-up six-string electric that offers good value and goes a little way beyond merely being an obvious imitation.  0