There are lots of beautiful production model Wolfgangs.  Some of the flame tops are exceptional.  This section is dedicated to showcasing the rest of the Wolfgangs that Peavey produces.  Following is a quick run down of all Wolfgang models from the cheapest to most expensive:  Also, check out the new Peavey HP Specials (follow up to the Wolfgang) HP FAQ's

Special EXP (Korean Made) - List Price of $899.00

Unless price is a major concern, I would avoid this guitar.  While some of these guitars are OK, the quality on many is bad.  You can read about it below.  It is the ONLY Wolfgang made outside the U.S.  It can be identified by a quilt top (Maroon, Blue, Amber or Sunburst) and only one knob (volume but no tone).  Actually, you can't call it a top as it is a .020 thin slice of veneer that is glued on.  Thus, this guitar will not have the tonal qualities of one with a maple top.  The tops look nice on these, but that is where it ends.  Cheaper hardware, neck, etc.  These were first offered in 2003.

Wolfgang Special - List Price of $1,199.00

This is solid basswood (no top).  It came in solid colors and sunburst.  The necks are not birdseye maple and without the top you don't have the same tonal qualities (lacks some brightness), although the tone is great and I could see how someone would argue they like it better.  They can be identified by having one knob and a flat top.  They also would not have a binding, since there is no top.  The tuners are cheaper as well (metal rather than the pearloid).  Pick-ups are the same on all Wolfgangs up until 2004.  The Special was first offered in 1998. 

Wolfgang Special Deluxe (flame top) - List Price of $1,649.00

If money isn't the main concern and you prefer the flat top look and/or feel (like the Music Man EVH) then I would recommend this guitar.  The only drawback is it doesn't generally have the birdseye neck either or the better tuners you get on the Standard, although they did inexplicably ship some with the birdseye necks.  Maybe they ran out of hard rock maple necks and needed to deliver the guitars?.  This guitar can be identified by a flame maple top and only one knob like all Specials.  The Special Deluxe has a 1/4" flat maple top where the Standard Deluxe starts with a 5/8" (before carving) maple arch top.  The Special was first introduced in 1998.

Wolfgang Standard - List Price of $1,799.00

This is the top of the line arch top and original model, without a top.  It is solid basswood construction (3 pieces of basswood).  The Standard can always be identified by having two knobs (volume and tone) and an "arch top", although it can be hard to tell in pictures sometimes if a guitar has an arch top.  The guitar has a binding for looks, but there is no top.  Standards came in Black & Ivory.  LOTS of black ones.  In some cases the black ones will have a top where they painted over a flame or quilt top that didn't come out right.  If you look real close at the finish you can see whether or not it is two piece or 3 piece construction.  If it is two piece it has a top.  You can see the end of the 1st Year Quilts section for more details on this.  On a black or ivory standard, assume it has no top and thus it won't have the little extra brightness in the tone that a maple top gives you.  Very first guitars were late 1996.  The Standard and Standard Deluxe were the only models until 1998.  A stop tail bridge version first was offered in late 1997 or 1998.

Wolfgang Standard Deluxe - List Price of $2,199

Other than a Custom Shop guitar, this is the one I recommend.  The first year only they made this in a quilt top.  They made less than 2,000 in four colors before switching to flame tops.  See the 1st Year Quilt section.  Since that time they have only come in a flame maple top.  The solid color gold tops also have a top as does the solid "seafoam green" color.  They painted a lot of guitars gold or Seafoam when the top was rejected for one reason or another.  They also used a lot of $10 tops on gold and seafoam.  This would be fine tonally speaking but just would not be good for anything but a solid color cosmetically.  The Standard Deluxe has an arch top like a Les Paul.  It is a 5/8" thick top (before carving). This Wolfgang has all the best stuff for hardware and materials.  It will have both a volume and tone knob like the Standard as it is a Standard with a maple top.

Wolfgang Custom Shop - List Price (based on what you ordered) - $200 higher to start (I assume for better materials).  In the Custom Shop there was no difference in price between a Floyd Rose trem model and a stop tail bridge.  Only about 450 real Custom Shop guitars were ever produced and nearly half were made to order, while the rest were produced for the EVH Vault and the NAMM shows.  The Custom Shop opened in January of 2002 so it ran a full three years.  About half of the guitars were produced in Leakesville prior to it closing in April of 2003.  You could get any of the American Made Models above in a Custom Configuration.  The price was based on what you ordered.  Most are one of a kind guitars.  The materials used on the Custom Shop guitars were superior.  The people building them were their best craftsman.  See the Custom Shop Section.  I think the difference between the production models and the Custom Shop models is significant in the Specials because you usually get a top of the line birdseye neck and the better tuners, which you wouldn't otherwise.  I can't say that I have ever had a Custom Shop guitar I just didn't like much.  I certainly like some more than others but they are all great.  Watch out for "Custom Shop" models that are not really custom.  See the Misc. Stuff section for this subject.

I have gotten a lot of questions about the Korean made Wolfgang Specials, which I think is a cheap guitar.  It isn't a Wolfgang as I know it.  I have to question Peavey's decision to introduce this guitar as I think it really hurt sales of the higher priced American made specials and cheapened the brand.  The tone is similar but definitely not the same as the Wolfgang Standard.  The pick-ups were produced in Korea.  I have found the quality is suspect on many of them.  There are also some good ones. The quality varies greatly from one guitar to the next. The action and neck don't feel quite as good as a regular Wolfgang.  It is certainly acceptable at this price point but again it isn't a Wolfgang Standard.   Don't buy this guitar and judge the Wolfgang line by it.  In my opinion they should have called it something different and slightly changed the shape. The Standards are very noticeably better in the way they play and the tone, which they ought to be for the big price difference. The difference in quality is dramatic.  Click this link to go to another page on this site to get some great information on this guitar.  Korean Wolf.  Peavey uses a 4A grade flame for their tops.  The Korean EXP is a 5A quilt. Again, it really isn't a "top" but it sure looks nice.

<Click the thumbnail pictures below for a larger image and the links to the left where available for more pictures>