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Photo Credit: Knaggs Guitars
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Among today’s crowded field of electric guitars, the Knaggs Severn XF rises to the top with a unique blend of refined craftsmanship and modern performance. Designed for players who demand surgical precision without sacrificing soul, the Severn XF blends vintage-inspired aesthetics with cutting-edge features that push the boundaries of tone and versatility. Whether you're ripping through modern rock solos or laying down bluesy grooves, this guitar answers with clarity, sustain, and a feel that begs you to keep playing. Built by the visionary team at Knaggs Guitars, the Severn XF is more than an instrument—it's a statement.
Before we get into the review of the Severn XF it is important that we cover one of the leading developers within the music industry. Knaggs Guitars very own Peter Wolf. Peter Wolf played a pivotal role at PRS Guitars before co‑founding Knaggs Guitars. During his tenure at PRS, he served as Director of Global Sales and Marketing, a position he held for several years leading up to his departure in 2009. His insight into how a guitar should be built, led him into another role for Knaggs Guitars. How did his experience at PRS give him the upper hand with future endeavors?
Peter Wolf’s Impact at PRS
In short, Peter Wolf was the strategic growth engine behind PRS’s global expansion. He managed PRS’s worldwide sales strategy, crafted marketing initiatives across continents, and laid the groundwork for a now globally recognized brand.
Peter Wolf at Knaggs Guitars: Brand Strategy, Sales, and Marketing Visionary
Co‑Founder & Business Strategist
VP of Global Sales & Marketing
Design Input and Brand Collaboration
Early Success & Recognition
In essence, Peter Wolf built the business and marketing backbone of Knaggs Guitars. His industry acumen, distribution know-how, and brand-building skills paired with Joe Knaggs’s design mastery to launch one of today’s most admired boutique guitar brands.
Here is what we found:
Among today’s boutique guitars, few strike the balance between modern functionality and timeless tone like the Knaggs Severn XF. Created under the guidance of legendary luthier Joe Knaggs and driven to market by marketing visionary Peter Wolf, the Severn XF is a guitar built for serious players who demand clarity, control, and aesthetic perfection.
The Severn XF carries the signature Knaggs double-cutaway silhouette, rooted in vintage familiarity yet carved for agility and modernity. With a flat-top Swamp Ash body, it’s lighter than it looks, yet incredibly resonant. The Trem system on this model is a Gotoh Floyd. The Severn X is also available with Knaggs’ proprietary Trem system
Every curve and edge is considered—not just for looks, but for feel. Whether you’re seated in a studio or onstage, the guitar practically disappears into your body.
Loaded with Bare Knuckle Aftermath the Severn XF leans toward high-gain clarity without sacrificing warmth. The combination of Swamps Ash and Maple yields a tone that’s snappy in the mids, tight in the low end, and articulate in the highs—perfect for progressive rock, fusion, and shred-heavy playing.
Key tonal qualities:
Paired with the 5-way switch, it’s a tone chameleon—capable of morphing from aggressive riffing to atmospheric textures in seconds. This is where the XF shines brightest. The thin-profile neck and 16” radius fingerboard (14” radius with Knaggs’ proprietary Tremolo system) make bends feel effortless. Whether you’re tapping, sweeping, or flying across the fretboard, the Severn XF responds like it’s reading your mind. Combined with spot-on intonation and low action, the guitar encourages technical expression without ever feeling clinical.
Players in the progressive and modern rock scenes have taken to the Severn XF for its balance of "shred-readiness and studio polish." While it might not wear a famous name on the headstock, the Knaggs brand is well known among tone connoisseurs.
Thanks to Peter Wolf’s background at PRS as Global Sales & Marketing Director, Knaggs Guitars enjoys a global boutique presence while retaining small-shop soul. The Severn XF is a direct result of that philosophy: expertly marketed and delivered with the fit and finish of a custom shop build, yet accessible to high-end players worldwide.
Pros *
Cons
Final Verdict
The Knaggs Severn XF isn’t just another high-performance S-style guitar. It’s a thoughtfully designed instrument that merges artistic craftsmanship with modern player demands. For those willing to step beyond the big brands, the Severn XF offers a boutique experience that’s ready for the stage, studio, and spotlight.
Rating: 9.5/10 — A precision machine with personality.
It was important for Guitar Thrills Magazine to also get input from the creator of this build Peter Wolf. Therefore, we added a contributing effort by both our Tech and Editors for this article.
INTERVIEW WITH PETER WOLF AND GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE
Guitar Thrills: During your time at PRS, you helped the brand expand globally—what were some of the key challenges and breakthroughs you experienced while building international markets for high-end guitars?
Peter: When I started as Intl. Sales Manager for PRS in August 1997, they were only exporting to 13 countries at the time. Through careful research utilizing my WW contacts, I brought high-level dealers and distributors on board, guiding them to focus on us.
Guitar Thrills: What motivated you to step away from a successful role at PRS and co-found Knaggs Guitars? Was there a defining moment or personal vision that led to that leap?
Peter: Some of the business decisions that were proposed didn’t quite line up with what I thought we had been trying to accomplish before. There were also certain design elements I thought we should include (Joe’s own designs from the early 2000s) but that was not something Paul was interested in.
Guitar Thrills: As the head of global sales and marketing for Knaggs, how do you differentiate the brand in an industry saturated with boutique builders and legacy names?
Peter: Guitar players are rather conservative when it comes to guitars and designs. I felt Joe as a builder and his designs (he designed a number of models at PRS including the McCarty early on, the Singlecut, Mira, Starla, Gary Grainger Bass, SSJ and countless appointments, Inlays, neck joints etc) and the Chesapeake models Severn and Choptank with 6-in-line head stock designs would broaden our offerings and help us grow.
Guitar Thrills: How has your experience in European music retail and distribution shaped your approach to brand building and artist relationships at both PRS and Knaggs?
Peter: I started with PRS as a dealer 1986 and once I had founded PRS Guitars Germany (1990-1997), I tried to expand sales and distribution to other main European markets first, which included in depth artist contacts and relationships. Once I had been appointed Intl. Sales Manager, I gave up retail and solely focused on distribution, branding, marketing and sales in the countries we already dealt with, but more importantly, added markets and grew distribution and sales World-Wide.
Guitar Thrills: You’ve worked with a wide range of artists throughout your career—can you share a few standout moments or collaborations that left a lasting impression on you?
Peter: There are literally Hundreds relationships I could mention on a global level. One of the highlights is certainly my 38 year long friendship with Steve Stevens whom I first met in 1986
Guitar Thrills: The Severn XF is gaining attention for its tone and versatility. From your perspective, what sets this model apart, and how has it been received by the artists and communities you connect with?
Peter: It’s just a really well-made instrument that rings with great tuning stability and tone. We call it the Knaggs ring. There is a number of factors that lead to that and certainly the way we build our necks has a lot to do with it.
Guitar Thrills: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of guitar design, artist partnerships, and the evolving role of boutique brands like Knaggs in a changing music industry?
Peter: Every day is exciting. New people join the tribe all the time. We have been trying to create substantial relationships in taking care of people, whether they are end consumers, artists, dealers or media.
We want to thank Peter Wolf for taking the time to answer some important questions. We look forward to working with Peter on additional reviews, and keeping consumers informed about the necessity invest their time and money in a Knaggs Guitar Build.
“The Severn XF isn’t just a player’s guitar—it’s a precision-crafted instrument that responds like an extension of your hands. Knaggs has delivered a modern classic that redefines what boutique performance truly feels like.”
— Guitar Thrills Magazine
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