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It’s at an embryonic stage but guitar builder Rick Toone is working on Headless Monster - a 5 string bass guitar worth keeping an eye on. Based on the Orchid bass guitar, it’s a headless bass guitar with a prototyped bridge and tuning system based on levers rather than screws. The trapezoidal neck profile is back but as an asymmetrical version (see the second photo).

Other details include the following:

• Curly maple stacked laminate neck
• Curly walnut, Honduras & Philippine (ribbon grain) mahogany, and ebony (accented) body
• Stainless steel hardware throughout, including frets & bridge/tuning system

Pickups are still under evaluation and according to Rick, Headless Monster will include a “Monster (very scary) inlay at the octave”.

The instrument is being built for the bass player known simply as “Monster” who you can see demoing the Orchid bass guitar in Monster Meets the Orchid Bass.

This one’s going to be very interesting…

By Robert Irizarry on May 9th, 2008 | Stumble it! | 1 Comment →

Topics: Electric Guitar

Al Shaffer returns with a solo demo of the beautiful Koll RE7/F guitar previously covered in Koll Guitars Multi-Scale Archtop and Shaffer on the Koll Multiscale Archtop.

Listen and enjoy.

Many thanks to Al for the follow up video and thank you for mentioning BTEG!

By Robert Irizarry on May 6th, 2008 | Stumble it! | 3 Comments →

Topics: Guitar Players

Here are April 2008’s most popular articles. Did you miss any or forget to leave a comment?

• Forshage Guitar - Black and Beautiful - Another wonderful electric guitar from Chris Forshage with figured maple top and mahogany back.
• Lace Alumitone Pickups - This radically different pickup design results in pickups which are significantly lighter than conventional ones. I know of several guitar builds that are considering them so there’ll be more to come.
• Eric Olds Klein Electric Guitar Project - Part 2 - Eric Olds not only treats us to his Klein based electric guitar build featuring Alumitone pickups but provides us with several plan drawings which include the guitar body and his own headless tuning solution.
• Xavier Padilla’s Torzal Custom Electric Bass Guitar - This Little Guitar Works custom bass for Xavier Padilla features his Torzal Twist neck which is designed to reduce wrist flexion and reduce the potential for RSI.
• Canton Custom Guitars Design #2- Custom guitar maker Rick Canton treats us to an update on one of his electric guitar designs.
• The Forshage Hollow Body Electric Guitar - Chris Forshage’s ergonomic electric guitar continues to delight readers. This was our first coverage on his fine work and certainly not our last.
• The Orchid Bass Sprouts An Unusual Neck - The Toone Guitars Orchid bass guitar shows off sculpted curves, an ergonomic guitar body and an unusual trapezoidal profile guitar neck.
• Headless Guitar Parts Resources - A crowd favorite, this article focuses on commercially available as well as DIY headless guitar bridge systems.
• Make Your Own Headless Guitar Tuners! - Three different approaches to making your own headless guitar tuners. Very interesting stuff.
• Headless Guitar Bridge by Jon Bondy - A look at a replacement fixed bridge for the Steinberger R-trem, S-trem and Trans-trem tremolo bridges by machinist Jon Bondy.

By Robert Irizarry on May 3rd, 2008 | Stumble it! | 3 Comments →

Topics: Blog Notes

Here are the latest progress pictures of the electric guitar model last seen in Canton Custom Guitars Design #2.

Mr. Canton on the instrument:

I decided to go further with the rounding of the edges to see what both designs looked like. I also thinned out the top horn and created some more contouring there as well. Also note the output jack location. Right now the fret work needs to be completed and some fine shaping with sandpaper here and there. Next week I will be starting to add oil coats for finish, then it will see final assembly.

The resulting guitar is just beautiful IMHO and I like the contrast created by the front’s sharper edges and the back’s softer organic look.

Note the highly sculpted heel on the guitar’s bolt on neck. The extended heel on the neck reaches far into the guitar body which explains the unusual bolt pattern.

Lovely. I can’t wait to see the finished guitar.

By Robert Irizarry on April 30th, 2008 | Stumble it! | 11 Comments →

Topics: Electric Guitar