Sketch | 7-String Headless Guitar

Nearing completion. "Sketch" 7-string headless guitar built for (blister-inducing) speed. I'd like to show it to you in color, but black and white is an inside joke.

Perhaps when it is fully complete.

"it's so awesome it drained all the color from the picture"

sojorel
sevenstring.org

"I love the unfinished kind of look, with the chiseled back and the position lines around the bridge and pickup."

flo
sevenstring.org

"The new hardware and neck look awesome, the body looks like somebody did it in their spare time with a hacksaw."

technomancer
sevenstring.org

TOONE & TOWNSEND hardware fully controls string vibration and intonation. The integrated system anchors both ends of the string in precision components machined from anodized aircraft grade aluminum, bearing bronze, stainless steel, and titanium.

In the configuration pictured here, strings pass through the Intonation Cantilever™ bridge to the body mounted tuner. This provides the best of both worlds. Vibration is warm, woody, acoustic, and saturated with the tone wood characteristics of the body. Sustain is enhanced and solid, due to the mass of the tuner. Bridge can be mounted close to the tuner, or at a distance, as in an archtop or semi-hollowbody configuration for example.

Interlocking tuning knobs feature neoprene O-rings provide non-slip grip, even under sweat inducing stage lights and performance conditions.

This patent pending system is available for licensing.

Patented Intersecting Plane Neck Profile™ (IPNP™). This specific embodiment is designed for musicians with a classical grip position, using technically correct form.

Available for licensing.

Patent pending Intonation Adjustable Nut (Into Nut™). Available for licensing.

Unlike fixed compensation Earvana or True Temper nut intonation designs, this system provides fully adjustable intonation and string height control. Any string gauge, scale length, or string material (nylon, bronze, steel). Installation is simple.

Intonation can be dialed in by the musician for specific preferences, from piano-like clarity to traditional guitar dissonance. 7-string version pictured here anchors ball end strings.

Comments

[Sam]

The end result looks nothing short of amazing! The hardware in particular is quite intriguing to me. I just look at it and think of all the possibilities, sonically, ergonomically, and aesthetically. I'm sure she plays like nothing else too. Will we be getting sound clips?

[Eric]

Beautiful guitar. I love how this has turned out.

For the tuning machines — are double ball strings being used or do the tuners clamp the free end?

[Rick Toone]

Eric — Thanks very much. Version of the hardware depicted clamps the plain end of the string at the tuner. Therefore any brand or length of string can be used. Use a coin to activate the string clamp. Very simple.

The nut holds the ball end of the string via a drop-in slot. No tools are needed.

Sam — For the safety and well being of our readers, I think we'll let Tosin Abasi do the sound clips. This is his guitar.

[Monster]

With apologies to Tosin, I got to sweat (and drool) all over this instrument for about 3 hrs. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and it took me about 2 hours to realize I still needed to tune it. Very clear with a deep but tight bottom end. Great for speed and heaviness but also did great for jazz and blues when detuned. I was looking for something wrong with it and failed dismally. I can hardly wait to hear a REAL guitarist on it.

[Jeffrey Collins]

I noticed you said Bronze Steel or Nylon for strings. Does this mean you could put a nice Piezo in the bridge and string it up like a classical? That would be cool.

[Ryan]

Beautiful work. I love the shape. Great location for the knobs too. I've found that having knobs right below the strings....get in the way. Having them above the strings looks like an ideal location.