Spearfish | Moby Dick

PHOTOS: Scrimshaw is the art of engraving the bone or tooth of a powerful animal. Spearfish™ 6-string guitar drives Yngwie Malmsteen’s original 1969 Marshall.

PHOTOS: Perhaps no mammal will ever (can ever) be as powerful as Herman Melville’s great white whale, Moby Dick. Nature, embodied. All that is untamed. You can recite the litany, but still it will not end with simply facts: patent pending Element™ aircraft aluminum neck, stainless steel Intonation Cantilever™ patented bridges, exclusive DiMarzio™ pickups, carbon fiber, resonant swamp ash.

Interview | Steve Sjuggerud, Mike Dawes, Rick Toone

VIDEO: Steve Sjuggerud interviews Mike Dawes and Rick Toone during Florida testing sessions. Mike is an exceptional guitarist…acoustic and electric. He is that rare musician who is also a skilled listener.

Video | Goshawk | Geoff Waldron

My friend Geoff Waldron is an excellent songwriter. When I asked him to put Goshawk™ 6-string through her paces — Nashville style — Geoff composed two absolutely gorgeous pieces of music. Some people just have the ear…check out his playing.

Holy Moly!!

What an instrument! The box had no dents or damage and the guitar arrived safe and sound without a scratch. Still perfectly in tune and ready to play!

The guitar flat out feels like a beautiful woman... like touching the skin of a supermodel when I touch your guitar. The most amazing neck... I can’t even believe it.

You have a fine eye for detail... I should be so lucky to be working with such an accomplished artist such as yourself.

Truly an awe inspiring work of fine craftsmanship.

Truly makes my guitar collection seem like haphazardly constructed hunks of wood and metal. (Geoff)

Live | Arto Artinian, Killick Hinds & Adam J. Wilson

VIDEO: Live at the 2019 NYC Electroacoustic Improvisation Summit at New York City College of Technology. Both guitars are fretless (multiscale). Adam J. Wilson on Spearfish™ 6-string. Killick Hinds on Walrus 6-string. Arto Artinian is playing a Haken Continuum surface.

Prior to this live performance, the trio recorded Body Systems studio album.

Besides the three of us, we're improvising with some software I wrote, an algorithmic agent I've taken to calling "Skronkbot." Skronkbot is always listening and always playing; when I press pedals on my pedalboard, I'm turning Skronkbot's output on and off and directing it to use different synths and samplers. (Adam J. Wilson)

One of the ways I approach playing with Adam & Arto is to activate densities wrapped in a web of harmonic infinity...something like lungs filling to steady the next exhalation. There’s an unceasing propulsive quality from the sum of three people (plus robot!) inserting pantonal panrhythmic melodicisms with consummate attention towards making the group soup a good eat. This is a truly a fretless trio: fret less and listen more. It's always a pleasure to work with these beautiful souls and adept technological marvels who too have their own say. (Killick)

Video | Goshawk | Ede Wright

VIDEO: Ede Wright at an intimate moment with Goshawk™ 6-string in natural finish. The guitar fits him so well…watch with the sound off and you can really see how he gets lost in the music.

Thank You | Goshawk "Purple Haze"

Andrew shares his impressions a few days after “Purple Haze” Goshawk™ 6-string guitar arrived…

Rick,

You knocked it out of the park with the Goshawk.

Purple Haze arrived in perfect condition, and the pictures did not do it justice, not even close. While the appearance is amazing, the fit and ergonomics are truly unmatched. I can’t believe how light it is, and how its contours allow it to easily meld with your body.

I probably played it close to 10 hours this weekend, and I haven’t even scratched the surface of what it can do. The tones are amazing, and it plays incredibly with all of my amps. It is truly an instrument that inspires one to play.

Before it arrived, I thought the Goshawk was going to be an evolution of the Spearfish, but this is a different beast altogether. Thank you for going the extra the mile with your craft/art and creating instruments that help get the music in my head come to life.

If you can’t tell, I couldn’t be happier.

Very truly yours,

Andrew

Super Bowl LIII | Goshawk | Ede Wright

PHOTO: Ede Wright plays “Purple Haze” Goshawk™ 6-string guitar at soundcheck, Super Bowl LIII. Note the guitar’s hands-off natural balance. Ede performs with Simply Irresistible for CBS on Game Day Stage at Super Bowl LIII.

Thank You | Spearfish

Bill took delivery of his sunburst Spearfish™ 6-string guitar this week…

I love this guitar! It may not be good for me, though — I was going to work out last night but picked up the guitar to just play for a few minutes, and before I knew it the gym was closed. And I picked it up this morning, just for a minute, and now I’m two hours late for work (fortunately I’m self-employed).

I was a bit apprehensive buying another guitar sight unseen, but trusted that this time would be different. Wow! Spearfish™ is stunning! And the most comfortable guitar I’ve ever played…sitting down it just melts into my body, absolutely perfectly contoured. I love the deep carve on the arm rest, and the neck carve makes the upper frets a breeze to access.

I wasn’t sure if I would be comfortable with the thinness of the Element™ neck, but it was love at first touch. And the fan-frets are the most comfortable ones I have encountered, just right. It took almost no time to get used to. Playability is off the charts, virtually effortless.

And the tone! I played it clean for a while, and was actually a bit taken aback when I switched to an overdriven sound…the first note just leapt out, with such clarity and sustain. Truly spectacular!

I have been using the neck humbucker most of all (has always been my favorite position), and then the bridge, Strat, and Tele positions, as those seemed most familiar before I knew exactly what I was dealing with. I have used the tone knob quite a bit, as I have played everything from straight ahead jazz to rock and blues. I love how expressive the guitar is, and the action is absolutely perfect…it almost plays itself.

My wife commented how great the guitar sounds, and she has never done that with any of the other guitars I’ve owned. I have loved my (other brand) headless model, and figured it was about as good as it gets, but Spearfish™ is in a different league.

A million thanks for the guitar, it is perfect! I sincerely appreciate the attention to detail that is so obvious in every aspect of the guitar. Feel free to use me for a reference should anyone want a recommendation. All the best —

Bill

Testing, testing...

It is such a joy to get time with dear friends, especially involving music. When Steve Sjuggerud invited me to visit him in Florida this past week, it was an immediate yes.

The occasion was a live performance featuring Steve, Dan Ostrowski (drums), and acoustic guitarist Mike Dawes. Mike was visiting from UK, enroute to tour dates of his own. Also, we would be filming video…of the live performance, plus interviews.

More on that soon.

The next several days were just Mike, Steve, and me hanging out and testing guitars. Steve owns a stunning collection of original iconic vintage gear, lovingly curated, in perfect playing condition: Trainwreck, 1969 100-watt Marshall, Fender 1959 Strat. Plus some of the best new gear: Gil Yaron 1959 Les Paul replica, 1964 Fender Tweed replica, Blug amplifier system.

Essential benchmark guitar tone references.

Against them, we would be comparing two Goshawk™ 6-string prototype guitars I’d just completed.

What you might not know, what you might not expect, Mike Dawes — although known for his acoustic skills — is actually one of the best electric guitarists I’ve ever heard. His playing is fluid, melodic, effortless. Metal, shred…

Mike and Steve ripping together through Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” at concert volume still has me grinning ear to ear, a few days and a few thousand miles later.

PHOTO: Steve works through pickup coil combinations on Goshawk™ 6-string.

PHOTO: Rick Toone original prototype 6-string (2012). Signatures of those who have played or helped develop this guitar. Note early patent pending tuner.

PHOTO: Rick & Steve, mid-testing.

PHOTO: Steve looks on as Mike explores Blueshift™ 7-string ER. Antares 6-string in foreground. Photographer Adam King works the angle.

PHOTO: Our location…overlooking a tidal marsh, Florida coastline.

Video | Goshawk | Annie Grunwald

Annie Grunwald composed a short piece of music to demo some of the sounds of “Purple Haze” Goshawk™ 6-string guitar. I absolutely love her playing on this. Just over a minute long, she weaves an evocative sojourn.

2018

Every year I grow increasingly grateful for the wonderful people around me. Life — and this journey into Art — is truly made possible by these connections.

Profound gratitude to all of my clients; it is a gift to build for you.

Thank you.

Steve Blucher: this…sound. For showing me the way. Eric Corpus.

Steve Sjuggerud: excellence in nuance.

Ede Wright: Hall of Fame test pilot.

Valeria Karaseva: focus. And knowing when to take me to the wilderness.

Bill Pegg. Ken Kinter. David Newsam. Killick (of course). Scott Baker.

Three exceptional clients: Jim Jannard’s USM Red, Adam Wilson’s Fretless Spearfish, & Dr. Dominic’s Cupid.

Gethyn. Masi. Tricia. Gary Culver. Inseparable companions on the trek to Mordor.

Dad, for showing me the true meaning of courage and persistence. Mom, for walking beside him no matter how steep the mountain. Love you both so much.

And those we will miss: George Nishimura, Hank Rudderow, Patricia Hurley.

Video | Goshawk | Steve Sjuggerud

Steve Sjuggerud just filmed a live demo video explaining tones and features of Goshawk™ 6-string guitar.

A lot of thought and effort was invested into creating truly useable controls. You’ll understand as you watch the video. Steve is playing Goshawk™ direct into a Trainwreck replica. There are no pedals or channel switching.

He coaxes an astonishing range of textures from the guitar using just the onboard controls.

Grateful thanks to Steve Sjuggerud and Steve Blucher.

Modern Archtop

Sourced a piece of solid cherry two inches thick by fifteen inches wide. It was an old tree, with evenly spaced growth rings — moderately spaced — indicating decades of consistent growth and reliable access to sunlight + water.

A good life for a tree.

I’m extending the Modern Archtop™ design philosophy. Eliminating the Positional Constant String Pitch Control System™ in favor of the Intonation Cantilever™ solo tuner-bridges. Significant savings in mass, which allows me to play with the body structure.

I fully free the soundboard by floating it above a carbon fiber Torso Touch™ back — dampening is eliminated.

String-to-string response across the bass/treble spectrum is absolutely stunning. One of my best guitars in terms of dynamics and touch sensitivity.

I’m admittedly a little in love with this instrument right now.

Goshawk

Named for the raptor which populates broad latitudes across North America and Eurasia. (With thanks to Gethyn)

Goshawk™ six string guitar features:

• Swamp ash solid body (specify finish option)

• Torrefied figured flame maple neck

• Advantage™ neck profile

• Hipshot locking tuners

• Stainless steel frets

• 25.5” scale length

• Exclusive DiMarzio™ pickups

• 5-way hum-canceling w/volume & tone

• Carbon fiber pickguard

• Intonation Cantilever™ patented bridges precision machined from solid stainless steel

Fresh

You may have noticed a few changes.

If you’re new, everything may look entirely unfamiliar. Welcome.