Review: Spearfish Guitar

VIDEO: Dr. Andre Fludd reviews the 2024 NAMM Spearfish guitar that was on display at the Bare Knuckle Pickups booth in January of this year. Appreciate the shout out to Gabriel Levi too…
VIDEO: Dr. Fludd performs “Where Or When” on Spearfish. Lovely, lovely playing.

Andre did a superb job not only explaining all the unique features of the guitar but also walking through the tones in a way that allows the listener to really digest what they’re hearing.

The note separation between bass and treble strings really stands out. It’s almost like hearing two individual guitars. 

Polymath’s mid-range delivery is very much the foundation of the tone coupled with lots of dynamic headroom (no real surprise with Polymaths being the signature set of Nolly Getgood who’s one of my closest friends and arguably one of the best mix engineers in the world right now). 

Dialing in the mid-range response was key to the design of Polymath and something we worked very hard on so that tonally they would sit perfectly in the mid-field, which in turn allows for extension in the bass and the highs to retain attack without sounding sharp or lacking in weight. This all comes across extremely well in the video presentation by Andre.

For sheer all round tonal flexibility and also suitability to Spearfish’s unique design features, the Polymath really is an excellent set. Throw in the further versatility of the 10-way switch and there’s virtually no limit to the tones you can create. (Tim Mills, Bare Knuckle Pickups)

Cat Head Mask

VIDEO: Who is inside the mysterious Cat Head Mask? How does he see to play?! Does he even need to? What is reality anymore…is your glowing screen speaking truth? Alice, we are no longer in Kansas.

2024 NAMM Report

PHOTO: 2024 NAMM Spearfish™ guitar displayed in the Bare Knuckle Pickups booth and demoed by Gabriel Levi. This guitar is currently listed for sale. Gabriel Levi reports below on his experiences at 2024 NAMM show…

Q: What was the reaction to Spearfish?

A: Overwhelmingly positive and mostly pure shock. In a very oversaturated guitar market (especially evident at the NAMM show) it’s cool to see when a name lives up to its hype. The neck is of course a major selling point of the Spearfish and is an instant conversation starter. It reeled people in to learn more about the guitar…it grabs attention and sparks interest in ways a traditional neck wouldn’t. The International Orange finish totally shook people and was clearly visible amongst the noise at NAMM. The reaction to the FreeWay 10-way switch was GREAT. It almost adds another layer of value and individuality to the guitar. It gives the impression that the guitar is infinite (rightfully so). A lot of folks came out to see your guitar. None left disappointed and I was so happy to see it all go down!

Q: What did people like best about Spearfish?

A: THE NECK. The neck. It really is the selling point of this guitar and the feature most people want. Very unique but extremely playable and functional. “Effortless” is a word that kept coming up. People noticed the balance and ergonomics of the instrument. It does an excellent job of comfortably adhering to your body as you play. The International Orange finish sort of spoke for itself…it was a great display of the depths you’re able to go. People loved it. Another thing people loved? That headstock. It’s really sick.

Q: What did they like least about Spearfish?

A: The neck. HA! Just kidding…but in all seriousness, it is the one thing that threw a small number of people off. I will say for 99% of skeptics, this wore off quickly. It does not surprise me that something of this nature would throw off a more traditional player. It’s a massive sea change when you first try it out, but the benefits quickly become evident. The only other thing I can think of (which wasn’t necessarily a dislike) was the extra space on the fretboard room on the high E-string side. Most players were not used to being able to pull the string in a downward motion on the high E string, and I think they weren’t used to feeling fretboard under their hands on that side on the neck. It was an interesting observation because I’m SO used to the Element neck at this point, but I understand — because if I pick up a Telecaster, I find myself falling off the high E-string side more than I’d like to admit. Ha! I think it’s a cool part of the guitar that I personally love, but something I did get feedback on.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Fretboard Flare™ is the geometric feature included in the patented Element™ neck.

Q: What did you learn regarding how people perceive my work? 

A: You are definitely an elusive creature in the guitar world, so watching people try your guitars is like witnessing man discover fire. It is interesting because as far as I can tell, you’re not worried about marketing and shoving your name down peoples throats. You just make real evocative art and it resonates. Word of mouth is still alive and well when it comes to art that people feel the need to share, and seeing this cult-like following towards your work is inspiring. DIY to the max.

Q: Did you make any connections to help your career?

A: Oh man. Where do I begin? First of all, thank you for the Bare Knuckle Pickups relationship that you started. They were amazing people and it was a gift to help represent a brand that I have been a proponent of for so long. I confirmed a big project with Neural DSP that will be taking place within the next few months. I secured an artist deal with Happy Cable Company which are making some really high quality cables. They’ll be helping me with cable needs for the wireless packs we use on stage and cables here in the studio. Steve linked me up with an entire hotel room of guys that totally rocked my world with emerging technology for guitar. I like to go deep with the Fractal Audio units and utilize things like automated preset/scene changes via MIDI, and to see what’s possible when it comes to using the guitar as a controller blew me away. If this can become optimized, it would be a total game changer for live performance. I think we’re officially in the future! I met SO many people and there is a lot that I’m leaving out, but it was without a doubt the most fruitful NAMM experience to date. Thank you for putting me in a position to make these new connections and plant many seeds. I will forever be grateful to you my friend!

IMAGE (below): Tim Mills demonstrates why he has successfully built a world-class business.

Rick Toone Tremolo System Explained

VIDEO: Rick Toone ’67™ tremolo designed to retrofit Leo Fender’s iconic guitar. Conventional parallel frets. Traditional adjustment mechanisms, including spring claw tensioning. Instantly familiar intonation and string height settings. This retrofit tremolo has been optimized to fit the existing holes in the S-type guitar body.

Rick Toone tremolo system comes in two versions:

’67 — designed to retrofit classic S-type guitars

(and)

Pisces — designed for innovative new instruments

Both tremolos share the same design features:

• Pitch shift entire chords in tune
• Extremely wide pitch range
• String height action remains constant
• Intonation remains constant
• Use single ball-end commercially available string brands
• No need for a locking nut
• Simple fast string changes that don’t require tools

However, the internal mechanisms of the two tremolo units are quite different. Multiple patents pending.

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Q&A

Q: What are your plans for the tremolo?
A: I am actively seeking manufacturing partners and volume OEM licensing arrangements. If you are a manufacturer or investor who understands the potential, please contact me. RICKTOONE@GMAIL.COM

Q: Can I buy a tremolo from you at this time?
A: Due to limited quantities, both versions of the tremolo are available only on completed guitars I build.

Q: When will I be able to buy a tremolo?
A: Availability will depend on the manufacturing/licensing arrangement. Announcements will be made on this website. Please check back for ongoing updates.

VIDEO: Patented Rick Toone Pisces™ modular tremolo system. Multi-scale capable. 6-string, 7-string, and 8-string capable. Specifically created for innovative new instrument designs.

RICK TOONE ’67 Review

VIDEO: Dr. Andre Fludd has a curiosity and passion for electric guitar technology. His YouTube channel explores recent innovations in context with historical benchmarks, providing critical analysis from an informed perspective. In this video Andre explains the features and performance of the RICK TOONE ’67 guitar, with special focus on the tremolo.
VIDEO: Dr. Andre Fludd makes it look easy. Graceful tremolo expression throughout this lovely Jeff Beck interpretation. RICK TOONE ‘67 guitar into AxeFX III.