Testimonials

Chris Buono | Fretless

PHOTOS: Inspired by the artwork of Roger Dean. Fretless guitar nicknamed “Fragile” designed and built for Chris Buono. Lifelong fan of prog rock. Celebrating decades of visual joy via iconic Yes album covers.
PHOTOS: Swamp Ash, carbon fiber, aircraft aluminum, stainless steel. Patented Intonation Cantilever™ bridges & Element™ neck. DiMarzio™ pickups designed by Steve Blucher.

Chris Buono is battling pinched nerve spinal issues caused (in part) by years of tortured ergonomic playing posture. The resulting neuropathy brings on debilitating chronic pain and numbness extending from his left shoulder all the way down to his thumb.

This is a recurring theme I’ve seen in many players to various degrees, throughout my career. The solution involves better instrument design.

Our priority was threefold…

First, design an instrument focused on posture correction to help relive discomfort, allowing Chris to continue to work as he heals. Second, to help prevent or at least greatly diminish future nerve inflammation issues. We want to keep Chris healthy so he can continue his career for decades to come.

Equally importantly, the guitar will simultaneously extend his formidable fretless technique into new territory.

Fretless guitar is extraordinarily difficult to master. A player must have the skilled intonation of a classical stringed instrument musician—violin, viola, cello—plus the added ability to precisely form chords.

The reward for mastery is supreme expressiveness.

Yesterday I was treated to a private test flight when we met in his studio to debut the new guitar. Running straight into a hot-rodded vintage Marshall, one of the first things he played was EVH’s Panama solo. Absolutely mesmerizing to watch.

Chris is going to be dangerous on this machine.

Total game changer. (Chris Buono)

This is the single best piece of “functional art” I have ever seen. AMAZING.
(Steve Pucciarelli: Reactive Neuro Physical Advancement Center)

PHOTO: Maestro digs in. Testing the new fretless November 25, 2022.

Blame It On My Youth

VIDEO: Berklee guitar instructor David Newsam plays an exceptional solo guitar arrangement of jazz standard “Blame It On My Youth” (1934). Recorded live on University of New Hampshire stage June 7, 2018. Cupid™ semi-hollowbody guitar.

Hi Rick,
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out (after way too long) and just mention that I really was moved by your recent blog post about Ede’s passing and your friendship. 
I discovered him when he was demoing one of your guitars and became an instant fan of his music. (I wish there was more!) When I reached out to him to tell him, he was gracious, friendly, and very complimentary of you and your instruments. 
I hope that you are doing well. I recently watched the videos that we filmed at UNH and always love hearing Cupid!
All the best,
David

So good to hear from David.

I’ve flown the flag at half-mast since Ede Wright’s passing, but if his spirit were to appear in my shop, his first words would be: “Look forward.”

Ede’s death was a tragic and unnecessary side effect of the greater cultural-psychological illness that has swept through our society these last two years. Like every scorched earth event though, green shoots appear in the aftermath.

True friendships have grown stronger. Dead wood has burned away. Autumn leaves are peak color, birds calling these final moments of sunlit warmth. Blame my errors on my youth.

VIDEO: David Newsam performs his lovely original solo guitar composition “Maya The Bee” on Cupid ergonomic semi-hollow jazz guitar.

Wingspan Reptile 8

PHOTOS: Wingspan™ 8-string guitar. Swamp ash. Patented Intonation Cantilever™ & Element™ component set. Custom Bare Knuckle pickups with 10-way switching.
VIDEO: Chris Buono plays Wingspan™ 8-string guitar. Two minutes of atmospheric improvisation through Fender Deluxe amp (Normal 2 channel with 12″ Jensen speaker) recorded via SM57 into Logic. Noble Bass DI blended in slightly to achieve stereo. Listen on studio monitors or good headphones to appreciate the clarity and depth.

Your work of art arrived at my doorstep this morning!

Although I’ve only had a few hours to get to know it, here are a few things I can say right away, in the order they came to me:

This is not a guitar, this is a sculpture, a work of art — visually it is stunning, and it felt right away comfortable to hold and play.

The neck is extremely comfortable — it is quite impressive how playing the low strings is much easier than with my other 8-strings.

I’ve never experienced such precision of the note attack and clean sustain — the best way I can describe them is piano- or bell-like, with excellent consistency between fretted and open strings.

Thank you so much for creating such a beautiful instrument!! (Jorge)

Kanashimi | Fabio Mittino

VIDEO: Fabio Mittino performs Kanashimi on Stealth™ 6-string guitar.

Dear Rick,

I would like to share with you my new composition from the album “Simple Music for Difficult People Vol.4”.

I think this song expresses both love and melancholy. For this reason, I titled it “Kanashimi”, which in Japanese usually means sadness. However, if Kanashimi is written 愛しみ instead of 哀しみ, it means love.

Everything is played in real time!

I’ll be touring the West Coast this July, but I’ll be on the East Coast this winter: I hope to be able to meet you again!

Love,
f

Orchid Guitar

PHOTO: Orchid headstock. Forged aircraft aluminum. Torrefied quartersawn maple. Ebony fretboard.

Hi Rick,

Many years ago we had chatted back and forth about guitar building. I didn’t have the opportunities to get into building my own creations the way I envisioned, but I still follow all the work you create. I’ve reached a stage in my life/career though where the possibility of obtaining one of your creations is within reach.

Your Orchid body shape has been one of my favorites since the first purple bass. I have been dreaming about almost this exact guitar and contemplating reaching out to you about the creation of a SSB Orchid Multiscale guitar for a few months now. To see this (Orchid 7-string) blows my mind, for me it exists in a way that feels like a future memory I’ve somehow tuned into.

Orchid design ideas:
A sense of age/wear (Shou Sugi Ban, old wood, wear patterns?)
Metal parts with patina, maybe even damascus (jack-plate, cavity cover, string anchor?)
Scar(s) from a repair (kintsugi, butterfly/bowtie, knot patch?)

Any other specs like wood types, details, pickup type, colors I’m happy to leave up to you. I trust in your craft and creativity, whatever speaks to you or works well together. I just wanted to lead with some potential ideas and concepts, and let you take it from there! The pickup choice in particular might be dictated by the acoustic qualities of the instrument. Totally happy to get more granular and add input or decisions as well if needed though, and if any of the design ideas are too abstract, let me know.

Really excited for this! (Jesse)

Rick!

The guitar has arrived and it is perhaps the most stunning thing I have ever seen! It’s at once everything I hoped it would be, and still uniquely surprising. There is no question that nothing else like it exists, I absolutely love it. First play through unplugged and it’s clear and effortless; this is really what I needed to help take my playing to a new level. More to come when I have a chance to plug in and crank it up. In due time I aim to be a lot more active on Instagram and YouTube sharing my exploration into new edges of guitar composition and sound.

I can’t thank you enough for this creation and I hope to do it justice. (Jesse)

PHOTO: Patented Intonation Cantilever™ bridges. Bare Knuckle custom pickups. Forged aircraft aluminum. Swamp Ash with traditional Shou sugi ban Japanese wood finish.