Killick Hinds & Adam Wilson

PHOTO: Killick Hinds & Adam Wilson — so good to see these friends in person. Thank you both for wonderful conversation and music…let’s do it again soon!

Have a listen to the recording above.

That’s the unedited raw audio, exactly how it sounded to us in my studio, as Killick and Adam played live. Think of it like a documentary. No EQ or compression. FM9 + Noble DI > Logic = as heard through NS-10s.

Duet guitars are Wingspan 6 and my personal Strat equipped with a prototype RICK TOONE ’67 tremolo.

The playing is extraordinary. Completely unrehearsed live improvisation for five and a half minutes, exchanging guitars halfway through the session, giving each a turn with both instruments. The performance is so compelling, as they listen and respond to one another.

I asked Killick if he would be willing to master the recording. What he created using the “documentary” mix above is quite fascinating…mastering as a creative act: https://killick.bandcamp.com/album/play-purview-a-digisingle-signal-in-stereo

A gathering of friends under sunny skies. We hit record and talked and laughed and marveled. Adam and I got to try on new guitars and new timbres like tailored crystalline cloth. From undifferentiated exploration these precious snippets fell into the grand cosmic lap, a glimpse into insight and telepathic conversation on the subtlest of levels. A very inspiring and elucidating day! (Killick Hinds)

VIDEO: Killick Hinds coaxes out harmonics not found in the textbook.

Perfect indulgence for a guitarist: spending an afternoon with Rick Toone and Killick Hinds, doing nothing but talking about and playing guitars. Highlight for me was getting to play “Wingspan” — three things stood out about the instrument: (1) the unparalleled harmonic richness of the instrument (meaning natural harmonics can be played in places on the neck that only produce dead thunks on most other instruments…plus the strength of the upper partials when plucking strings is equally remarkable), (2) the immense timbral palette afforded by the electronics, and (3) the incredible ergonomic design, particularly the balance of the guitar. Having played many of Rick’s guitars, and being lucky enough to own a couple of them, I see the elements that he’s been refining for years finding their culmination in this machine. Devoid of any hyperbole, Wingspan is the finest guitar I have played. (Adam Wilson)

PHOTO: Adam Wilson with Wingspan 6 guitar.

Wingspan 6 Natural

PHOTOS: WINGSPAN 6. Torrefied Swamp Ash, carbon fiber, stainless steel, aircraft aluminum.
VIDEO: 53 seconds testing volume roll-off with the Bare Knuckle neck and bridge humbuckers.

“Hey Rick, hope you’re doing well. I’m just checking in to say that Wingspan is doing great. It never seems to go out of tune and I have yet to break a string. And since I usually play until I break a string before I change them I still have the original strings on it. Hahaha…

At first, the thin neck threw me a bit, but now it doesn’t seem to bother me at all. Same with the fanned frets. As the Zero fret is in the center of the neck, the fanned frets don’t bother me at all.

The neck is amazing and, thank God, it has never budged even in this high humidity environment that I live in. Most of my guitars go through some kind of metamorphosis every time the humidity goes up and down.

The body cuts are deep and perfect – super comfortable to play.

Actually, I usually play unplugged late at night. The acoustic tone is really unique and I like it. But I have recorded it and it sounds great.

Really happy with Wingspan. Keep up the great work. I wouldn’t mind picking up another one of your guitars someday.” (Mark)

PHOTOS: Ergonomic, compact, light weight. Balanced. Supremely resonant. Organic woody warmth, clarity and depth. Patented & patent pending Element™ headless component set. Custom hand wound Bare Knuckle pickups with 10-way switching for a stunning range of humbucking and single coil tones.
VIDEO: Chris Buono with some inspired jazz improv.

Goshawk Trem

PHOTOS: Goshawk™ 6-string guitar with Antique Pewter finish. Carbon fiber, torrefied maple, alder.

“Oh wow…that doesn’t really encapsulate it, but oh wow…

“The neck that you picked for this is perfect – it has amazing figuring in the wood and the dot inlays perfectly compliment the body.

“I love that you ran with my story about Alan and his Pewter Clapton Strat being a huge inspiration for me. You absolutely knocked it out of the park. I really really like the finish scheme that you created for this! You nailed the depth of tone that was so important to me with your use of silvers, pewters, and blacks. On some glances it looks a bit like marble and on others it looks a lot like a well-worn metal surface. The blue carved line is a wonderful compliment and resonates with some of the color that I get from the inlays (and ties into another of my color themes!). 

“It is just stunning. I can’t thank you enough.

“I’d like to take a moment to appreciate your trem design. It is really really clever! Regardless of the engineer in me wanting to nerd out over the design, I have to say that it is the smoothest trem that I’ve ever had the pleasure to try.

“I’ve only spent a few minutes tuning and playing, but I have to say that it feels like home. When I play 6 string, I’ve been playing the purple goshawk and this feels so much like that, but sounds so very different! I can’t wait to spend more time with it.

“Thank you again. This has been a wonderful experience.” (Jason)

PHOTO: Patent-pending Rick Toone tremolo precision machined from aerospace materials. DiMarzio noiseless single coil pickups designed by Steve Blucher. 10-way switching.

Red Pisces

PHOTO: Red Pisces™ 6-string guitar. Patented and patent-pending Pisces™ tremolo.
PHOTO: Element™ neck precision machined from aircraft grade aluminum. Hipshot locking tuners.
PHOTO: DiMarzio noiseless single coil pickups designed by Steve Blucher. Carbon fiber pickguard.

Gold Top Skele

PHOTOS: Gold Top Skele™ is a perfect blend of semi-hollowbody warmth with single coil spank. Classic tones with a completely modern twist. Details on this beautiful instrument include: carbon fiber, mother of pearl, alder, aircraft grade birch. Polished stainless steel frets in state-of-the-art Richlite fretboard. Quartersawn torrefied flame maple neck w/tilt back headstock and luthier’s joint. Advantage neck profile including Fretboard Flare™ geometry. Bare Knuckle custom pickups with 10-way switching. Patented & patent pending Pisces™ tremolo precision machined from stainless steel and aircraft aluminum.