Misha Mansoor S2

PHOTOS: Misha Mansoor “Bulb” with Rick Toone backstage at the guitar tech station getting his S2 dialed in. Summer Slaughter Tour, NYC, 2013. (photo: Laura Barnes)
PHOTOS: Completed in August, 2013. Fully restored and awesome to play. Bare Knuckle Juggernaut neck with Nailbomb bridge and 5-way switching w/ToneStyler.

This seems the right moment for a restoration and maybe also a re-appreciation for this journey. I’ve had Misha’s S2 in storage for half a decade — acquired after he traded it back to me for his Reptile Spearfish 6-string. I’d not forgotten about the S2 guitar. Other paths had assumed priority.

Plus there were some lingering puzzles to solve.

Restoring the S2 was fascinating. My hands retained muscle memory, remembering familiar mechanisms. That part was easy. Rediscovering my thought process from more than a decade ago was the deeper spiritual aspect.

In so many ways the S2 is still ahead of its time. Simultaneously the ancestor of Wingspan — yet equal in an alternate parallel timeline.

PHOTOS: Finish inspired by Misha’s love of high performance military aircraft and F1 racing. Periphery logo is unmistakable. Collectors will appreciate his signature on the back. Misha…thank you.
PHOTOS: SKB i-Series flight case for the S2 with PERIPHERY gaffer’s tape. Far side: “RT1A” (above). Infamous S2 bottle opener Element™ neck machined from aircraft aluminum and stainless steel (below).

Ekaterina Gorbacheva

Spearfish Headstock
Spearfish Guitar
Rick Toone
PHOTOS: Spearfish™ 6-string guitar headstock machined from single billet aircraft grade aluminum. Patents pending. Hipshot locking tuners. (all images Ekaterina Gorbacheva)

I met Kate (Ekaterina) via Instagram and the excellent work she did filming Misha Mansoor playing his Reptile Spearfish™ 6-string guitar. I love the moods she is able to capture with her photography…levels beyond documentary.

“This is a very interesting path you’ve had, but I see all of it as being highly intellectual and more introverted and I absolutely relate to and admire your choices. On a side note your creations are beautiful and do have a touch of an intellectual to them.” (Ekaterina Gorbacheva)

Ekaterina Gorbacheva
IMAGE: www.ekaterinagorbacheva.com

Misha Mansoor | Reptile Spearfish

Misha Mansoor
IMAGE: Periphery Reptile text message that started it all…
VIDEO: Chris Buono takes Reptile Spearfish™ for a test flight.
VIDEO: Misha Mansoor shows a different side of his guitar playing with Reptile Spearfish™ 6-string guitar. (video by Ekaterina Gorbacheva)
PHOTO: Patent pending Element™ single billet machined aircraft aluminum neck. Misha Mansoor Bare Knuckle Juggernaut™ signature pickups.
PHOTO: Reptile Spearfish™ 22-fret guitar built for Misha Mansoor of Periphery.