kharn_tb

I've been thinking about this for a while, and have we reached all that we can do as far as guitar design is concerned. I'm not talking about individual differences between different makers such as beveling and some things being rounded for one designer and pointy for another.

We have several major shapes:
The les paul style
Strats/Super Strats
Teles
Vs
H's (BC rich's main styles like the Warlock/Warbeast)
Mockingbird
Explorer and K shapes (Explorers and others similar)
SG
Novelty shapes

I apologize if there is anything I've missed, but there doesn't seem to be anything new that they really can do. Am I right or wrong? Is there something new that can be done or have we exhausted the basic shapes other then flipping things around?

JesusCrisp

Just go ahead and design a good looking, comfortable and practical shape that's absolutely new and doesn't remind me of a classic shape.

There are plenty of shapes and variations around, everything from classic to futuristic (although most classic shapes of today were actually futuristic back then) and from gorgeous to ugly as f*ck.

I mean, I never really had the feeling that I need some shape of guitar that I can't get, I prefer the classics like Strats, SGs, Les Pauls, etc. and a few more modern(ised) ones like the Musicman Reflex and Luke.

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omidmash

it's a guitar at the end. it's wood, and strings. your creativity is the limit, but only to the point that your playing is affected by the shape of the guitar.

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Nico the Great

There's always something new they can do. Plus, your mentioning of "novelty" shapes pretty much covers the rest of the spectrum . You did forget about the Iceman shape, though, and Ibanez has a bunch of new shapes in their latest models.

Also... this monstrosity.

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kharn_tb

I was trying to cover as much as I could without making 40 categories, and by novelty I was trying to reference the reversed strats and guitars shaped like feet. I was just looking to see if there was anything that could be done "new."

Telecaster7

Danelectro shapes, teardops, Jags/Mustangs, doublecut Les Pauls?

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dannyalcatraz

What else springs to mind?

1) the Steinberger "trapezoid"

2) cigar box guitars

3) all of Teuffel's electric guitars

4) the Ovation Deacon/Breadwinner body

5) Dean Cadillac

6) extreme "metal" designs from brands like Moser, Minarik or Oktober

And as for "novelty" designs, there is no reason besides cost/popularity why those could not be made into production models.

And there is a legion of luthiers out there making all kind of interesting shapes:

1) Jon Kammerer made this guitar for Ryan Formato: http://www.youlicense.com/Artist/RyanFormato

2) Rolf Spuler's stuff looks like it came out of a Roger Dean painting: http://www.rolfspuler.com/site/

3) Rick Toone is trying to use physics & ergonomics to inform and improve his designs: http://www.ricktoone.com/

Just keep looking, and you'll find new stuff out there.

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LeakyFlask

^And of course the Parker Fly.

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dannyalcatraz

Yeah, no kidding there! (Embarrassingly, that's on my G.A.S. list...)

We also missed the Gibson 355 body, the Vox/Phantom Teardrops, Airlines, Danelectros, Burns, Rikenbackers, Mosrites, and Eastwoods.

And the Chrysalis Inflatable guitar.

Besides shapes, though, there is also innovation in materials: see Flaxwood for reconstituted woods, Nicole for Corian, and a whole bunch of guys doing things in aluminum, carbon fiber. I see videos on up youtube of guys making guitars out of concrete and granite.

And there are guys adding new features, like Visionary Instruments: http://visionaryinstruments.com/

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T00DEEPBLUE

It really doesn't look that bad. The only reason people think it looks hideous is because they're so used to seeing Les Pauls.

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dannyalcatraz

Daisy Rock- and others- have production guitars shaped like flowers, stars, hearts, clovers, balls, and goldfish.

Fernandes has the Nomad, which not only has an unusual shape, it also includes its own speaker. It isn't great, but I could see that as being a nifty solution for a traveling musician or a busker.

And even so, I can see room for improvement: imagine if Fernandes partnered with DigiTech to create a compact iPod Touch version of the iPB-10 hardware & app for incorporation into the Nomad. Now, instead of just a few onboard effects, someone with a Nomad could have models for hundreds of pedals, three-score cabs and a couple dozen amps at their fingertips, going through their little inboard speaker...


Hmmm...I may need to write them a letter.

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Mephaphil

I don't think it's that bad. Isn't that just a limited edition run or something?

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thebestjoe

IIRC some company actually does make a guitar with some Digitech modeler built it, although I don't remember if it has a speaker in it as well.

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JesusCrisp

You more or less described a guitar that already exists (well, without the speaker) and everyone the internet is shitting all over it.

It's a big US guitar company.

It starts with G.

And the guitar I'm talking about is X-tremely controversial, most guys would just burn it with fire.

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__________________
Best of discussions you can't win:
- Gibson vs Epiphone
- Tonewoods

Fender American Special HSS Stratocaster
Epiphone Les Paul Custom Prophecy EX
Egnater Rebel 30 112
Dunlop KH-95 Crybaby
TC Electronic Polytune
Boss SD-1

Ippon

I expect Gibson to come out with something truly different.

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JesusCrisp

Even if they do something just slightly different people are sh*tting all over it from my experience.

__________________
Best of discussions you can't win:
- Gibson vs Epiphone
- Tonewoods

Fender American Special HSS Stratocaster
Epiphone Les Paul Custom Prophecy EX
Egnater Rebel 30 112
Dunlop KH-95 Crybaby
TC Electronic Polytune
Boss SD-1

dannyalcatraz

The guitar + DigiTech modeling (with ever increasing downloadable library of models) + Speaker does make it an evolution...and since it's Fernandes, they could even throw in the Sustainer for giggles.

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W4RP1G

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Huge Guy

Don't be silly. I was thinking of getting a custom built out of a snow shovel. (I know it will sound like crap, but it's for a specific project.)