# The guitar most ahead of its time?



## bob123 (Sep 20, 2012)

My vote is for the ibanez maxxas


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## BucketheadRules (Sep 20, 2012)

1958 Gibson Flying V.

/thread


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## Mordacain (Sep 20, 2012)

Seeing as how it has set the standard for both sleek design, absolute functionality, first truly functional trem-system and ultimate modularity my vote is for the classic Stratocaster:


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## BucketheadRules (Sep 20, 2012)

Also I reckon the AFD is further ahead than the Maxxas - no-one really knew what to make of it back in 1988 but I bet if they re-launched it tomorrow, a lot more people would understand.






I'd cut bits off myself and sell them in order to raise enough money to buy one, that's for sure.


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## ChronicConsumer (Sep 20, 2012)

I'm just gonna go ahead and say Vigier Excalibur Shawn Lane custom series.


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## JP Universe (Sep 20, 2012)

Parker Fly


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## Church2224 (Sep 20, 2012)

ChronicConsumer said:


> I'm just gonna go ahead and say Vigier Excalibur Shawn Lane custom series.



I would say the Vigier in general. Using a Carbon Fiber strip instead of a truss rod, the zero fret, ball bearings in the trems, a lot of though goes into those incredible instruments.


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## Into Obsidian (Sep 20, 2012)

1957 Gibson Futura


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## BornToLooze (Sep 20, 2012)

I'm gonna say this. It has to be ahead of its time. Nobody wants one yet


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## bob123 (Sep 20, 2012)

Church2224 said:


> I would say the Vigier in general. Using a Carbon Fiber strip instead of a truss rod, the zero fret, ball bearings in the trems, a lot of though goes into those incredible instruments.




For some reason, I thought vigier was a newer company, turns out they've been in business since 1978! Some advanced concepts came out from them judging by their technology list.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Sep 20, 2012)

1947 Bigsby Merle Travis guitar.


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## Danukenator (Sep 20, 2012)

Rickenbacker Frying Pan 1931






EDIT: It is technically a lap-steal so...


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## Forrest_H (Sep 20, 2012)

Mordacain said:


> Seeing as how it has set the standard for both sleek design, absolute functionality, first truly functional trem-system and ultimate modularity my vote is for the classic Stratocaster:




I was actually about to say this. It's still hard to believe for me (a dim 16 year old) that strats were made in the early 50's lol. It's just so well designed.


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## ittoa666 (Sep 20, 2012)

Gibson Explorer to go along with the mention of the v.


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## bob123 (Sep 20, 2012)

Danukenator said:


> Rickenbacker Frying Pan 1931
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I got to play the first solidbody electric model guitar the other day... I was suprised it was a rickenbacker! Pretty cool design too, and old as fuck. 

Guitar Blog: 1936 Rickenbacker Premiervox Spanish Model B

I'll post up the pictures I took tomorrow!


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## TemjinStrife (Sep 20, 2012)

Kubicki Ex Factor. Still the best headless system I've ever used, incredibly comfortable shape and body contours, excellent pickups that offer both modern and vintage sounds and are ergonomically sculpted (both scooped in the front for slap and radiused to act as ramps for fingerstyle) and a very stable many-many-ply neck. Not bad for something built in 1987... it still looks and sounds modern, and plays incredible!


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## 7stringDemon (Sep 20, 2012)

This is going to turn into an "ugliest guitars thread"


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## BucketheadRules (Sep 21, 2012)

TemjinStrife said:


> Kubicki Ex Factor. Still the best headless system I've ever used, incredibly comfortable shape and body contours, excellent pickups that offer both modern and vintage sounds and are ergonomically sculpted (both scooped in the front for slap and radiused to act as ramps for fingerstyle) and a very stable many-many-ply neck. Not bad for something built in 1987... it still looks and sounds modern, and plays incredible!



My dad used to have one of those.


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## TRENCHLORD (Sep 21, 2012)

Not in it's parts, but as a collective force of nature lol.


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## Nag (Sep 21, 2012)

I know bob is an Ibanez whore, so I kinda expected him to talk about some Ibanez, but... Gibson late 50s models. already been posted and /thread'd


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## Loomer (Sep 21, 2012)

I gotta go with the Strat as well, honestly.


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## Konfyouzd (Sep 21, 2012)

The Ibanez Universe? I know 7 strings have been around for a while, but it seems like the world STILL isn't ready.


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## Malkav (Sep 21, 2012)

I am not even slightly a Gibson fan but I do think this guitar represents some pretty huge steps forward in terms of construction and features


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## mgh (Sep 21, 2012)

Telecaster must be in with a shout too? Still being used today on everything from country to grunge...


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## asmegin_slayer (Sep 21, 2012)

I don't think anyone is ready to play this guy yet. 






But in seriousness, these guitars to this day have not aged at all.


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## Randy (Sep 21, 2012)




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## Konfyouzd (Sep 21, 2012)

YES


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## BucketheadRules (Sep 21, 2012)

Randy said:


>



In all seriousness - I know the Douchebag Maestro Alex Gregory is, well, a douchebag, but that 7-string Strat genuinely looks pretty nice.


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## danger5oh (Sep 21, 2012)

Flaxwood guitars. I've seen the movie Wall-E... you know, the one about a post-apocalyptic future full of cute robots and morbidly obese people... I'm pretty sure one day our demand for trees will far exceed the supply. I foresee more builders trying to utilize composite woods for those who refuse to believe that any other material can be musically resonant.


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## Konfyouzd (Sep 21, 2012)

That Alex Gregory dude is the one that has the album cover of himself pissing on some other guitarists' graves, no?

And holy shit I had no idea that guitar had 24 frets. Did they make a sig or is he the only one that has (had?) these?


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## TheFashel12 (Sep 21, 2012)

Tiesco Spectrum 5 1968-69


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## goherpsNderp (Sep 21, 2012)

i vote for those robo gibsons that tune themselves, etc. reason being, it's one of the last things about guitars that people seem comfortable with replacing with "synthetics".

ie: a lot of people will stab you if you suggest carbon fiber and other materials over wood bodies, but hardware is something most are okay with experimenting with and advancing.

if they can put a ton of money into it and getting it so precise and easy to use, we might start seeing it sold standalone for custom built guitars. how i would love to not have to worry about tuning anymore. that and being able to not facepalm every time i get a GP file and realize that the song i want to learn uses some goofy tuning despite being possible in standard.

EDIT: and to specify why it's ahead of it's time- it's currently (from what i hear) hard to use and imprecise. also expensive, and afaik only gibson.


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## Aurochs34 (Sep 21, 2012)

I'd have to agree with some of the previous posts, but I think these badboys still deserve some mention.


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## BucketheadRules (Sep 21, 2012)

Konfyouzd said:


> That Alex Gregory dude is the one that has the album cover of himself pissing on some other guitarists' graves, no?
> 
> And holy shit I had no idea that guitar had 24 frets. Did they make a sig or is he the only one that has (had?) these?



Yeah, he really seems like an utter arsehole.

The guitar was never released officially, I think there's more than one but there are probably fewer than ten in existence.


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## Konfyouzd (Sep 21, 2012)

Time to order a clone...

... w RHS


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## Dan_Vacant (Sep 22, 2012)

Konfyouzd said:


> Time to order a clone...
> 
> ... w RHS


I seen a Schecter version and I think hammer made one too


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## ZXIIIT (Sep 22, 2012)

Any guitar with a carbon fiber fingerboard, titanium reinforced neck (which Ibanez does) ZR tremolo or string through body, that would be a dream for tuning stability/touring.

Well, that would be my vote.


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## mgh (Sep 22, 2012)

So that Alex Greg strat had an extra high string?


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## Grand Moff Tim (Sep 22, 2012)

mgh said:


> So that Alex Greg strat had an extra high string?


 
In the picture above, all it has is an extra _tuner_ .


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## Zado (Sep 22, 2012)

design wise,I'd say Manne customs nowadays


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## Jakke (Sep 22, 2012)

The Les Paul for sure.


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## mgh (Sep 22, 2012)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> In the picture above, all it has is an extra _tuner_ .



oh yeah, lol, i was browsing the forum on my phone, i could just see there were only 3 wound strings...


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## bob123 (Sep 22, 2012)

Nagash said:


> I know bob is an Ibanez whore, so I kinda expected him to talk about some Ibanez, but... Gibson late 50s models. already been posted and /thread'd





Lol I'm not an ibanez whore! (Denial is the first step, right? Lol)


Lots of cool guitars I've never even heard of before here!


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## metale (Sep 22, 2012)

Brian May's Red Special, designed in 1963 with complex wiring, construction and trem system.


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## Al NiCotin (Sep 22, 2012)

_
N_*O* _F_u*T*_U_RE !

More seriously, the Andrew Bond Electraglide, with a stepped aluminium fretboard and carbon fiber structure in 1984


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## JosephAOI (Sep 22, 2012)

Why have these not been mentioned yet?


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## ROAR (Sep 22, 2012)

Strandberg immediately comes to mind. 
And no mention of the Gibson Moderne?!?! Shame on you all! 

Perhaps the most futuristic design ever. Why?
It was so futuristic they couldn't make them! 
People were afraid of its lines and symmetry. 
There was a revolt! Not really. But really, it's the coolest guitar ever. 

Ask the Reverend Willy


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## Ryan-ZenGtr- (Sep 23, 2012)

1974 Dan Armstrong made in London






*Sliding Pickup, BABY!!!!*

Works good, too! really freaks people out when you move it. 
Aluminium headstock binding, fret markers and scratchplate, set neck with a zero fret ... and dat shape! 
Anyone remember Paul Reed Smith, I wonder where he got his ideas from? 

The transparent version is also quite popular...





I keep this one (sliding pickup, mahogony) in my vintage rack, with a Les Paul Deluxe (mini humbuckers), 70's Jap SG clone and an assortment of Tele's. No strats ALLOWED! 

If you want your mind blown, visit:
www.basslab.de






Bass players have always been 40 years ahead of guitarists when it comes to technology. Too many strat buyers have held us back by convincing the industry profitability is only possible by recreating archaic designs. 


*@JosephAOT*
What's that 2nd one? I remember seeing them in the day and always wanting to try one.


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## asmegin_slayer (Sep 23, 2012)

JosephAOI said:


> Why have these not been mentioned yet?



Maybe because they have the spirit and influece of the steinberg guitars?


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## JosephAOI (Sep 23, 2012)

^The only resemblance to Steinberg i see in Strandbergs is that they're both headless and their names sound similar. Otherwise, they're nothing alike


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## asmegin_slayer (Sep 23, 2012)

JosephAOI said:


> ^The only resemblance to Steinberg i see in Strandbergs is that they're both headless and their names sound similar. Otherwise, they're nothing alike



Like I said, the 'spirit' and 'influence' of a steinberg guitar. Strandberg does have there own unique body design with more strings. But the overall idea is nothing new.


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## 7stringDemon (Sep 23, 2012)

This thread makes me barf


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## xxvicarious (Sep 24, 2012)

7stringDemon said:


> This thread makes me barf


 

+1 

I saw Les Pauls and ES-335's on this thread.
They weren't 'ahead of their time'. 
They were just.... made when they were fuckin' made


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## engage757 (Sep 24, 2012)

Teuffel Tesla







Like the birdfish, the concept of the tesla midi is the complete separation of both signals: midi to converter and magnetic pickups to amplifier. Therefore the pure tesla tone is not affected by the midi converter. Only via the 13 pin jack the acoustic sound of the piezo bridge can be transduced. The magnetic pickups and the magnetic control circuit is connected to the 1/4" jack only. This is very important for high-gain sounds.
​












Magnetic pickups and midi sounds remain separated. Therefore the guitar has two jacks: one 1/4" jack for the analog signal and a Roland 13 pin jack for the midi signal and the piezo-signal. The jack mounting plate is cut from a solid 8 mm (0.32 inches) aluminum plate.​












The foundation of the MIDI guitar is a Tune-o-matic bridge in conjunction with RMC piezo saddles and a MIDI controller. On the bridge there is a string rest made of ebony. It optimizes the string pressure on the piezo crystals and prevents string-to-string crosstalk by dampening the strings between the tuners and the bridge. This enables faster tracking.​









The tesla midi can be controlled by a volume knob and a tone knob for the magnetic pickups, a volume knob for the Synthesizer and a volume knob for the acoustic sound.​









Beneath the pickups there are two push-button switches which control the channel selection of the MIDI converter (up  down).​


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## Grand Moff Tim (Sep 25, 2012)

JosephAOI said:


> Why have these not been mentioned yet?




Not to detract anything from the quality of Strandbergs at all, but he's hardly the first to make ergonomic headless guitars. Off the top of my head, there's (or at least was) Klein guitars, who made ergo headless guitars at least fifteen years ago:






The body isn't a clone, I know, but the _concept _isn't new. The Klein isn't fanned, but that's another thing one can't say Standberg is ahead of its time for using.

The wonky neck profiles Strandberg uses, though, I haven't read enough about to know how original or "ahead of their time" they might be (though wasn't one of them actually designed by Rick Toone?).


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## Dooky (Sep 25, 2012)

So many fugly guitars


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 25, 2012)

I'm going to have to say anything made by Paul Bigsby or Semie Mosely. What those two men did in the 50's and 60's respectively, from which they gained little credit, if at all, was later echoed in guitars of the next five decades. In fact, a lot of the guitars already posted in here can trace certain features (trems, multiple/unique pickup schemes, odd hardware, ergonomics, many strings, etc.) back to builds by those two gentlemen. 

As for ERGs, Hugh Manson was making guitars and basses with huge scales, non-standard fretting patterns, and tons of strings in the early 90's. Conklin certainly deserves some credit on that end as well.

As for Les Pauls, as much as I dig them, all they were, were the same hollow body guitars Gibson had been making for decades made solid. The features, hardware, and even electronics were nothing new at the time. Paul Bigsby made what would be considered an "LP type" guitar years earlier.


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## skeels (Sep 25, 2012)

Did anyone mention the UV?

Also, Klein/Novax.


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## Thrashmanzac (Sep 25, 2012)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us


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## Crash Dandicoot (Sep 25, 2012)




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## Pat_tct (Sep 25, 2012)

i'd go with parker too. brilliant design, light weight, really nice attention to detail yet simple and functional.


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## m3l-mrq3z (Sep 25, 2012)

JosephAOI said:


> ^The only resemblance to *Steinberg* i see in *Strandbergs* is that they're both headless and their names sound similar. Otherwise, they're nothing alike



For one thing, the names are pretty similar ...


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## shadowlife (Sep 25, 2012)

This one is still ahead of the times IMO:


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## skeels (Sep 25, 2012)

Thrashmanzac said:


> Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Wow I dig that crazy ... that.. all that crazy...

What the fuck is that?



I see some wood in there.. that's cool wood..


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## Bones43x (Sep 25, 2012)

Stylistically, I don't think anything could be more ahead of it's time than the Gibson Flying V or Explorer...

Headless guitars were fairly well-received around their introduction, and then the whole music culture drastically changed after the '80s. With the exception of a few greats, guitar playing, in general, was set back decades.

Same could be said for the Strat and Tele. They were basically hits from the beginning. They were revolutionary, but not ahead of their time.


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## GuitaristOfHell (Sep 25, 2012)

Google Image Result for http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/11/9840e3223abbbd8b65c67c7d191693a9.jpg


This Angel Sword Guitar Plays Iron Maiden Songs, Slays Teen Pop Stars


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## JosephAOI (Sep 25, 2012)

JosephAOI said:


> ^The only resemblance to Steinberg i see in Strandbergs is that they're both headless *and their names sound similar. *Otherwise, they're nothing alike





m3l-mrq3z said:


> For one thing, the names are pretty similar ...



It's like you didn't even read my post


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## Ninjahat (Sep 26, 2012)

Steinberger or klein for me.


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## Force (Sep 26, 2012)

Now, this set the standard for every metal guitar thereafter...............


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## Malkav (Sep 26, 2012)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> Not to detract anything from the quality of Strandbergs at all, but he's hardly the first to make ergonomic headless guitars. Off the top of my head, there's (or at least was) Klein guitars, who made ergo headless guitars at least fifteen years ago:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
There was also the breadwinner, which I think the Klein was actually inspired by  






Admittedly this is the Deacon version but the body shape is identical to the breadwinner.

Also yeah the IPNP neck is a Rick Toone Design, the Endurneck is .Strandberg*. I don't know of anyone else who did anything near that but it's not impossible for there to have been a predecessor as most things tend not to be 100% original these days. In Strandbergs new Varberg video he talks about how his inspiration came from the Torzal Twist necks that LACE were using on their guitars.



> What the fuck is that?


 
That would be Rick Toone's Blur



> I saw Les Pauls and ES-335's on this thread.


 
The Les Paul wasn't really anything new but the ES-335 was a step forward with regards to construction.


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## 7stringDemon (Sep 26, 2012)

Thrashmanzac said:


> Uploaded with ImageShack.us


 
You did it. You posted the ugliest guitar on Earth.

What the hell was ever wrong with an RG, two pickups, a selector and a volume knob?

And why do we hate headstocks now? Do they interfere with your djenting? Not enough first fret access?


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## BIG ND SWEATY (Sep 26, 2012)

^ im with you dude, i think all of toones bulids are ugly as fuck, i dont mind headless guitars as long as they dont look like that


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## Empryrean (Sep 26, 2012)




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## asmegin_slayer (Sep 26, 2012)

Thought the body style on this is pretty wild.






Steinberg ZT3's is another


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## asmegin_slayer (Sep 26, 2012)

Dean Mach 5


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## sell2792 (Sep 26, 2012)




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## SuperMutant (Sep 26, 2012)




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## hutchman (Sep 27, 2012)

Strat. Easily.


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## Hallic (Sep 27, 2012)

RKS guitars





ergo&organic bodies where the controls are cleverly put into grooves of the body.

some of these models had syntetic bodies, other had full wood














Just image if Ola strandberg would every design a new model with controls in the grooves of the body like these..


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## Crash Dandicoot (Sep 27, 2012)

hutchman said:


> Strat. Easily.



How is the Strat ahead of its time? Revolutionary and had a massive impact, yes, but not (IMO) really super far ahead of the curb.


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## Cougs (Sep 27, 2012)

The strat was very popular when it came out (and still is today) yes? So how was it ahead of its time?


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## bob123 (Sep 27, 2012)

I played an RKS a couple months ago. It was "cool" but it played and sounded like shit lol


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 27, 2012)

bob123 said:


> I played an RKS a couple months ago. It was "cool" but it played and sounded like shit lol



Was it a Pre or Post Mason RKS? The earlier ones were shit, but the ones that came out after Dave Mason pretty much took over were really solid, at least the few I was able to work with. 

For me, they'll always land in the "innovative for no reason" category. They weren't lighter, more ergonomic, or easier to build or maintain compared to conventional guitars.


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## hutchman (Sep 27, 2012)

WaywardHaze said:


> How is the Strat ahead of its time? Revolutionary and had a massive impact, yes, but not (IMO) really super far ahead of the curb.



Strat bro.... Strat.


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## bob123 (Sep 27, 2012)

Im honestly not sure. It was at guitar center, and it looked crazy, so I had to try it. I expected it to be this lightweight, monster sounding guitar. Instead it weighed like 20 pounds, sounded shrill, and played like shit lol. Blew my god damn mind how bad it was. 

It was this exact model in black. 

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop_image/uploads/Image/rks_details.jpg



MaxOfMetal said:


> Was it a Pre or Post Mason RKS? The earlier ones were shit, but the ones that came out after Dave Mason pretty much took over were really solid, at least the few I was able to work with.
> 
> For me, they'll always land in the "innovative for no reason" category. They weren't lighter, more ergonomic, or easier to build or maintain compared to conventional guitars.


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## Crash Dandicoot (Sep 29, 2012)

hutchman said:


> Strat bro.... Strat.



...That's not an answer, man.


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## jl-austin (Sep 30, 2012)

I have to say Ibanez 540PII. No one wanted it at the time, it has more of a following now. It is not innovative though.


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