Is There Something Plastic to Put Over Wood Guitars to Protect Art

Throughout the history of guitar manufacturing, several companies have boldly challenged the centuries–quondam notion that fretted instruments — especially guitars — must exist constructed entirely of wood.

With advancements in solidbody electrical guitar design and human–made materials in the 1950s (which proved their usefulness during Earth War II), it wasn't long before somebody asked the "What If?" question. What if we could replace wooden bodies and necks with materials that are stronger, cheaper, more than predictable, and easier to produce?

In a time to come article, we'll cover the ongoing experimentation with aluminum and metal, but for today, we'll await at fiberglass, Lucite, and graphite/carbon fiber. Hither are three recognizable guitar experiments from the '60s, '70s, and '80s that pushed not only the limits of alternative materials, but guitar blueprint besides.

Valco Fiberglass Guitars

In 1962, JFK was President, America was battling Russia in the Space Race, a futuristic cartoon family unit called The Jetsons dominated primetime television, and fiberglass was going mainstream. Yous could now find the "infinite–age wonder cloth" in boats, sports cars, fishing rods, surfboards, and even furniture.

That same year, the Chicago–based Valco guitar and amp company fabricated certain you lot could add electrical guitars to the growing list of modern day uses for fiberglass.

1962-64 National Glenwood 95 Map Guitar

Made nether diverse names — National, Supro, Atlas, Tonemaster, and Airline (which were sold through Montgomery Ward stores and via mail–order) — Valco'south Res–O–Glas lineup of space–age guitars were bold, colorful, and reflected the new frontier of the 1960s.

Since fiberglass could be molded into practically any shape, the designers gave the Airline an aggressive intergalactic look with angular, beveled double cutaways — it appeared to be moving fifty-fifty when nonetheless. The most bizarre body shape went to National'southward series of "MAP" guitars with contours, cutaways, and swirls that resembled the outline of the The states. I guess they took their National name literally.

Add together to that Plexiglas strum guards, straight line control knobs, "Gumby"–shaped headstocks, and an array of vivid, shiny colors, and there was aught about these Res–O–Glas guitars that said "conventional."

From a construction standpoint, the guitar bodies consisted of two molded fiberglass body halves (a pinnacle and a back) joined by a prophylactic gasket. The body halves were glued together and fastened with screws. The hollowbody was reinforced with a maple cake that ran the length of the guitar so the bolt–on neck, pickups, and other hardware (including Bigsbys on higher–end models) could be attached.

1965 Airline Resoglass 3/4 Calibration

Despite their unusual looks, Valco guitars played well and had a range of tones all their own. Their Vista–Power single–coil pickups were quite powerful, and their patented Silver–Sound bridge pickup — which attempted to deliver acoustic tones — was very innovative for 1962.

Simply why fiberglass? Too being dissimilar and jumping on the so–pop fiberglass bandwagon, Valco idea they could devalue and streamline the manufacturing process (there was no need for painting and sealing since the color could exist mixed into the fiberglass).

But, in the stop, fiberglass proved to be a more than fourth dimension–consuming and messier textile than predictable.

Although dejection guitarist J. B. Hutto played a red Airline model on stage, in the studio, and had information technology pictured on album covers, no other major artist took these department shop "plastic–looking" guitars seriously.

Add together to that the cost (peak–of–the–line Valco models were as much as Stratocasters and SG Community) and the fact that Valco went broke in 1968, and their fiberglass guitar experiment was pretty much forgotten well-nigh for several decades.

Cheers primarily to Jack White and Dan Auerbach, vintage Res–O–Glas guitars were finally embraced in the 2000s past major artists, and their oddball looks became cool and hip.

That unexpected surge in popularity led to the reissue of modified "J.B. Hutto–style" Airline guitars past Eastwood (but with mahogany bodies) and Guitar Kits USA offer "Res–O–Glas" trademarked guitars in diverse classic Valco trunk styles.

Ampeg's Dan Armstrong Acrylic Guitars

New Jersey–based amp maker Ampeg knew information technology needed to exist a role player in the electric guitar and bass globe. So in 1968, Ampeg smartly reached out to 1 of the about respected guitar players and luthiers in New York Metropolis: Dan Armstrong.

1970 Ampeg Dan Armstrong

Also being an in–demand session player and fifty-fifty touring with Van Morrison in 1967, Armstrong was likewise known for his impressive guitar repair and modification skills. His client list included John Sebastian, Wes Montgomery, Jack Bruce, and Jimi Hendrix merely to name a few.

Later Ampeg and Armstrong inked a deal, the 34–year–old Armstrong enthusiastically put all of his creativity and ideas into his dream projection. His goal was to blueprint something very different from what the Fenders and Gibsons of the globe were offering.

Armstrong also wanted his new guitar to wait classy, have longer sustain, be made of the highest quality materials and parts, and feel good in a actor'southward hands.

Being a New Yorker, Armstrong was probably aware of the growing popularity of articulate acrylics beingness used in jewelry, furniture, and even dance floors.

Although Fender had produced a solid acrylic Stratocaster (which weighed a whopping 18 pounds) for the early '60s guitar show circuit, Armstrong felt the time was correct to offering this special material in a production guitar — if he could keep the toll and weight downwardly.

Different Fender'southward solid acrylic Stratocaster, Armstrong's guitars featured acrylic bodies but with wooden bolt–on necks. It seemed to exist a applied wedlock of old school forest and new, space historic period Lucite.

Ampeg'southward product brochures boasted of "a new body that was every bit workable every bit wood, but much more than dense; well-nigh eliminating all unwanted vibrations and frequencies and sustaining notes extremely well."

Ampeg also pitched the advantages of having no pigment to chip off and how scratches polished up similar new. A bonus feature was the guitar's "astonishing new await."

Image Acrylic Guitar from an Ampeg Brochure

From a design standpoint, Armstrong liked Danelectro Longhorn basses, and designed his new bass and vi–string guitars with double cutaways for easy access to upper frets. Although the bodies were sparse and contoured, it still weighed almost nine pounds.

Necks were maple with rosewood fretboards and simulated–woodgrained Formica was used for the pickguard and the overlay on the uniquely shaped headstock. Armstrong also wanted players to take rock, country, and jazz tone options and worked with electronics guru Neb Lawrence to create half-dozen interchangeable pickups for his new guitars.

Ranging in names from "Deep Bass" to "Rock Treble," the guitar'southward acrylic top was routed then that the pickups could slide in and out. Pretty innovative stuff for 1969 (or fifty-fifty today).

When unveiled at the 1969 NAMM Show in Chicago, Ampeg had a smash hitting on its hands. But put, Armstrong'southward guitars were suddenly the coolest on the planet. In add-on to their groovy see–through looks and shape, they sounded cool, as well. Plus, at around $300 (about $ii,000 in today'southward dollars), they weren't exactly cheap, but were still affordable for many musicians.

1970 Ampeg Dan Armstrong Plexi Bass

Since artist acceptance and visibility is critical to the success of any new guitar launch, Ampeg smartly took reward of their amp relationship with the Rolling Stones. Keith Richards and Bill Wyman played "see–through" Armstrong guitars on the Stones' celebrated North American Loonshit Tour in November and Dec of 1969.

Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, and Leslie West were other loftier–profile artists seen playing Ampeg's new Dan Armstrong guitars and basses.

Unfortunately, the Dan Armstrong/Ampeg relationship ended on a sour notation in 1971. It appears to be a classic case of different agendas. The complimentary–spirited Armstrong wanted to make groundbreaking, high–quality guitars while Ampeg wanted to make more coin selling cheaper, easier–to–produce guitars.

Lucite besides concluded upward being a fourth dimension–consuming material to work with, and its denseness dulled mechanism and blades much faster than forest. Mixed with Ampeg's financial woes at the time and an overall downturn in the musical musical instrument manufacture, it'southward easy to sympathize why the partnership fizzled subsequently just three years.

Although Lucite and other forms of translucent guitars never went mainstream, they've connected to be built thanks primarily for their cool '70s and '80s looks. After virtually 50 years, clear guitars nonetheless draw "oohs and ahs" from the oversupply.

Ampeg has reissued their historic Dan Armstrong guitar and bass models several times, and B.C. Rich, Dillon, and other smaller manufacturers accept offered acrylic "meet–through" guitars of their own through the years.

Ned Steinberger's Graphite Guitars

I was in my early 20s and remember vividly the shock wave made by Steinberger's headless graphite guitars. I mean, information technology looked like a prop from that Star Expedition episode where Spock was jamming on his Vulcan lyre with the space hippies.

These were unconventional guitars from an unconventional guitar designer.

In the 1970s, Ned Steinberger was a chair and furniture designer obsessed with ergonomics, comfort, and how class should always follow function.

Steinberger L Series GL-ii

Not being a musician actually helped Steinberger to rethink the electric bass and six–string guitar with a fresh perspective. With no personal biases, he was in the perfect position to question everything most the design of the electric guitar.

Since Steinberger felt headstocks made guitars very unbalanced, he made the radical conclusion to eliminate the heavy head altogether and move the tuning mechanism into the finish of the guitar's body. Balance problem solved.

He also questioned why a guitar torso had to be then big — critical for an acoustic guitar's sound, less so for an electric — and why guitars were constructed from a material equally temperamental and imperfect equally wood.

Steinberger developed a proprietary alloy of graphite and carbon fiber for the trunk and neck of his new creation. Unlike wood, this man–made concoction wouldn't be affected past temperature, humidity, and other variables.

The Steinberger guitar was virtually indestructible, comfortable to play, and gave a more precise and fifty-fifty response. It claimed its bass guitar had no dead spots on the well-nigh–perfect graphite neck.

1985 Steinberger GP4S

Manufacturers laughed at Ned Steinberger and his idea of a plastic guitar without a headstock, but musicians didn't. Similar Leo Fender, Steinberger had worked closely with musicians in developing his new guitar. Once musicians got over its not–traditional looks, they loved its sound and feel.

Steinberger players soon became a "Who's Who" of A–Listing guitarists ranging from Sting, Nib Wyman, and Eddie Van Halen. Allen Holdsworth even said that the Steinberger was the "just meaning advancement in electrical guitar design in 25 years."

In addition to musicians, Steinberger too received praise from the Industrial Designers Society of America. His guitars won an Honour for Excellence in 1981 every bit well as the Design of the Decade. Time mag too awarded his L2 bass i of the five best designs of 1981.

Although popular, Steinberger guitars proved expensive to produce and averaged around $2,000 in the 1980s ($four,200 in today'south dollars). Demand was always greater than supply, and before the '80s were over, Steinberger was purchased past Gibson.

Nearly 40 years later on, Steinberger's original pattern notwithstanding looks futuristic (and is still polarizing to some guitar traditionalists). Headless guitars continue to be offered by several manufacturers, including NS Blueprint, Ned Steinberger's current company.

Unlike the fiberglass and Lucite experiments of the 1960s, carbon fiber continued to evolve and gain acceptance as a practical alternative to wood — particularly in the acoustic guitar market. RainSong, Blended Acoustic, Emerald Guitar, Journey Instruments, and McPherson Guitars are a few of today'southward companies offer state–of–the–art carbon fiber acoustic guitars.

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Source: https://reverb.com/news/3-times-electric-guitar-makers-tried-to-ditch-wood

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