Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
These guitars are made from cigar boxes, packing crates and wood from old buildings. With wood like that, no seasoning is required.
Building a guitar using wood from an explosives box and then using bullets for inlays is a particularly nice touch.
- K. Schoen Guitar Co.
- Isaacs Avenue, Box 178
- Walla Walla, WA 99362
- (509) 520-3473
- www.schoenguitars.com
It's Alive!
I happened across this guitar that was in the TSI Distributing booth. It's another great example of building a guitar from reclaimed wood.
While things didn't work out so well for Victor, I think he would approve of this guitar.
- Lush
- (818) 389-9249
- www.lushguitars.com
Talk About Mud Flaps...
...my guitars' got 'em.
- Dean Guitars
- Armadillo Enterprises, Inc.
- 4924 West Waters Ave.
- Tampa, Florida 33634
- (813) 600-3920
- www.deanguitars.com
How Could I Leave This Behind?
As long as we're talking about big bottoms, I present the Ergotar. While it may look like these guitars have a bit of the dreaded secretary spread, they've actually got their reasons for shaping them like this.
- Ergotar
- 2070 Hunters Trail Drive
- Lawrenceville, GA 30043
- (770) 277-7097
- www.ergotar.com
That's Mr. Scary to You
George Lynch has partnered with some folks to produce a line of semi-custom guitars.
- Mr. Scary Guitars
- 25379 Wayne Mills Place, #221
- Valencia, CA 91355
- www.mrscaryguitars.com
When Marxism & Capitalism Collide
They really ought to include one of these shirts with the purchase of their Che Guevara guitar.
Minarik is no stranger to the Oddities. Their last showing here was in 2009.
- Minarik Guitars
- 413 Ross Street
- Glendale, CA 91207
- (818) 243-3733
- www.minarikguitars.com
The Old Rugged Guitar
I wonder if it's made of wood from the one true cross? If so, I'm sure it would be well-seasoned wood by now.
- Warrior Instruments
- 93 Direct Connection Drive
- Rossville, GA 30741
- (706) 891-3009
- www.warriorinstruments.com
Guitar Gods
If your mythology runs more along the polytheistic lines, Warrior has you covered there as well.
- Warrior Instruments
- 93 Direct Connection Drive
- Rossville, GA 30741
- (706) 891-3009
- www.warriorinstruments.com
In Deep Swarovski
If you bought one of these guitars, you'd have no choice but to pick up an amp to match.
- Glam Guitars
- 32240 Blue Springs Dr.
- Evergreen, CO 80439
- (970) 744-1432
- www.glamguitars.com
Gaudy is as Gaudy Does
Perfect for the unplugged glam set.
- Two Old Hippies
- 111 S. Monarch Street
- Aspen, CO 81611 USA
- (970) 925-7492
- www.twooldhippies.com
Fashion Faux Pas
This Vernon Reid signature model guitar has a look that screams "department store children's apparel section," circa 1990.
- Parker Guitars
- 444 East Courtland Street
- Mundelein, IL 60060
- (800) 877-6863
- www.parkerguitars.com
Shhh, I'm Hunting Behwees
Dean B. Zelinsky, founder of Dean Guitars, is flexing his creative muscles in his new company DBZ Guitars, which is a good thing for the NAMM Oddities.
Intricate woodwork, cool snakeskin finishes, and pointy headstocks all worked as excellent lures to snare my attention.
- DBZ Guitars
- 3135 MacArthur Blvd.
- Northbrook, IL 60062
- (847) 412-0500
- www.dbzguitars.com
Alumicaster
Here's an example of Normandy's Alumicaster custom finish.
They also offer anodized, powder coated, or if you want a guitar that looks an awful lot like a Macbook Pro, a raw-grained aluminum version.
- Normandy Guitars
- PO Box 3564
- Salem, OR 97302
- (503) 689-1998
- www.normandyguitars.com
Kiss My Axe
When I think of seminal rock 'n roll bands, about the last thing that comes to mind is cheap Korean-made guitars.
I suppose that's where old music trademarks go to die.
- Cort Guitars & Basses
- Cor-Tek 660 Dungchon 3 Dong
- Kangso Gu, Seoul, Korea 157-030
- 82-2-3661-1981
- www.cortguitars.com
Peace Through Lasers
This isn't an update of Ronald Reagan's foreign policy, it's just my assumption that they're using lasers to etch the text and possibly cut the sound hole.
- Luna Guitars
- 4924 West Waters Ave.
- Tampa, FL 33634
- (813) 600-3920
- www.lunaguitars.com
Yin Without the Yang
Or maybe Yang without the Yin. In any case, this is an attractive guitar.
- Dean Guitars
- Armadillo Enterprises, Inc.
- 4924 West Waters Ave.
- Tampa, Florida 33634
- (813) 600-3920
- www.deanguitars.com
Don't be surprised if you find that the product or the company you see on these pages has ceased to exist, particularly as the pages get older. One function of the NAMM Oddities is that of a historical archive of attempted products.
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©2011 Barry Wood