Unique Guitar Models, You’re Missing Out On Knowing About

Unique guitars have been created mostly to discover various dimensions and innovations. There’s never a lack of space for unique guitars in the world of music. It’s where innovation, craftsmanship, and audacious creativity have given birth to a wide array of unique and extraordinary instruments.

So, strap in and get ready to explore the 9 most unique guitar designs that are as visually stunning as they are sonically spectacular. 

Before that don’t forget to check out our list of best budget acoustic guitars of 2024.

Chimera By Emerald Guitars

The Emerald Guitars Chimera is a remarkable instrument that seamlessly fuses innovation with tradition. The history of this exquisite guitar can be traced back to the company’s founding in 1999 by Alistair Hay. 

Emerald Guitars embarked on a mission to redefine the way guitars were made, employing cutting-edge carbon fiber technology that revolutionized the industry. 

The Chimera model, in particular, has evolved into a pinnacle of Emerald’s craftsmanship, blending the rich heritage of acoustic guitar design with the resilience of carbon fiber materials, delivering a distinctive, beautiful, and environmentally-conscious instrument.

Features of The Chimera

The Chimera Is Ideal For 

• Environment-conscious musicians seeking performance and sustainability.

• Guitarists looking for lightweight double-neck bodies.

Synergy x20 By Emerald Guitars

Another unique model from a custom carbon fiber Guitar, the Synergy X20 is not even purely a guitar. It’s called a harp guitar. It has one neck that’s a traditional guitar neck and another curved one that works as a harp with six set strings and no frets.

The harp guitar was invented back in the 17th century, but it only rose to prominence in the 20th century. The Synergy X20 is the perfect instrument for playing sustained bass notes on the harp while fingering the guitar.

The Features of The Synergy x20

The Synergy x20 Is Ideal For

• Guitarists who play pieces with a complex arrangement that has sustained bass notes

• Guitarists who love the attention that comes with weird and unique guitars

Solace By Emerald Guitars

In 2020, the world was in lockdown. Meanwhile, Alistair Hay, the founder of Emerald Guitars, tried his hand at designing the very first Emerald Acoustic Lap Steel Slide Guitar.

It was a welcome distraction and inspiration during a difficult time, and so he named it Solace. Now, refined and improved, Solace is up for grabs for performers looking for a sleek slide guitar to glide on.

Features of The Solace

The Solace Is Ideal For

• Guitarists who play the lap steel guitar a lot and travel a lot

• Guitarists looking for an environment-friendly slide guitar

Click here and find out everything about 12 string guitar strings!

La Baye 2×4 Standard By Eastwood Guitars

The Eastwood La Baye 2×4 Standard is a unique guitar model produced by Eastwood Guitars. The Eastwood La Baye 2×4 Standard is a modern reinterpretation of the classic ’60s La Baye design, which was created by Dave Bunker.

This distinctive and weird guitar showcases a combination of retro aesthetics and modern functionality. The La Baye 2×4 Standard is a head-turner, known for its striking minimalist rectangular body shape and unconventional appearance.

Features of the La Baye 2×4 Standard

The La Baye 2×4 Standard Is Ideal For

• Guitarists who play long gigs standing upright

• Guitarists who shape their tone mostly digitally and do not require a full-sized body for tone 

The 3-string Shovel guitar

The ‘Justin Johnson Signature’ 3-String Shovel Guitar is a model inspired by the design showcased in Justin Johnson’s viral video, “Crankin’ Up the 3-String Shovel Guitar.” Justin Johnson individually handcrafts each of these unique instruments.

He meticulously handles the soldering, string action adjustment, and thorough testing to guarantee strength, dependability, outstanding tone, and comfortable playability. Justin personally selects all the parts and components used in these guitars to ensure you the hardest-hitting shovel you’ll find out there.

Features of The 3-string Shovel guitar

The 3-string Shovel guitar Is Ideal for

• Guitarists looking for gear that can be used both for playing riffs and beating people up

• Guitarists who do farming when they’re not playing gigs

Little Crow Guitars Justin Johnson Signature Resonator Guitar

The Little Crow Guitars Justin Johnson Signature Resonator Guitar is a remarkable electric guitar designed and championed by the talented musician Justin Johnson. As an innovative and renowned guitar maker, Johnson has created this unique guitar to cater to both professional musicians and enthusiasts alike.

This model comes with an interesting circular resonator plate situated right in the middle of the body, The resonator chamber shapes the tone into something one can only find in the Little Crow.

Hey, click here if you are looking for electric guitars that are in your budget!

Find Similar Resonator Guitars at amazon,

Features of the  Little Crow Guitars Justin Johnson Signature Resonator Guitar

The Little Crow Guitars Justin Johnson Signature Resonator Guitar Is Ideal for

• Guitarists who play lead but want natural reverb and resonance in their tone

• Blues, jazz, soul, etc. guitarists

Misa Kitara By Misa Digital

The Misa Kitara is a revolutionary and futuristic instrument that blurs the lines between traditional stringed instruments and modern technology. The Kitara is a digital guitar-like instrument that takes a unique approach to music creation and performance.

The instrument features a large touchscreen interface that replaces traditional strings and frets. Musicians can tap, slide, and press on the touchscreen to create different notes and effects, similar to playing a guitar.

The Kitara offers an extensive range of sounds, from classic guitar tones to synthesizers, drums, and various other digital effects. This versatility makes it suitable for various music genres, including rock, electronic, and experimental.

Features of the Misa Kitara

The Misa Kitara Is Ideal for

• Guitarists who want to play a MIDI controller but can’t play keys

• Guitarist dabbling in electronic music

Djentar x Stevie T 20 String Guitar

The Stevie T 20-string guitar was a one-off guitar model, made specifically for the YouTuber. This was born in the aftermath of Stevie T’s Djent War with Jared Dines in 2019. 

The guitar features 20 strings and it has about every gauge and note in the universe covered. Tuning this takes an eternity, too. From piercing leads to booming bass, you can pretty much play everything on that monstrous fretboard.

Features of the Djentar x Stevie T 20 String Guitar

The Djentar x Stevie T 20 String Guitar Is Ideal for

• Stevie T

• Anyone with screws loose enough, fingers long enough, and pockets deep enough to custom order another of this

Filip Skelecaster

YouTuber Prince Midnight created a unique guitar named the “Filip Skelecaster” with a body made from his late uncle’s human skeleton. 

Originally, his uncle’s remains were in a cemetery. To honor his uncle’s influence and his love for heavy metal music, Prince Midnight decided to repatriate the bones and transform them into a playable guitar. 

The construction of the instrument proved challenging. But the result is a playable guitar with some quirks, such as the need to strum within the rib cage. 

Prince Midnight sees the project as a way to pay tribute to his uncle’s life and influence, allowing him to “shred for all eternity” in a metal form. This probably takes the prize for being the most unique guitar out there.

Features of the Filip Skelecaster

The Filip Skelecaster Is Ideal for

• Uncle Filip’s niece

If you are looking for some cool guitar straps, click here! We have a list just for you!

Apollo Premier

Glass guitars cater to a discerning and tasteful audience. They’re exotic, and distinctive, and represent an otherworldly level of craftsmanship. These are unique guitars that many desire, yet only a select few possess.

Designed to evoke the essence of the golden age of rock and roll, the Apollo Premier from Morningstar Guitars showcases a classic single-cutaway body. This standardized model is fitted with modern features like pickups, and hardware. 

With its timeless mirrored back and sleek top, adorned by a pair of Seymour Duncan JB humbucking pickups, this elegantly crafted guitar offers both an exceptional visual appeal and tonal experience.

Features of the Apollo Premier

The Apollo Premier Is Ideal for

• Adding to your guitar collection display

• Staring at its beauty instead of playing

The Benefits Of Unique Guitars Explained

Extended-range guitars have gained popularity in recent years, offering a range of benefits that cater to the evolving needs and preferences of modern musicians. These guitars typically feature more strings and unique scale lengths, providing several advantages to players. Some are:

Expanded Range

As the name suggests, extended-range guitars provide an expanded tonal range due to their additional strings. Extended-range instruments can have seven, eight, or even more. This allows players to access lower bass notes and higher treble notes, opening up new creative possibilities.

Versatility

The extended range of these guitars lets musicians experiment with different tunings, offering a wider palette of tonal possibilities. This versatility is particularly appealing to progressive metal, jazz, and fusion players, as well as those interested in experimental and avant-garde music.

Enhanced Low-End Power

With additional low strings, extended-range guitars provide a more robust and defined low-end. This is especially beneficial for heavy genres like metal and djent, where tight and aggressive soft tones are essential.

Improved Soloing and Chord Voicings

Extended-range guitars allow for more complex and extended soloing patterns. The extra strings can enable guitarists to experiment with unique chord voicings, harmonies, and polyphonic textures that may not be achievable on a standard six-string guitar.

Better Intonation and String Tension

Many extended-range guitars feature a multi-scale design, meaning the scale length varies across the strings. This results in improved intonation and balanced string tension.

Creativity and Innovation

These guitars encourage players to think outside the box and push the boundaries of their playing style. They are often used by forward-thinking musicians to create new sounds and compositions.

Unique Aesthetics

The distinctive appearance of extended-range guitars, with their extra tuning pegs, can add a unique visual element to a musician’s stage presence.

Tailored Options

Many guitar manufacturers offer a wide range of extended-range models, allowing players to select instruments that match their specific preferences regarding string count, scale length, body style, and other features.

Accessibility

While extended-range guitars were once considered niche instruments, they have become more accessible and affordable in recent years. Musicians on a budget can now explore these instruments without breaking the bank.

Learning and Skill Development

Playing an extended-range guitar lets guitarists explore more complex chord structures and scales.

Why Do People Play Double-Neck Guitars?

Double-neck guitars, which feature two necks and sets of strings on a single body, are versatile instruments that offer a range of practical and creative benefits. People play double-neck guitars for several reasons:

Expanded Range

The most obvious advantage of a double-neck guitar is the expanded tonal range. Each neck can have a different tuning or set of strings, allowing the player to switch between them instantly. 

This expanded range is particularly beneficial for live performances where a guitarist may need to cover multiple guitar parts without switching instruments.

Convenience

Double-neck guitars provide convenience by eliminating the need to switch guitars during a song or performance. For instance, a guitarist might use one neck for rhythm parts and the other for solos.

Tonal Variety

With different necks set up for various tunings, string configurations, or pickups, double-neck guitars offer a wide range of tonal options within a single instrument. This is appealing to musicians who experiment with various sounds and textures within a single song.

Expressive and Creative Playing

Double-neck guitars encourage creativity and innovation. Musicians can combine and layer sounds from both necks, creating unique compositions and textures that you can’t with a single-neck guitar. This fosters experimentation.

Signature Tunes and Iconic Songs

Some musicians use double-neck guitars to replicate iconic guitar parts in live performances. For example, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin is well-known for using a double-neck guitar to perform “Stairway to Heaven,”. In it, one neck is for the 6-string parts and the other for the 12-string sections.

Visual Impact

The unique appearance of a double-neck guitar can add visual appeal to a performance. The instrument’s distinctiveness draws the audience’s attention, making it a compelling choice for stage presence.

Challenges and Mastery

Playing a double-neck guitar requires a higher level of skill, coordination, and dexterity. Learning to manage two necks simultaneously can be a rewarding challenge for advanced guitarists.

Niche Music Genres

Some genres of music, such as progressive rock, fusion, and experimental genres, benefit from the unique capabilities of double-neck guitars. These instruments enable people from music industry to explore complex chord progressions and arrangements.

Versatility

Double-neck guitars come in various configurations, such as 6-string/12-string, 6-string/bass, or even more unconventional pairings. These configurations allow players to experiment with different musical styles and instrumentation.

Natural Vs. Digitally Induced Reverb And Resonance

Reverb and resonance are two acoustic phenomena that significantly impact the sound of musical instruments and audio recordings. They can occur naturally in physical environments or be digitally induced through the use of technology. 

Here’s an explanation of natural vs. digitally induced reverb and resonance:

Natural Reverb

Natural reverb refers to the reflection and scattering of sound waves in a physical environment. When sound is produced in a space, it bounces off walls, floors, and other surfaces, creating a complex pattern of reflections that produce a sense of space or ambiance.

The reverb characteristics of a space depend on its size, shape, materials, and acoustic properties.

Natural Resonance

Natural resonance is the tendency of an object or material to vibrate sympathetically when exposed to sound waves at certain frequencies. When an object resonates, it amplifies and sustains specific frequencies, creating a characteristic tone.

Resonance can be observed in musical instruments when a string, column of air, or other part of the instrument vibrates in response to the input of energy. The resulting resonance contributes to the instrument’s unique timbre or tone color.

Digital Reverb

Digitally induced reverb is created using electronic or software-based effects processors. These tools simulate the reverb characteristics of different physical spaces, allowing the addition of artificial ambiance to recordings or live performances.

Digital reverb can be precisely controlled in terms of reverb time, room size, and the character of reflections. It is commonly used to adjust the perceived spatial qualities of audio, adding a sense of depth or spaciousness.

Digital Resonance

Digitally induced resonance can be created through synthesizers, digital audio processors, or software instruments. Musicians and producers can program or manipulate resonance to emphasize or shape specific frequencies, creating unique timbres and textures.

Digital resonance can be highly versatile and experimental, allowing for the creation of entirely new and artificial sounds. Musicians can design resonant effects that wouldn’t occur naturally in acoustic instruments.

Key Differences

• Control: Digital reverb and resonance offer precise control over parameters, while natural occurrences depend on the acoustic properties of physical spaces or instruments.

• Repeatability: Digitally induced effects are repeatable and consistent, while natural reverb and resonance can vary from one space or instrument to another.

• Creativity: Digital effects provide vast creative possibilities, allowing musicians and audio engineers to design unique soundscapes and textures that may not exist naturally.

On Midi Controllers And Why They’re A Nightmare For Guitarists

Guitarists often find it challenging to play MIDI controllers that are shaped like keyboards for several reasons, primarily due to the fundamental differences in playing techniques and instrument design between guitars and keyboards. Here’s why:

Instrument Shape and Layout

Guitars and MIDI keyboard controllers have drastically different shapes and layouts. Guitars have a fretboard with strings, while keyboard controllers have a set of keys. 

Guitarists are accustomed to navigating frets, strings, and finger positions, whereas keyboard controllers use keys and a linear layout. This stark contrast in physical design can be disorienting for guitarists.

Playing Technique

Guitarists primarily use fingerpicking, strumming, bending, and sliding techniques to create sounds. In contrast, keyboard controllers require pressing keys with the fingers. 

The transition from plucking and strumming strings to pressing keys can be challenging. It involves a completely different set of motor skills.

Expression and Dynamics

Guitars offer expressive techniques such as vibrato, palm muting, and bending notes. These techniques allow guitarists to shape the dynamics and articulation of their playing. 

Keyboard controllers do not replicate these techniques in the same way, making it challenging for guitarists to convey their intended emotions.

Visual Feedback

The visual feedback provided by the fretboard of a guitar is integral to the guitarist’s understanding of the instrument. They can see the placement of their fingers on the frets and visualize scales and chords. 

Keyboard controllers lack this tactile and visual reference, making it more difficult for guitarists to transpose their knowledge of the fretboard onto the keys.

Chord and Scale Shapes

Guitarists often learn chord and scale shapes specific to the guitar’s fretboard. Translating these shapes to a keyboard layout can be cumbersome. It requires relearning or adapting these patterns to the linear key arrangement.

Polyphony and Sustain

Guitars can sustain notes through techniques like fingerpicking or sustain pedals. MIDI keyboard controllers typically sustain notes through key press duration, which may require a different approach to achieve the desired sustain and polyphony.

Lack of Haptic Feedback

Guitars offers haptic feedback through string tension, frets, and the feel of the instrument. Keyboard controllers lack this tactile feedback, making it harder for guitarists to connect with the instrument.

While it’s tempting to go for unique guitars that attract every eye and leave an impression due to their sheer weirdness, you should also consider their utility. The guitar is for you only if its quirks serve your playstyle. Though, if you’re a collector, that’s another case.

Conclusion

And there you have it—the tour of the most unique guitar designs that promised to blow your mind, and hopefully, it did just that. For those who are looking for a cool guitar, this blog is the one where you find it. These aren’t just instruments; they’re innovations, each with its flair and story. As we wrap up, let’s carry the inspiration from these extraordinary creations into our own music and lives. Who knows what amazing designs the future holds? Keep strumming, dreaming, and looking out for the next piece that might just change the way we think about guitars.

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Sabih Safwat

Music nerd, beyond cure. Writing blogs seemed like a better option than dumping musical technobabble on my friends and putting them to sleep, so here I am. Sharing all I understand and know about music and instruments.

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