The Archtop


# The Archtop

Contrast is a core design principle, whether in color palettes, materials, or ideas. For the Archtop, I wanted to explore the tension between the traditional and the modern. It features a carved European spruce top and a fairly traditional outline.

Inspired by the work of Michael Sankey, the headless design is a bold departure from tradition. The multi-scale fretboard was used to introduce dynamic, slanted lines, giving the instrument a sense of movement. A single soundhole in the upper waist creates asymmetry and gives the guitar two distinct visual outlines.

The pickup was removed from its shell and mounted in a custom enclosure made from black limba. A scratch plate of aluminum and an ebony houses the volume control, blending utility with visual contrast.

This guitar was built for my private collection and is not for sale.


Artpiece


# Artpiece

I often browse local classifieds for wood that can be reclaimed and made into instruments. That's exactly how I found the stunning piece of ash that would become this guitar. When I contacted the owner, they explained they'd been using it as a decorative headboard. The shape, the grain flow, and the live edge immediately sparked an idea.

Inspired by the work of Steve Klein, Michael Sankey, and Jens Ritter, I began designing something I'd been thinking about for years: a guitar that could hang on the wall as an art piece.

The guitar features a shape based on Steve Klein's ergonomic electrics from the 1980s, with the live edge incorporated into the design. The trapezoid maple neck has carbon reinforcement rods and an African ebony fretboard with aluminum inlays filled with dash of glitter suspended in epoxy.

The display is an 850x1250mm black-stained oak frame containing the original piece of wood I cut the body from, complete with live edge. The guitar is held in place by strategically positioned magnets, creating the impression that it has returned to its source.

I first exhibited this instrument at the 2025 Guitar Summit and thoroughly enjoyed the visitors' reactions and the discussions it sparked about guitars and art.

The pickups are a very special set Nova Pickups Omnia Apex P90: the last set of prototypes before the production models were released. [Learn more about Nova Pickups here.](https://www.nova-pickups.com/products/omnia-p90)

This guitar is available for purchase. If you are interested, get in touch.


Solarburn


# Solarburn

I'm a big fan of experimental and unusual guitars, so when I received an email saying something like "I see you build crazy guitars. I have a crazy idea," I was obviously in.

The concept was to have a guitar that'll work as both a tapping instrument, similar to a Chapman Stick, but also as a regular guitar. Initially the client wanted a headless and bodyless guitar, but through dozens of design iterations and a handful of prototypes, we worked our way to the final shape.

While I love the way the shape looks, it's really more about function. Since the guitar was conceptualized to be played in the classical position as well as an upright tapping position, the shape removes the usual upper and lower horns that may get in the way while tapping. The deep leg cutout was designed to balance the guitar in the playing position on the right leg. Moving it to the left leg, the guitar naturally balances in the tapping position.

The guitar is headless, which helps with the balance by moving the tuner weight to the back of the instrument, but it also keeps the overall package compact.

It features a reclaimed mahogany body with the stunning ziricote top. The top was trimmed and positioned so the sapwood would look like the flame coming out of a rocket, playing well with the client's love of sci-fi. The leftover ziricote was used for the electronics cavity cover to extend that visual theme.

The neck is a carbon reinforced mahogany with an ebony fretboard. The client provided a design for the 12th fret inlay that was meaningful to him. I cleaned up this design and based the aluminum fret markers around this.

We used ABM tuners paired with a Riviera headpiece. The slanted pickups were provided by Holighaus Pickups. Controls were kept simple with a single volume control and a Freeway 6-position toggle switch.

This guitar was built for a client and now resides in Tokyo.


The Stuntman


# Stuntman

Being approached by a client with the opportunity to build something new is always exciting. Not only because I love new challenges, but also because there are so many unknowns to work through. The concept was ambitious: a guitar that would work both as a tapping instrument and as a regular guitar. While going through the design phase with my client, I liked the concept so much that I wanted to build one of these for myself, and so, the Stuntman came to life.

While originally created as a chance to work through the construction techniques and ensure every detail was right before building the client's instrument, the Stuntman quickly became more than just a prototype. Built to the same standards as any client instrument, it gave me the opportunity to test the balance, refine the construction process, and experience how the concept actually plays. By the time it was finished, I knew the client's guitar would be exactly what they envisioned.

The body comes from my stash of reclaimed mahogany, topped with a stunning walnut burl top. The headless design helps with balance by moving the tuner weight to the back of the instrument while keeping the overall package compact. The neck is carbon-reinforced mahogany, mated to an ebony fretboard with minimalist aluminum inlays. Electronics include a set of Holighaus humbuckers controlled by a Freeway 6-position toggle switch and a volume pot.

This guitar was built for my private collection and is not for sale.


Pferdchen


# Pferdchen

Built for Bobby, a friend who happens to be both a terrific musician and one of the best designers I've ever worked with. We went through many design iterations together until we were both satisfied with the shape and details.

While I typically gravitate toward very modern instruments, Bobby had something more traditional in mind. After many collaborative design iterations, we found our middle ground. An offset twist on classic guitar proportions, while keeping the clean, modern aesthetic I prefer. The result feels both familiar and fresh.

The result is a black-stained mahogany body with white binding, paired with a mahogany neck. Carbon reinforcement rods provide stability while an ebony fretboard features custom aluminum inlays. Electronics include a Häussel Hot P90 housed in a 3-layer pickguard and a Häussel Hot Humbucker at the bridge. Hardware consists of an ABM adjustable wraparound bridge and Schaller M6 locking tuners.

I named this guitar "Pferdchen" - German for "little horse" - after one of Bobby's songs with his band, Dankeschatz. It currently resides with him in Munich.


Acoustic One


# Acoustic One

Built slowly over a few months and guided by a handful of trusted books, this acoustic was always meant to be an experiment. With a compact body, a Venetian cutaway, and an overall feel tailored to electric players, it's more proof of concept than polished product.

Built entirely with hand tools as a personal challenge, the back and sides are ovangkol, paired with an X-braced European spruce top. The mahogany neck is fitted with a rosewood fretboard. Accents in black limba, maple, and ebony add visual interest. The angled neck joint, inspired by Michael Sankey's innovative work, breaks from tradition with a modern twist.

This guitar was built for my private collection and is not for sale.


Top	European spruce
Back and sides	Swiss Pear
Fretboard	Rosewood
Scale length	635mm - 650mm (25" - 25,6")
Neck pickup	Roswell FTR60 Mini Humbucker
Bridge	Ebony
Tuners	ETS Headless tuners
Controls	Volume
Fretboard radius	20"
Frets	Sintoms Extra-hard
Nut	Corian
Side dots	Aluminium

RAUSCH GUITARS #4

The Archtop

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