I am excited to introduce the “Fifth.”  While it is my fifth model, the true inspiration for the name comes from Beethoven’s fifth symphony.  It is arguably one of the most recognizable pieces of music and an incredible example of how much mileage you can get from variations on a simple motif.  My mantra while developing this design was “Variations on a theme.”  I wanted to create an electric instrument with a smaller body that would tie in with elements of my existing designs and allow for a lot of flexibility within a common framework.

It is roughly the size of a Les Paul and there are two basic versions; a single cutaway and a double cutaway.  I decided to do one of each for the prototypes to try to hit opposite ends of the spectrum with the way they are constructed. 

The Single cutaway could be considered a thin line Archtop with a solid Spruce carved top that is fully hollow and parallel braced.  It is strung with 12 gauge strings and has a floating ebony bridge, traditional ebony archtop tailpiece, and a single neck position pickup.

The double cutaway is also fully hollow but is a large step closer to a purely electric instrument.  It has a lot more mass in the top with a red cedar block that runs down the center on the inside. Thinking electric, it is strung with 10 gauge strings, has two pickups, a Tune o Matic bridge, and a stop tailpiece.

These are just the  the first two examples of what is possible with the “Fifth” framework.  I am looking forward to working with my clients to come up with the perfect combo of options for their style.

Single Cutaway

BASE PRICE: $9500

SPECS AS PICTURED ABOVE:

Top: Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides: Flamed Maple

Neck: Mahogany

• Carbon Fiber Reinforcement

• Allied Lutherie Flex Strong Two Way Truss Rod Binding: Black Plastic
Purfling: WBW plastic
Fretboard: Ebony

Headplate and Hardware: Ebony
Nut: Bone
Tuning Machines: Gotoh mini 510 with ebony buttons Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Electronics:
• Single Neck position Humbucker

• Righteous Sound RAF Middle • Single volume, Single tone control

Specs:
• Solid wood Carved top with arm bevel built into the carve

• Fully Hollow
• Parallel braced top
• Hand carved back
• Hand bent sides with solid, full depth Western Red Cedar linings • 1 3/4” Body Depth
• 24.625” Scale length (Gibson length)
• 24 frets
• Floating archtop style bridge
• Ribbecke style hinged tailpiece
• Nut Width: 1 3/4”
• Lower Bout width: 13 3/8”

Double Cutaway

BASE PRICE: $9500

SPECS AS PICTURED ABOVE:

Top: Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides: Flamed Maple Neck: Mahogany

• Carbon Fiber Reinforcement

• Allied Lutherie Flex Strong Two Way Truss Rod Binding: Black Plastic
Purfling: WBW plastic
Fretboard: Ebony

Headplate and Pickguard: Ebony
Nut: Bone
Tuning Machines: Gotoh mini 510 with ebony buttons Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Electronics:
• Neck and Bridge position humbuckers

• Righteous Sound Patent 64 set
• Single volume, Single tone, three way switch

Specs:
• Solid wood Carved top with arm bevel built into the carve

• Fully Hollow
• Western Red Cedar Center Block
• Hand carved back
• Hand bent sides with solid, full depth Western Red Cedar linings • 1 3/4” Body Depth
• 24.625” Scale length (Gibson length)
• 24 frets
• Tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece
• Nut Width: 1 11/16”
• Lower Bout width: 13 3/8”

MOre variations

This one is a single cutaway with all of the features of the double cutaway prototype with the exception that the back and sides are figured African Mahogany.

Left shows the inside of the box and right shows the finished instrument.