Mantis II Update

Looking at the end of August for the initial completion of the Mantis II's - at that point they will be ready for hardware - note that some are H/H while others are S/S/H with a trem. The fretboards are either tree of life or plain ebony. This is a limited first run of 30 instruments - pricing is difficult due to the various hardware combinations, but I am looking at around £750 for one equipped with PREMIUM name brand hardware (Fender, Gibson, Schaller, Tonepros, Bare Knuckles, EMG, Seymour Duncans, DiMarzios) and select electronics such as coil splitting, out of phase etc.

Survey & New Model

I have put together a 10 question survey (Click HERE to take the survey) It asks questions about your preferred design and hardware for a custom electric guitar. The results are quite interesting. So far the results indicate that the Les Paul is the most desired shape, in mahogany, flame maple top, set neck, rosewood or ebony fretboard, gold hardware, seymour duncan pickups, traditional les paul 2 piece bridge tailpiece (or floyd rose) - sounds like a Les Paul style guitar to me.

Thats good news as I am working on a prototype for my next run - I have loosely decided on the following specifications:

Les Paul shape body Florentine Cut
Mahogany Body & Neck
Matching Top, Back & Headstock in Maple (Flame, Quilt, Spalted or Birdseye)
Double Binding on Body (Front & Back)
Rosewood Fretboard with D'Angelico New Yorker style diagonal split block MOP inlays
Traditional "Les Paul" style bridge / tailpiece OR Bigsby trem unit
Various pickup configurations to include dual humbuckers, Soapbars, TV Jones Style - also the ability to upgrade and have named brand pickups installed (Seymour Duncan's etc)

I should have a prototype in the next month or so - I will post pictures as it develops.

Finally, I am am also working on 3 Stratocaster's and a Telecaster which are Mahogany body with mahogany necks and spalted maple tops - these are going to be configured with very very high end components - again I will post pictures as the build comes along.