Anhinga!

Part of being a designer is always, always wondering if you can make something better. Or at least make it different in an interesting and useful way. Influenced by my research on ergonomics, my desire for playability and my interest in making a simpler, yet still attractive, design, I delightfully introduce The Anhinga.

Guitars can be heavy. They can have shapes that can work against some human limitations -- I love a Firebird, but that design puts the open cords so far away from my body that they are no fun to play after a few minutes. I, and many others, just don't have the wing span needed to make the most of a Firebird. I love a Teleaster, but that lower horn area takes a lot of extra sanding attention that does nothing to make the guitar better.

Job #1 with the Anhinga design was actually Jobs #1 and #2 -- drop the weight and move as much of the fretboard within the player's (possibly short) wingspan as possible. After that, just make it look good and play well. So I chopped a few inches off the bottom of the body, moved the forward strap attachment point over the twelth fret, and settled on a body shape that's pleasing to the eye, comfortable to wear and less effort to produce. It make me happy and it's what I play now -- I'm thinking a few other people may like one. There won't be many -- I love building them but I'm getting tired of selling them.

This is the first Anhinga that is availble for purchase (and may be the only one). Canary wood top over mahogany back. Hipshot locking tuners and Hipshot Tele bridge. It has an interesting, hand-wound pickup set. The neck pickup has fatter, slightly stonger Alnico 5 magnets, is slightly underwound, with an open top, giving it a lot of sparkle and clarity. The bridge pickup is coil-tapped for two different voices -- a vintage appropriate just under 7K ohms DCR and a grittier longer wind that delivers over 9.5K ohms. The tone control is a Fender TBX -- no-load center detente, treble dump in one direction, a bit of a presence control in the other. I like the elliptical strap buttons and there are other nice bits like the heavy knurl on the knobs and the quality electronics parts hidden in the cavity. Natural finish that is easy to care for.

Ah, the name. Names are hard. I'm intrigued by the anhinga, a water bird that does not have oily feathers (like a duck), so after digging around for grub in the bottom of the lake, it has to stand on the shore and hold out its wings to dry them so it can fly again. [Kinda nuts. Like designing your own guitar.] In the upper horn you can see the shape of the anhinga's wing as it dries itself on the shore line.

Available now for $750. Shipping can be arranged for this item. Only 3 Anhinga guitars exist and at least one of them is staying with me. To keep this first one special, I will not repeat this pickup configuration.

BRIDGE PICKUP FOOTNOTE:

I was trying to explain why Alnico 3 magnets are an interesting Telecaster bridge pickup choice (in addition to the Blackguard legacy). Hey, since AI is unavoidable now, I described the pickup's construction and readings, not my intentions, to Gemini and this is what it suggested I tell you about the pickup:

The Dual-Voice A3 Custom Tele Bridge

Stop compromising between vintage chime and modern muscle. Built with premium Alnico 3 rod magnets and hand-wound with boutique 42 AWG Formvar wire, this dual-voice, tapped pickup delivers two legendary bridge tones at the flick of a switch.

• Vintage Tap (~6.9K): Pure, glassy 1950s snap. The Formvar wire provides elite high-end clarity, while the Alnico 3 rods ensure your treble is sweet, musical, and entirely free of harshness.

• Overwound Tap (~9.6K): A thick, high-output monster. Pushes your amp into creamy saturation with a massive, woody midrange. Thanks to the low magnetic pull of Alnico 3, this hot wind maintains incredible string definition and never muddies up.

• Infinite Sustain: Zero "string tug" allows your guitar to resonate naturally, maximizing your instrument's true sustain.