Photo Gallery: Top 10 Weirdest Custom Guitars
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Most guitarists at one point or another in their development have gone through some sort of “I want a custom guitar” phase.
Whether it’s a funky paint job or a radical new shape, a custom ax presents the opportunity to express yourself. Or, in the opinion of some, the opportunity to say, “Hey, look at me, I’m a horse’s arse!”
Here, we celebrate 10 such opportunities. We’ll let you categorize them as you see fit.
10. Les Paul’s “The Log”
Les Paul’s original “Log” was a 4x4 block of wood with strings, and it went over with the audience, well, like a log. So he added traditional sides to it, and electric guitar was transformed forever.
09. Prince’s “Love” guitar
The “Instrument Formerly Known as Guitar.”
08. Uli Jon Roth’s “Sky Guitar”
Sure, it’s shape, paint job, and six-octave range combine to scream “pretentious,” but Uli makes it sound simply jim-dandy.
07. ZZ Top’s Spinning Fur Guitars
Little did you know that the “F” in Billy F. Gibbons stands for “Furry.”
06. Bo Diddley's square-body
When you consider that Bo Diddley was instrumental in defining the sound of rock ’n’ roll, it makes his choice of axe a little less, um, “square.”
05. Steve Vai's heart-shaped three-neck
Who says shredders don’t play with heart?
04. Linda Manzer Pikasso guitar
You think playing it would be the biggest challenge, right? Yeah, try tuning it!
03. Michael Batio's quad-neck
You ask, “Why?” We say, “Because he can.”
02. Rick Nielsen's “Uncle Dick”
Nielsen’s five-neck Hamer may be ridiculous, but this is just plain “Dick-ulous.”
01. Charlie Deal’s Toilet Seat guitar
Excuse me. I suddenly feel the need to read a newspaper.
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northlander30
May 21, 2013 at 4:13pm
I never thought Prince's guitars were weird! His guitars are actually well designed pieces of art. But ya I agree the Steve Vai's heart and the Batio quad neck are ridiculous then there is Rick Nielson's ridiculous multi necked guitars. All neat in their own way but I think trying to play them from even any of the artists that had them made would be a tad difficult not to mention extremely heavy!
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jd111358
May 20, 2013 at 2:40pm
I find it so hard to believe there are no Salvadore Dali guitars! Theres a famous picture of Dylan looking at one in a store window in the early 60's
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astrumr
May 20, 2013 at 1:32pm
Honorable mention: the tackle box guitar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enenpjfAOo4
I liked it so much I made one for myself.
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floodone
November 30, 2009 at 9:06am
In the future, my next guitar would be a double neck guitar by Gibson. But, some of these guitars are ridiculous. I can't imagine how can anybody play some of these instruments. A few years ago, I spontaneously met Steve Vai and I think that he is an OK guy. The heart shape guitar looks artistic but I can't find myself playing this instrument because I won't feel comfortable playing it. Linda Manzer Pikasso guitar really looks odd and it makes me think how it could be tuned properly. So, the strings don't interfere each other and how can anybody play this guitar. Plus, the more necks a guitar has; the more weight it would have and as well the harder it gets in playing the guitar. Michael Angelo Batio Quad-Neck Guitar is made for someone who is both left handed as well as right handed. I am right handed and I could only play right handed guitars. Mr. Deal’s Toilet Seat guitar took quite an imagination in creating this instrument from a toilet seat. Besides, toilet seats are made for the bathrooms. So, I I'll stick to my electric and acoustic guitars. Hopefully, I would own a 12 string acoustic guitar and a double neck Gibson electric guitar.




















