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Netherlands-based Aristides Instruments, which builds guitars using a proprietary—and rather expensive to work with—material the company calls Arium, has unveiled its new Raw Series models, a more budget-friendly take on its trademark offerings.
According to the company, "Raw models are unpainted—dyed in the mold, then hand-sanded and sealed. They’re the exact same quality of instrument with a lower cost and shorter build time. Built with the same design by the same people with the same method and high quality standards. It's a great option for someone who doesn't need a crazy finish. We’re happy that guitarists really see the merit in both our unique construction method and our attention to detail, which can now be brought to more people.”
All Raw Series guitars are built from Arium and feature one-piece injection molded construction for optimal resonance and durability. There’s also stainless steel frets, Hipshot hardware, locking tuners, compound radiuses and TUSQ nuts, as well as milled steel string-thru sustain blocks, translucent backplates and Luminlay side dots.
The guitars are available in six, seven or eight string versions, as well as straight scale or multiscale iterations, in a choice of red, blue, pink, orange or Anthracite solid textured satin colors.
Additionally, Fishman Fluence Modern or Classic + Rechargeable USB packs are included in the base price. Lundgren or Bare Knuckle Pickups for multiscale instruments are included in the base price as well.
Raw Series guitars are being offered at a base price of €2190, or roughly $2,454.
Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.
