RKS Guitars
Take a look at guitars from RKS and it makes perfect sense that
they spring from the creative partnership of a top industrial design firm and a
rock and roll legend. RKS Design, headquartered northwest of Los Angeles in
Thousand Oaks, Calif., was the recipient of numerous, coveted Industrial Design
Excellence Awards in 2003 for innovative designs in products as diverse as a
teeth-whitening apparatus and an interactive music-making toy for children. RKS
Guitars is a subsidiary the company co-owns with Dave Mason, a founding member
of Traffic who also played with Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, and Fleetwood
Mac. This RKS design team makes for a significant presence in the world of
electric guitars.
The Chrome Moly.
(Click image to enlarge)
Fundamental to the unique design and function of an RKS
guitar is a neck-through-body design, where a solid piece of wood (often a
beautiful flame- or quilt-patterned maple) is used for the entire length of the
guitar, as opposed to the neck’s being glued or bolted onto a separate body.
This neck-through-body design increases the guitar’s sustaining
properties—something apparent even before the guitar is plugged into an
amplifier.
The El Sol from RKS Guitars
spring from a partnership between a premier industrial design group and a bona
fide rock and roller. Partner Dave Mason ensures that each new
guitar is as comfortable as the classics he played on albums
for the likes of the Rolling Stones.
(Click image to enlarge)
Metal ribs hold the upper and lower body shells—made from interchangeable
aluminum, wood, or cast urethane resin—in place. Abstract artist Knox
Martin will be the first to contribute his talents to a limited series of
instruments sporting shells painted by noteworthy artists.
Innovations
aside, guitar players want an instrument akin to a favorite bomber jacket that
fits perfectly. Their usual rebellious nature disappears when they choose their
instruments: Vintage designs and those that pay homage to classic guitars remain
the preferred choices. And that’s where Dave Mason’s 30-plus years of experience
comes in. An instrument receives Mason’s seal of approval only when it feels and
sounds as good as the beloved vintage American instruments he used on his many
recordings.
The Stars and Stripes guitar displays a stylized patriotism in red, white,
and blue; fashion never trumps music, though, at RKS.
(Click images to enlarge)
RKS guitars feel perfectly balanced, and although they sport a
modern appearance, the immediate point of connection with the guitarist—the
guitar neck—is as friendly as an original ’60s Fender with a gloss finish that
has been gently removed through decades of playing. Plugging into Mojave Coyote
and Plexi 45 amplifiers, the various RKS models shower our ears with tones that
alternate among rich, shimmering, and smoldering, all with a magical quality
which I can only term pristine. Chords and notes have a bell-like ring and
clarity combined with the woody depth of vintage instruments. Your favorite
classic rock riffs have rarely sounded this good.
RKS Guitars
805.370.1200
www.rksguitars.com
Return to
Collection Gift Guide