It all started back in 2000, when world-renown industrial designer Ravi Sawhney was taking guitar lessons. He couldn't find a guitar stand that he liked. He approached one of his designers, Paul Janowski, and said, "let's design a guitar stand." Paul half-jokingly replied, "Let's design a guitar!" After mulling this idea over, Ravi posed the project to his design team. They eagerly went to work. Fifteen pound of illustrations later, a design emerged based on a human skeletal form. The RKS designers refined it further; legend has it, using a popular singer/actress' body as inspiration. Thus was created the first prototype.
Ravi was introduced to rock legend Dave Mason by Ravi's brother Ramesh, and a close friend of Dave's. Dave brought the professional-working-guitar-player's perspective, and was key in making the RKS guitar an instrument that the most demanding player could appreciate.
After over 15,000 hours of design time and obsession, RKS had a guitar that was ready for prime time.
After their debut at the 2004 Winter NAMM Show, RKS Guitars took off. But the world was'nt ready for this innovative concept and the company had to cease its operation.
Hailed as the first major innovation in electric guitar design in 50 years, the patented open architecture RKS guitar reinvented an American classic with revolutionary ideas, and in the process became the only product ever selected as the sole image for the cover of BusinessWeek's best product design issue. This iconic reinvention in partnership with rock legend Dave Mason also fueled the creation of a Harvard Business School case study dedicated to exploring the use of Psycho-Aesthetics to inform the development of this ground-breaking instrument.
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About the Guitar:
This guitar is the hollowbody version of the RKS guitar design.
Features include: 25.5" scale length, Maple/Alder body "core" with proprietary wood based polymer back mounted on CNC machined, Aircraft Aluminium Alloy "Ribs". The neck is Maple with a Rosewood fingerboard, Compound 10" - 12" radius, 22 frets, Sperzel locking tuners and RKS custom noiseless sensor pickups. The controls are ergonomically placed right where your fingers think they should be with a 3-Way Selector on the bass side top top of the core and Groove Knob" Volume and Tone controls on the bottom.
Groove Knobs
Experience the placement of our volume and tone controls and you’ll find yourself wishing every instrument you owned had this advantage. The controls themselves are weighted, with polished metal-finished grooves that epitomize quality and precision.
Posifly Pickup Selector
By placing our pickup selector switch in the acoustic cavity, not only can you switch pickups on-the-fly, but you can flail away with reckless abandon. There’s no risk of changing pickups mid-groove.
Om Sweet Om Headstock
The headstock on the RKS guitars quotes the body’s contours and incorporates the Om symbol into its unique truss-rod cover. The integration of this universal sound and symbol, which signifies reinvention and rebirth, seemed totally appropriate. The distinctive polished scroll tip is sleek and functional; its weight adds sustain and clarity to your notes.
Open Architecture Resonance
This is our guitar’s ultimate gift to you. Our unique design catches the eye, of course, but its core-to-body connection creates uncommon resonance and detail. The neck-through-body-construction provides clarity and sustain, and then transfers its vibration to the lively body creating a very satisfying musical palette.
Modern Tribal Contours
Our instrument’s beautiful contouring takes its inspiration from the female form—seductive and definitely tribal. Not only does it appear natural and inviting, it feels amazing to your hands and body as well. The most modern automotive design software allowed us to aggressively push the envelope to bring to you this captivating and alluring muse.
