Klein Electric Guitars
These may be the ugliest and most sensible guitars ever made. Thier looks were so offsetting at first that I wouldn’t even give them the time of day. Then one night in Boston I saw Adrian Legg doing a show in a small restaurant. He was playing a guitar that was obviously inspired by the Klein guitars. While he was playing I noticed how ergonomic the guitar was. I wasn’t won over, but I was at least neutral.
Jody Fisher is the first person that I saw in person playing an official Klein. I like Jody’s playing, but more than anything I respect his opinion.
I admit that I haven’t had the opportuniy to play one yet, but my opinion has definetly changed. As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to realize how important ergonomics are to my playing. Guitars that I once loved (Hello, Warwick Thumb) I won’t play anymore, simply because I no longer enjoy fighting the instrument.
Klein guitars make sense in several ways. First, the headless design keeps the weight centered over your body. Now, you don’t have to fight to keep the headstock from diving towards the floor. The shape of the body performs two important functions. The large part of the lower bout puts your hand in perfect position for optimum right hand placement. The bottom portion of the body has a cutout which places the guitar in the place that it needs to be to play sitting. Additionally, the neck is graphite. While, I love wood I also understand why you would want a graphite neck for a headless guitar. The extra stiffness keeps the neck stable and helps the guitar not to sound too thin.
The shame is that the guitars are insanely expensive, and to my knowledge they aren’t being made anymore.
Check out Building the Ergonnomic Guitar for other sensible guitar designs.
Filed under: Guitar, Musical Gear
