Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could make a lighter guitar, they didn’t stop to think if they should. As TC’s resident guitar lover I have to take all the high-tech in git-fiddles I can get. To wit, I present the Enlightened Collection of electric guitars. These guitars, made by Michael Kelly, are 30 percent lighter than standard solid-body guitars, but promise solid sound out of a slimmer package.
The key is how Kelly essentially skeletonizes the guitars and uses far lighter materials for the pickups, rods and machine heads. The most notable difference is in the body. These guitars have been carefully drilled through in order to remove a few pounds of wood weight with no structural compromises. It’s an interesting move to be sure.
The guitars start at $479 and come in multiple styles. All are solid-body pieces and all work just like regular electric guitars. I plugged in a model they sent me to test and found it on par with any mid-level electric, but it was definitely lighter and easier to handle. He is shipping the guitars in June.
Could Kelly have made this whole thing out of carbon fiber and goose down? Probably, but I think the sound here is superior to other odd electrics I’ve seen over the years. The only other ultralight guitar I’ve seen worth its weight in fresh strings are the RainSong carbon fiber models.
Do you need a lighter electric guitar? Probably not. However, it’s nice to know someone has your back if you, say, don’t want to lug a heavy piece of pine around from gig to gig or if you’re looking for something a little more portable and easier on the arms. I, for one, welcome our ultralight guitar-making overlords.
