If you've ever seen a plexiglass guitar body glowing under stage lights, you know exactly why individuals get obsessed with them. There's just something about this crystal-clear, almost liquid appearance that makes a typical Sunburst or solid-colored finish feel a bit boring by assessment. It's an overall head-turner, and for a lot of gamers, that's more compared to enough reason to want one. But over and above the obvious "cool factor, " presently there is a great deal to consider if you're thinking about switching from traditional wood to some thing a bit even more transparent.
The Vibe and the History
The whole idea associated with a see-through guitar isn't actually brand-new. A lot of people point back to the late 1960s when Lalu Armstrong and Ampeg teamed up to create the "See-Through" guitar. Keith Richards notoriously played one, plus suddenly, every guitar player wanted to understand how a hunk of plastic can sound that good. Since then, the plexiglass guitar body —often also referred to as Lucite or acrylic—has popped up in the particular hands of everybody from Joe Perry to Dave Grohl.
It symbolizes a specific kind of rock-and-roll rebellion. It's futuristic, yet old style at the same time. While everyone else is arguing in regards to the "moisture content" of the 50-year-old mahogany, you're sitting there with a guitar that seems like it was carved from a block of ice. It's a statement piece, basically.
Does this Actually Sound Good?
This is usually the big question that always sets off a huge debate upon forums. Can the plexiglass guitar body actually generate a good build, or could it be just a fancy-looking brace?
In truth, it sounds different, although not necessarily worse. Wood is porous and vibrates in a very specific way, whereas polymer is incredibly heavy and consistent. Because there are no "pores" or even grain patterns in order to soak up the particular vibration, the sustain on these points is usually off the charts. If a person hit a chord, it rings out there for an extended, long time.
In terms of the actual "EQ" of the sound, most players discover them to become a bit brighter and more scientific than wood. You won't get that will "warmth" or "woody growl" that individuals correlate with an aged Les Paul. Instead, you get a very apparent, punchy, and articulate sound. If you're playing high-gain things or really clean, jangly pop, a plexiglass guitar body can actually be a secret weapon. It cuts via a mix like a knife.
The particular Elephant in the Room: The
I'm never going to sugarcoat this: a plexiglass guitar body is heavy. Such as, actually weighty. If you're utilized to a light-weight Strat or a chambered Telecaster, selecting up an polymer guitar for the first time is going to be a shock to your system.
Fat is much denser than most tonewoods. While a regular electric guitar might weigh somewhere among 7 and nine pounds, a good plexiglass version can simply force 11 or 12 pounds. If you're planning on playing a three-hour collection with one of these hanging off your shoulder, you're likely to want an extremely wide, padded band. Your chiropractor can probably thanks to the business, but your lower back might have got some choice words for you the next morning.
That density is usually part of precisely why it sustains so well, but it's the main reason some players eventually move back to wood. It's a trade-off. Perform you want the look as well as the maintain, or do you want to end up being able to stroll straight the next day?
Designing and Lighting Some misconception
One associated with the best things about having a plexiglass guitar body is what you may do with the aesthetics. Since the body is apparent, you can see everything—the wiring, the planting pots, the pickups, plus the bridge. Several people love that industrial, "naked" look where you can see the guts of the machine.
But the particular real fun begins when you include LEDs. Because the material is apparent, you can stick some battery-powered DIRECTED strips into the pickup cavities or even underneath the bridge, and the entire guitar will glow. You can have the guitar that changes color with the push of the key or pulses along with the beat. It's the best stage gimmick, and honestly, it looks incredible in a darkish club. Even with out lights, the way in which a plexiglass guitar body catches plus refracts stage lamps is something wood just can't replicate.
Selecting the most appropriate Hardware
If you're building your own or even modding one, maintain in mind that every choice is visible. On a wooden guitar, you may hide messy wires within pickguard or inside a dark cavity. Having a plexiglass guitar body , there's nowhere to cover.
Many people opt regarding really clean, expensive wiring jobs—maybe a few braided shield cable or neatly nestled cloth-covered wires. Stainless hardware usually appears the best contrary to the clear material, even though black hardware can provide it an actually cool, modern "stealth" look. Gold may be a little bit hit-or-miss, but hello, it's your guitar.
Maintenance as well as the "Scratch" Factor
Maintaining a plexiglass guitar body is a bit different than polishing a nitro or even poly-finished wood guitar. Plexiglass is pretty durable in conditions of structural integrity—it's not going to warp when the humidness changes—but this is a magnetic for fingerprints plus micro-scratches.
You'll find yourself wiping it down constantly. Every time a person touch it, you're leaving a smudge which is visible from the back associated with the room. Furthermore, over time, selecting up fine scrapes from your pick and choose or even your own shirt buttons is definitely inevitable. The great news is that you can usually buff these out with a good plastic polish (the kind each uses regarding car headlights works wonders).
One thing to watch out for is static. Plastic holds a static cost much more compared to wood does. Occasionally, players find that will if they rub their particular hand against the particular back from the body while playing, they'll hear a "crackling" sound with the amp. A quick fix for this is often just a little associated with copper shielding in the right areas or even simply wiping the body with the anti-static dryer sheet before the show. This might sound weird, but it functions.
Is This a great choice for the DIY Project?
If you're a hobbyist builder, working with a plexiglass guitar body is a crazy experience. You don't use wood aeroplanes or chisels; you use saws plus routers intended for plastic material.
The particular smell could be the first thing you'll notice. Cutting acrylic has the aroma of a weird mix of a dental office along with a chemistry lab. It's also messy—instead of sawdust, you get tiny, static-charged plastic chips that will stick to everything you own. But the particular upside is that will you don't have to grain direction, drying out times, or applying twenty coats associated with lacquer. Once you've sanded the edges and polished these to a shine, you're done.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, a plexiglass guitar body isn't for everyone. It's heavy, it's a bit high-maintenance, and it has a very specific "love it or even hate it" audio. But if you want a guitar that stands out the second you pull it out associated with the case, there's nothing else like it.
Whether you're searching for that legendary Dan Armstrong sustain or you just want to place some neon lights inside your instrument to blow people's minds at the local dive bar, the plexiglass route is an enjoyable one to take. Make absolutely certain you invest in a good strap—and maybe begin doing some extra deadlifts at the particular gym. You're should retain the strength.