A little while ago I designed a guitar called “The Hound Dog”. This concept was my first attempt at fusing ‘60s Japanese expressionism with mainstream Americana. “The Hound Dog” is one of my favorite designs because she can be driven by a number of pickup options. I have drawn her with PAF humbuckers but she would look equally cool with P-90, single coil or Filertron pickups. My next attempt at Japanese-American fusion was “Aiko” or “The Love Child”. This design was my tribute to the Yamaha SG-2 and SG-3, a forgotten Japanese classic from the mid 1960s and, as I subsequently discovered, one of Link Wray’s favourite guitars.

Having rumbled that Wray played a Yamaha SG-2, I wondered whether I could convert “Aiko” into something he would have enjoyed playing. After a little thought and numerous sketches I came up with “The Rebel”. I chose the name because Jimmy Page has often said that Link Wray had a “real rebel attitude" and credits him in Davis Guggenheim’s film, It Might Get Loud, as a major influence in his early career. Apart from his Yamaha SG-2, Wray also played a Les Paul, SG, Flying V and Firebird, hence the Gibson overdubs and PAF humbucker pickups. I am really pleased how this concept turned out and; for me, illustrates that guitar design can be non-conformist and inventive! As always, thank you for your time and support. SR

“The Rebel”

Dedicated To All Non-Conformists!