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Artists who play instruments by this builder: Henry Kaiser, John Cale

Special Offer: In response to the economic climate the owner of this wonderful series of guitars is offering a limited time 40% reduction to offer players a chance to own these very special limited edition guitars.

Just off a showing at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, California. The Nouveau Series is a special project developed by author and musician Paul Schmidt and luthier Michael Spalt. A series of electric guitars that transcend the six string and blend it seemlessly with true art. The series was inspired by Art Nouveau and these instruments are at once art and the most serious of musical tools. Michael Spalt and Paul Schmidt spent several years developing the idea, finding artwork and artifacts, sketching, collaborating and finally building these exquisite gems.

The pieces are based on the Klein acoustic shape with inclusions of art nouveau artifacts, natural woods, bone and the finest hardware. Not only are these instruments stunning visual works of art, but they are ergonomic masterpieces as well. The bodies feel immediately familiar and the solid Rosewood necks, with there flat sheen, feel played for 50 years. The BoneTop pickups are extraordinary - Gorgeous hand crafted Bone bobbins died in a variety of colors with Alnico magnets for the Bridge and Ceramic for the Neck. They voice is stellar, clear and loud with other-worldly sustain. Each instrument also has it's own custom case that continues the guitars individual statement.

'Tiffany Bon-Bon'

"Another of the Series' Tiffany-themed instruments is highlighted with the soft incandescent sheen of gold coloured bon-bon dishes - classic Tiffany. Two of Tiffany's Favrile glass pieces (the name Tiffany gave to his glass of this style) gild the body - one right side up to reveal the generous beauty of its colour, and the other turned to reveal an original sticker applied by the studios at its creation. These pieces from Tiffany's history theme the instrument both in hue and form, as stylized versions of the dishes appear as pearl inlay up the neck and into the headpiece."

"In addition to the body, neck and fingerboard woods noted for the prototype that became the standard for the Series, the woods used for the top are Yellowheart, Walnut, and Oak, with the bridge fashioned from Amazon Rosewood. The wood shapes take their cues from the Tiffany glass forms, while the resin knobs, Catalin switch and bone pickups mirror the colour of the center wood. All gather to produce an instrument that is at once playful and stately."

Click here to read about the Nouveau Series on builder Michael Spalt's website.

Click Here to view the book 'The Nouveau Series' by Paul Schmidt.

Click Here to view photos from the Museum Showing at the Museum of Making Music.

Special Offer: In response to the economic climate the owner of this wonderful series of guitars is offering a limited time 40% reduction to offer players a chance to own these very special limited edition ...read full description

Artists who play instruments by this builder: Henry Kaiser, John Cale