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 as well as a signed copy of the book 'The Nouveau Series' by Paul Schmidt.

'Spinning Arachnid'

"Like our L'Image-themed instrument, the glass selected to theme this instrument was not signed but was still selected for its beauty and uniqueness. The yellow-green glass of swirling brown lines and blue stripes suspended over gold-leaf inspires the startling fingerboard image - a pearl web, abalone arachnid, coloured bone green leaf and orange berries. The spider was also a favoured image for Nouveau for its indefatigable spinning and weaving. Like the serpent, its image is significant to many cultures' mythologies - Asian, Greek, West African, and Indo-European."

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.

Click here for audio only

Audio played by Al Petteway
Artists who play instruments by this builder: Henry Kaiser, John Cale

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 as well as a signed copy of the book 'The Nouveau Series' by Paul Schmidt.

'Spinning Arachnid'

"Like our L'Image-themed instrument, the glass selected to theme this instrument was not signed but was still selected for its beauty and uniqueness. The yellow-green glass of swirling brown lines and blue stripes suspended over gold-leaf inspires the startling fingerboard image - a pearl web, abalone arachnid, coloured bone green leaf and orange berries. The spider was also a favoured image for Nouveau for its indefatigable spinning and weaving. Like the serpent, its image is significant to many cultures' mythologies - Asian, Greek, West African, and Indo-European."

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.

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