RKS Solid Wood Body - Candy Apple Red Burst

RKS Guitars was joint venture by Ravi Sawhney and Dave Mason. The initial model had a figured maple neck-through armature with premium elliptical fret markers, a metal point on the headstock, Lace pickups, and an aluminum ribbed, cellulose shell. It had a distinctive control layout with the pickup switch in the top channel where you could thumb it and keep your other fingers on the strings, and similarly, volume and tone in the lower channel where you could dial them with your lower fingers and keep your pick on the strings. Followed by the Wave an entry level model with painted neck, thicker shell body and no ribs. no metal on the headstock, and plain fret markers. All this was done with the gate of a famed professional guitarist testing innovations coming from unique advanced design techniques including psychology, ergonomics, and experience marketing. The company was a crossover hit into business circles, featuring the Wave in Harvard Business Review and Business Week. 

Along the way, players were attracted to it, but the shell body seemed a bit to far for some, so the company started making solid wood bodies keeping the channels along the armature but with the "wings" being full on tone bars, similar to Teuffel tonebars on the Birdfish. Weight went from sub-ST to approximate LP on the shoulder. Some think the tone of the shell versions has a touch of hollow body whereas the solid wood bodies are somewhere between chambered and the warmer LP.

This guitar is in excellent condition with no visible signs of wear on frets, neck, body or gear. Perhaps mint, but we rarely use that these days except for collector guitars with provenance.

The sound is classic dual humbucker with Lace Sensor flavors so a bit more edge than mainstream HH guitars.

It's a shame much of the guitar buying public is so conservative. RKS guitars were distinctive, great sounding, easy playing and highly regarded by most everyone who played them. The company unfortunately ceased production, like so many innovators, just not getting enough traction.

We saw Mr. Mason at the Tarrytown Music Hall a year ago and he was fabulous. Still in great form, playing well and filling the segues with his wry, but humble humor. We saw Mr. Sawhney at Summer NAMM a few years ago promoting his D&A line of accessories. We swear by the D&A pocket folding stands and starfish uprights here in the shop. Mr. Sawhney continues to design at the highest levels, in a wide variety of product spaces, including most recently in music, the Line 6 Amplifi.