Caladesi Guitar's new "Slide Guitar Hybrid"

[Dan Campbell]

Here is a first look at the new "Slide Guitar Hybrid" from Caladesi Guitars. I initially was going to call this a "Stand-Up Steel," but I now think "Slide Guitar Hybrid" is the best description. It is a slide guitar on steroids, and I'm calling it a hybrid because it is neither a lapsteel (that is held on your lap) or a slide guitar (that is played vertically with a finger bar). This guitar is customizable to an extent - wood, scale, and pickup can all be customized. It also has the option of adding benders.

It is similar to the Electro-Liege but with significant differences. It is made in three parts: belly body, neck, and electronic body. The "belly body" has a stabilizer extension that is approximately 2.5 inches wide and has a concave curve that slants the guitar forward and keeps it held securely in front of the player. The belly body can also be moved in order to push the neck and electronic body forward (any preferred amount up to 3 inches in length). This option allows the player to easily reach the upper frets.

I would encourage you to ask questions about this instrument. I am off the Ireland from September 1 - 14 but will check this topic and answer questions as soon as I can. I expect this guitar to cost between $2,500 and $3,500. Dan

[Bill Groner]

I would like to know what woods did you use on the red one? It sort of reminds me of a 30's Audiovox but with the body sides switched. Interesting design, I wish you the best of luck with your new venture.

[Dan Campbell]

Thanks Bill - The wood on both red guitars is mahogany on the neck and ash on the electronic and belly bodies.

[Tom Jordan]

Don,

Thats is a fine looking guitar. Yep, I really like the ability to stand and play.

Does the "belly bar" remove to go in the case or does it stay attached?

Tom

[Dan Campbell]

Tom- Thanks for the kind words. You can remove the belly body but there is really no need. It comes with a hard shell 3/4 acoustic gator case. It fits great in there (I just took out the neck box).

It has taken me 4 years of work on this guitar to get it ready. I made over 40 bodies before I was satisfied with this one. I then took it to the Texas Steel Guitar Show and a lot of players tried it out. They had really good suggestions which led me to redesign the belly body. It was very difficult to make a mobile guitar like this that has enough flexibility to fit different types of player body types. The concave curve goes from the top of the belly body all the way to the bottom of the stabilizer and that is critical for stability. What really surprised me was that the benders are easier to use while wearing this guitar than when it is setting on a stand! Technically I guess the benders make this the world’s first mobile “pedal steel.”

When I was at the TSGA show Sarah Jory took the guitar to her hotel room and put it through the paces. She loved it and ask me to make her a custom model with benders and a picture of her dog between the pickups. So that model is now called the Sarah Jory model. One of the reasons I’m going to Ireland is to bring the guitar to her. She will do a video on it in the next month or so. She is, by the way, one of the nicest people I have ever met. Hers is like the red one with the Caladesi logo epoxied between the pickup. That one is pre-drilled to accommodate the Certano benders (the benders pictured above is on Sarah’s guitar).

The guitar does have a provisional patent on it. Dan

[Dan Campbell]

The double pickups are Seymore Duncan Custom mini-humbuckers and they come with a 5 way switch! Select bridge only, two outside pickups, both humbuckers, the two inside pickups, and the neck hum. That’s a lot of different sounds! Together the two sound amazing with amazing resonance.

Also the guitar weighs between 6 and 7 lbs. the belly body and electronic body are both hollow and the neck has a hollow cavity under the fretboard.

I can put any pickguard color/material you want. Look at WD Music and pick from a huge selection.

[Dan Campbell]

I think this was probably the wrong place to put this topic so I have also posted it to “new designs” and also “for sale steel guitars.” Sorry for any confusion. Dan