A Trio of New Nik Huber Guitars Arrive!
The past week has seen many wonderful moments here in The North American Guitar showroom, but a particular personal highlight was in the three boxes that came through our doors bearing on of my favourite names in the world of hand-built electric guitars, iconic German luthier Nik Huber.
These boxes contained the three incredible new Nik Huber guitars that now hang on our walls and it has been a tremendous pleasure getting to know these sensational instruments more intimately via the medium of shooting demos, and generally spending a moment with them whenever the day affords such a treat!
The guitars themselves are a varied and versatile bunch. From the high gloss opulence of the Onyx Black Riebergen to the subtle semi-gloss finishes of the Orca and Surfmeister, each guitar showcases a different side of Nik (and his team's) passion for excellence which is later evidenced once again by the magnificent tones and consistently glorious playability.
Both the Orca and Rietbergen sport Haussel '59 pickups in their bridge positions, giving you a real insight into how much of an impact the woods and construction make on these distinctly voiced instruments. The variety in the neck pickups ('59 and Vin respectively) is an altogether different kettle of fish, with the matched '59 in the Orca carrying over the rock edge, and the Vin in the Rietbergen lending itself to the tones more traditional for a semi-hollow body guitar.
The Surfmeister is a very much different setup with a pair of Tronebucker pickups electrifying its smaller bodied semi-hollow being. With a slightly airier and beautifully dynamic sound to it, it certainly completes the set in regards to having something for everyone in this mighty trio.
Here's a closer look at what we've got in:
Nik Huber Rietbergen Standard Electric Guitar, Onyx Black High Gloss finish - £6,750
This absolutely incredible instrument is our latest Nik Huber Rietbergen Standard Model, in an utterly jaw-dropping High Gloss Onyx Black finish.
The Rietbergen features a semi-hollow Mahogany body with centre block and a Curly Maple top. A Mahogany neck is topped by an Ebony fingerboard with Silver Ring inlays.
The guitar is equipped with a pair of Haussel humbucker pickups, with a Vin model at the neck and a 1959 model at the bridge. Both pickups are controlled by master volume and tone controls and both can also be coil-tapped for single-coil tones.
- Onyx Black Highgloss Finish
- Curly Maple Top
- Mahogany Body (Hollow w/ Middleblock)
- Mahogany Neck
- Ebony Fingerboard
- Ebony Headstock Veneer
- Abalone Dot Inlays
- 25 1/2“ Scale length
- 2 x Humbuckers - Neck: Haussel Vin Humbucker; Bridge: Haussel 1959 Humbucker
- 1 x Master Volume, 1 Master Tone (Push/ Pull for Coil Tap), 3-Way Toggle Switch
- Wooden pickup rings & toggle tip
- Silver ring inlays
- Gold hardware
- Includes hard case
Nik Huber Orca '59 Electric Guitar, Faded Sunburst Semi-Gloss Finish - £7,250
This beautiful instrument is a brand new, Nik Huber Orca '59 Model Electric Guitar in an exceptionally elegant Faded Sunburst Semi-Gloss Finish, and it has had us all floored since the first time that latches on the case were flipped.
Made up of Spanish Cedar for the body, with an upgraded 'exceptionally curly' two-piece maple top, this really is a stunning example of what Nik and his team are capable of doing with an iconic design and inspired custom appointments.
With a Mahogany neck and Rosewood fretboard, the guitar instantly feels like the singlecut electric you'd only previously dreamed of. With Nik's instantly recognisable and supremely comfortable chunky neck profile and impressively meticulous fretwork, the guitar plays as smooth as they come with heaps of fat, rich tones to back it up.
Speaking of which the guitar features a set of Haussel '59 Humbuckers, the final step in securing that magical 'golden era' tone while remaining versatile enough to cover most anything else you could think of, in part thanks to the wonderfully convincing coil tap on the neck pickup's tone control.
The guitar comes with a Nik Huber branded hardcase.
- Body: Spanish Cedar
- Top: Exceptionally Curly Maple
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Scale Length: 25"
- Radius: Compound 10" to 14"
- Nut Width: 1,67"
- Nut: Polished Bone
- Headstock: Ebony Veneer
- Inlays: Mother of Pearl Crown Trapez
- Binding: Curly Maple
- Pickups: Haussel '59 set
- Controls: Two Volume, Two Tone, Coil Tap (on Neck Tone), 3-Way Toggle Switch
- Bridge: ABM AVR-2 and Aluminium Tailpiece
- Tuners: Schaller Grandtune 'Nik Huber' Kluson Style
- Finish: Faded Sunburst Semi-Gloss Nitrocellulose
- Case: Nik Huber Branded Hardcase
Nik Huber Surfmeister Electric Guitar, Faded Sunburst Semi-Gloss Finish - £4,350
- Body: Mahogany Semi-Hollow
- Top: Exceptionally Curly Maple
- Neck wood: Mahogany, Set Neck
- Fretboard: East Indian Rosewood
- Scale Length: 25,5"
- Radius: Compound 10" - 14"
- Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo, Extra Hard
- Trussrod: Double Action
- Nut Width: 1,67"
- Inlays: Sterling Silver Rings
- Headstock: Ebony Veneer
- Nut: Polished Bone
- Bridge: Nik Huber Adjustable Stoptail
- Tuners: Schaller Grandtune 'Nik Huber' Kluson Style
- Pickups: Haussel Custom Tronebuckers
- Electronics: 1 Master Volume, 1 Master Tone (Push/Pull for Coil Tap), 3-Way Toggle Switch
- Finish: Faded Sunburst Semi-Gloss Nitrocellulose
- Case: Nik Huber Branded Hardcase
We absolutely adore Nik's guitars here at The North American Guitar and having a delightfully varied array of what he has to offer out on our showroom walls is a real pleasure, the only downside being the need to exercise tremendous restraint when walking by them so as not to lose hours sat with one noodling!
If you want any more information on these sensational electrics, please don't hesitate to get it touch either on +44 (0) 207 835 5597 or via email.
Until then,
Have a great weekend!
Brian Love