I have noticed that there are two types of new electric guitar makers in the world.
The first are the ones making clones of traditional electrics -- like the Strat, Tele, or Les Paul. These 3 styles dominate the business, and there are many new makers simply making copies of these iconic designs. Often, they will relic them to make them look vintage. I noticed that many of these makers are located in the USA, which isn't surprising since there's a large market in North America for such guitars. Makers such as Danocaster, Kirn, D'Pergo, Lentz, Grosh, and Tyler are a few of the names. There are many more.
Then there are the ones making more modern guitars, but still using the Strat, Tele, or Les Paul as the basic template. There are many of these makers all over the world. The Strat body is probably the most popular template used, then exaggerated with sharper horns, asymmetric bodies, 6,7, 8 strings and higher, multi-laminate necks, exotic woods, headless systems, new trem systems, etc. These are geared to the modern rock, progressive, or metal player. Examples include Daemonness, Mayones, Skerveson, Blackmachine, Ormsby, OD Guitars, *strandberg, and many more.
I tend to like the latter type only because they are slowly advancing the state of the instrument with new designs, materials, construction, finishes, etc. Cloning a traditional instrument has its advantages, but progress is never really made in guitar making. It isn't like violin making only because rock and roll and contemporary music is evolving. And the instruments need to evolve with it, or actually cause the music evolution. The electric guitar is different than the violin (which doesn't change) because the music it was meant to play hasn't changed. That is in large contrast to the guitar which is able to handle many styles of music.
The first are the ones making clones of traditional electrics -- like the Strat, Tele, or Les Paul. These 3 styles dominate the business, and there are many new makers simply making copies of these iconic designs. Often, they will relic them to make them look vintage. I noticed that many of these makers are located in the USA, which isn't surprising since there's a large market in North America for such guitars. Makers such as Danocaster, Kirn, D'Pergo, Lentz, Grosh, and Tyler are a few of the names. There are many more.
Then there are the ones making more modern guitars, but still using the Strat, Tele, or Les Paul as the basic template. There are many of these makers all over the world. The Strat body is probably the most popular template used, then exaggerated with sharper horns, asymmetric bodies, 6,7, 8 strings and higher, multi-laminate necks, exotic woods, headless systems, new trem systems, etc. These are geared to the modern rock, progressive, or metal player. Examples include Daemonness, Mayones, Skerveson, Blackmachine, Ormsby, OD Guitars, *strandberg, and many more.
I tend to like the latter type only because they are slowly advancing the state of the instrument with new designs, materials, construction, finishes, etc. Cloning a traditional instrument has its advantages, but progress is never really made in guitar making. It isn't like violin making only because rock and roll and contemporary music is evolving. And the instruments need to evolve with it, or actually cause the music evolution. The electric guitar is different than the violin (which doesn't change) because the music it was meant to play hasn't changed. That is in large contrast to the guitar which is able to handle many styles of music.
