The aim of
How it began
New designs began in July 2025, and by early 2026, I was focused on rapid prototyping to finalize the Omega model for an April 2026 Launch.
The goal was to create a model to compete in the headless market for under $1000 USD with a more ergonomic and less gimmicky design than the Hyper B. I wanted to move away from the “tuners behind bridge” style the Hyper B used, and to instead utilized traditional headless hardware. There were many prototypes, but after deciding the Salen body style was my favorite, prototyping became a matter of finding the optimal structural design for strength to weight and production simplicity.
Experimentation.
New ideas
Switching to individual headless tuners allowed far more design options to experiment with. With the new batch of 25.5" - 25" multi-scale necks I now had custom built, I could now easily create a multi-scale model to compete with competitors specifically in this niche category. I needed to find an affordable headless hardware solution that allowed both straight fret and multi-scale.
Prototype #1
This was the original idea that sparked the Omega. After decide individual tuner units were a bad solution to headless hardware (due to finicky nature of adjustment) I decided a single unit headless bridge was ideal. Based loosely on the Salen headless model, I created a new and innovative version of my own with a big arm bevel bend like a stratocaster. I found this be extremely comfortable, even more than what others offered. There were a long list of issues such as electronics placement, structural rigidity, pickup mounting, so much more work was needed.
Prototype #3
Again, the sub-frame structure was re-designed for optional strength/weight and body thickness. The goal was to make the frame as thin as possible while still being strong. This proved to be a tedious process of experimentation. I experimented with a single pickup version, and loved how it looked. The output jack was moved from the front to the rear, and wiring was now simplified, and the overall front face was now much cleaner.
Prototype #4
Things started getting finalized at this stage. The output jack was re-designed to be located on the rear, and the structural design was vastly improved with added stainless steel center beams. This particular model had a stainless steal rear panel, but I overlooked the weight gain (Stainless steel is around 3x the weight of Aluminum for the same size panel/thickness) and this came to over 4kg! That would be heavy for even a wood guitar.
Production Model
With the addition to a bent upper horn and added spacers in the leg rest area, the guitar was production ready. A complex yet elegant center beam structure provided sufficient rigidity, as well as a staggered bridge spacer design for dissipating string force through the center frame allowed for a lightweight and perfectly designed body.
Radical Experementation
During 2025, when I wasn't building customer Hyper B's, I was playing around with new ideas in CAD and building the occasional prototype for fun. Inspired by the Strandberg Meloria concept, I converted a wooden headless guitar I had purchased into a radically new bent frame model. There were many ergonomic issues, as well as productions constraints that shelved the idea. After this prototype being shared on Reddit, I have many people ask for a production version, so a 6 string version of this will come in the future as a limited run model.
Prototype #2
This was a major shift in design ethos. The floating lower horn proved to be a unique design choice that people loved. Electronics were re-configured, and the structural design was completely overhauled for strength.
Hundreds of hours in CAD
During this prototyping phase, I would list all issues with the version, and spend hours in CAD re-designing the model. Everything was meticulously analyzed for design aesthetics, usability and assembly simplicity. After each model was finalized, all panels would then be prepared for machining, and I would send the required DXF files to be manufactured.
Prototype #5
Further refinements of the sub-frame was made, and the general assemble process was improved for simplicity. A secondary front panel bend was added for dimensionality of the design, and this proved to be a unique and interesting design choice.
