HeliArc Guitars
BY RICH OSWEILER
If this is the first you’ve heard of HeliArc Guitars, don’t feel like you’re not in the
know. This Santa Ana-California luthier is
relatively new to the scene. But once you lay
eyes on this company’s truly unique take on
the electric guitar, you probably won’t forget it.
Rick Adams, the man behind HeliArc
guitars, along with longtime partner Wayne
Peltier, had been designing and manufacturing
various products in Adams’ Southern California
facility for some time. He began experiment-
ing with a guitar design with a new, different
look that players of all styles would gravitate to.
After a great deal of tinkering and refinement
to the design, HeliArc Guitars was born. Once
the initial design was complete, recording
artists Joey D’Anda, Jeff Abercrombie, and
Michael Elsner were brought onboard to
provide an added dimension with their deep,
music-industry experience.
Handcrafted while utilizing high-tech
manufacturing methods and the input from
multi-platinum artists, HeliArc uses aircraft-grade aluminum to create its instruments.
They then load them up with some of the
finest parts in the industry to provide the
tone and sustain professionals demand. “The
reason behind our passion for high-quality,
Arc Light
With its unique and clear sound, the Arc Light is built to appeal to a range of guitarists, primarily those playing country, jazz, or other music genres with an acoustic
element. Available with an aluminum, gold anodized, or candy red finish, the 24
3/4"-scale Arc Light is outfitted with a single Lace Alumitone pickup. HeliArc states
that with additional gain, players can achieve the vintage sounds of bluesmen from
the ’60s and ’70s.
VT Bomber
Like most other HeliArc models, the VT Bomber utilizes a single, Lace Alumitone
pickup for electronics, but there is an option to add a center-cone pickup, giving
the VT Bomber the ability to produce additional tones for blues and country-west-ern styles. The 25 1/2"-scale VT features a vintage-style tailpiece, locking tuners by
Grover, and is available in green, copper, and candy red finishes.
Drop Tail Bomber
The Drop Tail Bomber’s design features a body-inset tailpiece, giving the
guitar its vintage appearance while helping to provide the extended sustain
musicians look for when playing country, jazz, or rock leads. With locking
tuners by Grover and a single Lace Alumitone pickup, the 25 1/2"-scale
Drop Tail Bomber is available with an aluminum, black, or white finish.
