M-TONE
SLIPSTREAM
BY DIMITRI SIDERIADIS
Light-emitting diodes, freeze-dried ice cream, and amazing new foams were
among the many Space Race spin-offs
that trickled down to consumers and ultimately enriched their lives (well, maybe
not so much in the case of freeze-dried ice
cream). But as guitar enthusiasts will tell
you, these technologies were nothing compared to the advancements in the electric
guitar world of the late 1950s. Audacious
streamlining, bountiful knobs and switches, and innovative uses of plastic came
together to transform the instrument into
a beacon of rebellious independence.
It is with this progressive optimism that
Matt Proctor of M-tone Guitars created
the celestially inspired Slipstream. Matt
worked as a sculptor for 15 years before
directing his efforts toward lutherie, and
evidence of this is clear in his dynamic
curves, one-of-a-kind finishes, and hand-shaped necks that combine the boldness
of Sputnik-era design with a craftsman’s
touch and an outlook that says electric-guitar design doesn’t have to remain stuck
with Cold War motifs. Brimming with
individuality and equipped with a pair of
Lollar P-90s, the Slipstream will please
to hear audio clips of the guitar at
premierguitar.com/apr2012
CLICKHere…
those looking to set their playing on a new
trajectory or get straight-ahead, beefed-up
vintage tone.
Space tripping
With its blue-to-brown finish and prominent use of textured metals, the Slipstream
definitely doesn’t look like a product of
the late ’50s. Rather than mimicking a
period-correct artifact, it expresses the
Hipshot bridge
Pau
ferro
neck
Lollar P-90s
