James Trussart is one of the few builders who has broken the mold of traditional guitar making. Working with steel as the primary material, he produces guitars that are as unique in appearance as they are in tone.

Trussart’s creations are designed to have the look and feel of a vintage instrument with the added appeal of a metal construction. His "Rust-o-matic" technique (a term coined by Billy Gibbons regarding Trussart’s unique finishes) involves leaving the guitar body exposed to the elements for several weeks, allowing it to corrode before treating it to stop the corrosion. He then sands it to replicate years of distress, and then finishes it with a clear satin coat.

And the sound? Former Guitar Player magazine editor and guitarist Joe Gore (Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Tracy Chapman) summed the distinguishing tone of Trussart’s Steelcaster with the following rave:

“I literally believe this guitar makes me play better. I love the combination of ultra-articulate attack and full-bodied sustain. It’s almost as if one is playing through a high-quality compressor, only without sacrificing a shred of transient impact. The subtle metallic resonance—that extra midrange peachiness—telegraphs articulation details. I play predominantly with my bare fingers, and I've never before encounter an electric guitar that communicates the texture of skin, nail, and combinations thereof with such breathtaking immediacy. I also find myself better able to ‘shape’ notes. I think that’s dueto: a combination of the guitar’s innate sustain, the perfect fretwork, the way subtle neck bends complement finger vibrato, and the gratifying ‘feedback loop’ created when the metal body hums against your chest."

Click here to visit the James Trussarts website