What's new with Nik Huber Guitars? Since I first got in contact with Nik (late summer '04) his business has been growing by leaps and bounds. Guitars "back then" - seems almost like a lifetime - could be easily delivered in 3 months' time. Then came the review in Guitar Player (december '04), winter NAMM '05, summer NAMM '05 and all of a sudden "Eeeeev'rybody hoober!"... Lead times are now 9 months for new and custom orders. Nik has signed up some awesome US heavyweight dealers such as Bob Willcutt and Cliff Cultreri so now the ranks of the US representation is a real powerhouse. Members of hardcore forums like Gearpage have begun to pounce on "those german guitars" - despite the immense choice offered by the excellent north american builders from Koll to Heathley, to Driskill, Chapin, Melancon, Tyler...you name it. All I can say is - grab the guitars while they're here and available. Nik is NOT going to compromise by churning wood like the bigger fellows and lead times are going to get even longer. Just to give you an idea, Italy is starting to ramp up demand and we've not even started with France, for example, or Austria for that matter. Thank you all for reading these few lines, thank you for your interest, thank you for contemplating whether to "ride a hoober"...! A word about Nik Huber Guitars Nik Huber's creatures to some people looks strangely similar to Paul Reed Smith's, and these folks are probably right, as Nik has some of Paul's DNA in his own blood. The son of a cabinetmaker who built Nik's first guitar at a course on the isle of Formentera (Spain), Nik Huber obtained the licence to open Paul's first authorized repair shop in Germany back in 1995 and had several of Paul's masterpieces in his hands for repair and refinish jobs. At the same time Nik was striving to do his own thing, and after some early custom jobs - which by now have rocketed to Collector Item status - he launched first a super-strat model called the "Steve Lauer" (no longer in production), and shortly thereafter the Dolphin and the singlecut-themed Orca. Much of Nik's success can be attributed to his most important skill: wood selection. Nik has excellent relations with some of the world's best tone woods suppliers but this alone does not explain it all. In Nik's hands the tone woods are carefully matched for the best possible outcome - the "right" neck for that body, the "right" fretboard for that neck. The correct quantity of the proper kind of glues, the proper curing times for the woods and the finishes - details like these are what ultimately makes the difference that you can both see and hear. Nik Huber is - simply put - Europe's answer to his onetime mentor, Paul Reed Smith, his guitars already being a much coveted "insider" affair. If you're wondering why you haven't seen that many around, it is simply because Nik's shop produces 10-12 pieces per month without the help of modern technologies such as CNC...

Dolphin The Dolphin has a vaguely tele-inspired shape, and features a 25.5" scale, two Häussel humbuckers (splittable), a mahogany body and set neck (optional: bolt-on), a maple top (plain, flamed or quilted) and an indian rosewood fingerboard (optional: brazilian rosewood, ebony), wraparound tailpiece or tremolo. The sound of the Dolphin is BIG - full, woody, powerful, with plenty of dynamics and sustain. The guitar is easily "eq'd" by tilting the pickups and a little tweak of the tone controls of your amp takes you from jazz smokiness to rock grittiness. If you opt or the trem version you'll be regaled with all the above plus shimmering highs and an almost harp-like quality to the overall tone of the guitar. [Note: the above comments refer to the characteristics of the "standard" mahogany /IRW / maple top guitar. Adjust the comments according to the tweaks]. Harry's custom wound pickups will allow you to play a one channel amp and have all the best tones under your fingertips - full volume for thick crunch, dial on "2" for clean, roll it up to "4" for slight grittiness and so on... This is a guitar that can go from Pat Metheny to Korn - and it's no hype. This is what the pro studio / touring players I've met have factually proven to me by playing the guitar in front of my eyes and ears. If you're a jazz player looking for a solid bodied instrument to complement your favourite archtop, look no further: the regular Dolphin is probably what you're looking for. If you're looking for an airier, thinline sound then try out a Redwood Dolphin - you'll be surprised at it's tonal dimension (yes - body size does NOT matter!). To sum it up: if total versatility is what you're after then, by all means go for the Dolphin. If budget is a factor then skip the quilt, the gold, the inlays - you'll still end up with all the tones you want and more. According to the jurisdiction you live in, you may be able to choose between the 3+3 and the 4+2 headstock. Popular versions: Korina body and neck Korina hollow body, redwood top Korina body, rosewood neck, P90s "Junior" 1 P90 version Upcoming: Jazzbox in alder, spruce top, flame maple neck, rosewood or ebony fretboard, 1 or 2 p.ups Special order: "Telphin" (tele carved top), bolt on neck, ash body, maple neck, 4+2 headstock

Orca

Nik is a professional guitarist as well, and has had chance over the course of the years to play "singlecut" guitars, most of which left him with the bold desire to re-engineer some of the features which he found to be a not-so-so functional compromise. First thing you'll notice is that the body is somewhat thinner. The mahogany portion has been reduced by about 1/2" with respect to a "normal" similarly built guitar, whilst the top is of regular thickness, meaning that the maple will "sound" more. The next not so obvious tweak was to set the neck at a straighter "zero" angle o the top, as opposed to the tradition; the headstock similarly is less angled. Last but not least, the scale lenght is 25", as opposed to the traditional shorter scale. All these modifications strive to bring more definition, resonance and sustain to the guitar, which by the way does not sound in any way "thin". One popular mod has been to ask for a "fatback" body - which brings it's dimensions back to the tradition. Other popular requests have been: korina hollowbody and neck, maple top and rear, IRW neck, "Peter Green" pickups (the neck p.up is turned around AND has a flipped around magnet), nitro finish, "sunken in" finish.

General options
	Nitro finish, "sunken in" finish, double stain or regular spray-on finish, gold hardware, brazilian rosewood / ebony / snakewood fretboard, "fatback" body (Orca), chambering / hollowing, mastergrade "Private Stock" top woods, wood pickup rings, etc.