Inlays can help add an extra bit of spark to the design of your instrument and are a way to emphasise your individuality.
They are an art form, which is why we take great pride in the methods we've developed in-house to ensure our inlays seamlessly integrate into the design language of your instrument.
Inlay materials:
-
Mother of Pearl (gold, black, white)
-
Abalone
-
Paua shell
-
Reconstituted stone
-
Quilted and figured tonewoods
-
Synthetics (carbon fibre, specialised plastics)
-
Plus many more
Standard designs:
-
Dot
-
Trapezoid
-
Parallelogram
-
Orion Swirl
-
Split Diamond
-
Growing Swirl
-
Ruben Guitars Flourish
CARVES
Adding a carve to your guitar is a fantastic way to add depth to the top, which works equally well with solid colours or stained caps such as quilted or flamed maple.
We are particularly excited to present our 'Fibonacci Carve' top that is featured in the Apex Predator series. This carve makes use of Fibonacci's principle which is observed throughout nature. We also offer carved tops for our other models including The Orion, The Evolution and The Odyssey.
Naturally, we can also do one-off custom carve tops upon request.
COMFORT
A comfort bevel for your arm or ribs allows you to play your guitar longer by not putting additional stress on your main contact points. This feature is available on both acoustic and electric guitars and is a handsome addition to either.
NECK PROFILE
If there is anywhere on the guitar where the "feel" of the wood and surface is critical, it is the neck. As such a high contact area, you owe it to yourself to pick a neck profile that bests suits the way you play the guitar. We have five standard profiles available for you to choose from, or if you want the ultimate in feel and playability, you can, of course, have your neck hand-shaved to your exact specification during the course of a "neck-fitting" session.
Available profiles:
-
Ruben Guitars Modern
-
1959 Les Paul
-
1954 Telecaster
-
1962 Stratocaster
-
1992 Stratocaster
-
Custom
HARDWARE
When it comes to guitars there is, rightly so, a great deal of focus devoted to tonewoods. However, the hardware of a guitar is also very important when it comes to reliability and functionality, but also aesthetically. We use only the highest quality hardware and components for our guitars and have personally tested them all. If you're after something special to add that extra edge to your instrument, such as a tremolo bridge or engraved tuners, we are happy to assist with that.
Optional hardware
-
Floating or tremolo bridge
-
Custom finish/colour hardware
-
Locking tuners
-
Engraved or exposed gear tuners
-
Custom made knobs or switches
-
Custom pickup surrounds
PICKUPS
It is important to pair a guitar with high-quality pickups in order to extract all of the latent tone residing within the tonewoods. With all of our electric guitars we offer a wide range of pickups as standard, but should you want the extra edge that a boutique set of Lindy Fralin pickups can provide, we have you covered there also. So if it's a vintage-sounding set of P90s or something to make your amp scream, let us know and we can guide you down the tone rabbit hole.
For our acoustic guitars, after having tested almost every pickup on the market, we see no better system than those provided by LR Baggs in the Anthem or Element models.
ROSETTE & PURFLING
The rosette and purfling on a guitar serve to tie the design elements and colours present in the tonewoods together. Over the years we have done many combinations that can help you with choosing your own, but you need not be limited to what has been done in the past as we also offer custom rosette design.
FINISHING
There is something special about a guitar finish that has been hand-rubbed, much like an artist painting their landscape masterpiece. We strive for exceptional depth of colour and clarity in our finishes and offer both matte and high gloss which we do in our strictly controlled painting environment. If you're looking for a burst finish or a special colour scheme for your figured top, let us know and we can help you choose a combination that brings out the best of the natural beauty in your tonewoods. Special finish such as metallic are also available.
CUSTOM FEATURES
Need something completely out of the box, or one-off? Look no further than our bespoke, custom feature program, where we provide you with all of our design team's support in creating something truly unique on your next build. Examples of past custom features include engraving the bracing on the inside of acoustic guitars, creating a carved top inlaid with a scene from a drawing, or even designing a custom bridge to match a fingerboard inlay. We revel at a challenge, and would love to hear what you have in mind!
ACCESSORIES
Our accessories make an excellent partner for your new guitar and are of the highest quality. Our range includes straps, leads, pedals, and anything else a guitarist needs, all of which has been thoroughly tested. We also offer guitar-related gifts in the form of homewares such as serving platters or coasters.