Introducing a Word First series of Carved Electric Guitars, built by Master Luthiers and carved by Master Māori Carvers, combining the best of traditional artform with modern technology to bring these exceptional instruments to the Worldwide Stage.

MADE IN AOTEAROA FOR THE WORLD
Proudly made in Aotearoa/ New Zealand, incorporating the love of music, the love of guitars and the love of our culture to create these amazing works of art.

EACH GUITAR MADE WITH YOU IN MIND
What makes Tribal Guitars unique is that we strive to infuse your story into the design and build process.

Master Maori Carvers bring the guitar bodies to life using traditional, cultural patterns to tell your story within the piece. The end result is much more than instrument, it is timeless, living treasure.

CARVED GUITAR RANGE

Culturally Rich Inspirsed Designs

+ TIKI

‘Tiki’ - The first Man: created by the Maori god; Tane, is the ancestor of humankind. Tiki symbolizes the life force and the presence of our ancestors.

+ HINE-NUI-TE-PO

'Hine-nui' - daughter of Tane, changed her name to ’Hine-nui-te-po"- (Great lady of the night) after she was deceived into marrying her father unknowingly. Upon discovering the truth, she fled to the underworld.

+ MANAIA

‘Manaia’’ - A spiritual messenger and guardian between earthly and spiritual realms. It’s hybrid form connects the sky (bird’s head), the earth (human body), and the sea (fish’s tail) ‘Taniwha’

+ TAMA

'Tama' - the first carved guitar project and the inspiration to produce this series of Tribal Guitars. Named after legendary New Zealand guitarist; Tama Renata, this guitar was a custom build. One-off, custom builds are an excellent choice if you have a specific design in mind or endorsement restrictions with other guitar manufacturers.

‘Waka’ - The first Man: created by the Maori god; Tane, is the ancestor of humankind. Tiki symbolizes the life force and the presence of our ancestors.

+ WAKA

'Waka' - the ancestral canoes that voyaged from Hawaiki to Aotearoa NZ. They serve as a genealogical link to our ancestors and are a tangible connection to the past , giving the descendants a strong sense of continuity and pride.

+ TANIWHA

'Taniwha' - large, supernatural beings that live deep pools in rivers , dark caves or in the sea in dangerous places. Considered as guardians (kaitiaki) of a particular tribe (iwi).

GALLERY

SPECIFICATIONS

Find out more about the specs to suit your personal preferences

+ THE NECK/KAKI

The necks are made from beautiful hardwoods from around the world; American Walnut, Canadian Maple, African Sapele Mahogony and Asian Rosewood. These timbers are processed, aesthetically arranged into a 5 ply configuration, and glued together for maximum strength and beauty. All necks have a carved valute that separates the neck body from the headstock.

All headstocks are made with a 14-degree break angle. The fretboards are either made from African Dark Ebony or Crelicam Ebony, and all fretboards are adorned with traditional kowhaiwhai patterns, using mother of pearl and paua shell inlays and side dots.

Neck specs and dimensions as follows: 24 fret/ 25.5” scale length - 16” fretboard radius jumbo stainless-steel frets Neck widths: 43mm at the nut - 57mm at last fret. Neck thickness: 19mm at 1st fret – 21mm at 12th fret.

+ BODY /TINANA

The guitars bodies are made from salvaged native NZ timbers; Totara and Kauri, sourced for their enduring qualities, beautiful appearance and tonal character.

All pieces are inspected and processed in our own plant to identify and exclude any defects in the timber before they are used.

We have also sourced slabs of 23,000 y/o swamp Totara and Kauri, perfectly preserved in an airtight environment to be bought forward at this time. All are processed the same way and under the same scrutiny.

Body widths are set to 51.5mm thick before sanding and finishing. This is done to accommodate custom 8mm thick backplates, allowing the carved patterns to continue across the body and the backplate respectively.

+ THE HARDWARE / TAPUTAPU SPECS

Only authentic Floyd Rose and Gotoh floating bridges will be used, along with matching lock nuts and string trees. Gotoh machine heads are the tuners of choice, along with matching tone and volume knobs to complete this hardware ensemble.

Note: There are 3 colour options with the hardware; Gold/ Black/ Chrome. Choosing the right colour combination enhances the overall appearance of your instrument.

+ THE ELECTRONICS/ HIKOHIKO

The engine room of the electric guitar are the pickups. The right choice of pickups can improve the sound of a guitar, providing clarity, sustain, punch and power.

Tribal Guitars are proud to have our guitars loaded with the best pickups on the market; Dimarzio, Seymour Duncan and EMG Actives. And we’re not just choosing pickups; we’re choosing the artists who use and endorse them, so you get to hear exactly what you’re getting:

Andy Timmons:
AT-1™ Bridge Humbucker and The Cruiser® Single Coil Hot Rails Passive Pickups from Dimarzio

Steve Vai:
Evolution® Bridge Humbucker, Evolution® Neck Humbucker and the Evolution Mid-Single Coil Passive Pickups from Dimarzio

James Hetfield:
JH-’Het’ Set Active Bridge and Neck Humbuckers from EMG

Billy Gibbons:
Hades Gates™ Bridge and Neck Humbucker Passive Pickups from Seymour Duncan

THE BUILD PROCESS

How We Custom-Build Your Tribal Guitar

Tribal Guitars has a unique build process, drawn from cultural ties and a long-standing love of Rock guitars. The synergy created from combining traditional cultural artforms and modern equipment and technology is truly what makes Tribal Guitars second to none

1) GETTING STARTED

To get started we want to know a little about you . Your life story is what makes you special.

Our unique build process allows us to custom-build your guitar according to your story.

Or, if it's the artistry you want, we also have collective patterns that can be used to adorn and embellish your guitar.

2) CHOOSE A STYLE/ SHAPE

Each shape in the Tribal Guitars collection has a meaning and a story of it's own.

Select your preferred guitar from the Carved Guitar Range above. Each with it's specific shape and meaning that resonates with you.

This will be the base that we work from to create your custom-build guitar.

3) CARVING YOUR STORY

Our Master Carvers either interpret your story, or draw from a collective of traditional patterns, which are then carved into the surface of the guitar.

Patterns and designs from other cultures can also be incorporated into the carving. This can happen only after learning about the culture and researching their particular patterns.

4) HARDWARE- ELECTRONICS

Choose the hardware and electronics from our preferred suppliers to achieve the sound and feel you want from your guitar.

Floyd Rose and Gotoh floating bridges come standard in every guitar. We also allow the flexibility to modify to your preference.

Dimarzio, Seymour Duncan and EMG are the preferred suppliers for pickups, either active or passive.

You also have the ability to choose your colour scheme to either highlight or contrast accordingly.

5) ASSEMBLY-FINISHING

Penetrating oil and Gloss Wax oil are used to coat, protect and highlight the unique body shape and intricate carvings.

Master Luthiers finish, assemble, setup and sign off each guitar to it's exact specifications to complete the custom-build process.

Custom SKB guitar cases are made specially for these uniquely shaped guitars.

Finally, each Tribal Guitar comes with a miniature guitar pendant and Tribal Guitars tee shirt for you to wear and spread the word around the world.

HARDWARE & ELECTRONICS

Our guitars are fitted to you - using the worlds leading brands

FAQ'S

+ Do you do other cultural designs?

Yes however, we would discuss what might be the most appropriate way to go about it and ensure cultures are respected.

+ Do you do other shapes or custom orders?

Yes, we will consider one-off designs to a specific order however, considerations regarding trademark, practicality and function will need to be explored.
Please note: any designs made in conjunction with Tribal Guitars will become the property of the said company unless otherwise stipulated.

+ Can we buy a blank guitar?

Yes, the surface patterning is the final part of the build process and can be bypassed to allow guitars to be finished as a shaped, but un-patterned guitar.

+ Do you have a shop/ premises we can try guitars?

Yes, Tribal Guitars workshop and studio space are available to inspect, test and trial all carved guitars.

+ How long does it take to recieve my guitar once ordered?

The wait time from first deposit to completion ready for shipping is 4 to 6 weeks. Shipping time is according to each destination

+ Do you have any payment options?

Tribal Guitars payment plan is set at 50% deposit on confirmation to proceed, with the remaining 50% balance on completion of the build, prior to shipping

+ Where are you based?

Tribal Guitars are based in Auckland, New Zealand.

ENDORSED BY MASTER LUTHIERS GUILD

All our guitars are assembled and tested by qualified, Master Luthiers for quality assurance to help the customer know that their product is of a high standard and meets Consumer Rights and expectations.

HOW TO ORDER

Keen to get the ball rolling? Heres what to do next

1) CHOOSE GUITAR SHAPE

Choose a guitar shape that resonates with you, ( Tiki, Hine-Nui, Taniwha, Manaia) remembering that each shape has a legend and a story of its own.We will also consider one-off designs to a specific order.

Considerations regarding trademark, practicality and function will need to be explored.Please note; any designs made in conjunction with Tribal Guitars will be the property of the said company unless otherwise stipulated.

2) YOUR STORY

'Tell us your story and what you want the surface patterns to say about you and/or your life.

Note: The guitar bodies are shaped, but the surface patterning is done only once your story has been told. The surface patterns (whakarei) used to tell your story are drawn from the Māori culture and are hand carved into the body before final sanding and finishing.

3) PREFERENCES

Give us your guitar setup preference ie. with/without floating bridge,Your pickup preference ie. active/passive, hot/warm,and lastly a colour palate ie. hardware, pickup and knob colour etc. to highlight or contrast against the carved guitar.(Please note that if you are not sure about which pickups, what hardware, or what colours you want, we can help you choose).

'We combine the best specialists in carving and guitar design to co-create your specialised taonga/ treasure'

- Hirini T
Founder

Get in touch

If you have any questions please feel free to contact on the details below!

Tamaki Makaurau/ Auckland
Aotearoa / New Zealand

Hirini Tukaki
+64 27 236 6038

[email protected]

Manukau 2112,

Auckland

Phone: +64 272 366 038

Email: [email protected]
www.tribalguitars.nz