THE SKY’S THE LIMIT

The seven-string world of an often unsung guitar hero.

There are few guitar players who more authentically embody the vibe of the 70s than former Scorpion Uli Jon Roth, Germany’s answer to Jimi Hendrix. Since leaving Rudi Schenker and co. in 1978 he has produced not only some highly original music, but also a unique instrument on which to play it: the Sky Guitar. Uli unveiled version the first in 1983, and the core of its spec, although having undergone a number of refinements, has remained pretty constant since. A man who can wield a seven-string, 36-fret electric guitar dubbed The Rembrandt Sky as effortlessly as he can deserves respect. Dean USA produced a limited run of Sky Guitars between 2010 and 2015, with retail prices starting at around the £7,700 mark, and Roth has recently announced that a further 50 examples, built luthier by German Boris Dommenget, are in the pipeline. Prices are likely to be, well, sky high.