James Trussart Steelcaster Chrome With Bigsby – USA 2012

The Trussart Steelcaster is a zero-bullshit music machine. The name tells you exactly what it is - a Fender-style guitar fashioned out of steel. And the look — an aged, hollow metal body that shows the scuffs and scars of time — provides fair warning of the gnarly tone you'll find within.

The design was dreamt up by French artist James Trussart, who lives and works in Los Angeles. He crafts the bodies out of steel, then exposes them to the elements until they start to corrode, stopping the rusting process once it's reached the point when it's "just so."

Trussart adds some finishing touches such as intricate engravings, delicate paint, a few rubs of sandpaper etc, before applying a satin coat, bolting on a beautiful Tele-style neck and fitting it with hand-wound pickups.

There are extras, like a perforated back and hand-engraved bodies and headstocks. Trussart makes about 300 guitars and basses a year. They're all different, but they all look like they can chomp your leg off.

Visit Trussart's website and you'll see photos of A-list players like Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Marc Ribot and Tom Morello slinging Trussarts on stage. 

Of course, purists will argue that an all-steel instrument like the Trussart will never be able to reproduce the sound of a "real" wooden guitar, and they're absolutely correct. This metal beast is different, but in a wonderful way.

This Steelcaster Chrome comes loaded with custom pickups by Arcane, Inc. hand-wound to Trussart's specifications. And this one is fitted with the traditional Tele configuration of two single coil pickups. Which is a bit unusual for Mr Trussart, who seems to favour a humbucker or FilterTronic in most of his Steelcaster designs.

And it also features a fabulous Bigsby vibrato tailpiece especially designed to suit the Tele style bridge pickup.

The tone of this one is brawny and forceful, with plenty of heft. And lots of big, bad Tele twang. We're talking all meat and potatoes, even at lower levels. Crank it up and it will fill the room.

Features -

Mirror Chrome Finish

Bolt-On Dark Mahogany Neck with Recessed Steel Head Cap

Rosewood Fingerboard

Perforated Metal Back

25-1/2" Scale

1-5/8" Wide Nut

9" Radius

Medium jumbo frets

Tele Style Bridge With 6 Individual Saddles

Bigsby Vibrato Tailpiece

Kluson Deluxe Tuners

Arcane Single Coil Pickups

Made In USA

Weight is 8.2 lbs

This guitar is in excellent condition. It has been owned and loved, and well looked after by its current owner. There is no evidence of player wear, partly because it’s meant to looked aged and distressed - but in a good way. There is no fret wear and everything works as it should.

Tough, rusted and rugged, the Trussart Steelcaster delivers a tone that's as gnarly as its looks.

Super-beefy twang. Custom Arcane pickups (which come standard) are hot and loud. Beautiful, fast Tele-style neck. Gorgeous, intricate detailing. Metal body is sexy and dangerous all at once, like a Smith & Wesson.

Comes in its fitted Trussart G&G case in good condition.