No holds barred here. Even if it's the craziest idea ever, assume here that anything is possible. After the Synth AXE in 1984, those weird guitars that Daryl Steurmer and Mike Rutherford had in Genesis with the hot swap-ready neck and electronics, and Steinburger removing the headstocks, we have seen a lot, but there has to be more.
I would want a Tele style body. Rosewood neck. But the neck would have E-D-D-I-E fret markers on 9-7-5-3 and 1. And the electronics would be extremely difficult, but in this age, difficult doesn't mean impossible. I would want a series of buttons on the bottom left of the body by the cutaway that when I find a tonal combination I like I can double press a button and the electronics would store the location of the volume, tone and pickup selection. The buttons would have an LED so I know which is selected. There would also be one button that turns off any selected preset. Then to clear the setting for reuse, just tap and hold. I haven't worked out yet how I would preserve the memory when the batteries went dead, but since it can't happen anyway, let that be assumed. Maybe on a stick of RAM. I dunno.
A long time ago I took an old guitar and on the bottom half I used velcro to put a mini one octave MIDI controller so I could stop playing guitar, hold the pick in my teeth, play a string or horn part via MIDI, then go back to guitar. So I had a REAL key-tar!! That didn't last long because not only are my fingers too fat to play chords on that tiny keyboard, I also had to run a MIDI cable to use it. Much later on I had an M-Audio MidAir, which was a wireless MIDI transmitter. I stuck that on the back of a 49 key M-Audio controller that I rigged with strap pins so I could wear it around my neck like Edgar Winter used to do before such things were built. I now have an Alesis Vortex, but it was cool back then to have one I made myself.
when I retired I had my dream guitar custom made by STATUS in the UK. Its a solid carbon fiber build, so it's impervious to humidity and temperature for the most part. I had them swap out the bridge pickup for sustainer pickups because it's nice to get infinite sustain at the flip of a switch. Then I recently added a Roland GK-3 to it so I can switch between regular guitar and MIDI. Since adding the GK-3 I haven't experimented yet, but I'm hoping the sustainer pickup will add realism to MIDI patches like cello, that would naturally consist of long bowed/sustained notes.
My dream guitar use to be my posted BIAB avatar. A vintage, custom built Gibson double neck guitar originally owned by my mother. It was really her dream guitar more than mine I guess but it would meet a lot of people's definition of a 'dream' guitar.
It now resides and is on display at Songbirds Vintage Guitar Museum in Chattanooga, TN.
...It now resides and is on display at Songbirds Vintage Guitar Museum in Chattanooga, TN.
Charlie, for people who might/will never have the opportunity to visit, pleased send a photo. I really like understanding where we are now based on where we came from. Great story, and it's appreciated.
BIAB & RB2025 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
Light weight (5lb), balanced (no neck dive), comfortable contoured body. It feels like I'm wearing it instead of holding it
Great upper fret access
Hardened stainless steel frets on a 14" radius 25.5"scale neck
Straight string path, Sperzel locking tuners, and a vibrato system that keeps the guitar in tune all night
Master volume knob near the picking hand
Duncan P-Rail pickups so I can get P90, Rail, Series humbucker and Parallel humbucker sounds
Piezo pickup under the bridge that can be played independently or blended with the magnetic pickups
I had it built in the custom shop before Parker bit the dust. It's the Parker DF522NN (the NN is for Notes Norton). The only problem I have is that I no longer have GAS. I can look at other beautiful guitars and appreciate their looks, but I'm so happy playing this one that I have no urge to buy another.
...It now resides and is on display at Songbirds Vintage Guitar Museum in Chattanooga, TN.
Charlie, for people who might/will never have the opportunity to visit, pleased send a photo. I really like understanding where we are now based on where we came from. Great story, and it's appreciated.
Here you go. Thanks for your interest. It's the white guitar that's third in from the right.
If I could get those unique electronics I listed I would like to have Paul Reed Smith build it. In that blue moonstone color like the Santana model. I have always liked PRS guitars and he'd be the guy I would have confidence in to be able to design those electronics that allowed tonal setting memory.
There was a guy in the Cleveland area that touted himself to be this luthier at a level where his guitars would be the next Les Paul. He built about 20 guitars. I knew the owners of 8 of them. They all said the electronics were (they used words like) "sloppy" and the necks constantly needed adjustments. When I think that I almost bought one.....
I was also taken by the Variax for a while, but of the half dozen people I know that have them, at least 5 report that the motherboard does not hold up well to humidity and they were very prone to erratic behavior, where in the middle of a song 2 or 3 strings just stopped responding. One of the others has a newer James Tyler model and he has had no issues, so maybe that was just a story of growing pains. I can say in their favor that the acoustic sounds were great on it and the ability to switch tuning in mid song by turning a knob is great. You can suddenly be in dropped D or open G just by selecting that setting. I like that.
That's a take on an old IT joke. A user comes back to their desk and the tech says "Well, I fixed 2 things but I broke 3. But the good news is, if it WAS working it would be really fast!!"
I had my dream guitar built in the early nineties. It's a Custom Martin so it doesn't have a model number. It just says Custom on the internal heel.
It's essentially an HD 28 with a cutaway, scalloped bracing in the style of the 1940's Martins, oversized soundhole similar to the Clarence White models and a double herringbone rosette around the soundhole.
I gave it to my son about a year ago.
I ordered it through my old friend since passed Joe Dobbs at Fret 'n Fiddle. I asked Joe how much it would cost and he asked "how much can you afford to pay?" I told him I was selling my motorcycle to pay for it and what I expected to get for the bike.
He then told me that would be the price of the guitar. It was well below the price of even a regular HD 28, much less a custom job.
This is Janice's 1943 D-18 Martin that has been customized by 77 years of playing
It's a cannon.
J&B
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Missing the point, guys. Fantasize here. Features you have never had. Maybe some that don't exist. This is your DREAM guitar, not one you have had and liked.
How about a bridge that when you push down it sends you into complete open G tuning? Think about that. You'd throw a lever and it changes from standard to open E. But think about that for a second. You would have to have a bridge that changes strings by different intervals, and some go up and some go down, so some would be tuning up and some would be tuning down.
3rd string would have to come up a half step, the 4th would have to come up a whole step, and the 5th string would have to go down a half step. Does such a bridge exist?
I briefly referenced this in the original, but I would love to have a guitar body that incorporated a one octave midi controller so I could go from guitar to synth without moving a step or doing it from behind the keyboard stack.
I would also like to have someone build me a 9 string guitar, where 1-2-3 were normal but 4-5-6 had an octave doubler string like a 12 string. I know I could get a 12 string and leave those 3 strings off, but that'd look stupid. I would wonder about the tension on the next with 6 strings on one side of it and 3 on the other. That might take some engineering.
I would also like a guitar with the wireless built in and hard wired to the output jack. All the user ever has to do is change batteries and remember to turn it off when you are done playing.
Like the Relish or Somnium guitars with the hot swap-able pickups!!! You can literally swap pickups between songs! Brilliant!
Now, add that swapping pickup concept to the built in wireless concept, and you could go from Tele to Strat to Paul and be wireless with one guitar. One that likely would cost more to make than a small house, but this is all conceptual anyway.
If people didn't think outside the norm we wouldn't have the B bender or G bender, whichever you'd prefer. I would like a Telecaster with a B bender on the neck strap pin and a G bender on the bottom strap pin. Pull down on the neck to bend the B, push down on the body to bend the G. Imagine building THAT bridge.
Well, there it is. Already built. Waiting for it. You may was well have it if it will make you happy. You may have to go into debt to get it but it's not like anybody will take it back when your croak. I am at that age now where once some immediate things are over with I will not need to be prudent financially anymore so I will then buy EVERYTHING I want and my executor can worry about the debt when I'm dead. I have known SO MANY PEOPLE who strive to be the richest corpse in the graveyard and not one yet has hitched a U-Haul to their hearse. Why do people think if they die with a fortune in the bank they have somehow won? You scrimp and save so someone else can spend the fruits of that scrimping and saving? Not me! I plan to die with 25 bucks in the bank but a house full of GREAT toys that I got to use without paying for completely.
You asked for our dream guitar. I've had 1 flat top and 2 archtops custom built.
A dream guitar doesn't need to have gadgets, buttons or levers to be someones dream guitar. Adding those would just make it more of a curiosity than an instrument. It might survive your passing but it would never be played, ... although it might be displayed.
Bob, a "dream" is something that isn't real! Something that doesn't exist. Something that's never been seen before. I have "dream" things in almost every area of life. Like my dream car stereo. It would have bluetooth at such a high level of complexity that I could sit here in my office and update the thumbdrive in it.
The world we are in is a lot of The Jetsons come true. Zoom and Skype are nothing more than George Jetson's video calls with Mr Spacely. Rosey the Robot? Roomba and the robotic butler/concierge available at some swanky hotels around the world. Elroy went to school in his version of what is now a drone. Holograms? You have heard of Michael Jackson's show done all with holograms, right? Jetpacks? We have them now. How about Dick Tracy's 2 way radio watch? There are a half dozen smart watches out there now.
Remember. Somebody told Michelangelo that his machine wouldn't fly.
Also consider that for everybody who is considered to be at the top of their field, that can also mean that they have reached the limitations of the equipment that is available. If not for Emmett Chapman saying "I can take the guitar further" there would be no Chapman Stick. And that's what is at the root of this exercise. I hate the idea of being locked in a box of "now" with no look toward "what if."
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana, Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes, MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano, Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7, Playable RealTracks Set 4, RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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