March 29, 2017 - Aluminum guitar manufacturer, Normandy Guitars, recently released the SuperHawk archtop to its line. The hollow-bodied guitar is constructed using aircraft grade 5052 aluminum that is laser cut from sheet and then TIG welded during assembly. The aluminum body sustains sound quality that matches or surpasses those of traditional woods—depending on who you ask.
Oregon’s aluminum guitar manufacturer, Normandy Guitars, has just released the crown jewel of their guitar line, The new SuperHawk Archtop. This aluminum ‘bird’ follows Normandy’s M.O. of building some of the coolest archtops you’ve ever seen made from recycled tin cans. But this one aims to take a bite out of that historically difficult to enter rockabilly genre that’s more often than not represented by a Gretsch in one way or another.
The SuperHawk has made some obvious changes that you’d expect from a “Billy” guitar including, TV Jones Classic Filter'Tron Pickups, a Bigsby B7 tremolo, Trem handle switched out with a Chet Atkins-style bar, vintage-style pickguard and the finish on the neck with it’s cue ball white and dusty gray/blue on the back is reminiscent of vintage 1950s models. Add it all up and the total vibe of the SuperHawk is getting the attention of some of the world’s better known “Billy” guitarists.
Another big change with this new Normandy is the metal finish on the aluminum body. It’s not the usual production finishes of chrome plated, anodized, aged copper plating or powdercoat paint. For the first time they are offering their guitars with a raw aluminum finish! Jim Normandy, President and CEO of the company adds “Not sure why we haven’t done this before but it seems to me that an aluminum guitar should look like it’s made out of aluminum. Not covered up like a bumper or something. The finish is alive and the patina ages over time every time you touch it, drip sweat or spill beer on it!” The specifications for the SuperHawk include:
Features:
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- Aircraft-grade aluminum archtop body
- Two piece Mahogany neck w/ ebony FB, MOP “crown” inlays and white binding finished in two tone grayish blue/white
- TV Jones “Classic” neck & bridge pickups
- Individual Vol for each pickup, Kill Switch , 3-way pickup selector switch & master tone
- Bigsby B7 tremelo with Chet Atkins style trem arm
- Space Control Roller Bridge
- High Impact Acrylic Blue Pickguard
- Classic Kluson Waffle Back Tuners w/ pearloid tombstone knobs
- CTS pots, Switchcraft jacks & switches, Orange Drop caps and Belden braided wire
- Custom Hardshell Normandy Roadcase
- Lifetime warranty
