"Thanks so much for the guitar.  It sounds great.  Good heavy tone and also very versatile.  Ur clearly an excellent luthier.  It's a beautiful instrument.  Next time I am in the studio, I will bring it along...."

- Tom Morello

Nov. 2008

Late in 2007, a guitar was agreed to be made by me for Tom Morello. Not a purchase or endorsement. The instrument was to have "whatever fanciness" I wanted to put in it.  At one point during the build process, I noticed a face looking back at me in the figured wood of the top - it looked like, well, like a Goblin and so that is what I started calling it and the name stuck. The "Goblin" was a chance to stretch my creative abilities for a high profile player. It was designed specifically for his playing style with room to grow in his creative process.  It incorporates some unique electronics - a Firedrive system.  Peter Warmington is the mastermind behind the system out of Australia and we worked closely during this project. The Firedrive allows the strings to sustain in a very organic musical way with rich harmonic content and for added benefit, one doesn't have to sacrifice a genuine singlecoil pickup in the neck position.  Additionally, the guitar features the Buzz Feiten tuning system^TM, Seymour Duncan pickups (one customized specifically for this guitar out of the custom shop), pocketed frets, a Logo inlaid in the headstock with extreme precision, custom fabricated aluminum hardware and a Shed Neck^TM.   On a personal note, I am blessed to have produced this guitar for one of the worlds' most prolific players.  The photos above depict the design and build process from the onset to the end.  Enjoy the view. 

 - John Guilford