Los Angeles-based guitarist/bassist Felix Martin launches basses for FM Guitars, a brand that focuses on instruments for tapping.

“Playing two guitars or basses simultaneously opens up many more possibilities on the bass such as being able to play new chords, stacked chords (close voicings), chord-melody, percussion techniques, dual melodic ideas, and new “shred” techniques.”

The basses have one wide neck with two fretboards on it with these being the string setups:

8-strings: 4+4

10-strings: 5+5

12-strings: 6+6

Every bass is specifically designed with ergonomics in mind to play tapping, as well as the traditional bass techniques. 

From Felix: FM Guitars are the result of dedicating myself to the tapping technique for almost two decades. These guitars are designed for the guitar player who wants to expand the tapping technique, and also wants to play it as a regular guitar.

Another way of seeing this is like an extension of the electric guitar. Having two fretboards fretboards gives you endless possibilities for new chords, double melody ideas, chord-melody, power chords, double melodies, percussion techniques, and many more. Some of the chord shapes / tecniques being impossible to play on a regular guitar.

Being a touring musician myself, I know how important to have a strong guitar that can handle to most extreme touring. I’m making these guitar very strong and can resist all the beating from tours.

Designing so many of these guitars in the past helped me achieved the most ergonomic designs. They are very light, small, portable with the best tone possible.

I started playing tapping at a very young age living in Venezuela. I always wanted to play classical guitar (chords+melody) but it was very hard and unnatural for me, so I started playing tapping instead using two regular 6-string guitars. It was a lot easier for me, so I started making several “double” 16 and 14 string guitars in this style with several luthiers, including electric, semi-hollow, hollow-arch-top, acoustic, etc. JP Laplante (Canada) was my main luthier who helped me so much at the beginning, without him, nothing of this would be possible. Jeff Kiesel also helped me a lot recently, by building me two guitars that helped me make my vision stronger.

Another point I should mention is I want to make this guitars affordable for people. I believe money shouldn’t be an issue to play music. Growing up in a place where I didn’t have access to fancy guitars, made me appreciate this more. We also are a small team working together and I do most of the work by myself.

I’ve been working on releasing this type of guitars since 2013, but I didn’t have the resources to make it happen back then, so I’m glad its happening now in 2020. 

For more visit: 

http://www.felixmartin.net/
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