Tao Guitars Disco Volante "Ko Kumo" Custom Boutique Hand-Made Electric Guitar Featured in the NAMM Show Boutique Guitar Showcase The philosophy behind Tao Guitars can pretty much be summed up in one sentence, “It is better to work ten days on an article than producing ten articles a day.” All Tao instruments are completely handmade from scratch, one by one, by John and Serge in their Brussels workshop. Each project is a unique creation and every instrument has his own character, specifications, cosmetic details and personalized name. The Disco Volante guitar represents the desire of John and Serge to bring the classic Gibson ES / non-cutaway body shapes into the 21st Century by drawing inspiration from  a mix of cutting edge styling and old world craftsmanship. Disco Volante means “flying saucer” in Italian and the model was inspired by a vintage Alfa Romeo Touring Carrozzeria Superleggera of the same name. Of course there is nothing new about guitar models inspired by classic automobiles, but it’s the way in which Tao focuses on the fine details to create an overall elegance, so that every creation becomes a functional piece of art that truly sets their work apart. Uniquely crafted hardware such as switch tips, pickup covers, knobs and even finely detailed electronics compartments (often with hand polished components) are a work of art in and of themselves and additional trademark qualities of Tao Guitars. All Tao Guitars are hand crafted using the finest materials available. Necks use a quartersawn grain pattern for strength, stability and tone as well as a special asymmetrical profile with rolled edges for maximum comfort. Proprietary double-action truss rods with spoke-wheel adjustment accessible from the end of the fingerboard are custom fabricated to spec from premium grade titanium for sound and weight purposes. The rod is flanked by a pair of carbon bars running from the 9th fret to the end of the fretboard in order to keep things stick straight for the lowest possible action. Another unique trait of Tao guitars is their use of a medium jumbo fret wire from the 1st to the 12th fret and then a switch to narrower wire from the 12th fret onward. This is not something visually obvious and of course all the frets are leveled and crowned to perfection so you don’t “feel” the change either, but the narrower frets do give the perception of additional finger space between tightly spaced higher frets. This particular Disco Volante “Ko Kumo” was displayed in the Boutique Guitar Showcase booth at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California which contributes an extra layer of provenance to its future collect-ability. The name "Ko Kumo" is a Japanese translation for the French phrase “petit nuage” – meaning “little cloud” – which is a fitting choice for this guitar based on its color scheme and shape. Features and Specs of the Disco Volante “Ko Kumo” by Tao Guitars Chambered Spanish Cedar (Cedro) Body Hand Carved Flame Maple Top Spanish Cedar Neck - Quartersawn Hand Selected Indian Rosewood Fingerboard 24.75” Scale Length 12” Radius Custom Benedetti Pickups - proprietary "Double D" set Hand-made Pickup Covers Vintage-style CTS pots (hand-polished) 0,033 NOS Russian paper in oil capacitor Gold contact 3-way Toggle Switch Magnetic Backplates Lightweight Aluminum compensated Wraparound Tailpiece TonePros locking studs Schertler Tuners Custom hand-made truss rod tool Metallic Green Body & Neck with Translucent White Top SKB Waterproof Flight Case Included