Hufschmid Guitars Tantalum

I've owned countless guitars over the years, but this custom hand-made Hufschmid Tantalum is in a league by itself. Starting with a meticulously aged pine top over a gorgeous mahogany body and neck, and then add the amazing Alumitone pickups and the top quality Hipshot hardware, and it makes up one of the best guitars I've ever owned. From the rolled fretboard to the hand-oiled finish, you get a sense of the time and attention to detail the moment you pick it up. The neck is like a medium C, so not large, but not a super thin shred neck, either. The luminous side dots are nice touch and very practical on a dark stage.

The tone is incredible. The Alumitones are very tight, and sound different from any other pickups I've used. Add to that a NOS Russian Teflon capacitor for the tone control, and you have a very versatile range of tones for just about any application. Despite being marketed as "Deathbuckers," those Alumitones work with rock and blues tones, no problem at all. And with that great capacitor on the tone control, you can even get jazz tones out of the same guitar that can melt faces at full bore.

Here are the specs (from the original listing):

-Perfectly quartersawn ‘Sipo Mahogany’ body and neck
-‘Crelicam Ebony’ fingerboard with 24 frets, 25.5'' scale, and 12" radius
-Scalloped Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) nut
-Hipshot hardware and high-tolerance CTS pots
-High quality kill switch 🚀
-NOS Russian FT-2 0.027uF Teflon capacitor
-Custom unfinished 7 string alumitone deathbuckers with laser-etched logo
-Glow in the dark side dots
-Antique Bronze-finished coin logo inlay on the back.
-Copper shielding and 25 coats of hand-applied oil-based varnish
-The top has received a highly protective treatment to preserve its stunning silver appearance.

If you are ever lucky enough to check out a Hufschmid guitar -- or even better, buy one -- you will understand my excitement over this new guitar. I can truly say this is different than any other guitar I've ever owned, and in a sea of sameness, it's nice to see a standout.

For a closer look, please see a video I made on YouTube: https://youtu.be/X2Zelp2es9s?si=K_J-HlNt-L1JZvfJ

I'm in no way a professional player but I do have a few guitars and each one of them fits it's own purpose; play live; record; plain and pure nostalgia (my very first...).

I have been fortunate enough to play custom guitars before (owned by friends of mine) so I came to a stage where I wanted to go to "the next level".

I have probably been following Patrick Hufschmid for at least 4 years now, watching the builds, listening to the demo videos and always thinking that one day it would be my turn to reach out and own my own.

Fast forward and here I am writing a (late) review.

I have the guitar with me since August now, and any time I find to play that's the guitar I pick up.

The fingerboard is absolutely amazing, like i mentioned i have played other custom guitars but nothing actually comes to this level.

I'm a huge paradise lost fan so yes, I need sustain, and the pickups definitely deliver, I definitely prefer these over any other active pickups on the market.

The craftmanship? What can I say? There is so much detail to the guitar it's absolutely awesome.

The tuners have just the right pace to them, any guitar needs a bit of tuning once in a while and this one is so easy to get right it's amazing.


Regarding the specs:
▪ ONE PIECE premium perfectly quartersawn 'Sipo Mahogany' body + neck!
▪ A gorgeous 'Flame Maple' top with a 'Purple Burst' finish and 'natural binding' detail!
▪ A premium 'Crelicam Ebony' fingerboard, 24 frets, 25.5'' scale, 12" radius.
▪ The world's first 'purple day/blue night glow' fingerboard block inlays! ©Registration number: XwoEdy5GCU9qeZtW
▪The world's first polyetheretherketone (PEEK) nuts! ©keAWmx03u4BBqcA2
▪Cryogenically treated frets!
▪Hipshot hardware.
▪Solid brass mounting rings for perfect adjustability and stability!
▪High tolerance CTS pots.
▪A rare NOS Russian 'FT-2' 0.022uF TEFLON capacitor - ©concept.
▪Exclusive Hufschmid 'made to measure' resin cast humbuckers!
▪The logo inlay design in the back is an actual coin featuring a gorgeous antique nickel finish.
▪Aluminium shielding.
▪30 coats of hand applied oil based varnish.


I am definitely one very very happy client who now owns an absolutely amazing hand crafted instrument.

It's one of a kind and all credit goes to Mr Patrick Hufschmid.

I recently had the pleasure of receiving my Hufschmid Tantalum, and I have to say, it’s a stunning piece of craftsmanship. The entire guitar, from body to neck, is meticulously handcrafted from a single piece of sipo mahogany, giving it a solid and resonant feel that you can’t easily find in mass-produced instruments.

The top is made from richlite and features a mesmerizing blue honeycomb pattern that’s engraved into the surface. Pictures don’t do it justice—it’s a true work of art. The 25.5” scale length feels perfect in my hands, and the Crelicam ebony fretboard is one of my favorite features.

The guitar is equipped with a PEEK nut and custom unfinished alumitone humbuckers from Lace Pickups. These pickups deliver a wide range of tones, from crisp cleans to aggressive distortion, making this instrument versatile enough for any style of music. And let's not forget the killswitch, which adds a fun and functional touch to this already impressive build.

Shipping from Switzerland to Australia was surprisingly fast—under two weeks—and the guitar arrived in perfect condition. The frets are well-dressed, and the action is impeccable right out of the box. It’s not just a guitar; it’s a masterpiece that commands attention both visually and sonically.

If you’re looking for an instrument that combines unique aesthetics with unparalleled playability, the Hufschmid Tantalum is worth every penny. If you’re a true guitar enthusiast you must check out Patrick’s work.

There’s a few videos and tone demos on the Hufschmid Guitars Instagram and YouTube channel to check out if you would like to see and hear it in action!

Last year I received a Tantalum model from Hufschmid Guitars. I have owned higher end instruments from Suhr, Martin, Kiesel and Ibanez in the past, but this is truly a one-of-a-kind instrument. One you get a hand-built instrument from an expert luthier there is a human connection to it that immediately feels like you are holding a work of art.

Aesthetically, the build is just stunning. It has a highly figured Bastogne Wood top with a Gorgeous Crelicam Ebony 24 Fretboard with a 12" radius. The neck and body is 1 piece Quarter-sawn Sipo Mahogany. The frets were cryogenically treated and so they should last as long as frets can possibly last. The pickups are Hufschmid_Designed Humbuckers that are triple-blade resin cast. The nut is one of the first guitars to use the PEEK material (Polyetheretherkeytone).

The end result is an instrument that sounds massive and authoritative. The pickups have a healthy amount of output, but they respond with a lot of detail when the volume is rolled back. I don't often like the clean tones of humbucking pickups, but the cleans are just gorgeous on this guitar. There is a solidness to the distorted tone and a focus to the sound that translates really well to recordings. I've recorded this guitar several times and I'm always impressed with the final product.

Feel-wise, this is the heaviest instrument that I own and the thickest neck, but I don't find it difficult to get around at all. Every detail of this guitar is carefully thought through and it translates to an effortless playing experience.

If you are on the fence about buying a Hufschmid Guitar, I can say without hesitation that they will not disappoint in any way. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is unparalleled. I was lucky enough to play a number of them before I got this one so I had a good impression of what to expect, but this one is easily my favorite of the 6 or 7 that I've played.

The audio demo I attached here was recorded using the Hufschmid Tantalum and the Kemper Profiler using a profile of a boosted Soldano SLO100. It sounds massive.