Page 1 of 5

New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 6:15 am
by phantasmagorovich
So I just sent my down pay for one of these babes and I thought I should celebrate by creating a thread here.

New Complexity is an Australian Builder specialized in third bridge guitars and the Harmonic Master is his new flagship. The concept of a third bridge guitar is that you have the strings running very long behind the guitar's bridge, thus creating harmonics like you might have if you do the flageolet thing on the fifth fret. The secret behind this is that the strings have to keep a certain ratio compared to the length of the normal string. The bridge and vibrato setup on Jaguars and Jazzmasters does this to a certain extent.

tldr:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaxPhkx-JYo[/youtube]

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 8:34 am
by Obulus
I bumped into these guitars a couple of days ago too. Very very cool and the price seems right too. I hope you like it!

It is a (way) better execution of the idea I also got going in my Mockingbird (the tele bridge doesn't really give me the tuning range I hoped for with the behind the bridge harmonics). The only drawback of these guitars is the set-up/tuning behind the bridge since moving the saddles of the tailpiece (tele bridge in my case) also affects intonation and changing the intonation ofcourse also changes the pitch behind the bridge so setting up is an endless circle of changing saddle positions. But it is worth it though! There's some great sounds behind the bridge!

Here's tha mockingbird
Image

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:32 pm
by colin
I hadn't heard of these before, that's super cool Mick!

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:58 pm
by phantasmagorovich
I used to have one of the Yuri Landman White Eagles. It never felt right, because it's such a ramshackle thing. This might be better suited for me.

And it has the brilliant idea of the moving saddles to make open tunings behind the bridge.
Plus 12 strings.

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 5:14 pm
by Chankgeez
Crazy cray.

Separate output for behind-the-bridge pickup?

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 5:30 pm
by Achtane
Pretty cool to see someone producing these outside of neato forum one-offs. I think you'll super dig it. That bridge is cool as FUCK :cool:
Third bridge pickups sound terrifying through dirt and stuff, but for clean playing, it's kind of an abrasive harmonic sound to be mixed in with the normal signal. IMO. I wonder if something could be done to smoove it out a little. Maybe even a tone control would help a bunch...

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 5:38 pm
by Ghost Hip
This is so gat damn fresh.

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 7:46 pm
by Ugly Nora
May I buy one too or would that be like wearing the same shirt to a party?

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:44 am
by goroth
I just emailed about that contra. Looks sexy. No moneyz yet but one must plan...

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 2:11 am
by ChetMagongalo
I wish it looked a little more cleaner or less raw I guess? but it sounds so cool! really awesome

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 7:23 am
by Obulus
ChetMagongalo wrote:I wish it looked a little more cleaner or less raw I guess? but it sounds so cool! really awesome
Not to drive you into costs or anything, but he'll do custom for pretty cheap it seems: http://www.newcomplexity.com.au/custom-guitars.html
Pick a shape and get toanz? He really offers good prices in general I think.

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:09 am
by coldbrightsunlight
Want so much... I use the behind the bridge stuff a fair bit on my jag already, and that doesn't even have a behind the bridge pickup or tuning capabilities. The possibilites of this thing... :drool:

Bet you'll love it!

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:18 am
by odontophobia
this thing looks cool as hell.
i have no use for one... but like many things we post about... want.

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:03 am
by Bellyheart
This is great. Next step is a headstock pickup. Ever since I finger tapped on an acoustic guitar I've wanted to get the sounds that it gets.

Re: New Complexity Harmonic Master

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:05 am
by skullservant
Was checking this out yesterday, I dig! I think it's cool that it's a 12 string as well, to double the amount of harmonics!