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| Jennifer Armstrong |
On Facebook I have met the most wonderful guitar artist. She is perhaps the only person I have ever encountered putting unique designs on guitars. Of course George Harrison, painted his Stratocaster (Rocky) and Eric Clapton had a Dutch design firm create the artwork on his 1964 Gibson SG (The Fool). However Jennifer's guitar artwork is unique, extraordinary and one of a kind.
Jennifer Armstrong resides in Glasgow Scotland. She puts her unusual artwork on mainly electric stringed instruments that she acquires and then sells them for a most reasonable price.
As far as I can tell, Jenn is perhaps the only artist currently doing this. There are other people that have added their art to guitars, but Armstrong's guitars are individually done and her output is amazing. Jenn's designs are generally based on symmetrical shapes, although some of her work includes abstract shapes. She takes her time on each instrument. In my opinion she is brilliant.
Jennifer refers to herself as JPAX and signs this on her works.
Jennifer started out as an artist painting abstract portraits but within the last four years has found a real niche in painting electric guitars and basses.
Most of the instruments she offers are Telecaster, Flying Vee, Les Pauls, and Strat knockoffs that she collects from her contacts at trunk shows, or through word of mouth. She does such a lovely job of redesigning the finish on these instruments.
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| Flying Vees |
According to her, she generally paints over the existing finish using spray paint and markers and then has a friend rewire the guitar or bass. Although she says if the existing lacquer is bad, she uses an orbital sander to get down to bare wood.
She does not do custom orders or commissions, but only offers her own creations.
Elwood Francis, the current ZZ Top bass player, owns one of her creations. This was done as a Christmas present from Elwood's wife. She sent a Japanese Strat body to Armstrong.
She says most of her creations are sold in the USA, although she will ship anywhere. Some of her creations have been shipped as far away as Australia.
Jenn’s work brings to mind a couple of guitar finishes that Fender used in the past. The first unusual Fender guitars was done in the late 1970’s.
At this time Fender/CBS had drastically modified it’s existing Stratocaster. Sales were down. This was about the time when Eddie Van Halen attracted attention with his home built Strat style guitar with its unique finish.
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| Bowling Ball Strats |
Fender referred to them as “Marbled Finish”, but to most of the guitar community these were known as Bowling Ball Stratocasters. Bowling Ball Strats were highly sought after, so in 1987 a second run was offered.
In 1997 Eric Clapton appeared at a Grammy Award concert playing a Stratocaster with an unusually designed finish. Clapton had become interested in street art and ask John “Crash” Matos to design a guitar for him. Eventually Crash designed 3 different bodies for Eric.
In 2004 when Fender opened its custom shop they sent 50 bodies to the artist to put his touch on them. The guitar playing public referred to these as Crashocasters.
Then in 2003 Fender came out with an unusual body finish for the Stratocaster. When I was a kid most traveling carnivals had a booth where you could create your own art by placing a square piece of white cardboard on spinning wheel and drizzling different colored paint on the board.
This was the premise for the Splattercaster. These were all Mexican built Stratocasters so they sold at the time for only around $300. The bodies were placed on spinning wheels and the paint colors; Violet, Daphne, Lake Placid, and Midnight Blue Swirl over Olympic White and Spun to perfection. Fender had a limited run of 500 guitars in 2003 and 2004.
Perhaps Ms. Armstrong might consider sending Fender (or another company) some samples of her work. You never know?
I have to say that Jennifer Armstrong is the the most unique and perhaps the only artist currently putting her custom artwork on guitars. For anyone wanting a truly unique instrument that stands out I encourage you to check out her site and get in touch with this remarkable lady.
Jennifer also specializes in creating beautiful custom pickguards. You can add the JPAX touch to your existing instrument.
© Uniqueguitar publications (text only)\
Click on the links under the picture for sources. (Most are from
Jennifer Armstrong's photo collection)
