Jazz maestro Charles Mingus is thought of as the godfather of instrument smashing, having destroyed a $800 double bass on stage in a fit of pique. The Animals were in the crowd and loved it, and soon the habit spread to The Who, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain. But even Kurt would have baulked at obliterating one of these electric guitars – especially when he heard about the £12,888 price tag.
Why so pricey? Well, the eye-catching Rhodium Birdfish, is handmade by German artist Ulrich Teuffel. He creates just ten a year and uses high-end materials, such as tone bars made from quilted maple and curly Honduran mahogany, an ebony fingerboard and bridge saddles made from titanium, as well as the aluminium ‘bird’ and ‘fish’ elements.
Kirk Hammett of Metallica has one, as does ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, so you’d be in good company if you shell out. Just don’t smash it.
