ZEMAITIS 1996 METAL FRONT "Scorpion Docs"

Tony Zemaitis was born in London, England in 1935. At the age of 16, he aspired to become a furniture maker and acquired woodworking skills. He began making guitars seriously in 1955.

He began making guitars by observing his friend's guitars and incorporating his own designs, eventually completing his first acoustic guitar that same year.

In 1957, after completing his military service, Tony immersed himself once again in guitar making. Through trial and error, he created numerous prototype models. In the 1960s, thanks to his marketing efforts, Tony's guitars appeared in music stores and, due to their low price, sold well. By 1965, he was recognized as a guitar maker.

Tony's friend, sculptor Danny O'Brien, was used as a spec.RecruitThanks to the shielding effect of the metal, the electric guitars produced a clear sound with reduced hum noise, which was highly praised, and from the 1970s onward, Zemaitis's reputation grew as many famous musicians began to use them.

Furthermore, in the late 1970s, in addition to the Metal Front, which became famous for its highly original look, they also released the Pearl Front, which featured mother-of-pearl on the front of the top, achieving further success. In the 1980s, with the desire to allow more players to experience the feeling of owning their own guitar, they also produced lower-priced student models.

However, an unexpected influx of orders forced them to cancel the project. Later, in the 1990s, Zemaitis's popularity far exceeded his expectations, and feeling the limits of production, he reduced production quantities to prioritize quality. In 2000, he decided to retire due to a pre-existing illness, and then, on August 17, 2002, Tony suddenly passed away.

With a design unlike any other guitar, the headstock and bridge shapes are almost entirely original designs (excluding custom models). Danny O'Brien's carvings give these original guitars a unique presence, and they are now hailed as legendary masterpieces.

Countless musicians have been captivated by its artistic beauty. Keith Richards (Rolling Stones), Ron Wood (Faces, Rolling Stones), George Harrison (Beatles), Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Donovan, Mary Hopkins, Ronnie Lane (Small Faces, Faces), Greg Lake (ELP), Peter Frampton, David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Marc Bolan (T-Rex), David Bowie, Laurie Wisefield (Snare) Snakecharmer, Tetsu Yamauchi (Free), Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Richie Sambora (ex-Bon Jovi), Mickey Moody (Snakecharmer), James Hetfield (Metallica), Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society), Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard), Doug Aldridge (Whitesnake), Char, Tomoyasu Hotei, Takahiro Matsumoto (B'z), Tsuneo Akima (Rama Ameba)...the list goes on and on.

The guitars Tony Zemaitis made over 42 years andBassThe total number of guitars, including both acoustic and electric guitars, is said to be around 600.

Since each instrument is handmade, it's natural that every single one has a different specification. However, looking at these anecdotes about his interactions with famous musicians, one can see, to some extent, how sincerely Tony responded to the wishes of the musicians who ordered his instruments.

The joy of musicians who get their hands on one of these unique, one-of-a-kind, original, and specially crafted guitars—this "ultimate luxury" is perhaps the greatest appeal of Zemaitis.