Instruments: A Folding Guitar, the Centerfold by DeVillain
March 29th, 2008
A view of the Centerfold, where you can see the stupid aluminium latch system.
The guys from DeVillain have invented what must be one of the most unrequested or useless features a guitar could ever need: a guitar that folds in half for easier transportation. [note: I got contacted by Leif, a guy working for the place, and he reminded me about carrying it on a plane. I assume this is the most legit use for it and is not a bad idea.]
Not only has the problem of transportation been solved decades ago via the use of a case, but this one still doesn’t remove the need of a case. Indeed, who would feel like walking under the rain with a guitar folded this way just because it takes slightly less space? Fortunately, they still include one to go with it anyway.
Sources say it may take around 20 seconds to go from folded to unfolded. Well that’s fantastic. I may sure enjoy the ease of transportation and loss of time when the guitar only cost me $3,370. It may be the price to pay to get the answer to some questions, answered by DeVillain:
The world’s first folding guitar that actually solves the problem of “where should the strings go when I fold the neck”. How are strings packaged when you buy them? Rolled up in a paper sleeve. If that’s the way strings are sold, it must also be a pretty good way to store them when the guitar is folded. That’s why the Centerfold collects the strings on a roll when you fold the neck. (source)
Given I was already working on my own folding guitar and I became stuck exactly at the ‘where the string goes’ part, that would be great news to end my sorrow. Otherwise, the market for the Centerfold must be pretty restricted.
Woo! Look at that folding action! Add a tremolo bar where you can put cheese so it would let people use the guitar as a giant mousetrap, hopefully catching giant mice! Do incredible multi-octave bends!
We can’t assume this is the last guitar of this kind either. There has to be worst inventions to come. Boy I can’t wait.
Just looking at it from a mechanical perspective, surely the guitar is already ruined? Constant stressing and destressing of both the neck and strings isn’t going to do much for longevity. Or tuning.
Funny you say it’s unrequested and useless. Your only knowledge of that is from your own experience and from what I can tell you have been working on your own folding guitar ;-)
If you have no transportation problems, great, but If you find it difficult to bring your guitar on your bike, on flights, subway etc this might be for you.
We’re coming out with other models in other price ranges later this year, so there will be more choices. The case is a small backpack and it can stand as much rain as any soft case.
Slightly less space? It’s almost half the size and compared to a guitar in a flight case it’s a huge difference.
Dutch, the neck has a double action trussrod that keeps in perfect shape. No problem with the string longevity either.
Thanks,
Leif / DeVillain Guitar Co
That’s good to get to discuss with the guy behind the guitar.
It looks like it would indeed be easier to carry on a bus or in a plane, that’s true and I had not seen this point of view. I’d be concerned with getting it with me in a plane or a bus for long periods of time, especially since the thing is worth over $3k and comes in an easy-to-steal size… But that’s just me.
I guess you have your market, so my input is not really of any importance, and good luck to you and your product in this case.
Otherwise, you have to hope there is an amp where you are going ;)
I added a note in the post to update the fact it can be practical after all.
I have two questions for Mr.Leif
Are the strings normal ones? Or super resistant ones.
What happen if the screw or whatever the thing that keeps the guitar from foldind fails?
Two big pieces of wood on hinges?
I don’t think there are such things as super-resistant strings: the rest of the overload would just be distributed to the wood and make it warp. Add to that the fact the strings would not gain tension from the system, just lose it when you fold the guitar.
This is why it could come out of tune (which Mr. Leif says doesn’t happen): the stretching and relaxing of the strings more than anything.
As for the screws, I think I count about 5 bolts behind the neck, which is more than enough to hold most of the tension usually. Guitars and Basses will range from 4 to 6 bolts most of the time, and sometimes be neck-through. This one has 5 bolts, nothing to worry about.
If you want, there’s a video there:
http://www.harmony-central.com/theater/messe07/messe07.html
Just go down on the page until you see the guitar.
Basically, there seems to be two locks: 1 to lock the neck, 1 to release/add tension in the strings. You release the tension, then unlock the neck and fold it easily. I assume it can give funny results if you do it the other way around.
Well. I just learned that folding guitars do exist… so super-resistant strings arent that wierd :
Hello guys,
sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
I just noticed your posts.
The strings are normal strings. They are fixed by the locking tuners and a screw in the string holder.
They will come back to the same place every time you unfold the guitar, so only fine tuning is needed.
Also, usually you only fold the guitar for travel, so it’s not like you do it hundreds of times per day like we do at fairs like Musikmesse and NAMM.
The screw the holds the neck to the body will not fail. It’s an 8mm stainless steel bolt that pulls the neck and body plates together super tight.
If you try to fold the guitar without releasing string tension it will be very hard to unlock the neck with the bolt. Besides that nothing special will happen.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Thanks,
Leif