I’m not Stevie Ray Vaughan, and after twenty-plus years of playing I know I never will be. But thrills still come easy on the guitar, and innovation – novelty or otherwise – is always a fascination point. Anyone who’s seen Jack White tear up a stage with a little kid’s red plastic guitar or Alain Johannes shred on a cigar box knows full well that instrument legitimacy exists in the hands of the artist, and as Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), G. Love, KONGOS and more can attest, the Boho 2.0 guitar series is no exception. Made from repurposed gas cans, oil cans and even maple syrup containers, these instruments aren’t a novelty gimmick but rather a quality instrument within an unorthodox (but damn cool) design.
The Bohemian Guitars company is driven by the Lee brothers, two young men who grew up in South Africa, where they relied on salvaged resources and DIY methodology to craft their unique, treble-heavy instruments. After a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013, the Lees raised enough money to get the company off the ground, and they made their way to U.S. markets. The existing Vintage Series offers a one-of-a-kind guitar with the original antique oil can or lunchbox used as the body, while the Boho 2.0 series has now introduced the ukulele, bass and improved standard bodies to its upcycled oil can guitar line, with three completely new designs; Bohemian Ale, Electric Limeade and Hot Sauce.
The aesthetic value of a sleek Bohemian Moonshine can qualify for interest in its own right, but after two weeks with a Moonshine model, I can confirm that the thing is downright playable. The two single-coil pickups combined with the hollow metal Moonshine body give the guitar a richness to balance the metallic twang, and there’s a surprisingly strong sustain to the guitar – a surprise at a $299 price point. The guitars have a single pickup controlled by a set of volume and tone dials, with a wooden bridge at the bottom and a sturdy maplewood neck that feeds into the oil can body, which is recycled and repainted.
Features:
• Single coil, humbucker, and P-90 pickups
• Twenty-six inch maple necks with 24 frets and rosewood fingerboards
• Adjustable truss rods
• An internal wooden structure for improved acoustic sound amplification
• Three different design options: Surf Wax, Moonshine (pictured), and Motor Oil
The inevitable downside to the upcycled can frame is that the metal is thin, and dents are inevitable. So you’ll have to make the choice early on whether to hang it up as an eye-catching conversation-starter on the wall of your music room or garage, or actually put the thing through the grind of regular play in your axe rotation with the understanding that it’s going to get some visible wear and tear.
The majority of the wood used to build the neck of the guitars is sourced from sustainable forests and continues to explore the use of reclaimed woods. Continuing its vision to support the community and create a sustainable future, Bohemian Guitars has partnered with Trees for the Future and will plant 1 tree for every purchase. As Bohemian Guitars grows, similar programs will be extended to the Boho community and will continue to work to reduce BG’s environmental footprint.
The Boho 2.0 collection is now available via pre-order, and will ship in time for Christmas. Check out their Indiegogo page for more details.
