History is filled with amazing electric guitars.  But I wanted a sound and feel that didn’t already exist. Introducing the Powers Electric A-Type.^™

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Two custom-built pickups deliver two unique sounds.

Inspired by past-era designs, these are technically single-coils pickups made using modern magnetic structures. This allows the strings to move in a more natural way, creating a more organic, musical sound. Two versions of the pickup are available.

The FF42 Pickup

This “full Faraday” cage pickup emphasizes clarity and warmth. 42-gauge wire. The top is engine-turned.

The PF42 Pickup

This “partial Faraday” cage pickup produces a firmer, brighter sound. Visually, the top uses the pickguard material.

I love the electric guitar. I’ve owned, played and worked on many of the great ones. I didn’t see a need to recreate those. I wanted something that shared in the inspirations of past makers but was created for tomorrow’s player. It meant creating a fresh design from the ground up based on decades of work and study.

Andy Powers, Founder

The Powers Electric A-Type is a fully enclosed, slim hollowbody guitar inspired by the surf, skate, car and music cultures of San Diego. I wanted a guitar that didn’t sound or play like something you already know, yet offered the comfort of a perennial favorite. A guitar with great musical utility —no off-color notes, dead frets or useless pickup positions. A guitar that feels amazing every time you pick it up —inspiring you to explore fresh ideas while allowing you to sound more like you.

The Shape. I WAS INSPIRED BY THE LINES OF CLASSIC CARS, HOT RODS, AND SURFBOARD DESIGN. THE GUITAR HAD TO LOOK GOOD FROM EVERY ANGLE. I NEEDED AN ASYMMETRICAL SHAPE WITHOUT SACRIFICING VISUAL BALANCE. I WANTED TIMELESS STYLING WITH MODERN EMBELLISHMENTS. LIKE A SURFBOARD OR ROADSTER, EVERY LINE WAS CONSIDERED BOTH FOR ITS LOOKS AND ITS HANDLING.

The Feel. FEEL IS SO IMPORTANT. I WANTED THE GUITAR TO BE LIGHTWEIGHT AND PERFECTLY BALANCED WHETHER YOU’RE STANDING OR SITTING. THE BODY IS HOLLOW SO YOU CAN HOLD IT WITH EASE, AND THE CONTOURED ARMREST AND RADIUSED BODY EDGES ADD TO THE PLAYING COMFORT. THE NECK IS A ‘JUST RIGHT’ BLEND OF NOT TOO BIG AND NOT TOO SLIM, FLOWING SMOOTHLY INTO THE NEW FRETBOARD GEOMETRY.

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THE FRETBOARD HAS A SPLIT RADIUS, DIFFERENT THAN AN END-TO-END COMPOUND RADIUS. IT’S ASYMMETRICAL FROM THE BASS SIDE TO THE TREBLE SIDE. THE TREBLE SIDE IS SLIGHTLY FLATTER ALL THE WAY FROM THE FIRST FRET TO THE END OF THE BOARD. THIS ALLOWS FOR MAXIMUM PLAYABILITY AND EASIER, CHOKE-FREE STRING BENDING

The Pickups. A NEW DESIGN THAT BLENDS MODERN MAGNETIC STRUCTURE WITH AN OLD INSPIRATION. IT ALLOWS THE STRINGS TO VIBRATE MORE NATURALLY AND PRODUCE BOTH FIDELITY AND COLORFUL WARMTH – WHICH TEND TO BE AT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER. I DESIGNED TWO VARIATIONS OF THIS PICKUP – ONE EMPHASIZING CLARITY AND WARMTH (FF42), THE OTHER WITH A FIRM, BRIGHTER RESPONSE (PF42).

The Tailpieces. I LOVE THE TACTILE EXPRESSION OF A VIBRATO BUT HAVE NEVER LIKED THE WAY THE STRINGS AREN’T IN SYNC AS THE PITCH CHANGES. I ENGINEERED A ‘CAMSHAFT’ TAILPIECE (‘CAMTAIL’) WITH STRING RAMPS COMPENSATED FOR TENSION AND GAUGE SO THE STRINGS MOVE IN PITCH RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER. FOR A PLAYER PREFERRING A FIXED-PITCH SETUP, I DESIGNED A TOPLOADER HARDTAIL THAT LOCKS IN YOUR SOUND AND MAKES STRING CHANGES A SNAP.

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The Sound. I designed a trussed hollowbody with two internal soundposts fitted into a braced, solid-wood top. This allows the top and back to move in tandem to maximize resonance, suppress feedback and create a lyrical sustain.