Ruokangas Guitars
Encyclopedia
Ruokangas Guitars builds solid-body and semi-hollow electric guitars, including models such as Duke, VSOP, Mojo, Hellcat and Unicorn. The company builds guitars using traditional methods – no modern computer controlled machinery etc.
Ruokangas Guitars is a privately held corporation, solely owned by Master Luthier Juha Ruokangas.
1996 - Juha starts using moose
shin bone as nut material in all his guitars and repairwork.
1997 - The website www.ruokangas.com is published, and the first Ruokangas guitar model – the Duke – is launched. Juha experiments with Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata
) as the body- and neckwood - a tonewood not commonly used in electric guitars. Spanish Cedar is to become one of the fundamental characteristics of Ruokangas Guitars.
1998 - Juha participates in a Thermo Treatment project (Finland), funded by the European Union
. Thermo Treated tonewood is later on to become a common feature in Ruokangas guitars.
1999 - Juha starts co-operation with fellow craftsmen Mika Koskinen and Jiri Kaarmela. Juha designs and launches new variations of the Duke theme and introduces another uncommon material - the Arctic Birch tops.
2000 - Juha designs and launches the second Ruokangas model – VSOP, built of Thermo Treated Alder
and Rock Maple – and attends the Frankfurt Musikmesse for the first time.
2001 – Luthier Jyrki Kostamo joins the Ruokangas team. The company format changes from sole trader to privately held corporation. The first dealerships are confirmed and Ruokangas is reviewed in guitar magazines more regularly. Ruokangas proprietary pickups (manufactured by Harry Häussel in Germany) are launched.
2002 - Ruokangas Guitars publishes a new website design with online guitar builder tool, where one can visually choose colors, pickups, woods, parts etc. online and send price enquiries to the manufacturer. This same website design remains in use until 2009.
2004 - Luthier Tomi Nivala joins the Ruokangas team. The Ruokangas website wins the MindTrek Award for productive innovations. Ruokangas launches a new guitar model – the Mojo. Ruokangas licences the Buzz Feiten
Tuning System.
2005 - Ruokangas Guitars attends The NAMM Show for the first time. Master Degree becomes available for luthiers in Finland. The national Ruokangas website www.ruokangas.fi is published. Ruokangas Guitars celebrates 10 Year Anniversary.
2006 – Luthier Emma Elftorp, from Sweden, joins the Ruokangas team.
2007 - Ruokangas Guitars attends the Fuzz Guitar Show in Gothenburg, Sweden. Co-operation with True Temperament company starts.
2008 - The Hellcat, a new guitar model, is introduced. Ruokangas joins the web communities MySpace and Facebook. Juha and Emma start “The Project Unicorn” - new guitar design process open to public via YouTube.
2009 - The Unicorn guitar model is introduced. Juha receives his Master Luthier degree. Ruokangas is invited to exhibit at Montreal Guitar Show, the annual high end event for the finest guitars in the world. Juha becomes one of the founding members (and the first chairman of the board) of The Guild Of Finnish Luthiers (Suomen Soitinrakentajien Kilta).
2010 - The new Ruokangas website and iPhone application is launched in January. The website gets an Honorary Award in the Grand One 2010 competition - the Best Information Design category. Ruokangas exhibits again at the Montreal Guitar Show (MGS), and the show organization Salon de Guitare de Montréal orders a Ruokangas guitar to their Ste-Cat Collection. This is the first European guitar in the collection. Juha lectures at MGS about the Mythology Of Tone. The 4th employee, luthier Lari Lätti is hired.
First introduced in 1997 - a carved top double-cutaway electric guitar with set-neck construction. Both solidbody and semi-acoustic versions exist. Includes a number of unique design points. Current model versions are: Sonic (replaced the earlier Sonic and TwinSonic), Classic (replaced the earlier Classic, Standard and DeLuxe), Artisan (replaced the earlier Special) and Royale.
VSOP
First introduced in 2000 - a solid body bolt-on double-cutaway electric guitar with tremolo bridge. The current model versions are: Classic (replaced the Standard, Plus, Special and King) and DeLuxe (replaced the Supreme).
Mojo
First introduced in 2004 - a bolt-on single-cutaway electric guitar. Both solid- and semi-acoustic versions exist. Current model versions are: Classic (replaced the earlier Classic and Blues), DeLuxe and Grande (replaced the earlier Supreme and Grande).
Hellcat
First introduced in 2008 - a modern solidbody double-cutaway electric guitar with Floyd Rose type tremolo, both bolt-on and neck-thru-body designs exist. The model versions introduced: Classic, DeLuxe and Artist.
Unicorn
First introduced in 2009 - a modern take on a traditional solidbody single-cutaway electric with set neck and carved top. The model version introduced: Classic. The Unicorn guitar design process and the making of the first two prototypes was documented as a YouTube video diary by Juha Ruokangas and Emma Elftorp.
(Twisted Sister
), Mick Box
(Uriah Heep
), Josh Smith, Tommy Emmanuel
, Matias Kupiainen
(Stratovarius
), Jukka Tolonen
, Juha Torvinen (Eppu Normaali
), Mikko “Pantse” Syrjä (Eppu Normaali), Sami Ruusukallio (Eppu Normaali), Juha Björninen, Peter Lerche, Ben Wigler (Arizona), Rainer Nygård
(Diablo
), Sami Saarinen (Status Minor), Marko Karhu, Peter Engberg, Florian Zepf (Candycream), Joel Auge (Hewit), Sascha Wiegand (Bitune), Christian Wosimski (Bitune), Aaron Kaplan, Henri Arola (Dyecrest), Pirkka Ohlis (Dyecrest), Matti Pasanen (Dyecrest), Kai Seppälä (Jetsetters), Edmund Piskaty, Jani Wickholm, Saku Mattila, Rick Simcox (The ToneQuesters), Mr. Manetti
Ruokangas Guitars is a privately held corporation, solely owned by Master Luthier Juha Ruokangas.
History
1995 - Juha Ruokangas founds the company as a sole trader and rents a small workshop facility in Finland, Hyvinkää at Wanha Villatehdas, building and repairing guitars.1996 - Juha starts using moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
shin bone as nut material in all his guitars and repairwork.
1997 - The website www.ruokangas.com is published, and the first Ruokangas guitar model – the Duke – is launched. Juha experiments with Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata
Cedrela odorata
Cedrela odorata . The genus Cedrela has undergone two major systematic revisions since 1960. The most recent revision reduced the number of species in the genus to seven . The common cedro, Cedrela odorata L., embraces 28 other named species, including C. mexicana M. J...
) as the body- and neckwood - a tonewood not commonly used in electric guitars. Spanish Cedar is to become one of the fundamental characteristics of Ruokangas Guitars.
1998 - Juha participates in a Thermo Treatment project (Finland), funded by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. Thermo Treated tonewood is later on to become a common feature in Ruokangas guitars.
1999 - Juha starts co-operation with fellow craftsmen Mika Koskinen and Jiri Kaarmela. Juha designs and launches new variations of the Duke theme and introduces another uncommon material - the Arctic Birch tops.
2000 - Juha designs and launches the second Ruokangas model – VSOP, built of Thermo Treated Alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
and Rock Maple – and attends the Frankfurt Musikmesse for the first time.
2001 – Luthier Jyrki Kostamo joins the Ruokangas team. The company format changes from sole trader to privately held corporation. The first dealerships are confirmed and Ruokangas is reviewed in guitar magazines more regularly. Ruokangas proprietary pickups (manufactured by Harry Häussel in Germany) are launched.
2002 - Ruokangas Guitars publishes a new website design with online guitar builder tool, where one can visually choose colors, pickups, woods, parts etc. online and send price enquiries to the manufacturer. This same website design remains in use until 2009.
2004 - Luthier Tomi Nivala joins the Ruokangas team. The Ruokangas website wins the MindTrek Award for productive innovations. Ruokangas launches a new guitar model – the Mojo. Ruokangas licences the Buzz Feiten
Buzz Feiten
Howard "Buzz" Feiten is a North American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and session musician.He is best known as a lead and rhythm electric guitarist, and for having patented a unique, scientifically designed tuning system which re-configures its stringboard / neck for more accurate tonality...
Tuning System.
2005 - Ruokangas Guitars attends The NAMM Show for the first time. Master Degree becomes available for luthiers in Finland. The national Ruokangas website www.ruokangas.fi is published. Ruokangas Guitars celebrates 10 Year Anniversary.
2006 – Luthier Emma Elftorp, from Sweden, joins the Ruokangas team.
2007 - Ruokangas Guitars attends the Fuzz Guitar Show in Gothenburg, Sweden. Co-operation with True Temperament company starts.
2008 - The Hellcat, a new guitar model, is introduced. Ruokangas joins the web communities MySpace and Facebook. Juha and Emma start “The Project Unicorn” - new guitar design process open to public via YouTube.
2009 - The Unicorn guitar model is introduced. Juha receives his Master Luthier degree. Ruokangas is invited to exhibit at Montreal Guitar Show, the annual high end event for the finest guitars in the world. Juha becomes one of the founding members (and the first chairman of the board) of The Guild Of Finnish Luthiers (Suomen Soitinrakentajien Kilta).
2010 - The new Ruokangas website and iPhone application is launched in January. The website gets an Honorary Award in the Grand One 2010 competition - the Best Information Design category. Ruokangas exhibits again at the Montreal Guitar Show (MGS), and the show organization Salon de Guitare de Montréal orders a Ruokangas guitar to their Ste-Cat Collection. This is the first European guitar in the collection. Juha lectures at MGS about the Mythology Of Tone. The 4th employee, luthier Lari Lätti is hired.
Instruments
DukeFirst introduced in 1997 - a carved top double-cutaway electric guitar with set-neck construction. Both solidbody and semi-acoustic versions exist. Includes a number of unique design points. Current model versions are: Sonic (replaced the earlier Sonic and TwinSonic), Classic (replaced the earlier Classic, Standard and DeLuxe), Artisan (replaced the earlier Special) and Royale.
VSOP
First introduced in 2000 - a solid body bolt-on double-cutaway electric guitar with tremolo bridge. The current model versions are: Classic (replaced the Standard, Plus, Special and King) and DeLuxe (replaced the Supreme).
Mojo
First introduced in 2004 - a bolt-on single-cutaway electric guitar. Both solid- and semi-acoustic versions exist. Current model versions are: Classic (replaced the earlier Classic and Blues), DeLuxe and Grande (replaced the earlier Supreme and Grande).
Hellcat
First introduced in 2008 - a modern solidbody double-cutaway electric guitar with Floyd Rose type tremolo, both bolt-on and neck-thru-body designs exist. The model versions introduced: Classic, DeLuxe and Artist.
Unicorn
First introduced in 2009 - a modern take on a traditional solidbody single-cutaway electric with set neck and carved top. The model version introduced: Classic. The Unicorn guitar design process and the making of the first two prototypes was documented as a YouTube video diary by Juha Ruokangas and Emma Elftorp.
Players
Jay Jay FrenchJay Jay French
John French Segall , better known by his stage name Jay Jay French or J.J. French, is a founding member and one of the two guitarists of the American heavy metal band, Twisted Sister....
(Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
), Mick Box
Mick Box
Michael Frederick Box , better known by his stage name Mick Box, is the lead guitarist of British rock group Uriah Heep, having previously been a member of The Stalkers and Spice, both with original Uriah Heep vocalist David Byron. He is the only member from the band's founding in 1969 who is...
(Uriah Heep
Uriah Heep (band)
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
), Josh Smith, Tommy Emmanuel
Tommy Emmanuel
William Thomas "Tommy" Emmanuel AM is an Australian guitarist, best known for his complex fingerpicking style, energetic performances and the use of percussive effects on the guitar. In the May 2008 and 2010 issues of Guitar Player Magazine, he was named as "Best Acoustic Guitarist" in their...
, Matias Kupiainen
Matias Kupiainen
Matias Kupiainen is a Finnish guitarist and producer.Kupiainen was chosen as the new guitarist for the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius after Timo Tolkki's departure from the band in 2008...
(Stratovarius
Stratovarius
Stratovarius are a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation they have released 13 studio albums and one live album. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic...
), Jukka Tolonen
Jukka Tolonen
Jukka Tolonen is a Finnish jazz guitarist. Tolonen became famous as guitarist for the band Tasavallan Presidentti...
, Juha Torvinen (Eppu Normaali
Eppu Normaali
Eppu Normaali is one of the most popular rock bands in Finland. The band formed in 1976 in Ylöjärvi, a small town near Tampere. The band is the best-selling music artist in Finland, with certified sales surpassing 1.5 million records...
), Mikko “Pantse” Syrjä (Eppu Normaali), Sami Ruusukallio (Eppu Normaali), Juha Björninen, Peter Lerche, Ben Wigler (Arizona), Rainer Nygård
Rainer Nygård
Rainer Nygård is a Finnish guitar player and singer for the band Diablo. He was born in Kalajoki but now resides in Tampere. He is a forming member of Diablo and is responsible for most of the song writing for the band with Marko Utriainen and does all the lyrics. Rainer uses custombuilt one-off...
(Diablo
Diablo (band)
Diablo is a Finnish melodic death metal band, formed in 1995 as Diablo Brothers. The band cite Testament, Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, Opeth, Death, and Meshuggah as influences, but influence from several Gothenburg bands, including Dark Tranquillity, Hypocrisy, and In Flames, is also evident in...
), Sami Saarinen (Status Minor), Marko Karhu, Peter Engberg, Florian Zepf (Candycream), Joel Auge (Hewit), Sascha Wiegand (Bitune), Christian Wosimski (Bitune), Aaron Kaplan, Henri Arola (Dyecrest), Pirkka Ohlis (Dyecrest), Matti Pasanen (Dyecrest), Kai Seppälä (Jetsetters), Edmund Piskaty, Jani Wickholm, Saku Mattila, Rick Simcox (The ToneQuesters), Mr. Manetti
External links
- http://www.ruokangas.com Ruokangas Guitars Official Website
- http://ikata.lpkky.fi/dynamic/1/603.html Ikaalinen School of Handcraft and Arts
- http://www.ruokangas.com/?p=1871 Thermo Treatment
- http://www.haeussel.com Häussel Pickups
- http://www.buzzfeiten.com Buzz Feiten Tuning System
- http://www.mindtrek.org/2009 MindTrek
- http://www.truetemperament.com True Temperament
- http://www.youtube.com/user/ruokangasguitars Ruokangas on YouTube
- http://www.myspace.com/ruokangas Ruokangas on MySpace
- http://www.facebook.com/ruokangas Ruokangas on Facebook
- http://twitter.com/ruokangas Ruokangas on Twitter