Roy Smeck was an American cultural icon -- a precursor to the modern rock star. He dazzled audiences with his prowess on stringed instruments way before the boom of Rock & Roll, so much so that he earned the title "The Wizard of Strings". Just as any famous guitarist would have the opportunity of endorsing a signature guitar model, so did Roy Smeck over the first half of the 20th century, with the Roy Smeck guitar 1950s model being one of the most famous. The classic look and characteristic body shape of the Roy Smeck 1950s model has been re-explored and brought to life in the most recent tribute to Roy Smeck, the Eastwood Guitars Airline RS-I and RS-II.

The RS-I (right) and RS-II (left) are hollow body guitars that bear a body shape reminiscent of Roy Smeck's guitar. Both of these guitars produce a uniquely vintage tone thanks to the hollow-body chamber bracing with an arched rear combined with two Airline ARGYLE single-coil pickups. The unique tone of these guitars is characterized as a gutsy, raw sound with a clean natural distortion without feedback, reminiscent of blues records from the 1950s.

Adding in to that vintage appeal, along with four vintage radio knobs and a three-way chicken-head pickup selector switch, the body has a maple top, back, and sides and is equipped with a Tune-o-matic bridge and Trapeze Tailpiece. These guitars also have a set one-piece straight-grained Canadian maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and block markers with a 26" scale.

The RS-I is available in Redburst while the RS-II has a natural maple flamed top finish with a "lightning bolt" pickguard. Both guitars retail at $899.00. Having one of these gives you that step closer to vintage string wizardry.