Salem, Oregon's Normandy Guitars will be at Summer NAMM 2008 with the world's first production aluminum archtop guitar. It's a lightweight aluminum guitar that CEO Jim Normandy has developed after a decade and a half of building aluminum bass guitars.

“I started making aluminum basses 15 years ago and it’s evolved into this incredible product. Our final model is the result of 15 different prototypes we’ve developed over the past five years. Our goal all along has been to be different but not too weird or space age. . . to offer the guitar world something new and modern but with classic sound: an affordable but "top of the line," high-end masterpiece. I think we've met those goals tenfold; the feedback I'm getting from all types of musicians is overwhelmingly positive.”

The aluminum that goes into the Normandy guitar is specially selected to retain the best possible sustain -- which, according to Normandy, blows the sustain on wooden body guitars right out of the water. Mr. Normandy himself continues:

“The purity and length of time a single, plucked note can ring out clean and true are far superior. This is important to most guitar players, especially those who play lead guitar."

The Normandy Guitars Aluminum Archtop features the classic archtop shape with a classy Bigsby-vibrato tailpiece and distinctive rivets. It's available in several colors and three finishes.

• Chrome
• Powder Coat
• Candy Apple Metal Flake

The chrome option features a triple electroplated finish that is buffed, electrically charged in a hot bath with Zincate, dipped in copper, covered with nickel and completed with the chrome finish. It's expected to cost somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000.