RUO Roll Call RuoKangas Rock ! & Guitar Builder

[cubado]

Juha is an amazing builder...

http://www.ruokangas.com (http://www.ruokangas.com/)

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j250/cubado/RUOKANGAS/DSCN4307.jpg?t=1267753645

My VSOP Supreme is a tone monster !

Cant wait to try a Unicorn.

And very cool website... where you can spec your own Ruokangas & SHARE IT !!

Ruokangas Guitar Builder in Facebook!

Now you can share all your Guitar Builder projects with your Facebook friends. Just pick your favorite guitar and start building – and when you’re happy with the result, click the Facebook share button! The coolest thing is that you’re not only sharing a pic, but also a link back to the guitar you built! Have fun!



http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/?page_id=7⊂=4 (http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/?page_id=7&sub=4)


SHOW & TELL YOUR RUO !!!!

[dougk]

I don't own one yet but I did get to play a few and talked at length with Emma and Juha at NAMM.

http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/121130729.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/121130709.jpg

Probably a couple of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of talking too. Been talking to and picking Juha's brain ever since LOL

[michael30]

Here's mine:

http://harmony.demont.net/myharmonies/Michael/Ruokangas_VSOP_King_02.jpg

Best guitar I've ever owned!

[crosse79]

http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/121130709.jpg



Wow - that's a very nice guitar. Love the burst too.

[Mojosupreme]

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af333/chefron_2009/2006%20Ruokangas%20Mojo%20Supreme/IMG_0814.jpg

[stashman]

I have an incoming VSOP and am psyched!

[magnus02]

I LOVE the altic birch (I think that's it) that he uses... its so gorgeous and I've never seen anyone else use it.

Cubado that one of yours has tempted me since you first put it up for sale because I used to see that one on the website and lust after it.... so so sexy

[cubado]

Tx .... Its a keeper....

fingers crossed!!

I see a lot of keepers for sale.... times r tuff !!

[kingsleyd]

I LOVE the altic birch (I think that's it)

That would be Baltic birch... as in from the Baltic countries, which would be those bordering the Baltic Sea... Finland being one of 'em...

[cubado]

Juhan uses Arctic Birch. ... same as Baltic ?

[dougk]

Wow - that's a very nice guitar. Love the burst too.

You have no idea how hard it was not to run with it! Thank god I'm fat and slow... and I know it :bonk:rotflmao

[kingsleyd]

Juhan uses Arctic Birch. ... same as Baltic ?

Just did some checking and it's not entirely clear what the relationship is. Baltic is the stuff they use to make plywood for speaker cabinets. It appears that the "Arctic birch" Juha uses (sorry... my bad... faulty memory circuits) is something different and more exclusive, but whether that's marketing spew or something else I can't say for sure. I couldn't find anything online that described the specific species Juha claims to use.

[celvira]

My three Ruokangas:

http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq356/celvira/Ruokangas/RuokangasVSOPSupreme002.jpg

http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq356/celvira/Ruokangas/vsop04_3824.jpg

http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq356/celvira/Ruokangas/img_8742_659.jpg

I love the spanish cedar. I have to try a Unicorn.

I like this: http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/?page_id=7&sub=13&opt=13b0201011-10001-1000000010200-1-1-1-1-100-1-1-1030300-100-1020000

[Ruokangas]

Hey guys! There's special type of birch growing in Finland that has a name Jääkoivu. :-) I started building guitars of it ages ago, and when I did my first press release to international magazines, I realized it doesn't even have an english name... So I named it Arctic Birch. One could call it Ice Birch as well - which would be the direct translation of the original Finnish word. At best it has really unique figuring, and the availability is scarce. I fetch all I can, and still it's hardly enough for our own use.

The real challenge is, that this birch is not a business in the way flamed maple is - meaning that I have no place to turn to if I want to buy, say, the kind of highly figured birch I like to use in my guitars. So what I (have to) do is that I go to forests with timberjacks I know, and I buy the whole freaking trunks. They cut down the trees for me, I have it sliced to planks the way I want and have it seasoned outside for several years. Then it goes to thermal treatment and is seasoned a bit more indoors. Then we can start slicing it up to tops - and this is when I find out specifically what I bought years ago... Not easy to use something that nobody else uses, aye? ;-)

-Juha-

[magnus02]

Wow that's awesome Juha (maybe not as much for you) but very cool to hear how different builders do things their own way.

And thanks for the geography lesson kingsleyd....

But I guess we were all wrong in a way.

[kingsleyd]

Thanks for filling us in, Juha! I suspected that it was NOT marketing spew but I couldn't find anything that described the kind of birch you were talking about. There's an "Artic birch" that is native to Greenland and Iceland but it doesn't sound like the same stuff at all, plus the trees are too small to use for guitar tops. :)

Still have yet to find a Unicorn to play... ....still curious!

[cubado]

Thanks Juha!!

Some sweet looking axes here !

"Still have yet to find a Unicorn to play... ....still curious! "

me too !!

[kingsleyd]

I'm going to Montreal for the guitar show 4th of July weekend (how unamerican! out of the country on July 4! worse: not on Cape Cod that weekend!) so I'll get to play a Unicorn then. :)

[stashman]

here's mine
http://i484.photobucket.com/albums/rr209/stashman61/march%20gits/P1010675.jpg

[Musikhaus Jever]

is that a cedro-body vsop?

[rockridge98]

If you are looking to pick up a used but mint condition Mojo Grande I've got one on Ebay right now. Never going to sell my VSOP Supreme though!

[Dana Olsen]

Juha is not only a fantastic and innovative builder, he's a really cool and caring person, and a class act, as is his wife.

Plus, what a great woodworker - fantastic sounding and looking guitars.

Juha ROCKS!

Thanks, Dana O.

[mslugano]

Here's my old Mojo. By far the best T type I have ever played. Juha is such a nice guy and his attention to detail is exceptional. Also, I totally dig the Haussell (sp?) pickups...the neck P90 sounded so much more clear than any other P90 I've played and the bridge is BIG and full. (I've also played Haussell's P90 and HB in a couple Huber Orca's and they are fantastic.)

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r48/mslugano/RuokangasMojo4.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r48/mslugano/RuokangasMojo1.jpg

[MOJO]

http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/121130709.jpg


That is sweet... great color and beautiful f hole design

[dougk]

http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/121130709.jpg


That is sweet... great color and beautiful f hole design

If only I could could convince Juha to trade one of his for one of mine :phones

[MOJO]

If only I could could convince Juha to trade one of his for one of mine :phones

Funny you said that, i always wondered if any of the builders ever did that. i think that would be pretty cool

[cubado]

I have had mine up for sale ( reluctantly ! )

.... so I have not been playing her much if at all.

Off for the market for the present.... and I have been playing it all week.

even Better than I remembered.

:aok

any Ruo newbies?

any UNICORN Guitar owners ?

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j250/cubado/RUOKANGAS/DSCN4307.jpg

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j250/cubado/RUOKANGAS/DSCN4307.jpg%5B/IMG%5D

[kingsleyd]

any UNICORN Guitar owners ?


not yet...
:YinYang

[kerry kruger]

I'd just like to say that I think Juha has one of the best eyes around for designing bodies. I have watched all his videos, and it's clear he has a great attitude in general, loves what he does, learns from his experimentation, deals with the downsides, and keeps turning out great stuff, what more could you want in a builder. I certainly keep an eye on whatever he's up to. Wish I could show him some of my stuff, would value his input.
It's a shame he's so far away, but, thankfully we have the Interwebs.

[BattleAngel]

This is mine... a VSOP Supreme with a one-off inlay on the trem cover (also Spanish Cedar) with flamed birch fingerboard and top in what I believe Juha called a sunset finish. The guitar is a beast and really makes any guitar I've played next to it feel a bit like a toy. The only exceptions for me have been David Myka's instruments or really well seasoned Les Paul style guitars. The guitar has a weight, sonic authority and playability that are off the charts. The pickups are absolutely out of this world... this guitar was used almost exclusively in the studio for my Arizona electric guitar parts, but was only taken out live on special occasions since... well the thing looks like excallibur doesn't it? hehe.

http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/167-c/1.jpg
http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/167-c/wigler-13.jpg
http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/167-c/wigler-24.jpg
http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/167-c/wigler-5.jpg

This one falls under the category of "guitars I'd never sell."

[Blessed Tone]

http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/167-c/wigler-5.jpg

This one falls under the category of "guitars I'd never sell."

Very, very nice... I REALLY dig Juha's work !! There are some real beauties in this thread!!

[jgreen8240]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8df24b3127ccec35e90469bd300000010O10Acs2rNo1aOG IPbz4G/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D1/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0d729b3127ccefb448e26558800000030O00Acs2rNo1aOG IPbz4G/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8d701b3127ccec57ceb5ff3b900000040O00Acs2rNo1aOG IPbz4G/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

Thanks Juha!!!

[Marcel]

http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/167-c/1.jpg


That is just out of this world beautiful :drool:drool:drool

[juikkipuikki]

My Ruokangas guitar! Here it is!

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/4479/81396.jpg

Studio pictures:

http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/hellcat-artist/9766.jpg
http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/hellcat-artist/9768.jpg
http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/hellcat-artist/9769.jpg
http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/hellcat-artist/9771.jpg
http://www.ruokangas.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/hellcat-artist/9774.jpg

So Hellcat Artist with some custom options:

- custom headstock shape
- my name at the "25". fret
- flat C custom neck shape
- 3-toggle micswitch(lp style) under those haüssel tozz´s

[Crash-VR]

they build amazing guitars!! i wonder y theyre not as famous as the top brands?

The exchange rate...

[oddguitar]

Beautiful guitars. Seem to have some cool innovations too....check this out:

http://nermark.articulateimages.com/journeysframeset.htm

If you scroll down in this MusikMesse 2011 report there is a beautiful Ruokangas Hellcat that has some sort of Floyd Rose stopper wheel, which I'm very curious about :drool

It's also cool that they feature the True Temperament fret system as a standard option. Haven't ever tried a Ruokangas guitar, but they certainly look beautiful and seems to be crafted exceptionally well.

-oddguitar

[Rusty G.]

Here's my Ruokangas Duke Twin Sonic. . .Incredible guitar, that I'm glad I found!
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn239/RustyGalloway/IMG_2030.jpg?t=1303356280


Here's a anoter picture of the Ruokangas Duke Twin Sonic:
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn239/RustyGalloway/IMG_2029.jpg?t=1303356437

[simplecomplexity]

these are great guitars... played almost every model, totally blown away!

[boggydepot]

Hey guys! There's special type of birch growing in Finland that has a name Jääkoivu. :-) I started building guitars of it ages ago, and when I did my first press release to international magazines, I realized it doesn't even have an english name... So I named it Arctic Birch. One could call it Ice Birch as well - which would be the direct translation of the original Finnish word. At best it has really unique figuring, and the availability is scarce. I fetch all I can, and still it's hardly enough for our own use.

The real challenge is, that this birch is not a business in the way flamed maple is - meaning that I have no place to turn to if I want to buy, say, the kind of highly figured birch I like to use in my guitars. So what I (have to) do is that I go to forests with timberjacks I know, and I buy the whole freaking trunks. They cut down the trees for me, I have it sliced to planks the way I want and have it seasoned outside for several years. Then it goes to thermal treatment and is seasoned a bit more indoors. Then we can start slicing it up to tops - and this is when I find out specifically what I bought years ago... Not easy to use something that nobody else uses, aye? ;-)

-Juha-

Digging up old threads!

This is what drove me to check out Ruokangas. And, place an order for a Unicorn. Deposit in. 7 months.....

[Stu_R]

More Ruokangas love here: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1203100

Might as well post another pic of my Duke also ;-)

http://i.imgur.com/welUYnq.jpg

[gassyndrome]

Wow, that looks super classy! How's it sound?

[Stu_R]

Wow, that looks super classy! How's it sound?

Incredible. It's rich, hugely resonant and the P90 "SingleSonics" are transparent and very dynamic. The neck pup in particular runs from clear but warm, bell-like cleans that get gritty as you dig in, to singing leads as you wind in the gain.

In short, I adore this guitar :-)

[boggydepot]

Wow....that's a beauty.

My Uni that I ordered is going to be black top and bare back (natural).

Steve

More Ruokangas love here: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1203100

Might as well post another pic of my Duke also ;-)

http://i.imgur.com/welUYnq.jpg

[BG Loft]

So which model did you order?

[boggydepot]

So which model did you order?

Black Unicorn. Natural, unfinished back and neck. Ebony, no pickguard.

Steve

[guitarpedaladdict]

Black Unicorn. Natural, unfinished back and neck. Ebony, no pickguard.

Steve

I recently became the owner of a Unicorn and can say that it has not fallen short of the reviews on any front. After 2 weeks of sneaking in small sessions wherever I can, I feel like I finally own a guitar worth keeping for many many years to come. It has truly set a standard for what I will pursue in future purchases.

In all honesty, this guitar probably belongs in the hands of a better player that me, however, I am hoping that I will become that player through this instrument.

I'm trying to find some time in the next few weeks to do a few clips. It's kind of daunting to consider having looked at the caliber of players who have shared before me, but I'll give it a go.

[boggydepot]

I recently became the owner of a Unicorn and can say that it has not fallen short of the reviews on any front. After 2 weeks of sneaking in small sessions wherever I can, I feel like I finally own a guitar worth keeping for many many years to come. It has truly set a standard for what I will pursue in future purchases.

In all honesty, this guitar probably belongs in the hands of a better player that me, however, I am hoping that I will become that player through this instrument.

I'm trying to find some time in the next few weeks to do a few clips. It's kind of daunting to consider having looked at the caliber of players who have shared before me, but I'll give it a go.

It's cool when you have a guitar like that which you can bond with. Out of the 25 or so that I have right now, there's one that will go to the grave with me....

Ken Lawrence Explorer

Anything else can be replaced. Having said that, my Gil Yaron ships at the end of the week. I have a Blackmachine in the works and then the Ruok.

That will be 4 guitars to the grave.........


Steve

[guitarpedaladdict]

Anything else can be replaced.

After picking up the Unicorn, this statement means something entirely different to me than it did before.

Quality wise, this was a step into new territory for me. I have never owned a small build guitar before. There is no way to experience the Unicorn (sight, smell, sound) and not be aware of the level of care that has gone into this build.

When I opened the case for the first time, I felt like I was looking at a fine cello instead of a guitar. The smell of the Spanish Cedar is magnificent (it stays on your hands after you play) and the guitar has an acoustic ring very similar to a very nice Martin I used to own, albeit solid body version of this, "balanced" and "full" are words that come to mind. This translates incredibly well into electric play through the Haussels.

[beorn]

When I opened the case for the first tme, I felt like I was looking at a fine cello instead of a guitar. The smell of the Spanish Cedar is magnificent (it stays on your hands after you play) and the guitar has an acoustic ring very similar to a very nice Martin I used to own, albeit solid body version of this, "balanced" and "full" are words that come to mind. This translates incredibly well into electric play through the Haussels.

Not very surprisingly... complete agreement on every point. Except the Martin one (because my only acoustics are classical).

[Blessed Tone]

Black Unicorn. Natural, unfinished back and neck. Ebony, no pickguard.

Steve

SWEET!!!


My personal dream Unicorn will be built for me in 2014 (Fingers crossed!)

I want a Unicorn Artisan in Black , BRW, cream guard, nickle hardware (special inlay on the 12th fret) :cool:

[Blessed Tone]

More Ruokangas love here: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1203100

Might as well post another pic of my Duke also ;-)

http://i.imgur.com/welUYnq.jpg

Beauty !!!!!

[edgie]

I have never been a big fan of LP-type guitars because of the design's ergonomics. But since I tried the first Unicorn at BG Loft's place, I've been GASsing for one. A year later, a plaintop Unicorn arrived with my Classic Mojo and I can say the quality is really consistent.

The Unicorn is probably the most comfortable LP-type shape in the planet today in terms of weight and ergonomics without looking weird. Arctic birch really makes it standout among the sea of LPs out there. Even the plaintop still has some nice subtle figuring on it.

Congrats in advance on your Unicorn, Steve. I'm sure it'll rock.:dude

[boggydepot]

I have never been a big fan of LP-type guitars because of the design's ergonomics. But since I tried the first Unicorn at BG Loft's place, I've been GASsing for one. A year later, a plaintop Unicorn arrived with my Classic Mojo and I can say the quality is really consistent.

The Unicorn is probably the most comfortable LP-type shape in the planet today in terms of weight and ergonomics without looking weird. Arctic birch really makes it standout among the sea of LPs out there. Even the plaintop still has some nice subtle figuring on it.

Congrats in advance on your Unicorn, Steve. I'm sure it'll rock.:dude

Thanks. I gravitate more toward LP types, but there's so much inconsistency at Gibson. So, it's Gil Yaron and Juha Ruokangas for me. There's just something to be said about a luthier that goes and finds the right tree for his guitars. Looking forward to it for sure.

It's already numbered #81.

Steve

[kingsleyd]

OK, y'all, here's the newest Ruokangas model! The Unicorn Artisan -- a semi-hollow version of the Unicorn. Pretty large drool factor...

W3v-1q_hWHo

[joemesser]

Great tones and playing, Kingsley D!

[BG Loft]

I have never been a big fan of LP-type guitars because of the design's ergonomics. But since I tried the first Unicorn at BG Loft's place, I've been GASsing for one. A year later, a plaintop Unicorn arrived with my Classic Mojo and I can say the quality is really consistent.

The Unicorn is probably the most comfortable LP-type shape in the planet today in terms of weight and ergonomics without looking weird. Arctic birch really makes it standout among the sea of LPs out there. Even the plaintop still has some nice subtle figuring on it.

Congrats in advance on your Unicorn, Steve. I'm sure it'll rock.:dude
you really make the mojo rock too Edgie! It was good spec-ing out the guitar with you! :JAM

[Jake51]

Hey all !!!!
I have the first Unicorn Prototype in Tobacco Sunburst. Purchased it a few years ago from Make'n Music. I am absolutely in love with this guitar. It really is a work of art. The sound is so sweet, like a cross between a Les Paul and a PRS. It is the finest guitar in my collection . I hope everyone enjoys theirs as much as it has brought such enjoyment to my life.