Amped on Alloy

James Little didn’t set out to own a guitar company, but a career in the cycling world got his entrepreneurial gears turning. After retiring six Stratocasters because “temperature and humidity wreak havoc on wooden instruments,” the amateur axeman wondered if the same strong, lightweight materials used in bike racing could produce a better guitar. So he asked Jeremy Hume, senior engineer for cycling manufacturer Industry Nine, to try. “We basically over-engineered the guitar,” says Little. The innovative design struck a chord, and Aluminati Guitar Co. was born in 2009.

Over the next decade, the business gained momentum, receiving nods from big-name musicians like Walter Becker of Steely Dan. “Touring pros don’t care about hype—if playing music is your only job, you care about the instrument,” says Little. With authentic celebrity praise, their sales skyrocketed.

To meet demand, the duo set up shop in Asheville, tapping into the local luthier network. “Instead of a few instruments a year, we could make 15 a month,” says Little. Even with thousands of orders, their return rate stays extremely low. “Our luthiers don’t let anything less than perfect leave our shop. We make them right the first time.”

Built from durable, sustainable materials like aluminum, carbon fiber, and Lucite, the instruments deliver a balanced feel, low string action for reduced finger fatigue, a superb frequency range, and unwavering sound. Aluminati also trademarked its hollow neck technology for reduced weight, improved tuning stability, and increased resonance. “They sort of play themselves,” jokes Little. One customer even dubbed Aluminati “the Rolls Royce of guitars,” and another called playing his “nothing short of a religious experience.” World-renowned bassist Billy Sheehan and other artists have commented that the instruments are always in tune, ready to play whenever inspiration strikes.

Little views aluminum as the best material for a stringed instrument, if engineered correctly. “That chiming tone…note clarity and string definition just come through.” Rickenbacker introduced the first aluminum guitar, nicknamed “the frying pan,” in 1931, and Travis Bean carried the idea into the ’70s, though the guitars were heavy and unreliable. Then, NASA machinist John Veleno brought the form “to the forefront of guitardom” with gorgeous, full-aluminum instruments favored by high-profile artists like Marc Bolan and Eric Clapton.

Shortly after opening the Asheville facility, Little received a call from Veleno’s son asking him to partner with the family for the Veleno reissue—a full-circle moment that had the Aluminati CEO near tears. “It felt good that they trusted our company to produce their father’s legacy instruments.”

Aluminati licenses its technology for a number of manufacturers, including heavy-metal favorite Woodrite. “We build more instruments for other companies than ourselves,” adds Little. Last year, the maker collaborated with Live Nation to build a guitar using recycled beverage cans from nationwide music venues as part of the zero-waste tour with Dave Matthews Band.

In another eco-conscious riff, Aluminati worked with Green River Woods, a local lumber operation pounded by Hurricane Helene, to salvage spalted maple from the River Arts District. “Our luthiers cleaned and kiln-dried the wood for a small run,” says Little. Aluminati tapped rock stars like local legend Warren Haynes to play and sign the striking “Floodcaster” series for auction, with proceeds supporting nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity. This spring, Asheville Brewing Company and Aluminati also launched “Fret Buzz” lager, donating to Habitat a dollar from every beer poured at the sold-out release concert.

Little’s now amped about the “Telepath,” Aluminati’s first sub-$2,000 model (most cost at least twice that). The Telecaster-style guitar features a more exaggerated offset, cutaways for comfort, and their popular “Archer” neck. “This makes the brand accessible to everyday players, not just touring musicians and collectors,” says the CEO. “This guitar is a game changer.”

Aluminati Guitar Co.
53A Shiloh Rd., Asheville
(828) 417-7574
www.aluminatiguitars.com