At NAMM 2025, JHS, celebrating its 60th anniversary, unveiled new additions to its Rapier line of solid-bodied guitars and basses, paying homage to the pioneering British-built instruments of the 1960s. The latest releases include the Rapier Saffire Ultra electric guitar and the Rapier Symphonic Bass, designed by renowned UK guitar builder Alan Entwistle.
Rapier Saffire Ultra Electric Guitar: A Modern Classic
The Rapier Saffire Ultra boasts a double-cutaway design and is available in striking finishes such as Greenburst, Ocean Blue, and Shoreline Gold. 2-piece 3-ply scratchplates complement it.
Astro Sonic-Split
Key upgrades include a trio of Entwistle’s low-noise Astro Sonic-Split pickups, wired through two 5-way selectors, a single volume, and two tone controls. Entwistle’s ATN 5-way switching system allows for many tonal possibilities.
Further enhancements include roller bridge saddles, a re-engineered Hi-Lo Resonance long-plate vibrato system, and Wilkinson E-Z LoK machine heads, ensuring accurate pitch return, stable tuning, and precise intonation.
The guitar features a single-bound okoume chambered body, a high-gloss maple neck, a bound rosewood fingerboard with block position markers, and 22 frets, including a zero fret, a nod to its 1960s predecessors.
Rapier Symphonic Bass Guitar: Retro Vibe, Modern Tone
The Rapier Symphonic 4-string bass, available in Firenza Red, Arctic White, and Metallic Silver, has a pair of Alan Entwistle’s Astro Sonic VX bass pickups.
It features a single volume control, a global tone control, an Okoume body, and a bolt-on maple neck and rosewood fingerboard.
Wilkinson Hardware
This combination delivers the classic Rapier bass tone, familiar from early British pop records, but with an expanded tonal range suitable for various musical styles.
A Wilkinson WPB bass bridge and Wilkinson WJBL 200 machine heads ensure stable tuning and accurate intonation. Including a chrome bridge cover and “tug bar” finger rest highlights Entwistle’s attention to detail.
The new models retain the iconic aesthetic of the original Rapier instruments while incorporating modern enhancements in tonewood and hardware to meet the demands of contemporary musicians.
Pricing and Availability:
- Rapier Saffire Ultra Electric Guitar (fitted with Elixir Strings as standard): RRP £599.00.
- Rapier Symphonic Bass Guitar: RRP £429.00.
Rapier guitars are distributed worldwide exclusively by JHS and can be ordered directly from their site below.
