Ulrich Teuffel Niwa Prodigy, 2019

Straight out of a collection this stunning Teuffel Niwa Prodigy is back in our shop in search of a new home. Excellent condition. The original write-up is below.

Ulrich Teuffel deeply believes that a guitar's design should add to a player's creativity by not imposing a mindset on what a guitar "should" sound like, or predispose the player or audience to expect any particular style of music. While there are some who prefer more traditional designs, and those who adore Teuffel's instruments, both sides agree: there's no argument over his incredible craftsmanship and dedication to pure excellence.  

It's important to note that Teuffel's designs are created to a purpose - to be incredibly ergonomic - and to remove any barrier between the player and the creation of music.

The Niwa is a particularly relevant example; it being Ulrich's take on a classic bolt-on neck design. It's also the first model that Teuffel did with a traditional 6 inline headstock. It's a creation that has inspired many world class guitarists.

While the Niwa is well known among aficionados of Teuffel's work, this is a very special instrument. This particular Niwa Prodigy was crafted for, and featured at, the 2019 NAMM show. Stepping back from his typical matte finish, Ulrich has put the wood front and center. The photos don't do complete justice to just how spectacular it looks. As for its sound and playability, I invited longtime Niwa owner and good friend, Kingsley Durant to share his thoughts on this unique, beautiful, and inspiring instrument.

Thoughts on the Teuffel Niwa, Kingsley Durant, April 2019:

"I've owned and been playing a Teuffel Niwa for seven years now. The roots of mine are clearly in the classic Stratocaster recipe. I recently had a chance to play a new Niwa at CR Guitars. It has all of the qualities I love about mine with a slightly different and compelling voice of its own. It does away with the middle pickup, which is a blessing in some ways, as the middle pickup on mine has always forced me to adapt my picking to its presence. Both pickups in the new guitar have the kind of sound that makes me want to keep on playing all afternoon. The bridge pickup, in particular, has the kind of inspiring tone that makes me want to buy the guitar just for that sound alone. But Ulrich Teuffel and Harry Haüssel have cooked up a way of wiring the two-pickup guitar with a five-way switch that gives me inspiring tones in every position. Positions two and four offer brighter, cutting sounds that are great for rhythm playing and a nice update on the sounds we've been hearing from those positions on a Strat-recipe guitar for years. Finally, the guitar is visually stunning in a subtle and organic way. Teuffel has recently started using some nicely figured woods and the finish shows off the wood without dramatically calling attention to itself. That's in keeping with how the Niwa feels when I play it: the guitar seems to wrap itself around me and make itself easy and comfortable to play. Great sounds, subtle good looks, and comfortable and inviting to play. Oh, and built impeccably. In other words, everything I would want in a new guitar."

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.

ABOUT ULRICH TEUFFEL GUITARS
If asked about his most formative experience in guitar making, Ulrich Teuffel tends to say it was his study of industrial design from 1992 until 1996. Indeed, after obtaining a highschool degree Teuffel served an extended apprenticeship in metalwork and construction at Mercedes-Benz. During that period he learned that you can't name something "exact" if it isn’t down to one hundredth of a millimeter. While Teuffel crafts what we know as 'guitars' into a set of unorthodox, awe-inspiring and unusually engineered forms, it wasn't always that way. His earlier instruments were Steve Klein inspired acoustics and gorgeous traditinal electrics - Les Paul and Strat-like renditions that are remarkably similar to the iconic designs. But today, Ulrich is known as an intrepid adventurer with an engineer's bent. His intruments are thought out to a mind-boggling degree and executed with impeccable quality - the sort of creations that provide comfort and inspiration to artists like David Torn, Henry Kaiser, Hans Zimmer and Billy Gibbons.