“At some point I might come up with a new single-cut unique enough not to upset anybody”: Nik Huber on the perils of riffing on the classics and the evolution of his powerhouse boutique brand

Nik Huber pictured with one of his guitars.

The dilemma for any guitar maker – large or small, new or old – is whether they, ahem, borrow someone else’s design or plough a new furrow. Many brands do both, of course. We’re not talking about creating a counterfeit, but the classic shapes from the '50s and '60s have always held an allure that is increasingly hard to shake. 

Combine one of those classic outlines with a new headstock and a different pickup set and off you go. But get too close to the flame and many makers have run into trouble, with the likes of Fender or Gibson taking issue.