DISCOVER YOUR
MUSICAL SPIRIT
The Unicorn sums up my career in so many ways. The special wood materials I’ve learned to love so much, my trademark constructional features, the tonal fine-tuning, the aesthetic and ergonomic balance – it’s all there – entwined with tradition, reinventing the roots. A guitar that at first glance may appear conventional, yet when experienced, turns out to be quite exceptional.
Juha Ruokangas – Master Guitar Maker
UNICORN CLASSIC
I’ve been nuts about guitars since a kid. It took 15 years as a professional luthier until I dared to challenge myself and create the solid body single-cut electric I had always wanted. I’m so very proud how it turned out.
UNICORN ARTISAN
One of my greatest passions in designing a guitar is to make it sound transparent so there is no barrier between the player and the instrument. The Artisan is right there – a true communication tool for your soul.
UNICORN SUPERSONIC
Some say rock music is from the devil. I don’t know about that, but there sure is something devilishly seductive in mean, stripped down rock’n’roll – and that’s exactly what provoked me to create the Unicorn Supersonic.
MAKING THE UNICORN
After fifteen years as a professional luthier, I went back to my first love of electric guitars, challenged myself and started from the beginning to create the single-cut electric I had always wanted.
Watch the massive 17-episode Unicorn Video Diary in YouTube, filmed in 2008-2009, documenting the entire design process of the Unicorn guitar. More related vids on our Unicorn Playlist.
EXTRA MILE
The Unicorn tops are all made from arctic birch because of its unparalleled tone, and appearance that is unlike any other guitars. Figured arctic birch is not readily available, so I need to hunt it down the hard way – I trek in the forests, hand-pick the trees I want, and the logs are cut exclusively for me. It’s a lot of work – but I’m stubborn enough to walk the extra mile.
ONGOING EVOLUTION
We all belong to a continuum. We draw from the past – but luckily we can renew ourselves, too. Establishing the use of Spanish cedar in electric guitars is one example of my personal renewal processes. By doing so, I wish I have not only generated a new tradition, but also succeeded in contributing a little to the ongoing evolution of electric guitar.
TRANSFORMATION
Quality of tonewood means everything to me, because it essentially dictates whether or not a guitar has the potential to become a great musical instrument. Thermal ageing is not a magic trick – it doesn’t change bad wood into good. But it is the best method to make sure my hand selected tonewood is all game to begin the transformation into a great guitar.
Money can’t buy
Your love and dedication is something money can not buy – it is a gift from you to your customers.
Work of art
The guitar is nothing short of a work of art, perfect in concept and execution.
Wonderful, wonderful
I love the tactile satin back and neck of the Unicorn. What a wonderful, wonderful guitar!
Crazy proud
In Finland, guitar making is a matter of great pride. And they must be crazy proud of Ruokangas Guitars.
I’m thrilled
The workmanship and the finish of my Unicorn Artisan is really high end! Playing lead or clean – I’m thrilled!
Tone machine
What an amazing instrument. By the looks alone it is a stunner. And soundwise it’s a tone machine!
Piece of art
Simply awesome. Thank you very much for this new piece of art!
Life’s too short
Life is just too short to play bad guitars.
Unicorn Artisan
…outstanding craftsmanship and above all of unusual sound capacity, full of freshness, dynamic and vividness.
Master of his craft
Juha Ruokangas is a master of his craft and the model Unicorn Classic has once again clearly demonstrated it.
LIMITLESS
I strive to make my guitars as limitless as possible regarding the sound. An electric guitar is an acoustic instrument – and an exceptionally good electric guitar must have superb acoustic properties in order to deliver the richest, liveliest and most characteristic possible sound when amplified.
CARVED TOP
The purpose of a carved top is not only to please the eye, but also to contribute to the sound. Every structural detail matters – the angled neck together with the bridge and tailpiece create a solid foundation for the energy of the strings to transfer to the carved top and the whole body of the guitar in the most vibrant way.
STRONG NECK
During my years as a repairman I got so tired to fix broken headstocks, that I decided to do mine better than that. I want my guitars to last from father to son. The Unicorn has the steep vintage style headstock angle, but I revamped the construction completely, making the neck super strong.
JOY TO PLAY
BUILT FOR LIFE
Our purpose is to create the ideal tools for your art of making music. To achieve this goal, each of our guitars is individually handmade to the highest standard by one of us, the Ruokangas team, using the finest materials in the world. No serial production methods or automated processes are involved in the making.
FULL POTENTIAL
We use a lot of time to do the fretwork – more than most would consider sensible. It takes forever just to do the dome shaped fret ends like we do them. But then again, that’s what our job is about. The best playability can only be achieved when every detail is thought out and executed to its full potential.
going nuts
It takes years for a luthier to master the art of making a flawless nut to a guitar. It starts from selecting the right material, and in Finland, the number one choice is moose shin bone. It keeps the tuning best, breaks strings the least, outlasts synthetic materials or metals, and gives unique clarity to the open notes.
thin finish
A great guitar finish feels right, looks right and protects the wood right. A great guitar finish must be thin and hard to not dampen the sound of the guitar. Instead of blindly repeating what was done before me, I’ve trusted my own intuition and experience, done my own research and found the best finishes for my own guitars.
Playable art
We make heavy duty tools for serious players. It doesn’t make a difference if it’s the most stripped down model or top of the line eye-candy – every Ruokangas guitar is top notch, right out of the box.
RUOKANGAS SETS THE BAR
In the world of boutique guitars, Ruokangas sets the bar as a standard by which all boutique guitar companies should be measured against for making an outstanding product. I am a very proud owner of these instruments.
– Jay Jay French | Twisted Sister Homepage
GOOD LIFE
I have consciously decided not to take part in the ongoing industrial race for cheaper labour and bigger profits. Our ambition is simply to live our lives making guitars, cherishing the tradition of handcraft. Why? Because we love it. It’s a good life.
– Juha Ruokangas