Ron Thorn Josh Hager (DEVO) J2V2 Velvet Blue

As John Cleese once famously quipped, "And now for something completely different!"

DEVO fans, collectors, and guitar nerds, this one’s for you. The J2V2 is the brainchild of Ron Thorn (former Fender Masterbuilder and founder of Thorn Custom Guitars) and Josh Hager, who’s been manning guitar and synth duties for DEVO since 2014.

It’s almost comical to call this a “rare opportunity to purchase a cool guitar." Outside of the guitars Josh owns and tours with, these two J2V2s we’re offering (see our other listing) are the only ones in existence, and they’re everything you’d hope a DEVO-approved, Thorn-built guitar would be: offbeat, high-performance, and completely dialed-in.

This J2V2 is what happens when Ron and Josh sat down and asked, “What haven’t we seen yet?” The result is this wildly original, DEVO-worthy creation - a guitar that takes familiar forms and turns them sideways, literally and creatively. Start with an offset silhouette reminiscent of a flipped Jazzmaster, mix in a touch of Josh’s beloved Hamer Phantom A5 GT, and layer on Thorn’s signature hardware and design touches.

The Korina body keeps things lightweight and lively, paired with a quartersawn maple neck and East Indian rosewood fingerboard. A comfy Round C profile (.85–.98"), 10" radius, and 6150 frets make for an effortlessly playable neck, while the Duncan Saturday Night Special, JB Jr., and Lollar '64 pickups deliver a huge tonal range - from greasy garage rock to glassy cleans, and everything in between. Glowing blue block fretboard inlays, a Strat-style jack, Sperzel locking tuners, and Ron’s clever Brass Knuckle bridge round out the build, adding both performance and personality.

What it’s not is a shredder’s scalpel (re: upper fret access) - and that’s exactly the idea. This guitar is about vibe, punch, and fun. It’s a stage-ready machine with a sense of humor and a whole lot of attitude. Plug it in and you’ll feel what we mean: dynamic, expressive, and just a blast to play.

*We had Josh sign the back of the headstock after our studio pics were taken.

Built to stand out visually and sonically, the Hager/Thorn collaboration continues to prove that great design doesn’t have to play it safe.