b3 Monroe “Astrobee” Prototype #1

b3 Monroe “Astrobee” Prototype
New

b3 Monroe “Astrobee” Prototype #1

Regular price $8,170.00
/

Body

Korina
Weight
7lbs 15oz
Scale Length
25 1/2"
Pickups
Unknown/Ronin

  • Authorized Retailer
  • Free UPS Ground Shipping On Orders Over $299 (Continental U.S. Only)

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Some guitars exist to preserve the past - homage or replica guitars - and some exist simply to express unbound creativity and joy. The LTD Monroe Astrobee is undoubtedly one of the joy-filled ones.

One thing we love about Gene Baker is that he can be as wild or conservative as he wants, and he definitely has the chops to build whatever he can dream up - this remarkably cool Monroe Astrobee Prototype being the exclamation point on that sentiment. Gene is only planning to build 10 Astrobees, each with its own aesthetic and features.

Let's start with the Monroe model itself. This is a new model from Gene and the crew at b3 Guitars, which essentially takes their Tele/Firebird-inspired Phoenix model and applies that concept to an offset body shape, giving us the Monroe. Like its sibling, the Monroe features neck through construction, a 25 1/2" scale, a raised center section body, and a variety of pickup and bridge options.

In and of itself, the Monroe is an incredibly cool guitar. It balances beautifully, sounds fantastic, and the playability is effortless - all hallmarks of Gene's guitars. No surprises here.

Okay, with that introduction behind us....on to the Astrobee Prototype!

Gold leaf finish, a Ronin gold foil humbucker bridge pickup, vintage 'no name' gold foil neck pickup, Bigsby, stainless frets, large bakelite knobs, engraved aluminum pickguards, Korina body & neck, and a bevy of NOS switches....holy moly! We told you Gene can dream up some remarkable instruments!

The overarching goal of the Astrobee's aesthetic is to evoke the excitement of '60s-era space travel, hence the ray gun and rocket engravings on the guards. The bakelite knobs and NOS switches feel like they could've been taken straight off an Apollo control panel, don't they? In such heavy and serious times, it's appreciated to be given a great reminder to relish in a little child-like awe and excitement every now and then. It's only rock and roll but I like it!

Ronin has made a name for themselves over the years with their outstanding guitars, which showcase one very unusual feature - their humbucker gold foil pickups. Yes, you read that correctly. Ronin makes gorgeous, sparkly, nuanced, chimey gold foil humbuckers, that can also be coil-tapped. Familiar tonally in some ways, these pickups are a breath of fresh air in an otherwise single-coil and humbucker world.

Paired with an old 'no name' vintage gold foil and the array of phase, series/parallel, & coil-tap switches on the Astrobee, Gene seems to be inviting you to participate in his joyous creative exploration - you can pull almost whatever sounds you want from this guitar while going deep into exploring the vast unknown. It's brilliant, cool, and a hell of a lot of fun . Thank you for the reminder, Gene!!

Gold Leaf

A gorgeous gold leaf, lightly relic'd, finish covers every inch of the Astobee's sleek, offset body.

Aluminum

Two aluminum pickguards feature rocket and ray gun engravings, a tip of the hat to some of the early rockets that propelled us into space in the 60’s.

Knobs & Switches

Large Bakeolite knobs (volume/tone) and NOS rocker switches (pickup selectors, series/parallel, phase, and coil taps) capture the space-age vibes of the '60s - they really look a bit like something off an Apollo control panel!

Pickups

A Ronin Foilbucker (bridge position) and an unknown vintage goldfoil pickup (neck position) deliver unique, incredibly dynamic, and musical tones, especially when paired with the versatile switching system.

Body

Style
Solid body
Body
Korina
Color
Gold Leaf
Finish
Light Relic

Hardware

Pickup
Ronin Triple Hot (bridge) & unknown vintage goldfoil (neck)
Controls
Volume / Tone / 3-Way Switch / NOS rocker switches / .01 NOS Sprague tone cap
Knobs
Bakelite (large)
Pickguards
Aluminum
Bridge
Half Tele / Bigsby
Tuners
Kluson

Neck

Neck
Korina
Carve
Standard C Carve (.83-.96")
Fingerboard
Rosewood
Binding
Cream
Inlay
Dots
Radius
12"
Frets
6105 Stainless Steel (22)
Nut
1.687" Bone
Scale Length
25 1/2"

Other

Serial #
23 049
Weight
7lbs 15oz
Case
Hardshell

Interested in ordering a Monroe Astrobee of your own? Only 10 will be made.

Brand Story

SHOP b3 GUITARS
Recently viewed