Arguably his most notable model is the Forty-Four. The Forty-Four takes the compact single-cut design of the original Harmony H44 Stratotone and elevates it from mail-order to luthier-grade, all while retaining what made the originals so special. From the reclaimed tonewoods and custom-made hardware to the handwound pickups and striking finish work, the Forty-Four is as captivating tonally as it is visually.

Forty-Four # 36 shows off some of what makes Nic's guitars really stand out - the hardware. Custom machined and sometimes singularly unique to the individual guitar, these aesthetic touches elevate the presentation of the guitar in such a striking way. Folks familiar with Joe Yanuziello's instruments will understand this approach. In this case, it's the brass accents. The bridge saddle, knobs, and switch tip all tie in so perfectly together, with the custom anchor plate as the finishing touch.

With many of the original H44 Stratotones relegated to slide guitars due to the bridge design and neck angle, the Island Forty-Four becomes an obvious choice for players wanting the style without the playability restrictions. These guitars are highly capable of covering some serious tonal ground!