“Perfect” means many different things to many different people. When Rax Trax Recordings in Chicago called, it meant one thing in particular: to combine the best features of all their studio guitars in one all-capable instrument. It began with a visit to the Rax Trax studio, where we spent hours playing and learning every inch of each guitar, including an old Les Paul Studio so well worn it almost played itself. Back home in our shop in Colorado, we started building. The body made of ultra-light swamp ash, matched to a gorgeous salvaged old growth flamed redwood top. The neck is Honduran mahogany, with a slightly asymmetrical soft V. The medium jumbo frets on its granadillo fretboard are overground to mimic the otherworldly playability of that weathered Les Paul, with a Bigsby B5 and Schaller Roller Bridge. The hand wound T-style single coil pickup at the bridge and humbucker make it perfect for whatever’s in your fingers. It quickly became the studio favorite—and with how many albums Rax Trax has put down, you’ve probably heard it played a time or two, too.