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Alex, Holy shit! That's what I'm talkin' about - 290506! I didn't have time even to stop and take a piss the last couple of days - but when I stop in at your site tonight - lo and behold another baby Z is born!

I know, you don't create beautiful things for the sake of creating beautiful things and it may disappoint you to hear me say this - but that guitar is downright pretty. It is classy, sassy and elegant and rich in detail. Rich in gold hardware, too. Her lines and curves were cut and trained and toned by a professional trainer in a private gym. She is on a strict lean diet, there is not an ounce of fat on her. She is sleek and cunning, a business woman of great savvy and success. She is a sexy Park Avenue rich bitch wearing nothing but her birthday suit, a black tie, onyx earrings and necklace and a few pieces of gold jewelry - ready to get it on. She is a rock solid performance machine - a Zachary, of course. We who own these guitars and love them know what that means. She is sleek and elegant and powerful. She is the Bentley of the Zz. I call her, Bentley

Your way with the woods has grown into nothing less than Perfect Harmony. Your cutting and shaping of her body is absolutely perfect. Your lines and shapes are cut perfectly - and yet perfectly natural. You are obsessed - there is no two ways about it. No human I have known before or since I have met you is that skilled with his hands. You are a Master in your world - there can be no question about that.

The harmony, the alignment and arrangement of everything on that guitar is... what can you say? How can you describe it in words without losing the meaning? It's just fucking unbelivable how you can do what you do. I have never seen anything like this. It is shocking and inspiring. Again, it all comes back to you. Anyone looking at that guitar has to realize eventually that it was created out of nothing by a brain and a pair of hands. It comes from non-existence and is now alive by your thinking and your actions. People see such things and take them for granted. They should be shot. Things like this Bentley come from someone. Alex, you are an amazing individual.     Ted Noiz (Vegas, NV)

Yummmeeeeeeeeeee! ;-)   Ain't nothing there I don't like. Mahogany, ebony, spalted maple, walnut... That center stripe could be mahogany judging from the grain. It could also be something totally different, like chocolate. Mmmmmm. Congrats man, you did it again, with a vengeance.   David (YUF) (Belgium)

Very nice. I am curious about these 26 fret short scale guitars w/ the smaller frets up top. Interesting possibilities there. Is it me or are you sculpting that cut away a bit more to make it a little easier to grab those high notes? The way the wood combos come together at the cut away/neck joint looks very organic. As always I hope it's goin to a player. Eli (NYC)

I've just seen 290506. You are certainly not loosing your touch!!
After the sublime elegance of Willow, this one is just a touch more assertive. I've always like spalted maple - it has so much character - and that centre stripe adds visual contrast and linearity to the shape. I wonder if it's not flamed mahogany? Figure in mahogany is rare, but not unknown. Whatever it is, it looks really cool and sort-of mirrors the subtle flame in the maple just above it. The relief in the bottom bout to improve high fret access is a nice touch, too. All in all, a very sweet guitar indeed.   Best     Ludwik (UK)

All I can say about 290506 is Holy Shit. This is the fanciest Z2 since Carl Sr. for sure. Definitely glass case worthy even to the most discerning collector. What a shame that would be. No Carls and no arthritis victims for this one. Whoever gets it better be able to play the hell out of it! -James, (Zachary Minion from Arizona)

I would like to confirm that I am incredibly pleased to see a new and absolutely astonishing Z2 on the site. Your use of Spalted Maple, this time with a center stripe of "mystery" wood (could it be figured Redwood, or Mahogany, it doesn't matter - It works) are as always an incredibly impressive visual symphony, I can only imagine that this is a truly superior Zach in every way. You see, the Z2 design, unlike the designs of others, will never need to be "fixed." You came up with something nearly perfect the first time out on this one, and made (and continue to make) it more perfect with each new instrument. This is the TRUE Alex, producing a guitar that is a life-changing and lifetime instrument for the player who gets it.

This is a massive testament to the supreme strength of the Z2 design. A scenario involving a player with 30+ years experience who is totally inspired to re-invent his playing by a single instrument is really quite extraordinary. You should in fact be proud that this design has pulled so many players from so many different disciplines into stretching themselves further on every level. The resonance, coupled with superior intonation and perfect feel lay a challenge wherein it would be silly for me to simply use the guitar to enhance my ability to shred .

The latest Z2 is a victory in the hugest way – You have come home to all of us by presenting a magnificent Z2, YOUR design that is as unique and special in its’ way as any of Leo’s originals, and certainly the Gibsons and Gretsch’s. In this manner, I would say that if you did read Forrest White’s book, you have come back around to the type of thinking that would do Mr. Fender proud. That is a very good thing. As to McCarty at Gibson, well you and I know he was kind of a fraud as the “guitar genius” behind those classic designs. He was a suit. I’m sure you read that bit in Tonequest about Jol Dantzig going to him with his “Fixed” Explorer in the 1970’s and basically getting the door slammed in his face. Then the guy turns up alongside Paul Smith at a NAMM show with a signature instrument. 
Rob (MD)

Hi Alex, Bentley arrived safely a few days ago. I played her for half the first night and every chance I get since. First impression - you are a master craftsman; your Z2 is a work of genius. My gut feel when I stumbled onto your website two and a half years ago was spot on - the Z2 is the perfect shape for a guitar. In over 30 years I have never played a real guitar - others are flawed toys in comparison to the Z2. I am extremely happy with this guitar - my other guitars pale in comparison. I am thinking of selling them. Once you play a Z Dynamic Action Neck you never want to go back. I have so much to tell you about how good this guitar is - but you already know. I'm discovering great things about it every time I pick it up - truly magnificent. Thank you once again for making me such a beauty…!!! I'll write more soon. PS. great touch having the case with gold hardware to match the guitar. Cheers Peter (AU)

Hi Alex, Well now that I have spent a bit of time with Bentley I thought I’d share some thoughts with you. These are purely personal and others may have differing views

The Zachary Z2 Built for Comfort and Speed – the Ergonomics of my Z2.

For me a guitar must be comfortable to play. You don’t truly realize how uncomfortable most guitars are until you play a Z2. One of the things that I love about this guitar is that it encourages me to play in correct position when sitting i.e. guitar on my left leg with the neck correctly angled fairly high. This enables very comfortable playing with no back strain. The wider neck encourages the thumb to stay correctly positioned behind the neck – but you can still really dig in when you have to. The short scale also contributes to easy and tireless playing. This combination of features really helps improve the precision of my playing. Just imagine if guys like Steve Morse or Tommy Emmanuel had a Z2 – they don’t even know how much their usual guitars restrict their playing.

When I was a toddler I didn’t really like the feel of a Strat but I thought it was just because I was a kid – it was uncomfortable - now I realize that it is a flawed design (revolutionary in the 50’s but why did it take this long for someone to come up with something much better)?

The key issue I think is that the bridge on the Z2 is much closer to the tail end of the guitar than say a strat’s bridge – 3.5 inches Vs 5.5 inches. This means that the nut is closer to the body of the guitar - and to me. My left hand doesn’t have to stretch so much and my right hand falls perfectly between the pickups.

The big problem with all this is that I don’t want to even touch another guitar (I’m going to have a few empty Zac Guitar Stands). I’ve even reduced my lusting after the magnificent Z3 and F1 because I can’t imagine them being as comfortable as the Z2 – though I still would love to give them a go (perhaps on my next trip to Canada). I was so close to putting my hand up for some of you other axes while I was waiting for Bentley – particularly tempting was your F1-SH (160406).

Tone Talk – this Z2 plays like a ringin’ a bell. Go Bentley Go Go Go…

You certainly delivered on your promise – this is a tone machine..!! Unplugged she has a strong clear tone – bell-like people would say. The true test is how a guitar sounds naked and this baby sounds very sweet – almost as bold as an acoustic guitar. How come your guitars sound like this – the main reasons, I think, are the mass of the neck and the deep, tight neck pocket. Other guitars just don’t have this solid and stable connection between neck & body. The whole instrument just resonates – talk about good….good….good…….good vibrations.

As you know I am a tone hound – your axe slaughters the rest – no doubt about that - but what I am interested in are the subtle differences between Z2 variations. Particularly the interaction between the scale length, the number of frets and the distance between the pickups. I know all the variations would sound great but they would be different.

I used to think that tone was all in the fingers but a great instrument really helps. Plug this baby into a smoking valve amp and I can get nearly any sound I want out of it. The guitars clarity allows you to hear each note in a chord clearly and easily – no mud..!! The balance between strings is excellent. The guitar sustains extremely well. With the tone control turned not quite fully back the bass pickup - Woman Tone - would make Clapton cry, it’s almost got a Wah like sweet spot. All 6 pickup modes are very useable. Sounds great clean. Sounds great with a touch of grind. Sounds great when driven into the dirt..!! How many other axes are useable let alone great in all pickup and drive variations…??

Your work, your art and your talent has created some magnificent instruments and I feel blessed to own one of them.
Thanks again mate…!! Cheers Peter (Australia)

That is uncanny. I could have written that. Really, that is good news. He gets it. The Z2 being perfect for classical position, the neck width, the nut being closer to the body, the clarity and balance between strings.....happy you have yet another person who appreciates your obsessive attention to elements of design that others ignore. You should tell this guy to explore either a classical foot stool for the left leg. It takes the classical position to a whole other level with the z2.    Eli