Guitarralinda: the World's First Guitar Bike
Miloš Šmilňák, a Czech artist, engineer and cyclist, has built a unique bike called Guitarralinda as a tribute to the greatest guitarists in history. In its rustic style, the unusual machine slightly evokes the beginnings of mass cycling. In addition to several wooden components, it is equipped with a double-neck electric guitar on each side, combining elements of a Stratocaster and a Les Paul, plugged into a multiple-input amplifier hidden in the rear cabinet.
The ivory white instrument on the left side of the bike is dedicated to Jimi Hendrix, while the red guitar on the right side pays tribute to Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page. The front and rear wheel covers feature burnt initials of 77 of the greatest guitarists of all time, set into the silhouettes of their signature guitars. The fully functional bike has a rear brake, the rims are shod in 28-inch diameter tyres and the weight is around 45 kg.
Guitarralinda is an interactive artwork installed in the Canary Islands (Tenerife, Puerto de la Cruz), and passers-by who pluck up the courage can play the guitars—but always under the supervision of El Niño, the dog to whom the project’s author has reserved the space above the front wheel. Miloš would make a short video with each “tourist guitarist”, number them and upload them to YouTube. A total of four guitar necks allow playing duets, and Stanley Jordan’s playing technique can also be used.
According to Miloš Šmilňák, the Guitarralinda is the first guitar bike in the world, which has been confirmed by, among others, the American National GUITAR Museum, the Songbirds Museum in Tennessee and Guitars – the Museum in Umeå, Sweden. In the attached recordings, you can judge the sound of this project, which Miloš values at 666,666 euros. More videos are available on the 1.GuitarBike in the World channel.
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