Hydra

An all-round tour-de-force full of vigor and expressive power

An all-round tour-de-force full of vigor and expressive power
The Hydra is one of our flagship instruments, consisting of an alder back and a flame maple top, the highest quality components, and a 25-inch scale neck. It has a distinctive sound which will make its presence felt in any ensemble, and inspire its player.

* 22 fret model and 24 fret model can be selected.
* Bridge can be selected from 2Point type (Wilkinson VG300) and FRT type (Schaller Lock Meister).

● 25in Scale (Basic)
It is a slightly shorter scale than a typical vintage style ST type guitar. It is easy to play, and stress-free and comfortable playability can be obtained for those who perform a variety of performances in various positions, from backing to technical lead play.

● 25.5in Scale - Long Scale (LS)
It is the same scale as a general vintage style ST type guitar. The tension is slightly stronger than the 25in scale. We hope that more guitarists will play the Hydra Series, and we have added it as a new option.

* The product names of 25.5in Scale - Long Scale (LS) are "Hydra LS" and "Hydra Classic LS". 

・May 2024
"Stainless Fret", which has been patronized by many users for many years as F.C.G.R.'s original fret, has changed its product name and packaging to "Eternal Fret".
We look forward to your continued patronage.

・February 2020
The logo design of all original guitar and bass products has been changed.

● Online orders can be placed through the following dedicated page

* Product specifications and prices are subject to change without notice.

Specifications

Downloads

Quality

Commitment to carefully selected wood and durability

To build a guitar that sounds great even after 100 years, at F.C.G.R. we select our woods very carefully. The selected wood is stabilized in our special humidity-controlled warehouse for up to one year to eliminate the possibility of warpage later.

Original frets

Our stainless-steel fret wire has been specially developed by F.C.G.R. to be completely rust-proof and reduce the necessity for maintenance for the lifetime of the instrument. Additionally, our stainless steel produces a warmer sound, eliminating the excessive brightness often associated with typical stainless steel frets.

Stability and solid performance

Often guitars and basses are strung up for the first time after the fretwork and set-up have been completed. At F.C.G.R. after the necks are painted, we assemble the full instrument and tension up their strings for a few weeks - this allows the neck to settle into its final stable shape. Using a specially designed rig, we then adjust the frets with the neck in its final playing position, with the same curvature as when strings are present. Through this process we can achieve the highest standard for our fretwork, which cannot be achieved in mass-produced instruments.

Glow in the dark side-position markers

We use Luminlay SG-30 (3mm) side-position markers which gather light and glow in the dark. It is a small touch, but invaluable on a dark stage - where it will allow you to play with greater confidence and less worry about losing your way around the fingerboard.

Color

There is a story behind each of our original colours - and we continue to develop new ones all the time! Since the thickness, and type, of paint and lacquer used influences the resonance of the instrument, we can use our years of experience to produce a finish that brings out the character of your individual instrument. We welcome you to inspect our colour chart, and visit our showroom if possible to see our finishes in person. And if there are colours that you would like on your instrument and cannot see on our page - please let us know, we'll do our best meet your request.

Infinitely adjustable sound signature

Our Hybrid Humbucker can create both an authentic humbucking sound, as well the tone of a true single-coil, all in one pickup. The guitar can be witched from HSH to a 3 single-coil configuration with a single switch; in HSH mode, each of the humbuckers can be smoothly adjusted between a humbucking and single-coil tone. Combining these adjustable humbuckers with our original single coil WTA - ST01, which resides in the middle position, we have managed to achieve an impression of thoroughly three-dimensional sound.

ARIMIZO & One Point Joint: a new dimension for tone control

We have developed, and patented, a new way of controlling the tone of your instrument by varying the degree of mechanical dampening of vibrations. By adjusting a single bolt, you can vary between a snappier response, or a more dampened vintage tone. With the bolt tightened, some overtones are suppressed, the attack becomes stronger and response is immediate. With the bolt loosened, you get a warmer sound, rich in overtones. It truly feels as if you had just switched instruments. To maintain the stability of the joint consistently with the natural expansion and shrinkage that occurs in wood, utmost precision and high technological sophistication is necessary. Our design is covered by the patent number 5879135.