Cincinnati, Ohio
R. Hayes Instruments of Cincinnati, Ohio

Woods, metal strings, ebony, mother of pearl, metal
1999
Length: 37.5 inches
Strings – Lutes – Guitars

Rick Hayes Bugs Bunny Electric Guitar, 1999, serial no. 004, licensed by Warner Bros., with flight case and certificate of authenticity.  

Luthier Rick Hayes of Cincinnati, OH produced a limited number of Looney Tunes character-shaped guitars in the late 1990s. In the mid-1990s, Hayes started designing these guitars and by 1998 he had produced prototypes and received a licensing agreement with Warner Brothers. Following three and one-half years of designing, prototyping, and licensing negotiations, R. Hayes Instruments of Cincinnati, Ohio, unveiled the first in a series of unique licensed sculpted guitars at the Summer Session NAMM show in Nashville. Leading the product line is a Bugs Bunny model with a worldwide limited edition of only 100 pieces. It is not simply a guitar with characters sculpted into it, it is a character “sculpted” into a guitar — with the integrity and value of the Warner Bros. stamp of approval.

The Bugs Bunny guitar is made of grade AAA maple that is individually carved and sanded, airbrushed, clear coated and buffed to a high-gloss shine.  The Canadian hard rock maple neck, reinforced with a two-way double action adjustable truss rod, is topped with a natural ebony fingerboard that is detailed in mouth-of-pearl inlay and secured with a custom engraved and numbered solid brass neckplate.  Added features include a custom wound humbucking pickup, L. Jr. bridge, Gotoh locking tuners and a graphite nut.  This instrument comes with a custom fit Anvil ATA (Air Travel Association) approved flight case with combination lock and is accompanied by a color Certificate of Authenticity placed in a gold embossed leather portfolio and hand signed by Hayes. 

This was the first (serial number: 004) in the looney tunes series and retailed at $12,000 in 1999.  100 models were made.  No further series were made. (Plans for a Sylvester with Tweety model, then Yosemite Sam and on to several other Warner Bros. character guitars were planned, but negotiations failed, and this is the only Warner Bros Character produced guitar.)