“Once you own a Nuno guitar, you are part of my family. Let’s ride!” Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt leaves Washburn to launch his own guitar company and debuts two new S-styles – but the N4 isn’t going anywhere

Nuno Bettencourt has launched his own guitar company, unveiling two new electric guitars, and promising that his iconic N4 signature guitar will live on under the new brand.

Announcing the news on Instagram, the Extreme guitarist said that this was a venture that he had wanted to purse for a “long, long time” – and it puts an end to the speculation as to the make and model that he was filmed playing en route to perform at Villa Park in July for the Black Sabbath and Ozzy farewell show, Back To The Beginning.

There are few details as to the specs and minutiae of Nuno Guitars’ first offerings, but we do know their names, and the equestrian nomenclature explains why Nuno was sitting in a field flanked by them. They literally put the ‘horse’ into workhorse.

“My new models, the Dark Horse and the White Stallion, lead the launch of Nuno Guitars, along with continuing the legacy of the N4,” says Bettencourt. “These are true workhorses built with the same passion I’ve put into every note I’ve ever played.

“What I’m most excited about as the Founder and CEO of my new company is, communicating directly with players and fans who will get to play the exact guitars that I play on stage and in the studio.

“Together we’re forming a new community where I can personally engage with you about a mutual passion…OUR guitars. Once you own a Nuno guitar, you are part of my family. LET’S RIDE!”

Let’s ride, indeed. Nuno is officially pumped. We are officially pumped. And it is good to see that the N4, one of the most playable S-styles and some of the most fun you can have with your clothes on – or half-on if you’re Bettencourt during the second half of an Extreme live show – will remain in production.

We also love that Bettencourt calls these high-performance S-styles “workhorses” when they will inevitably be platforms for some of the most preposterously brilliant virtuosity we’ll see in rock guitar.

It is the beginning of a new era. It is also the end of an era. Bettencourt and Washburn’s artist collaboration was remarkable, lasting some 35 years, and the Extreme guitarist made sure to thank them. He says one of the motivations behind the move was the chance to engage with his fanbase and the wider guitar-playing community directly.

“I’ve been wanting to do for a long, long time. I had a great run with Washburn and a good 35 years, I believe, which is pretty insane. I love Washburn,” he says. “[But] it was a time for me to do this. I really wanted to do it for like I said, a long time.

“One of the main reasons is, I wanted to be able to deal directly with y’all, with guitar players and fans that purchase any of my guitars, I wanted to build this community now and be able to engage with you on a deeper and a closer level, which is going to be really fun for me.”

You can engage right now by signing up for updates at Nuno Guitars.