We often talk about what makes the ultimate heavy metal guitar and the various extremes manufacturers will got to equip an instrument for the devil's music. But one metalhead's tribute to his late uncle might just take the cake in terms of form and function.
Prince Midnight, a metalhead and YouTuber, has just constructed a fully functional electric guitar out of the bones of his late uncle. A macabre project? Bad taste? Elaborate hoax? Prince Midnight says not. The Skelecaster is a loving tribute to the man who got him into metal in the first place.
Now uncle Filip can shred for all eternity. That’s how he would want it. I’m super proud of the project and how it serves to honor him
“My Uncle Filip died in the 90’s in Greece,“ said Prince Midnight. “He originally donated his skeleton to the local collage and was medically prepared for the school. After 20 years, he ended up in a cemetery my family had to pay rent on. Like, literally in a wooden box. It’s a big problem in Greece because orthodoxy religion doesn’t want people cremated.“
Prince Midnight repatriated Uncle Filip's remains but was at a loss as to what to do with them. “Bury them? Cremate them? Put them in the attic? All seemed like poor ways to memorialise someone who got me into heavy metal, he said “So, I decided to turn Uncle Filip into a guitar, which proved to be challenging.“
Unsurprisingly, Prince Midnight struggled to find anyone who was willing to help with the build.
Despite consulting with a pair of techs from Dean Guitars, no one was willing to join him in putting the guitar together. And there is no Dan Erlewine how-to book that deals with the human skeleton. But after much research, the Skelecaster was completed.
“Now uncle Filip can shred for all eternity,“ said Prince Midnight. “That’s how he would want it. I’m super proud of the project and how it serves to honor him, his life and his influence on me.“
