Jack White recently celebrated his 50th birthday (or, as he puts it, “the big Hawaii 5-0”). and as part of the celebrations has received what he describes as an “over-the-top, custom-built axe”.
The ‘Ugly Stick’, as it’s dubbed, is a half-bass, half-guitar and the brainchild of Chip Ellis – best known as a master builder at Fender and, after Eddie Van Halen teamed-up with him in 2006, a core part of the EVH brand.
Ellis has also worked with the White Stripes man before, having built Jack White's Triplecaster, and this latest build is as off-kilter as its custom predecessor.
“Chip has been working on this for 30 plus years on and off,” White explains in an Instagram post. “It’s called the ‘Ugly Stick’ and is half bass, half guitar. I have it tuned to open E on the low and open A on the high strings. But you could do what you want with it.”
Furthermore, White explains that the bass strings are recessed lower than the guitar strings, allowing the player to play them all at the same height and at the same time.
“I used a prototype of this axe on two songs on the NO NAME album [released in 2024] (Number One with a Bullet and Terminal Archenemy Endling) and haven’t been able to really perform them live yet, but now I can. Thank you so much Chip, this thing is out of this world I'm either wishing I had this back in the White Stripes or I am glad I didn’t!!!”
As for White’s Triplecaster – well, it’s safe to say that it’s been doing the rounds recently. Living Colour’s Vernon Reid was spotted wielding it on stage at the D’Addario 50th Anniversary party after the two randomly met at an airport, while the White Stripes guitarist has also gifted his signature to Otoboke Beaver’s Yoyoyoshie, Eddie Vedder, and even Kirk Hammett.
