I've known Rhoney for some time, and more importantly, his wife(Who also builds these guitars)... His design is modified from a starcaster. The shape is different, and it's a flat top. It's been a long time coming but he and his customers seem VERY happy. He's tried some variations, cause he can. I believe he has modified his headstock as well to be alittle smaller, since those pics were taken, Stubby... Pron? Here:
There seems to be a starcaster phase right now. Bilt has one, Rhoney has one, Fano has one, Warmoth has one, and now there's talk of a Fender Japan reissue. I can understand the lust, it's a cool 335 for the Fender guys, and a great one for the indie hipsters who won't play any guitars that could perhaps be constrewn as normal. I'm definitely going to hold out for a reissue, unless these had thick enough walls and enough options to where I could modify it to a more original design(I like those too. :icon_tongue

. Speaking of phases, though, here's a bite for you. I think it's hilarious how long these things take. The guys on OSG were asking for telemasters years before the boom, when Warmoth and rutters and King and everyone else but Fender finally realised it. Now there's been demand for years, this boom was almost inevitable.
Everyone but Fender(AGAIN) has their own Starcaster! I'm curious to see who else will jump on the bandwagon, and who will wave the flag with overpriced, VINTAGE CORRECT!!! parts. Speaking of which, I couldn't care less about going to a lot of trouble for a vintage correct starcaster. Not only were they crappy guitars, but they weren't all that pretty either. Still, if japan makes a reissue, it's almost sure to be good and hold better resale value than a bitser. I'm interested to see where this goes, even if I won't be murdering my great aunt to get the first one out the door.
Basses, though.... That's giving me ideas. I've got some thinking to do, I may need the potato peeler after all.