QUEBEC, CANADA, January, 25, 2024 – Alex Lifeson and Lerxst announce the launch of Limelight, a new signature guitar created in partnership with Canadian manufacturers Godin Guitars. Inspired by Lifeson’s iconic Hentor Sportscaster guitars from the mid-80s, Limelight thoroughly reimagines Lifeson’s original concept with modern part selection and craftsmanship to create a high-quality, forward-thinking instrument designed for today’s players. Limelight is available now for MAP $3,999. For more information please click here.
(L - R) Godin Guitars President and CEO Simon Godin, Alex Lifeson
Ahead of the release of the iconic Moving Pictures album, Lifeson sought a fresh instrument to bring to life his increasingly expansive sonic ideas. His desire for versatile tonality within an intuitive form factor resulted in the creation of the original Hentor Sportscasters– highly modified S-Type guitars that became synonymous with Alex’s sounds and guitar style in the 1980s.
Lifeson eventually moved on to other instruments as time and technology progressed, but the Sportscaster took on a life of its own with fans and fellow guitar players, who have clamored for a version of the guitar to call their own. Although Lifeson had been approached to authorize a widely-available version of the iconic instrument, his own desire to refine his tools and techniques have kept him from doing so. Until now.
The Lerxst Limelight, created in partnership with innovative Canadian luthiers Godin Guitars, captures the essence of the original Sportscaster in a thoroughly refined form. Quirks of the original – including its ‘Frankensteined’ body construction, mismatched pickup outputs, and tuning difficulties caused by its original tremolo system – have been rectified with 21st century craftsmanship and state-of-the-art hardware choices by Godin’s engineers, resulting in a thoroughly modern instrument for the modern player that is anything but a ‘vintage reissue.’
Simon and Alex examine Limelight guitar necks at the Godin factory
“Collaborating with Alex Lifeson, an iconic artist who continually pushes tonal boundaries, is more than an opportunity—it's a testament to our shared pursuit,” said Godin Guitars President and CEO Simon Godin. “"At the heart of our ethos lies a commitment to musicians driven by passion. Our history is woven with guitars that embody purpose and innovation, such as the Acousticaster, Multiac, and LGX. We're relentless in our pursuit of tone, seeking the extraordinary. Together with Alex, we’ve fused our expertise and passion to craft instruments that transcend expectations. This collaboration represents a union of two relentless forces, aiming not just to build guitars, but to sculpt vessels of inspiration, setting new standards in musical expression."
What can this strange device be?
The Lerxst Limelight has a contoured swamp ash body for premium comfort and a maple neck with 12” radius ebony fretboard and medium stainless steel frets for fast and intuitive playability. Like the original it has an HSS pickup configuration for maximum versatility, and the pickups have been custom-wound by Mojotone to Alex’s specifications to ensure balanced performance in all pickup positions. Players have a choice of the classic Floyd Rose tremolo system or a Vega Trem with 18:1 locking tuners for superior tremolo performance with rock solid tuning stability.
LIMELIGHT Specifications
- Body: Swamp Ash
- Bridge: Vega Trem (052578) or Original Floyd Rose (made in Germany 052585)
- Pickups: 1x Mojotone Lerxst Humbucker and 2x Mojotone Lerxst Single Coils
- Color: Cream
- Controls: 1x Tone, 1x Volume, 3-way toggle Switch
- Neck Wood: Maple
- Scale Length: 25.5” (647.7 mm)
- Fingerboard: Ebony
- Fingerboard Radius: 12" (304.8 mm)
- Finish: High Gloss
- Frets: Medium Stainless Steel
- Number of Frets: 22
- Machine Head Ratio: 18:1 staggered locking keys *on Vega Trem model only
- Nut Type: Graphtech *on Vega trem model only
- Made In Canada
- MAP: 3,999$ USD
For more information on the Original Floyd Rose-equipped Limelight, please click here.
Alex Lifeson at the Godin Factory
“The original Hentor brought together a mix of tone and playability that empowered me to explore sounds and styles of playing that I had never attempted before,” said Lifeson. “Ultimately these things became signature parts of my style. When the idea came to reimagine this guitar it made sense to partner with innovators like Godin who I knew I could trust to utilize the advances in technology and manufacturing skill to create something that could power a new generation of players looking to push their own boundaries.”
“It was not quite enough for me to just develop a reissue of that very special instrument,” Lifeson continued. “This was an opportunity to showcase 40 years of evolution within that solid platform. Well, Axe and you shall receive!”
All photos by Richard Sibbald.
About LERXST
Initially formed in 2012, LERXST is a partnership between Alex Lifeson and Mojotone founded on the desire to design and manufacture a line of guitar products that reflect Lifeson's forward-thinking approach to sonic exploration and live performance. Bringing together the Rush guitarist’s five decades of musical exploration and Mojotone’s singular commitment to high-level design and craftsmanship in musical equipment, the brand offers a range of amplifiers, guitars, effects pedals, and pickups that appeal to all levels of player looking to explore the next frontier of guitar sounds. For more information about LERXST, please visit: https://lerxstamps.com/
