9-string Kelstone guitar plays just like a piano

If you know how to play a piano, then surely you won’t have any trouble with the 9-string Kelstone guitar – although if you do know how to play a guitar, then chances are pretty good you’re no good with a piano, either. This unique musical instrument was developed by Belgium’s Jan Van Kelst, allowing you to strum, pick, hammer-on and pull-off, slide, bend, use both hands like a piano player – or you can opt to combine and merge all these techniques as you please.

The Kelstone delivers the range of a bass, baritone and standard guitar in a single instrument, which spans just over five octaves and tuned in fourths (B, E, A, D, G, C, F, Bb, Eb). According to Van Kelst, “If you know, for instance, the fingering of a major chord, you can use this form anywhere on the arm, regardless of the position or note you start with.”

If you want to stand out with the Kelstone guitar, it is going to cost you – we’re looking at a EUR915 (US$1,245) price point, and when you couple if with a dynamic muter pedal that will burn another EUR85 (US$115) hole in your pocket, it would be best to approach the missus beforehand to get her consent for this unique purchase.