That Heart Shaped Sound Hole on My Book Cover Is Real, Not Photoshopped

 

At first, I thought it was something Mary Beth, my book's graphic designer, did herself. But then my boyfriend Matt, who's a guitarist and musician, told me there actually is a company that makes electric acoustic guitars with heart-shaped "sound holes". So I looked them up. 

The company is called Zemaitis. According to Google AI, the company was founded by Tony Zemaitis, a Brit, in the 1950s. Apparently, he couldn't find a guitar he felt comfortable with so he built his own. Since he was a cabinetmaker, woodworking was something he was experienced with. He became famous for building 12-string guitars and even built one called "Ivan the Terrible" for Eric Clapton in 1969.

But Wikipedia says Tony Zemaitis was most known for building "metal top" guitars, and that the second guitar he ever built was acquired by Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones. Zemaitis eventually built four of these metal top guitars for Wood in the 1970s, according to Wikipedia.

Today, Zemaitis is owned by Japanese Kanda Shokai Corporation, which manufacturers the guitars in Tokyo. The Kanda Shokai website, which is available in English, lists no prices for the Zemaitis electric acoustic guitars with heart-shaped sound holes, listing them only as having an "open price", which I assume means expensive but negotiable. But one sale on eBay had a few vintage guitars going for $940 each, including a case and import fees. 

If I was a guitar afficionado, I think I would have to have one of these in my collection!