Orbiter

Talk about gimmicks! Maryland-based Micro-Frets built a guitar in 1968 called the Orbiter that simply must be included in the pantheon of truly weird instruments. Aside from an unusual body shape, a complex Calibrato vibrato system and a headstock that is clearly inspired by Fender, the Orbiter had an onboard FM radio transmitter built right into the body! An antenna projects from the end of the upper bout, giving it a definite “Jetsons” space age look. A remote receiver was purported to pick up the signal from the guitar and then direct it to a suitable amplifier. This makes it the world’s first wireless guitar! Although the concept was valid, the Orbiter really didn’t work all that well and after a year in production vanished along with other oddities of the 1960s.