JoyMaker Cat

The JoyMaker Cat is a handcrafted American-made semi-hollow guitar that blends rich resonance, expressive tone, and exceptional versatility into an instrument that's as inspiring to play as it is to hear. Designed and built in the USA, the JoyMaker Cat combines the warmth and character of a semi-hollow body with Rudder Guitars' innovative performance features, making it equally at home in the studio, on stage, or wherever creativity takes you.

With its naturally open, dynamic voice, the JoyMaker Cat delivers everything from vintage country twang and blues to jazz, Americana, classic rock, and contemporary styles. The semi-hollow design adds depth, sustain, and harmonic richness, while Rudder's exclusive Freedom Performance Circuit™ provides a wide range of clear, articulate tones that respond beautifully to every playing style.

More than its sound, the JoyMaker Cat reflects the uplifting spirit of music itself. The JoyMaker name on the headstock serves as a reminder that every time a guitar is picked up, there's an opportunity to create something positive—to celebrate, recharge, and experience the simple joy of making music. Whether you're writing songs at home, sharing music with friends, or performing for an audience, the JoyMaker Cat is built to make every moment more rewarding.

The JoyMaker Cat is part of the Rudder Guitars family, alongside the LoveMaker, PeaceMaker, and HopeMaker. Each model represents an emotional value that music has the power to inspire, reflecting Rudder Guitars' belief that exceptional instruments can do more than create beautiful sound—they can enrich everyday life through love, joy, peace, hope, and faith.

Every JoyMaker Cat is proudly handcrafted in the USA and features Rudder's exclusive innovations, including the Freedom Performance Circuit™, Speed Sensitive Tone (SST) Neck™, Friendly Handshake Grip™, and carefully matched premium American-made components. The result is a semi-hollow guitar that offers remarkable comfort, inspiring tonal flexibility, and the craftsmanship to become a trusted companion for a lifetime of music.

Freedom Performance Circuit

JoyMaker has the F.P.C. to begin our quest for a guitar to create your new unique sounds. We do this intentionally by matching up all of our electronics and hand soldering the components for the most versatile production of fresh new sounds with a new clarity. You can now produce multiple and even new types of music with their distinct sound to send into your pedals and amplifier. Everything looks clean on the top of your guitar because of our eliminating the need for micro switches all over the guitar body.

Learn more about the Freedom performance Circuit.

JoyMaker Pickups

The JoyMaker standard pickup is the BR&A Single Coil Pickup mounted in typical Bridge position. The Neck position is the Chrome Single Coil Pickup.

It is available in Modern and Vintage matching set.

See All Pickup Options

JoyMaker Potentiometers

JoyMaker has two CTS Meg Potentiometers. It has one Master Volume and one Master Tone control with matching capacitors.

The JoyMaker Capacitors

The JoyMaker Features Selected orange drop capacitors on all potentiometers demonstrating how capacitors work creating swells, rotation kill switch and hear full EQ from lows, clean mids, and highs.

The JoyMaker Output Jack

The JoyMaker  features Puretone 4 Point Output Jack provides dual tension grounds and dual positive tips for optimal signal and lowest possible noise. The dual Tensioned design locks cable securely in place while the increased metal mass to carry a strong clear signal to your effect pedals and amplifier for your unique sound.

• Body Top Wood: Maple or Satin Optional Maple Medium or High Flame
• Body Back Wood: Honduras Mahogany
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Neck: Maple
• Weight: 7-8 Lbs*
• Truss Rod: Spoke wheel (at neck joint)
• Fretboard Radius: 12"
• Inlay: Acrylic White Mother of Pearl or Abalone
• Number of Frets: 22
• Scale Length: 24.562"
• Nut: GraphTech® Nu Bone
• Width at Nut: 1.69"
• Width at 12th Fret 2.02"
• Neck Thickness at 1st Fret: .86"
• Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: .86"

*Weight Approximate due to Wood Characteristics

Hardware

• Tuners: Grover® Tuners 18:1 Ratio
• Truss Rod: Dual Action Spoke wheel (at neck joint)
• Bridge: Wilkinson® WTB with Brass Saddles 
• Tailpiece: Fixed  
• Optional Bigsby Tremolo  with Vibramate

• Freedom Performance Circuit or FPC
• Rudder Speed Sensitive Tone Neck or SST Neck     
• The Friendly Handshake Grip Neck
• 12 O Clock High Feature
• The Same Muscle Memory for Accuracy and More Speed 
•  WFR Spoke Truss Rod Wheel 

Standard Features on all wood guitars

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