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Alembic Club » Dreaming... for now » Archive through October 06, 2007 » Archive 2003 » Archive through January 29, 2003 » Burled Myrtle Magic 12 String Guitar? « Previous Next »

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Jon David Dunn (67unclejon)
New
Username: 67unclejon

Post Number: 1
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Friday, July 19, 2002 - 7:44 pm:   Edit Post

As a newbie to this web site I bid everyone a warm HEY NOW. After discovering my Alembic guitar is a forgery I have decided to postpone an addition to my house so that my dream guitar can become real. I welcome all thoughtful suggestions and ideas as this guitar will have input from everyone. My dream was born in 1990 when Steve Cripe (R.I.P.) and myself were working on a Doug Irwin guitar. This 12 string guitar will have an 11 piece neck made from flame rock maple, black ebony and purple heart. The head stock will be a modified Steve Cripe design. The body will be Tribute style with Steve Cripe variation and Omega Heart tail. The body wings will be in the style of "Short and Sweet" with multi-laminates,multi-pin stripes and book matched core. Matching control/truss covers. Multi-laminate pickup covers, control knobs and tuning heads(?) The body top cap, back wing caps and head stock veneer will be burled myrtle. I am in hopes that a 12 string pizo bridge can be made and Roland GK2A pickup(s)converted to 12 string use as this will be an exercise in how many sounds can come from one guitar. Amber or green side LEDs wrapped in silver(?) Undecided on fingerboard material(ideas)but will have a delicate poison ivy vine crawling up to a blooming rose bud on the headstock (material ideas for this?) Silver or plated brass hardwear? Multi pickup ideas? Control lay out ideas? Hollow or solid wings? * I would like to hear serious ideas from everyone interested in this project as to how they would build this guitar given the information above. Hopfully this guitar will become real in 2 years or much less depending on finalization of plans and Alembic's scedule. I want this to be the most unique 12 string guitar Alembic has ever made to date. Please look for your ideas on the finnished guitar(no money involved...just the satisfaction your idea(s) were used to make people happy). I look foward to hearing from you. THRIVE!!
Mica Wickersham (mica)
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 166
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Tuesday, August 06, 2002 - 7:05 pm:   Edit Post

We've got the Burl Myrtle... just received 20 billets of excellent grade Burl Myrtle, so you'll get pick of the litter.

7,400 Tribute 12-string guitar
800 Burl Myrtle top and back
870 Side LEDs in amber wrapped in silver
150 Continuous truss rod cover
400 Continuous wood backplate
400 Nickel plated hardware
------
10,020 for the stuff we know

Now for the stuff we don't know:

12-string Roland pickup: this doesn't exist at this point as far as I know. Staggering 2 GK2 pickups might work, but will put the bridge pickup closer to the neck to make room. Also, you'll be restricted to the string spacing allowed by these pickups.

I've got some inquires out there about 12-string piezos, and I'll relate what I find out as soon as I know more.

Inlay: oooh these are the really fun parts! The vine in silver, leaves in abalone and the rose in red abalone would look cool. There are of course a multitude of materials available.

Fingerboard: Pink ivory would be a candidate, but I'm a traditionalist and usually prefer good ol' black Ebony.

Well, it's a start!
Mica Wickersham (mica)
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 185
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 5:00 pm:   Edit Post

I thought you might want to see a few billets of burl myrtle we have:

burl myrtle

These have an overall greenish cast to the color, intense burl figure and some are mixed with a touch of flame figuring. These 8/4 pieces are about 8 inches wide and 26 inches long.

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