Jonathan's been here before. By "here" we mean as the owner of a Featured Custom guitar. When his first child was born, he commissioned us to build a special guitar to celebrate her arrival. Little Bear was one of our most popular Featured Customs, and it spawned a new model, the Little Darling. When his second child was born, it was only fair to have a special guitar made for him. His son is nicknamed "Stubby" and so is his guitar. Stubby has a custom body shape that is more masculine than Little Bear. There's also custom inlays and wood combinations that put Stubby clearly in the realm of custom guitars. Jonathan's newest daughter (congratulations!) doesn't yet have a nickname, but a third family heirloom is in her future.

	A large slab of mother of pearl is the background for the nameplate inlay. We cut out the letters by hand with a jeweller's saw, then infill with Ebony dust and epoxy. We feel it's better than engraving, because the letters go all the way through the shell, the inlay will even survive a level and refret. The tulip tip under the 24th fret also has mother of pearl inlaid to match the shape of this delicate contour. The finished look is lovely.

	This was a fun one! Our normal inlays are a collection of graduated ovals. This time, we resized them and bound each in a ring of pure sterling silver for a custom inlay that doesn't scream at the viewer. The size of the silver ring is adjusted for each inlay. It's one of those little details that even Alembic geeks don't always catch on first glance, but when they do, it's a pleasant surprise.

	Yup, it's the same guitar. The back laminate is a premium piece of Quilted Maple. What's the nicest thing you can do to a back like this? Decorate it with continuous wood backplates of course.

	Ebony is our traditional peghead front veneer on guitars. It's a natural extention of the Ebony fingerboard, and looks especially nice to set off the inlaid logo with shell. For the back face, we select a veneer that matches the back laminate. On Stubby, it's Quilted Maple. We also included only Purpleheart and Maple as interior veneers. We usually have Maple and Walnut interior veneers, but since there was no other Walnut featured on this guitar, we elected to match the neck laminates. Aren't we sweet?

	Buckeye Burl is always interesting, but this is a particularly special piece. The color zoning almost looks like a natural sunburst that grew just for this body shape. The native color of Buckeye is a pale yellow, almost straw color. The blue-grey shades are the result of a fungus. As the wood begins to decay, the fungus leaves a natural stain behind. Once the wood is dried out, the fungal advance is arrested, and you're left with wood that to some eyes scarcely looks like wood at all.

	Nickel plated hardware is a natural pairing for Buckeye Burl. The cool hues compliment each other perfectly. Also, there's no brass cleaning in Jonathan's future. In the corner, a little peek at the custom Ebony knobs Jonathan had Roger at THG make for him.

	White mother of pearl and blue-green paua abalone are inaid with a sterling silver Alembic logo for the jewel on the Crown peghead.

	The first fret inlay is fashioned after pendants that Jonathan and his wife wear. Inscribed in Hindi, it reads, "Love" and describes the devotion and bond between them and among their children. What can I say about this instrument? While I don't play favorites with my children, the same isn't true when it comes to my guitars. It's been my number one Alembic since it arrived. Not too many guitars out there could be the reason for the Little Bear gathering dust. I don't know, they just keep getting more spectacular with each child! Thanks again for giving me another beautiful work of art...something for me to enjoy everyday of my life until my kids' hands are big enough to play them on their own. It's a wonderful way to embody the love and joy of a new life with a special guitar. To share the gift of music with your children is precious, and we're thrilled to be a part of it.

SPECIFICATIONS Darling guitar Buckeye Burl top Quilted Maple back Custom body shape Maple and Purplehart through body neck 2 Alembic HGR pickups Darling electronics: 2 each of volume, filter, pickup off/on/bright, mono sidemounted output Ebony fingerboard Custom mother of pearl oval inlays bound in sterling silver Custom "STUBBY" nameplate inlay Inlaid sterling silver Alembic logo with shell Continuous wood backplates and truss rod cover Nickel plated hardware Custom wooden knobs Sold by: Guitar Showcase 3090 S. Bascom Ave. San Jose, CA 95124 (408) 377-5864

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