"Althea" update

[greywolf]

I just received a nice Lacewood billet today ( 2" x 12"x20")  after bookmatching  it will make for 2 nice bodies.

The first will be to update the first guitar I hand built, back in '98 . It is a neck through so it will get new "wings" and cap.  pickups / neck will remain as original.

This one has been my main axe ever since , and it's time to give her a face lift.


The Lacewood will be capped with some gorgeous birdesye redwood burl I 've had waiting for a project .  Heavily chambered body.

The neck is hardrock maple / ebony  Pickups are : Benedetto PAF neck , Gibson P94 mid, Harmonic Designs Z90 bridge (30% overwound) .  5 way switch with a blend knob  for Neck / Bridge

the original was inspired by Garcia's tiger ( Doug Irwin)  the new body will be similar to Alembic's  "little Darling"

a mockup ...

 

[Eric Banjitar]

cool down and Settle back easy, Jim!.  I love the new design.  It reminds me of an alembic and my friend, now past by, Jerry.

Fare the project well.

 

[greywolf]

Both were inspired by Alembic designs.  Tiger along with a few others were built by Doug Irwin when he worked for Alembic.

The Little Darling has a wonderful shape , but base list is $8300 so building my own is an easy option as it was for the original. 

14 years of guitar building should allow for a bit nicer result aesthetically

 

[greywolf]

As I  have enough Lacewood for 2 bodies and 2 sets of the redwood burl , I've decided to make a matching fretless bass.

I already have the pickups and bridge    Neck: Bartolini Soapbar  Bridge Bartolin Jazz  , with thier 5.2 preamp/EQ  vol /blend/  bass /2 band mid /treble 

Bridge: Hipshot A

 

[drewfx]

Both were inspired by Alembic designs.  Tiger along with a few others were built by Doug Irwin when he worked for Alembic.

Actually Irwin built Tiger post-Alembic. I think Eagle was the only one he built for Jerry while still at Alembic. But I also think that (sadly) Alembic has their own version of history that is disputed by many of the people who were there in the early days.

But regardless of all that, I really love the new designs! Can't wait to see!