Since I’m quite bad at making things easy for myself, my second complete guitar is filled with novelties. The neck itself is made from maple with a flamed maple fret board. The purpleheart neck binding and inlays are inspired by a drawing that was made for me by graphics artist Gringo Benedicto. The neck features a double action truss rod for optimum control over the curvature. The finish is done with a waterbased two component lacquer that has very low reflection, making it seem like the neck is not painted at all. It is very smooth to the touch.
The body has a European cherry base with a curved purpleheart top and a solid maple binding, made from very exactly made segments. Its feminine shape is inspired on a hollow body design from the fifties. With a chest cutout in the back, rounded edges and a perfect weight balance, it feels great.
The bridge on this guitar is also my own design. The concept was already used in my first complete guitar. It features brass telecaster style saddles, supported on a plate of bone for sustain and clarity. The strings run through the body, also to increase sustain. The strings are bent over a brass rod, that has low friction properties to ensure tuning stability and avoid string breakage. Furthermore, the rod is invisibly connected to a wire running to the earth point of the guitar, so the guitar strings are properly grounded to minimize noise.
The real innovation lies in the design of the pickup mechanism. Because I’ve always liked the clean look of single pickup guitars, but didn’t want to be limited in tonal capabilities, I’ve designed a pickup that can be moved over the full range between bridge and neck heel. This allows the player to find his or her exact tonal sweet spot. The extremely flat humbucker with alternative winding direction provides a clear and defined, yet warm sound. In this perticular guitar it sits in a cover from reclaimed coromandel wood which I took from a second hand table.
Like with people, her looks will change over time, because purpleheart does not keep its intense purple color for very long. This guitar I will keep for myself. I hope it reminds me in a positive way that things are temporary, but that it shouldn’t limit me in enjoying them to the fullest.