Family Redwood Burl

Started by DistillaMatto, July 21, 2023, 12:11:24 AM

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DistillaMatto

I sent a chunk of redwood burl from our family collection to the office there. Mary had someone look at it. I would like it to be a laminate top on a Skylark, Orion or If possible a 2 pickup distillate style guitar with the hippie (My parents were the real thing I can use that term) sandwich. I like the stripes that go down from the bridge like my Japanese issue Distillate guitar. My father grew up in the bay area and his grandparents were in Eureka. In the late sixties he did photography and was hoping the Grateful Dead would use some of his super eight films in their light show. Then something happened to the film when he was on his way to meet people involved with the Dead and nothing came of it. He passed away last year and my siblings and I inherited his redwood burl tables. Alembic is a northern California legacy and I feel it would be great to have some of the family wood made into an Alembic guitar.

jazzyvee

#1
Sounds a great idea, and also would be a great asset to hand down to the next generation.
Here is an example of how good burl redwood looks on a bass.
https://club.alembicguitars.net/index.php?topic=22142.0
The sound of Alembic is medicine for the soul!
http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_ktwins.html

DistillaMatto

Quote from: jazzyvee on July 21, 2023, 05:13:15 AM
Sounds a great idea, and also would be a great asset to hand down to the next generation.
Here is an example of how good burl redwood looks on a bass.
https://club.alembicguitars.net/index.php?topic=22142.0
Yes. That looks like what I had in mind but with a guitar. Thank you.

mica

It's always fun to use a personal piece of wood. My favorite, and I know I've recounted it here before, is wood from a poplar tree. The wood wasn't really that exciting looking figure-wise, but the tree was one the guy used to climb as a boy, and it was cut down when a freeway bypass was being constructed and he acquired the lumber.

Bob has confirmed that your Redwood Burl will work just fine for a Skylark top!

DistillaMatto

Quote from: mica on July 21, 2023, 04:11:12 PM
It's always fun to use a personal piece of wood. My favorite, and I know I've recounted it here before, is wood from a poplar tree. The wood wasn't really that exciting looking figure-wise, but the tree was one the guy used to climb as a boy, and it was cut down when a freeway bypass was being constructed and he acquired the lumber.

Bob has confirmed that your Redwood Burl will work just fine for a Skylark top!
Great. I look forward to this happening.

DistillaMatto

Great story about the poplar too.

DistillaMatto

Still waiting on a quote. I'm curious, do I pay all up front or a deposit for a custom build?

DistillaMatto

There's been some Progress. An estimate has been drawn up.

StephenR

This is such a cool project! Can't wait to watch it come together.

DistillaMatto

Nature does not hurry
     yet everything is accomplished.
                                             ~ Lao Zu

DistillaMatto

Mercury has gone out of retrograde. It looks like this is happening.

DistillaMatto

No news. I'm not sure who does the naming but "California Dreamin" came to my mind. That song still gives me a nostalgic feeling of my childhood. Also the wood, my Northern California side of the family and where it will be made.

the_home

Really looking forward to following this thread. Dreams do come true!
Medium Scale Series 1 Standard Point; Spoiler 5(BigRedBass); Essence 4; Spoiler Exploiter 4

jacko

I think you have to ask specifically if you want a factory to customer thread.

Graeme

DistillaMatto

Quote from: jacko on November 09, 2023, 06:13:24 AM
I think you have to ask specifically if you want a factory to customer thread.

Graeme
Thank you. Word is it has begun but there is nothing interesting yet to see. I'll ask the next time I have contact with them.