Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: mica on November 13, 2025, 03:21:55 PM
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Ben from Northern Lights Music with an excellent demo of the first Element offered at a dealer, Northern Lights Music.
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Wow! just Wow! It sometimes sounds like a 12-string…..Is that because so many overtones come through? I’m not a guitar player so just wondering.
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Oh my heart , can it stand the strain ;D ;D ;D
Such beauty on parade !!
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Sounds great, looks great! Beautiful, balanced tone. I'm no expert on acoustic guitars, but I thought the tone was distinctive as well.
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Sounds especially good in the drop-D tuning. A lot of guitars, even really good ones, just punk out in those lower registers. Nice and clear there.
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Yeah, the sound is really fantastic!!
You did a great job!
Congrats Susan, Mica and the whole family.
Greetz
Oliver (Spyderman)
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Im sure many names could be substituted here, but, I would love to hear Jorma on one of these.
Congratulations to all involved.
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The sustain of the harmonic near the 4:00 mark made my jaw drop.
But the back!!!! ♥️. Goodness gracious.
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Gorgeous photo gallery at Northern Lights :D :D :D 8) 8) 8)
https://northernlightsmusic.com/collections/alembic_bass_guitar_for_sale/products/alembic-element-acoustic-guitar
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Out of my snack bracket for sure, but a lovely instrument.
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Just wondering if I could ask a structural/construction-based question... you can answer or not, may be something you'd rather not share publicly. I'll ask you sometime.
Is the bridge located with some type of guide pins, prior to gluing? I'm trying to imagine the clamp jig for such a specific shaped bridge. I have a couple different ones for different makes of guitars when doing bridge reglues, and none of them would work here... I assume of course you have one made especially for this. But I gotta' think it helps if guide pins hold that thing still while you squeeze.
Here's my Taylor template. There are two nylon pins that align their bridges in place. On Martins (and similar) bridges, I use pin holes 1/6, a set of nylon bolts and wingnuts, on Classicals if they don't have any locating pins, I'll put a couple tiny holes under the saddle for wood pins. Just curious what the Alembic approach is? That bridge presents a number of things to think about!
Sorry, idle minds!
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A bass version of the Alembic Element would be quite lovely as well ;D . Furthermore, a classical nylon string rendition, quite novel. Perhaps ventures for the future ?
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I designed a parlor for Alembic as well as this small jumbo size. I have ideas on how to brace for a bass, but I will likely bow out when it comes to a classical design. I would have to build a few prototypes to see what works, and I am getting long in the tooth. For now, I am just so pleased that the first guitars to hit the stores are so well received. I put 45 years of luthiery experience into the design, and it has done exactly what I had hoped for. As for the bridge setting and glue up, we pin them through two of the bridge pin holes, and James hand crafted an aluminum bridge caul/clamp to apply even pressure when glueing.
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I designed a parlor for Alembic as well as this small jumbo size. <snip> As for the bridge setting and glue up, we pin them through two of the bridge pin holes, and James hand crafted an aluminum bridge caul/clamp to apply even pressure when glueing.
Excited to hear about the parlor-sized guitar, and thanks for the confirmation on the bridge glue-up. I figured there must be a plan.
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Just one observation I'll add about that bridge design that I'm certain was by design as much for structural integrity as aesthetic appeal. I replace and often repair a lot of ebony guitar bridges that crack, right through either the bridge pin holes or the saddle slot.
Ebony has very small pores. It's hard as dammit, and it's brittle. It will crack longways, with the grain, which is necessarily the direction of it in a steel-string acoustic guitar. Most of the time, bridge pins are arrayed in a straight line, parallel to this grain, making it all the easier. That cute little smile of bridge pins on the Element there... makes a much stronger bridge, much less likely to split. Also, see how much wood there is in front of that saddle? Highly unlikely the front of that bridge breaks off from the saddle slot. Can it happen...? Yeah, because ... wood does stuff. Much less likely here, because someone put some thought into it.
Here's what I'm talking about;
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Outstanding! Congratulations.
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A bass version of the Alembic Element would be quite lovely as well ;D . Furthermore, a classical nylon string rendition, quite novel. Perhaps ventures for the future ?
A classical nylon version would give me uncontrollable G.A.S. I don't play steel strings for the most part because they are too loud for a Japanese apartment. I did have a chance to play the new Alembic steel string when I picked up my guitar at the factory a month ago. It sounds and looks amazing. I removed the background of the photo in case there were any top secret items in the back.
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I can’t believe this hasn’t sold yet.
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Maybe someone ought to let Ed Sheeran know about it.He knows a great sounding guitar. 🤨🤔