I've been keeping a close hold on this one for a couple weeks because I really didn't know how I was going to come down. I took a bit of a chance, because this was not really the guitar I would have ordered new, but it sure did have a lot I liked... days went by and it began to sing to me. The silly-season online marketplace pricing being what it is, and the fair deal I was able to negotiate privately, made it a little safer bet... at least I wouldn't be totally upside-down if it turned out I just couldn't bond with it. I needn't have worried; there was an instant connection, almost as if this guitar was made for me. It was barely 6-1/2 lbs over my shoulder. The neck felt great in my hands, like a fine acoustic carve, and string bends were so easy I didn't care about the long scale-length for another two milliseconds - this one is a keeper.
•So maybe it's a little unusual, or maybe I just haven't seen enough Little Darling guitars to know. The mix of pickups for one, a humbucker at the bridge and the single at the neck... this really appealed to me, especially this combination. I had no idea how the electronics were going to feel though... this was my first go at Skylark controls. Two Volumes, easy-peasy. Two Filters, even better. Bright switches? Hmmm... okay, I get it now. I still need to understand a little more about utilizing this with the filters down low. Plenty of time. I just can't get over how many sounds this guitar can make. It has sting-your-eardrums clarity available. It can also get very, very mellow, almost an acoustic quality strumming tone. The hard part (for me, and yes, it's the lack of experience) is dialing-in the stuff between. Again, it's all about time, and figuring out what I should be doing, and where I should be, sonically. I have located most of the basics. For what it's worth, I could get everything I need from either pickup, solo'd on this guitar. It's like a game playing with both!
•Notice there are no LED's? Yep - none for me, thanks. Everybody but me loves 'em I reckon, 'cause it seems hard to find an Alembic guitar without them. I concede my weirdness, but I like plain old sidedot markers just fine. These are silver, or aluminum I think. They show up well against the ebony.
•Gold-plated brass hardware. And the concealed hardware bridge. Nice little blingy bonus.
•No fingerboard inlay. It's a beautiful piece of ebony though. Looking ahead, I think maybe one day... a nice 1st or 12th fret custom inlay may wind up in there. Maybe just some gold MOP ovals? Maybe something that echoes my Custom fretless bass? If anything, I would always lean towards making it so it isn't something so personal that it destroys the appeal of the instrument for whoever is next. I ain't gonna' be the last. It'll be a good conversation to have with the Mothership when the time comes. They'll know what to do.
•The finish is flawless, scratchless, all over. There was the slightest bit of tarnish on the bridge, and I took care of that pretty quick. It came with black plastic backplates, but I made a set of contrasting backplates from some plastic stock and flame maple veneer to match the top laminate. Got the amber color a bit too deep, but you can't see the back and front at the same time anyway. I saved the originals of course.
•The build card was in the original hardshell case upon receiving. All in all, a well-cared-for guitar. Since she sang to me night and day, and finally lured me into the rocks...
"Aglaope" in Greek mythology, the daughter of the Muse, Siren with the lambent voice.
Here she is...
