tplyons' Alis Baritone Acoustic Progress Thread

tplyons · #1 11-07-2006, 10:35 PM

First of all, I'm not good at keeping secrets I'm this excited about. I'm having a guitar custom built!

It's being made by Alis (pronounced like Elise) and is being made to the following specs:

Alis Baritone Acoustic Guitar:
Top: Lutz Spruce
Back/Sides: Primavera
Fingerboard: Ebony
Neck: Honduran Mahogany w/Purpleheart and Carbon Fiber Lamination
Bindings: Snakewood
Single Cutaway shape, Florentine Cutaway (pointy)
28-5/8 Scale, 14 frets cleared from body

And my progress pics so far:

Snakewood Blocks for tail wedge

Top joined, planed and rosette installed.

Primavera back and sides.

Trevorus · #2 11-07-2006, 10:36 PM

Keep it coming...

superbassman2000 · #3 11-07-2006, 10:37 PM

awesome Tim, I can't wait to see the finished product!

tplyons · #4 11-07-2006, 10:38 PM

Me neither... I can't wait for more progress pictures, it's been over a week

SamJ · #5 11-07-2006, 10:38 PM

Yeah Tim, that back is going to look awesome! I think this is going to be one of those guitars that will always inspire you to play your best when ever you pick it up!

I'm subscribed to this thread!

SamJ · #6 11-07-2006, 10:39 PM

btw.. what sort of bracing patterns are you doing? Forward shifted X? is it going to be scalloped? etc..

tplyons · #7 11-07-2006, 10:44 PM

And it's a funny story how this all started:

I grew up a metalhead. My first guitar was a Epiphone Les Paul, sold that and picked up an Ibanez 7 string. Liked the low tuning, but didn't find it useful. That was the end of my B string for a while.

But then I saw Warmoth's baritone conversion necks. I since fell in love with everything Fender, especially the Telecaster, and always wanted a Baricaster. One day, I picked up a CIJ Tele body (fully loaded) locally and got a Warmoth conversion neck from the Showroom, just arrived, called Eric Wylie at Warmoth (and a member here) and had it on the way. Fell in love with the tuning and the tone, but I simply came to the conclusion that I'm much more of an acoustic player.

Then, I stumbled across Alis guitars, and he was more than interested in building my baritone, and we started talking. Then before we knew it, I sold my Baricaster to jmb7183 to send a down payment. And now we have what we have.

And that's the origin of the 28-5/8" scale. Darn you Warmoth.

tplyons · #8 11-07-2006, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamJ

btw.. what sort of bracing patterns are you doing? Forward shifted X? is it going to be scalloped? etc..

As far as that, I told my builder what I wanted, and he's been more than gracious with suggestions, and I'm trusting him on this a lot... I'm not too familiar with acoustic guitar construction, where that's his forte. I'm largely a fingerstyle player with a tendency to strum, so it doesn't require too heavy of a bracing... not to mention this thing WILL BE BABIED at all times.

But he does have a unique bracing design utilizing carbon fiber reinforcements.

**Mark Wilson** · #9 11-07-2006, 10:51 PM

Could you PM me an approx price?
I wouldn't mind an acoustic.

tplyons · #10 11-07-2006, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Wilson

Could you PM me an approx price?
I wouldn't mind an acoustic.

This is one thing I can't do. I'm sworn to secrecy on the price. Only my mother (she's paying a good portion of it as my Christmas gift) and I know.

**Mark Wilson** · #11 11-07-2006, 10:55 PM

It's cool.

How about a link? I can't find a website or anything.

tplyons · #12 11-07-2006, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Wilson

It's cool.

How about a link? I can't find a website or anything.

He's working on that, the company is a work in progress. I'll get you his contact info, though.

**Mark Wilson** · #13 11-07-2006, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

He's working on that, the company is a work in progress. I'll get you his contact info, though.

Cool thanks.
I'm heading to bed now, but I'll check my PM's tomorrow.

Thanks!

SamJ · #14 11-07-2006, 11:00 PM

Carbon fiber should be interesting... I know that the "Traditional" guitar makers are all now scrambling to source alternative materials for guitar making's future.. Martin, who's been around 175 years, and making guitars with what ever wood they choose, is now only making about 35% of their guitars with "Traditional" woods, and starting to go laminate and hi-tech materials on many lines.

At some point, (Bob Taylor thinks 10 years) Sitka Spruce suitable for guitar tops (meaning 300+ year old growth) and natural growth Indian Rosewood will go the way of Brazilian rosewood.. which interestingly is also the story on Honduran Mahogany.. As a matter of fact, I've got one of only a literal handful of Martins being made "today" with a single piece Mahogany neck.. so it should prove interesting to see which of these technologies becomes the solution to these wood shortages..

Carbon fiber? Aluminum? Composite/Laminate?

Time will tell...

You may be getting a "Early Adopter" guitar there Tim that may be destined to be a milestone in the long future ahead of for this instrument.

tplyons · #15 11-07-2006, 11:06 PM

Yes, Sam, like yourself, I'm very much a traditional guy... Fender Jazzes, a Fender P... it took me years to switch to Neodymium speakers and biamping. I still use a cable from instrument to amp, and may be the only 19 year old who despises what cell phones have done to the world.

Anyway, since it's a baritone acoustic, a bit of an odd combination to begin with, I figured I'd go all out. My builder wants to trademark this type of bracing, I'm all for it. I'm loving that my guitar is one of the first under the brand name, and there's a tad bit of experimentation with my guitar. I'm actually trying to get him to make more of the decisions as far as construction, because he knows my goals well enough already. I'm trying to put the ball in his court to do what he does better.