I thought John Durham would get a kick out of this - but others may appreciate it too...

That is definitely sweet looking and amazing art. But I don't know if I have ever seen a guitar that didn't have a smooth outside finish.

I can't help but wonder if it would have an adverse effect on playing it. Perhaps our guitar players like John and Dennis could help out with that question.

Terra

Exactly what I was wondering, Terra. I'd like to hear it in action before deciding how kewl it is. It is pretty but that carving might just be better served on a chest instead of a musical instrument.

Oh - and MMM - wouldjya please learn to size your pictures?

woah... that is frigging awesome looking.

as a guitar player myself.. i would have to hear it before wanting it.

ok, i am full of crap, i want it... but i would have to hear it, before deciding on if it would hang on my wall or i would actually use it.

I also cant help but think limestone is HEAVY....
as in IF it does sound good, can you make it through a complete set without above
average fatigue

It's different, and took talent, but I guess I'll be the odd duck here ... quack, quack.

I don't really like it. It's too ornate for my taste. I'd have liked it better, for example if it were carved around the edges and smoothed out toward center. It's a case of, "when everything is emphasized, then nothing is emphasized" for me. Looks like a torn open body with a bunch of tendons and muscles showing.

If it's solid it's probably a lot heavier than wood, so I wouldn't want to wear it around my neck for long. Must be one of those "sit down" models.

Since it's solid and electric, I would think the sound will mostly depend on the pickups used.

If we're just going by looks, I much prefer the look of spalted maple.

Try these on Dennis - they're made of Myrtlewood -


You have a point about the practicality of that first carved guitar, but it sure is a piece of work!

I think that is the guitar H R Giger would play if he played guitar>
Welcome to the art of swiss surrealist HR Giger

Ohhhh yeah! Thanks MMM, Those are some beauties. I have given alot of thought about buying customized bodies like that, the only thing is that they are usually made out of softer woods that are great for carving but less for resonance. though thats not always the case.

These things do get your mouth watering. Awesome designs!

-John

Ps. The myrtle wood one looks sweet too! Havent looked into that, it may be a good tone wood.



Here is a company that does custom carving...and you were right, I did get a kick out of it! http://www.customcarvedguitars.net/

The one in the op looks like a beautiful ivory sculpture. Really nice work!

As far as owning one?

It would be cool as a novelty guitar, and one could play it onstage too if they wanted; the difference can only be told by a pretty discerning ear, so it wouldnt make any difference to most listeners it would be the same as a tone wood...

It would probably be more a novelty for me, but a cool one. Then again, it might sound out of this world! I havent played one, just guessing.

I like going to http//:www.warmoth.com alot, because they enable you to customize your own parts online... not to this degree , but you can get carved tops and various other options... like Dennis mentioned.

-John

Dang, now I gotta study Myrtle wood! "Hold up on the quilted maple warmoth!"

Update: The reviews on myrtlewood would make one think it may be the best material ever, outside of inconsistent colors and grain patterns...but for SOUND its maybe the best, according to alot of Luthiers.

The thing that sucks is that after you put finish on a guitar PERIOD, it changes the whole sound. LOL

And who likes a bare guitar with no finish?

As far as carving and shape, that definitely pays a big role in the way sound vibration travels. However, if you use active electronics it doesnt really matter what body you put the pickups in , they almost always sound the same, the sound isnt really determined by the body they are in so much.

I like passives myself because it lets the guitar produce its own unique tone and the wood gets to sing a bit.

Anyway, the research data is in- myrtle is good tone wood.

Those myrtle wood guitars are gorgeous.

To me they look like worm wood. I tried to google it, but only found scrub trees and bushes
So maybe worm wood is NOT the correct name.

I am also wondering now if any one uses purple or green heart.
That stuff is beautiful.

Since we're on the subject, maybe John would also like....



And we can't forget the dock.....

That is cool!
May as well get a pool too while you're at it!

A world with guitars everywhere...the synchronocity...Wow suddenly life is starting make sense again! I need to move back to Nashville!

You guys are the bearers of secret spiritual messages.

Hey,

How bout some of this action here?





By the way "money" the myrtle wood research lead me into 4 hours of looking at strats again last night...its really like an addiction. Im not kidding. I was looking at them til 3am straight from the words "myrtle wood...", one thing leads to another... you know.

First its "I wonder if there is a myrtle wood strat....then it's just "strats"....then amps...then , hey lets look at some buyer reviews on the roland vg strat, then its...OMG its a vicious cycle.

Yes, you could say Im obsessed with guitars.

One thing I did discover last night is the yamaha ar3 in all this research, its an acoustic that has all the properties of a $3,000 guitar, but its priced at only $900.... ebony fretboard...the whole deal.

So what did I do?

I went to zzounds and put it in my shopping cart, then I thought "I wonder if I could get away with adding this, and that... and before you know it I had racked up 3k worth of stuff, for only $301.00 per month!

Did that for an hour... before talking myself out of it, because I just paid off my LAST Zzsounds bill!

Its crazy. No wonder I dont have a wife!