Sempervirens

2020 has been a difficult year for many of us, myself included. To look at it in a positive light, I can say that I appreciate life more than ever. Us humans will never remain “evergreen” as sequoia sempervirens, but we can try our best. Thus my latest ergonomic electric guitar is named Sempervirens not only after the California Redwood, but also out of hope for the future.

That spectacularly flamed body is made of very old redwood reclaimed from the forest floor. The “live edge” is not actually that, but a fire-charred natural split in the tree. The neck is a monolithic chunk of perfect Ziricote, stiff and resonant, with two volume control knobs to match. They each control one of the Lace Alumitone humbucking pickups, so the player can dial in the optimum overall volume and balance.

The bridge and tuners (and even the strap buttons) are something I am especially proud of: they are made of 3d printed stainless steel, probably one of the first guitars ever made to use this cutting-edge technology. The parts are created by blasting metal powder with a high-energy laser to melt and fuse the particles together. Another layer of powder is added, and melted again; the process repeats until eventually the full thickness of the part is built.

In another milestone, this is the first new guitar made with fingerboard and frets cut using the new multiscale capabilities of a PLEK machine. This ensures micrometer-perfect fingerboard radius, fret positioning, and height. It is quite simply the best-playing multi scale instrument that the laws of physics will allow.