| Fabrizio Alberico Grand Auditorium
"Evangeline" |
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| There are not too many guitars that I can look
over with a critical eye and not find ANYTHING wrong with ... a small wet
sanding scratch, a fret end not rounded enough, bridge pins
sticking up too much ... that sort of thing. As a matter of fact,
you really just have to glance at this new instrument from Fabrizio Alberico
and you KNOW that it is just ... well, PERFECT!!!
The Engelmann top has such a display of
medullar rays and even grain that you know it has been resawn from a split
billet. The deep rich red/brown hues of the rare Hawaiian koa not
only lends a warm & earthy look to this guitar, but also is a
critical part of it's sonic equation. The body shape, peghead
design and rosette aesthetic has such a cohesiveness that you just KNOW
the builder has a refined sense of design and has spent a LONG time agonizing
over this exquisite looking hunk of guitarage!!! |
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When I first opened the case on this one,
it took me quite a while to snap out of my trance, stop drooling over the
unblemished beauty of this wonderful piece of eye-candy, and get
down to business. On playing this guitar, it immediately struck me
that this builder has somehow managed to "have his cake and eat it too".
By that I mean ... usually to some degree, a plucked stringed instrument's
volume is at the expense of sustain, it's shimmering overtone series
slightly overshadows the note fundamental, it's warmth slightly muddies
the clarity. After playing this Alberico, I can guarantee
the word "compromise" will not be popping into your head. This guitar
has just a wonderful point to the attack transient that prefaces a dense
note fundamental and one of the most engaging series of partials I've ever
heard! You've done it again Fab! |
Specifications
Fabrizio Alberico Grand Auditorium
* 1 3/4" wide polished bone nut
* 25.375" scale length
* adjustable truss rod
* Gotoh 510 tuners with ebony buttons
* medium ellipse neck profile
* 14 fret neck joint
* hand fit dovetail neck joint with bolt
* 16" Grand Auditorium body style
* 4 3/4" deep sides at end pin
* Master Grade Engelmann spruce top
* figured Hawaiian koa back & sides
* Macassar/Maple/Paua folded ribbon rosette
* ebony bridge with 2 1/4" string spacing
* intonation compensated polished bone saddle
* thin Nitrocellulose lacquer finish
* custom Deluxe Calton flight case
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