Royale Premiere
Please call 773.489.4830 or email info@specimenproducts.com to discuss details and make arrangements for your commission.
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Neck
Mahogany, pearl inlays of flags gently rippling in the wind with colored dots and side markers
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Scale length
24-1/2"
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Fretboard
Ebony
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Body
Two-piece, 16" wide basswood body finished in pale blue nitrocellulose lacquer, triple-ply white/yellow/white binding on front and back
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Headstock
Alaskan-cedar-burl headstock veneer, sculpted aluminum "diver's helmet" finial
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Tuners
Four Grover Imperial tuners and two geared banjo tuners
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Pickups
Lindy Fralin humbucker with faceted and machined aluminum mounting ring
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Controls
Volume and tone control
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Bridge
One-piece ebony bridge
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Tailpiece
Faceted and machined aluminum tailpiece
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Shipping
Freight by arrangement
This archtop guitar marked the first in a series of Specimen’s Royale models.
This guitar design had been taking shape in my mind for years. It is a unique interpretation of a classic idea.
The guitar’s headstock finial, fretboard inlays, and Grover Imperial tuners follow traditions set forth by luthiers as D’Angelico and D’Aquisto. The pickup ring, trapeze and finial are handcrafted from solid billets of aluminum, and the bridge is carved from one piece of ebony. Both the D and G strings have banjo tuners that can be used for special drop-tuning effects.
The headstock and body of this instrument are inspired by the sinewy horror of a praying mantis. The pastels mimic natural color themes found somewhere between chlorophyll and entomology.
This Royale model also features a single neck pickup format which lets the guitar resonate to its fullest extent. The pickup is a Lindy Fralin humbucker which sounds very good indeed robust, full spectrum and cooperative.
To see images of this guitar taken during the building process, check out the Blog post Royale Archtop.
