Description
“It is stimulating to imagine being able to capture the elegant irreverence of a simple and everyday gesture, such as the one a person can make while eating a green salad. The same insolent lightness that one wants to try to achieve through the sharpness of a proposal, at the extreme borders of normality, which can however represent all the virtuous intentions of that insolence. Lightness is often irreverent, actually, almost always. Because it forces and it can influence to do anything, just as elegance probably does. Even and above all it can bring us to carry out gestures that are more incomprehensible the closer and similar to us they are.”… Let’s Play
P.S. – “I would like to thank my friend Stéphane, owner of the guitar, which in addition to the challenge of building his Mint Cream (this is the real name), forced me to the harder effort to pull these lines down. Elegant and irriverent, my clients….”
All the archtop models presented on these pages are completely handmade by luthier Emanuele D’Alò, owner of the Shank Instruments Milano brand. The instruments are built according to the Benedetto method and both the soundboards and the backs are handmade from solid boards.
- Soundboard: quarter sawn black poplar, handcarved
- Back: quarter sawn black poplar, handcarved
- Sides: curly maple
- Size: 35 cm (17″)
- Height sides: 60 mm (2,3″)
- Neck: flamed maple, C shape. Height 1st fret 0,8″ (22mm)
- Fretboard: Amara ebony, 20 frets medium jumbo
- Radius: 16″
- Bracing: parallel, spruce
- Diapason: 25 1/2″
- Nut: 48,5 mm – Bone
- Pickup: piezo MiSi – Acoustic Trio Air
- Bridge: Amara ebony
- Finish: poliurethane
- Weight: 7.0 lbs (3,2 kg)
shank –
This is the customer Stéphane review – “Mint Cream… I had a vague idea of the 1930s, art deco, bold lines, fancy parties, jazz (salad, not really)… A time where a glass of mint cream would be trendy, unlike today… Emanuele helped me crystalize these vague thoughts into a wonderful concept. About the creation process, to borrow from the guitar’s story, it was irreverently fun to work with Emanuele, always understanding my somewhat vague directions and adding his artistic touch on the way. Inspired by what you would find on art deco marquetry, the selection of figured woods is spectacular, enhanced by a superb hue of green. Playability is great, comfort being helped by the nylon strings and craftmanship is second to none. As for the tone, it is loud, very warm yet accurate, bold and irreverent (of course!), with a great sustain. When amplified, the tone can be dialed from classical to jazz to heavy rock when unplugged, it is perfect for practice. One of the best guitar I have ever set my hands on, I am proud to own it. Eat your heart out people!”