Taking a 40k Custom Alembic and CHISELING OUT much of the inlay 😳

[@keithhurst6329]

Hi Ben! My late father in law Frank fuller was with alembic at their inception. I got to hear some pretty cool stories about the work he did. He did a lot of work with the Grateful Dead and helped design their wall of sound. Pretty cool to see an alembic on your channel!

[@harounel-poussah6936]

Well, teaming with Owsley must have been something, he must have seen thing we'll never see in nature...

[@weshinds9884]

This is both relaxing to watch and nerve racking at the same time.

[@jlarts]

The chatoyance and iridescence of the mother of pearl is just stunning, hopefully that's what you'll use to redo the claws, I think it would suit it quite nicely...

[@vincentvandervaart8019]

What is the reason to do this?

[@frankphillips5533]

Now this is more like it ! This is the reason I started to watch your channel. Mind numbing ART ! Can't wait to see the results. Have a great day.

[@timcoombe7880]

Not being pernickety, just giving it your awl! The thought of being entrusted with such an heirloom would give me the horrors. Hats off for your calm approach. Thanks for sharing. Really looking forward to the next episode(s)...

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you for awl your kind words 😅

[@timcoombe7880]

@@CrimsonCustomGuitars on the subject of Carpal tunnel syndrome, I had an operation to free my right wrist and couldn’t face going through it for my left. Had a series of steroid injections in it. Painful at the time but the relief was great and long lasting.

[@gpurkeljc]

I think it's a testament to your professionalism how you treat every instrument with the same level of care and attention Ben.

[@ParsoJr]

I just want to say Ben, I found this fascinating. I am a hobby guitar-modder whose skill will never reach your level, so I appreciate seeing instruments I’ve never heard of, or will never see like this one. I for one understand the fight of ADHD where your perfectionism battles against the desire to have things done quickly. So seeing you have the patience for this tedious, detailed work was actually somewhat calming - i applaud you and I can’t wait for part 2

[@markgalliher5707]

I don’t understand the haters here. Ben has provided a great variety of content over the years, to a community with diverse interests in luthiers’ artistry. If this doesn’t resonate with you, so what. Watch something else. Nasty comments don’t diminish his accomplishments and character.

[@davidjones6218]

Loved watching this one ben, i was in mega chill mode and it finished😂, cant wait for the next part(if there is one). I gotta ask, will we find out who the very talented client is.?.worth a try!😉 Thank you, and well done! I know how tricky that work really is.👏👏👏

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Glad you enjoyed

[@RebelCoderX]

@4:39.. LMAO! That picture with Patrick Swayze just broke me 🤣🤣🤣

[@unusefull]

Nice dentist/jeweler work ! I love the precision you show and, yes, I would have try with dentist picks and probably made a mess by scratching my way too far. You are a good and clever tool builder.

[@Violaodabossa]

Hi Ben, once again the question: why had the ivory to be removed? As it is an old guitar it should be possible to get a CITES for it so that the ivory could remain. But honestly what was the customers reason / wish to let you remove it? By the way this is a change of its originality. Incredible great job you‘ve done❣️and thank you for the great video👍🏼 and all the great videos you‘ve made🙏🏼 Best wishes from Wuppertal / Germany >Lutz

[@Echo3_]

I may have missed it but do they want you to fix the dragon or remove the dragon?

[@twintype]

Amazing detail and patience. Also that double F hole beauty on the wall ❤

[@slimydroid]

The last minute or so sums up the entire video for me, the fact that when zoomed in, the amount of material you're removing is thinner then the ridges of your fingerprint... I am very interested to know how you finish those next two claws that appear to be underneath the fret. Judging by how you started I'm guessing removing the fret isn't an option?

[@peterkitts8815]

I don't think you are being too pernickety. It's a £40k guitar. I'd expect precision.

[@Han________]

Hey man, what happened to the cigar box challenge vid? Looks like it's been taken down but it was gold!

[@whythesadface]

There is some confusion here. You need to tell us why the owner now wants the ivory removed after so many years?

[@MYEVILTWIIN]

Could be selling it and having ivory on it would lessen a potential sale through ethical reasons or certain countries banning sales on things containing ivory but I think that’s only on ivory after a certain time/year

[@PaulCooksStuff]

Why do we need to know what the owners wants, when, and why. His decision and conscience and state of finances to afford the work is personal to him and doesn't have to make any sense to us.

[@whythesadface]

@@PaulCooksStuff I'll concede that my wording was too strong but not intensionally. I am aware of most of the possible reasons for not using Ivory but from my understanding this bloke has owned the guitar for decades. So, why now? The guitar is being publicly presented on the internet, that would indicate that privacy isn't the issue. This is a bigger issue, are people going to burn their vintage Martins and '59 Bursts because they are made from Dalbergia nigra and Swietenia macrophylla?

[@PaulCooksStuff]

@@whythesadface there's any number of potential reasons. Maybe he took years to find someone he trusted to do the work. Maybe he's approaching his end and is forward planning to ensure his children have no issues selling his bequests internationally so his dream guitar can find a new dreamer. Or maybe he just plain changed his mind over the decades and now his dream guitar makes him 'ick to think about his former choices. It really doesn't matter, their personal motivation is none of our business. This is a technique and art/build appreciation video, not an analysis of the owners mindset and motivations.

[@BuzzyMuzzwelle-m1d]

Ivory is illegal in England and most EU countries. In fact you cannot bring or sell any products, instruments, antiques etc that contain ivory into England.

[@mooseymoose]

Had CTS both wrists. Got hydraulic dissection done a couple years ago. Took a half hour, zero recovery time and completely solved it (until I manage to RSI myself again). Way better option than surgery!

[@stu-j]

Ive had 5 in total operations because of cts and very bad nerve damage that has resulted in 50% use of my left hand ( I'm a lefty ) and a 30% loss in my right. I suffer from ( havs) white finger and raynauds and the cold is horrendous and some of the worst pain I've ever experienced ( I broke my neck 5 years ago) 30+ years of heavy work and vibrating tools have absolutely wrecked my hands and arms! It'd a horrible thing to have,

[@markswessinger7814]

Pernickety is why I watch you. Keep it up.

[@azbababooey]

Part 1 of a 2 part series that will go on 10 episodes. 🤣

[@knitturn3422]

Why are you removing the ivory? Is it because the guitar can't be sold with the ivory inlay?

[@ADFinlayson]

I don't think you can move anything made with elephant ivory internationally, let alone sell it. I don't even think you're allowed to sell domestically in UK or EU. Good to know because I've got a load of old ivory piano keys I was going to repurpose for an inlay. I probably won't bother now. It's a shame because not repurposing old ivory isn't going to bring the elephant back.

[@peterkitts8815]

I think the client doesn't want the ivory. No good source of ivory.

[@Birkguitars]

Exactly. Ivory piano keys can only be sold within a pre-1975 piano. We inherited an old upright with our current house. It seems to have ivory keys but it is definitely pre-1975. In fact the tuners' pencil notes on some of the keys suggest that the last time it was tuned was around 1975. So I think we are safe.

[@peterkitts8815]

@@ADFinlayson I have an inlay with ivory - it's a guitar I built (at Crimson) for me, so never any intention of it going anywhere else and as a result it can't. It was also from old piano keys.

[@BrianLTanner]

This video is dumb. This dude made better videos in the guitar shop, building new things. His new approach has been to meticulously grind and file on things with little interest grabbing content.

[@cgregorio72]

Just a thought, would it help to cool or heat the area where you are working. The Ebony and Ivory should expand and contract at different rates helping to create a gap between the wood and the inlay. Might help.

[@Forest_Fifer]

But I thought ebony and ivory loved together in perfect harmony? 😉

[@simonhopkins3867]

Replacing it with unicorn horn and mermaid tail glue was a fine choice.

[@JoeThornhill]

I'm missing something. What's wrong with Ivory? I think the original builder could've used separate pieces for the teeth, though. So they look like, well, teeth. Not one big piece of material.

[@BLBlackDragon]

Whooo... Mind (and hand) numbing work. Love the new tools, can't wait to see them in the Crimson shop. Please take care of your wrists. I want to see you making guitars for many more years to come. No, you aren't being "too pernickety." If someone is stating that an instrument is worth 40,000, and it only has about 5,000 worth of materials in it, then I think holding what is supposedly 35,000 of craftsmanship to the highest of standards is completely fair. Like you said, it looks great from across the room, but you are getting intimate with this instrument. 35,000 should you get some of the best craftsmanship. All pieces of inlay cut to fit precisely and all that. What you've shown us, so far, is looking like, "Do you best, and fill the rest" level work.

[@JesusvonNazaret]

Why is the ivory removed?

[@redspecialist9072]

What was wrong with the inlay?

[@davidking4756]

he fiirst 2 min 20 secs, is the way i feel about my modified chromeboy!.

[@TheMasonator777]

Carpel Tunnel is often a misdiagnosis or an incomplete diagnosis. Make sure you consult a body mechanics specialized physiotherapist that deals with repetitive strain. You could have muscle imbalances and scar tissue that go all the way up your arm into your neck and back and even under your armpits and thoracic outlet. This isn’t medical advice, it’s just a friendly viewpoint from my own 6 year journey with repetitive strain. Seek out as many related professionals as possible, and if possible ones that play instruments or specialize in musicians.

[@fbrz84]

I've sort of watched the whole video (some skipping necessary cause I'm not watching it for all the philosophizing) and, is the reason for removing the ivory ever given?! Removing it now, after so many years, just because it is ivory seems somewhat stupid.

[@LouSpowells]

It's only stupid if they are 100% positive the guitar will never be sold, traded, donated, or travel out of the country in the future.

[@iainfreeman5112]

Your eye for detail/persnickety on these inlays. For the £40k guitar no you should absolutely should have that precision. But lower price ones maybe that level of detail may be a bit harsh.

[@ADFinlayson]

That's some delicate work Ben, very impressive. Sorry to hear about the CTS, that must be a real pisser for someone in this line of work. ATB Ash

[@TesserId]

For what it's worth, I bought some Alembic parts for a project some time ago. But, as an extreme procrastinator, I never got around to starting that project (or did I?). And, I think they're in some box somewhere and will stay there 'til I die. I can only wonder what's going to happen to them when I die. (BTW, I think, if I can remember correctly, it's one of those bridges and maybe a tail piece.)

[@craigatter5135]

Get another set of wrist supports and wear them when sleeping. This helped for me for my carpal tunnel Also stop smoking as that can have a huge effect on the amount of oxygen getting to the median nerve 👍🏻

[@scottakam]

I don't think I have one dream guitar. Every guitar I build is my dream guitar when I build it. Then I build another dream!

[@cheapskate8656]

Thanks for showing this Ben. Nice work. I would slip at least once :)

[@PapaRich3165]

Im with others in asking"why?" Also - can people actually tell if that small bit is ivory?

[@daveholladay8575]

I’d bet the Pink Ivory would have presented a much more challenging battle.. I’ve been using it on a small project at home and found it to be very elastic.. not a helpful property in this scenario

[@CharlesBohnert]

Yes, why? Is it because of the use of ivory?

[@thomasmoon3136]

A few daft comments here, becoming a concerning trend on crimson videos of late. Crimson has always first and foremost been a learning resource, not an entertainment channel. Yes there are plenty of entertaining videos but that isn't the primary focus. If you can't see the value in this type of video then go somewhere else and find something you do like. Crimson doesn't owe you anything or have to change their style to pander to a different audience. All of that being said, good job so far Ben, the first thing I noticed even without looking at the filler is how poor the tolerances are on the inlay pieces. They fit together about as well as biscuit crumbs

[@thenerktwins]

I'm glad you're here to police the comment section. Everyone should just check with you first before posting any remarks to make sure you approve.

[@ShaelynneDFuller]

@@thenerktwins Aww poor grumpy baby must need a nappy change, or perhaps a nap.

[@thomasmoon3136]

By all means post whatever you want, anyone can after all. But if you are going to post an opinion, anyone is allowed to disagree with it. That's allowed. Just like I did with the other comments, and what you did with me. So I guess we are just as bad as each other.

[@andrewedwards3226]

Active Release Technique fixed my carpal tunnel, when i had it about 10 years ago. May work for you.

[@Giomalmsteen]

My chiropractor fixed mine, its like a handshake then a quick snap to realign the bones. I've done it to some coworkers and it helped them

[@stephenhursey1506]

My dad used his own home made tools as he could adapt the tool or make a tool for the job in hand and he used watch makers tools sometimes your own made tools are best also I hope you're going to something about the frets it would be a shame to redo the fretboard and do nothing about the worn frets

[@mattomon1045]

Ben great work

[@chazstewart4865]

How were they able to use Ivory in the first place?

[@mr.giggles4995]

Probably old piano keys or ivory that's from before it was banned. Idk the laws regarding repurposing ivory though, laws could be different in the US too.

[@NotThatOneThisOne]

Didn't know Alembic made guitars (until i checked their website).

[@chrisggoodwin777]

Alembic: making Fodera look extremely affordable since 1969

[@MTB-Dan]

The magnified eye had me rolling 🧐😆

[@garethsnaim8174]

Feeling silly here, but the reason for removing the Ivory, is this law, or morals or what? The guitar does not appear old so I am confused. only ten mins in though!

[@stu-j]

Reminds me of old yamaha sg in a way!

[@myrtlebeachpimp]

Personally wouldn’t it be more “ethical” to leave the ivory? With such small pieces of ivory you can only remove it by destroying it. The animal is already dead so imo it would be more disrespectful to the animals life to destroy it.

[@afroafroguy]

Can’t sell it within the Uk with ivory present though, unless it was commissioned before 1975 and the total ivory content is less than 25%. It wouldn’t bother me either especially as the ivory was more than likely sourced from old piano keys.

[@timothymallon]

I'm honestly confused about this. I know, on the surface why someone would want ivory removed, for ethical reasons; But would it also not be ethical to keep the abalone and mother of pearl, since both were obtained from shellfish? Considering the manufacturing process of guitars historically, it's also safe to assume that hide glue has been used in joints and laminates. And then there's the use of rosewood. Does the owner want it removed for personal ethical reasons or for international trade reasons? If it's the former, there's a whole lot more "ethical" questions than the simple use of ivory. Personally, I would keep it as is, since the use of such materials was sourced long ago, and if for international reasons, I would still keep it and get certificates showing its "grandfathered in".

[@chazstewart4865]

Victoria cross on it's way..... A very brave man indeed.

[@Slikx666]

That's one job i wouldn't touch. 😬

[@wombat6]

I just had to go back through the most recent videos to check how long that nose piercing has been there without me noticing it.

[@SArthur221]

the irony of having to (destructively) remove an already done ivory inlay

[@MooCow2X2]

I see fret wear too…. Really is a shame to have to remove the ivory especially for such a small amount overall

[@pablospicoli]

Great job …. But…. Totally insane

[@_NoDrinkTheBleach]

I look at someone like Jim Irsay, a wealthy man who has spent a considerable fortune on the guitars of Jerry Garcia and Kurt Cobain and many others. The money clearly is no object to him. Considering that he has spent much of the last decade putting his collection on a traveling display show, I think it must have always been about vanity to him. He could have commissioned replicas or bought any guitar from any era. He chose to buy famous players' guitars. I've bought a few off the shelf guitars that were above my pay grade, and a few custom guitars that were right on the edge of being too expensive for me. There's really no difference in quality between them. I do have more sentimental attachment to the custom guitars, but it doesn't mean I play them more or less. All of that rambling to say, would I spend forty thousand pounds on a guitar? Nope. The secret sauce in a guitar is not in any of its materials, what factory it was made in, or what brand of coffee the luthier drank while making it. A $1200 guitar could have just as much mojo as a million dollar guitar. I also wouldn't consider buying a guitar with banned materials in it, repurposed or not.

[@doublepick]

Stanley Clark has a bass version so…

[@scottlevine5030]

Alembics are greatly overpriced. They are amazing, but if you look at the options for say, a Europa bass, its $12,000 to start. If you want a bookmatched claro walnut top, thats 2k more. If you want a walnut back, its another 2k. But thats like $30 of wood at best. And thats one of the lower priced options. Want to upgrade the electronics to series 1? That several thousand dollars more. It gets crazy, They are beautiful though.

[@jmanson3310]

Dental tools might be effective here.

[@philiphurdwell3443]

Who owns it? Is the owners identity top secret?

[@jefferywarburton2116]

Not a quick or fun job when compared to thinking up a new thing and going for it.

[@forrestcrabbe]

🤘☕️🤘

[@K7classicrockfan]

I just find it funny taking out the ivory, the damage has already been done by killing the animal for it's ivory. Just leave the guitar as it is. I really don't see the point. Not bashing Ben's work here, just questioning the logic behind taking out the ivory...

[@SloverOfTeuth]

There may be restrictions on movement between countries and/ir sale if the ivory source can't be documented, or the owner just might not feel good about having ivory on his dream guitar now. Just my speculation, but I'd find neither surprising.

[@edwardhaigh4249]

Im not sure of the logic for this,but not my guitar so whatever floats ya boat.

[@paulferraby1202]

Too pernickety? it depends... Is it what you have chosen to do because you want to? then no, Do you have the time to pay that level of attention? then no, Are you trying to entertain with some hardcore ASMR? then definitely no, Are you sharing this detail observations with others so that they can learn and make their own decisions? then no, Is somebody willing to pay for your time at at rate that rewards you? then no, Are there are other things that need to be done while you are attending to that detail? then maybe. A principle that I have always found useful when considering the quality of products or services is that it helps to be at least one level beyond your customer's expectations. If you are addressing a detail that they would be unlikely to see in the first place they are more likely so see the product as flawless. (bonus question: Does it result in a decent video or two instead of yet another sodding short? then hell no!)

[@shoffdk]

OMG BC !

[@dennisrohm6372]

The ivory must be a problem. To gaudy for my taste

[@oldguy5381]

Now all the time all the skill and art is gone. Not to mention destroying the ivory. The ivory once had a forever home now it’s dust, what a waste.

[@dmpenfold4536]

Get a grip lad, someone rich is having a tiny section of inlay removed & replaced with new material. Also the original inlay work is pretty sloppy in places for the money involved.

[@trident1314]

Would i pay 40k....hell no.

[@JackBealeGuitar]

It's a hideous looking thing isn't it. May be well made and all that, but 🤮

[@mrfatbobrider1969]

Yea Ben if ya used a chemical it would somewhat…drop a scale 😂😂

[@brettgl21]

For that kind of money, the inlays should be perfect. Boils down to pride in the work you are doing.

[@borgonianevolution]

Respectfully with all the precision work and effort put into this job as well as the effort to make a teaching video showing the process and tool making of Ben. I REALLY don't get WHY this is being done in the first place. If there was damage to them from what was showed so far it is either unclear or so minute its undetectable. Why if this is a commissioned "Dream Guitar" was ivory chosen in the first place. If the owner is NOT the original person who commissioned the build and that little bit of ivory offended them why buy the guitar. If the owner is from the sissy generations band-wagoning some "cause" that is against the use of Ivory how does this make sense by destroying it AFTER its been used. I can see no obvious reason or justification here. Sorry if this offends someone from our happy little family but... (I redacted my final thought out of respect for our community).

[@LouSpowells]

The guitar is, as mentioned, decades old. After the initial bans in the mid-20th century artisans began using reclaimed ivory for instruments like this one, but the laws have gotten tighter over the years. In the past, during the era where instruments like this were made, it was easier to buy/sell/transport instruments that incorporated reclaimed ivory. That is no longer the case. Now we're at a point where items that are made of, or contain, ivory cannot be sold or transported unless a very specific set of criteria has been met, meaning this guitar would be unsellable (and unable to travel out of the country) if it still contained ivory. Doing either, if caught, would potentially result in steep fines, destruction of the instrument, and in certain circumstances even jail time. What this ultimately means is, the modifications Ben is making will turn an instrument with negative monetary value into an instrument that actually has a monetary value again, thus increasing the likelihood that the instrument will outlive the original (and current) owner who commissioned the building of this guitar and its current modifications. And you're welcome to bemoan the 'sissy generations' for their aversion to ivory usage, but keep in mind that they weren't the ones responsible for the near-extinction of ivory-producing animals. They're just the ones who have to live with, and attempt to repair, the mistakes that ivory-loving previous generations made. The fact that generations younger than mine detest the idea of having ivory in their products is, in my opinion, an amazing demonstration of progress that will undoubtedly make it easier for elephant populations to survive and thrive in the future...and if that makes me a sissy in your eyes, so be it. To me, aversion to ivory has nothing to do with one's masculinity, and I feel bad you were raised in a world that leads you to believe it does.

[@brymills]

Up close that looks pretty awful workmanship on the inlays.

[@groovedodger]

Surely nobody would know its ivory it could be any white material ?

[@martintaylor1758]

Why did they request ivory in the first place? This guitar gives me the creeps. Nasty.

[@LouSpowells]

Having ivory on instruments used to be normal. Most mid-high end pianos made prior to the 1950's (and many for decades to follow) were made using ivory keys because, as far as builders and musicians were concerned, it's the best material for the job. Many instruments (and other items) that included ivory inlays AFTER ivory laws went into effect were made using scrap/broken piano keys. The mindset of the builders who repurposed piano keys was essentially, "If the deed is already done, reusing it is better than throwing it away." But the public's opinion of using ivory has evolved a lot in the past ~75 years, thankfully. It's cool to see people reacting with disgust when they see it was used...as opposed to people I saw cursing the laws that banned it when I was younger.

[@moonboogien8908]

Kind of a waste, imo....

[@BrianLTanner]

Why are you removing the ivory? Kind of dumb, unless dudes dream guitar is going up for sale. Hmmm maybe not dream enough?

[@Forest_Fifer]

Or maybe he's getting on in years and is thinking of his inheritance?

[@leddygee1896]

Removing the Ivory from the guitar is not going to bring the Elephant back from the dead. kinda stupid! The deed is done…

[@meh3247]

So it was his "dream guitar", but even though he dreamt that he wanted a dragon on it, the dragon has to go? Sounds like a fool with too much money.

[@philrichards7240]

The dragon isn't going anywhere. Just the ivory claws and teeth - which will be replaced.

[@Forest_Fifer]

Looking at your comments on this channel, why are you even here?

[@kiethyrich]

nearly got the first like lol

[@thenerktwins]

People here assuming it's the 0.2 grams of old ivory that would hold this up at customs. Give me a break.

[@SnlJcksn]

Such a waste of ivory. I like elephants as much as the next person, but there's no reason not to use what already exists. People need to get over their childish ethics.

[@PapaRich3165]

"childish ethics" 🙄🤔😠

[@CarlosDias-do2wr]

Another boring videos,not cool!!

[@dmpenfold4536]

It's an interesting & relaxing video of a skilled luthier at work. What were you expecting, explosions & camgirls?