Incoming NGD...

[JB_From_Hell]

This is a complete 180 from the guitars I’ve been talking about. I got rid of a bunch of stuff to fund something really crazy.

I’d talked to Frank Falbo about a year ago regarding a custom built extended range guitar. At the time, I had an Ibanez Tosin Abasi 8 string. The extra low strings were all sorts of fun, but the 27” scale really sucks on the regular 6 strings. Regardless of the string gauge, the plain strings just feel weird.

Frank does a really sweet multiscale that goes from 25.5” to 27.5”. When discussing my issues with the straight 27”, he explained his setup, specifically to alleviate those issues. It took awhile, but I’m in a position to get one.

A few days ago, we discussed some specs, and I got a little lost in option-overload. I asked if he had any multiscale 8s on hand, just to see some pics. He sent me this one, and I kinda fell in love with it.

It’s an Alpha Ergo 8, obviously built by Frank. Pickups are Fishman Fluence Abasis, body is swamp ash, neck is an insane piece of roasted flame maple, and the board is pau ferro. The paint is a color he had custom mixed, and jokingly called Plum Night Shimmerlan.

Scale is 25.5-27.5”, strung 9,12,15,24,32,44,58,90, and tuned standard (F# and B on the low strings). I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

 

[Hsb]

Very nice, congrats. Though was aittle sad to aee you not get Solar, was looking forward to your review.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Very nice, congrats. Though was aittle sad to aee you not get Solar, was looking forward to your review.

My oldest kid is playing guitar now, and thinks Vs are cool. Maybe the green one in my first post will be in his future. He's playing a lot and improving quickly, but I'm not spending Falbo money on him

Already planning another one with Frank. The second one is gonna be a headless 8 with a trem, the Fluence Keith Merrow pickups, a wenge neck & board, roasted American Basswood body, and the absolute sickest one-piece walnut top I've ever seen. I had another direction I wanted to go with the finish, but when he sent me the pic of that walnut, it was over, haha.

 

[Mincer]

Wow, that is pretty impressive. Congrats!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Wow, that is pretty impressive. Congrats!

Thanks man. I'm really anxious to get my hands on it.

Frank's woodworking skills are crazy. I watched him carve a neck heel in a Facebook Live video once, all the while talking about completely unrelated things. Talking to him about this stuff is great, too. I'd never really understood people shelling out for luthier built instruments before, but I get it now. 1 day after I paid him for the purple one, we were already speccing out the headless one.

 

[FuseG4]

That's a great color and a great name omg lol

 

[GuitarDoc]

Frank does some crazy good work. Congrats. Beautiful guitar.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Frank does some crazy good work. Congrats. Beautiful guitar.

I bought a neck thru Ibanez RG from him about 15 years ago. He offered to strip and oil the neck prior to shipping, and it had the cleanest transitions I’ve ever seen. At the time, I just knew him as a guy on here, who worked for SD. Was pretty blown away when I saw it, haha.

 

[Mincer]

I just love sculpted, ergonomic guitars. I think it is a design esthetic that hasn't been explored nearly enough.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Got it today.

Frank’s work is unreal. The build quality on this thing is perfect, and I can’t believe how light it is. He sent it in a Reunion Blues Aero case, and the guitar in the case is lighter than some empty hard cases I have.

2 hrs 45 min until I can take it home and plug in...

 

[Mincer]

Congrats on what seems to be an awesome ergonomic guitar!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Spent about an hour plugged in, and holy jeebus... this thing is so easy to play. The fanned frets feel completely natural, and the way the neck is set so far back into the body, it just feels like a guitar.

The Fluence Abasi pickups are ridiculous. Both humbucker voicings are killer, and the clean tones sound like a Strat.

 

[Mincer]

I've always been interested in guitars like this. I have my Steinberger, which I love because it is a rare headless guitar with 22 frets. But I wasn't able to bond with a Strandberg. Or any headless Kiesels.
The most amazing headless ergonomic guitar I've played was a Klein, but at something just north of $8k, that wasn't going to happen.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Mincer, if Florida and Ohio were closer, I’d be in the car bringing it to you to check out.

I’m not at liberty to reveal the price, but even though it’s by far the most expensive guitar I’ve ever bought, I feel like I got a deal. I’m obviously still in the honeymoon period big time, but I’ll be really surprised if it goes away. It’s comfortable in all ways, looks awesome, sounds awesome, and will actually cover any style. Chugging metal riffs is just as easy as playing pentatonic blues or jazz chords, and everything just sounds great.

Can’t get over how much I love the fanned frets. Frank’s scale is perfect and feels totally natural.

 

[Mincer]

Yeah fanned frets are pretty easy to get used to. I am happy the guitar is everything you want. That's a great feeling!

 

[Metalman_666]

Looks like a really gorgeous piece, and oozes playability just looking at it!

Congratulations and enjoy all the versatility

Sent from my SM-N986W using Tapatalk

 

[JB_From_Hell]

More photos. Frank’s individual bridge saddles are too cool.

 

[Demanic]

Beautiful instrument. Ibanez uses a bridge like that on one of their top line basses.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Thanks man. I had a Legator with a similar design. For multi scale, its especially awesome, since you can place the saddles anywhere to allow for intonation. A lot of people gripe about needing to modify saddles to intonate the low strings, but this is dead on and all the saddles are set about midway. It uses a set screw to lock them in place, so no springs to rattle, as well.

 

[Mincer]

i really like that there are builders out there looking at every aspect of the guitar and thinking if there is a better way to do that specific part. From strap buttons, to electronics cavities, to the bridge. We need this kind of revolution.