14 String Acoustic Custom Alto Guitar

For those interested in expanding the normal range of the guitar, this custom 14 string alto from Rodolfo Cucculelli might be what you are looking for. Surely this instrument will open up some new possibilities as far as song writing and composition, but you also have to wonder how possible it is to really use all of those strings. One video I found online with this guitar being played showed that the full range of the instrument was never really explored, but maybe it just takes some time to get people really using it.

Add alternate tuning possibilities to the fact that there are fourteen strings and you really have unlimited possibilities. You could even use every two strings to achieve quarter tone abilities, and basically have seven quarter tonal voices by just tuning every two strings a quarter tone apart.

Something to note about instruments like this is that they should not just be seen as expanded performance instruments, but more capable and wide ranging compositional devices. You could use this guitar to write music for large string ensembles and do it in a more real time and hands on fashion than just writing on paper. One advantage the piano has always had that draws composers to it is the fact that there are so many notes available. Alto guitars like this one are closing that gap, and of course, the guitar can do many things a piano can't.

It's great to see new instruments like this one being made, as conventions in tuning and temperament have become way too stale. Electronic music has done a lot, but an increased exploration of new musical tonalities must start with instrument makers providing the tools.

How To Customize A Guitar for Free

There are several operations that you can perform on your guitar for free. These are things that will make a pretty big difference in the look or even the playability of your instrument and they are easy enough to install yourself even if you don't have a lot of building or modding experience. Obviously, the parts that you are changing might cost money, but the actual procedures themselves are things you can do for free.

The first to be noted is a truss rod cover switch. These are probably the easiest, because as long as you have a replacement part that fits, it will simply be a matter of unscrewing the one that's on there and screwing in the new one. Similarly, tone and volume knob replacements are pretty easy. Just carefully pull off the stock knobs and screw or push on the new ones. If the stock ones seemed glued on you may want to seek professional help, but it's still probably just a matter of carefully prying them off. Use something to make sure you don't scratch your guitar's body.

The bridge and tail pieces of a guitar are also just a matter of screwing and unscrewing, and unstringing of course. Slightly harder but still pretty easy and free is a pickup ring replacement. If the new rings fit it's pretty straight forward. If they don't, you may have to fill in the holes and drill new ones, which can be difficult for someone not used to working with wood in such a way. Look for more information on this site about such a procedure.

There are a few other things you can do for free with guitar modding, but those are the basics. With some thought, you can probably come up with many creative ways of customizing your guitar without spending much money, so take some time to think about it.