Hybrid Acoustic Update: The modified Boxtail "floating" neck is working out nicely. What looks like a pickup is actually the movable saddle plug of the VM Acoustic Bridge System, held down by string pressure and contacting the guitar's top. The stop tailpiece, being attached to the neck end, takes the string pull stress off of the body. The sound hole arrangement is subject to change (note the plugged holes from previous configurations), but the present results are encouraging. With the longer-than-average distance from the bridge to the guitar's tail end, a spruce resonator keel was installed just inside of the big hole at the 12:00 position (visible at the beginning of the video), bringing more tone to the lower bout. The prototype shown is made of bending plywood, so the true sound isn't there yet. Prototype #2 will be made of proper guitar woods – spruce top, etc. That will be where the real adventure begins. This instrument isn't really about trying to be the loudest; rather, it's about using a bigger chamber to shape tone. With this project there has been the constant feeling of building a vessel, partly because of its size, and partly due to its experimental nature, like an old-world sailing ship outfitted for exploration. (Cont'd).
Hybrid Acoustic Video: