Alex... I've been thinking a lot and the fact that you need to feel free in the creative process while still having an interest in what the player is looking for. I've decided to respond artistically and let you react to my thoughts as the artist that you are. I truly believe that my relationship with my guitars is psychically as profound as it is with the most significant woman in my life... moreso, probably, because my guitar is not capricious, not coy, but always there and always ready to express my most private thoughts and feelings. Without question, the most unforgetable woman in my life is Ana (latin spelling), whose picture I am sending along. She represents what I want in a guitar... sensuous, responsive, mystical, magical, compliant in the most romantic way, but still full of incredible energy and depth. That's why I like your guitar, Rosie, I think, because the color and the form have some of that quality. I guess a true Ana guitar would be Ruby or deep red or purple, Z2, black hardware and probably mahogany, although I am not very astute with woods. She would be very responsive to the touch and set up low and fast, but have the ability to produce a throaty purr as well as scream when she has the inclination. This is a guitar with an emotional soul and a yearning to express the unexpressible. I'd love to have you build the Ana guitar for me, if you can identify with the inspiration.
Three Down Dave
It is for your very modesty and acceptance that you are the "flute and not the flautist" that causes me to have no doubt that you will do a superb job of capturing her essence in a guitar. Ana always talked about us being instruments of creation and, when we are clear and vanquish our egos, we can express God's thought and creativity in unknown ways.
As I mentioned, she is a person of incredible depth, spirituality, grace and insight. Her musical tastes were diverse as well. I tell you these things to provide you a little more insight to the ethereal nature of this being. As I mentioned earlier, I think the shape of the Z2 reminded me of her because it appears to be a shape in motion, moving from the center and outward. Your design of this guitar seems particularly inspired to me because you appear to have captured a sense of the spacious and unlimited world that we musicians try to find and describe musically. I see this particular guitar as a tremelo because of the potential extra voicing that your approach provides... bending "both ways" is I think the way you describe it. Ana is Mexican, but her roots are Spanish, so she carries a light complexion and black hair and almond/green eyes. She possesses a latin zest for life and passion, but an otherworldly depth of understanding and humility. An evening with Ana is like a week with a Zen master.
Alex, I wouldn't want you to "exhaust" yourself on this effort. I'd rather you just absorb what I am sharing and let your creativity respond. God did create this beautiful lady, but he also gave you your incredible ability to interpret creatively and to bring beautiful work into being right from the ethers. That is what you do, isn't... experience your inspiration and deliver it to life through your artistic hands, eyes and heart? I only know you from my brother's comments and your point of view expressed in your website, but my own intuition tells me that you would do a special job on this project. I have absolutely no doubt that you are the person to do it if anyone is. Might I just suggest that you live with the idea a little while you are in the process of moving and let me know if there is anything else I can share with you that might help you along. I'm sending these pidtures of Ana that shows the light in her eyes and the incredible knowingness of this person. All my best and I look forward to hearing from you. Three Down Dave
