Can you import one of these Dutch guitars into the USA,

[JohnyCanuck]

or will it be confiscated by US Customs, because the DEA claims you might be a :hippie: and just importing it to smoke it, not to play it? ;)

here comes mada

The MADA caimes body is an organically shaped semi-acoustic electric guitar body made of hemp pulp and is not carved or milled like traditional guitars. Design has revolutionized the production technique. One form without any linings or bracings.
With its edge-less organic shape, MADA develops an unmistakable, wonderful sharp and organic sound.

mada is material
Why hemp? The permanent transition from impact sound into airborne sound is essential to the sound. Thats how resonances are formed. This makes Hempstone® the perfect 3 dimensional molding material for music instruments. The material consists of 100 % hemp fibres and contains no plastics, which would close these resonance-gaps.

http://www.madaguitars.com/concept.htm

mada caimes


body
Size 467 x 323x 50 mm
Two shelled hempstone® construction
moulded by www.drumparam.at
Sustain Block mahagony
Material thickness 3-5mm
One sound-hole

neck
Scale (25,5’’) 648mm, 23,5 Frets
Geometry with fingerboard: Nut: 44x21 mm,Fret 12: 52,3x22 (22. Fret: 56 mm)
Construction Bolt on, reaching under Neck pickup
Material maple
Fingerboard rosewood 6mm, radius 12’’ (304,8mm), mother of pearl inlays
Radius between headstock and neck min. 1,5mm, optim. for milling 6mm

hardware
Bridge Gotoh 510 Tune-o-matic
Tuners Gotoh 510 3L 3R Nickel

electronic
1 volume 1 tone Potties; Rosewood
Pickups PAF Humbuckers, Custommade by Haeussel


http://www.madaguitars.com/tech%20spec.htm

Edited to ad a pic.

[TomInTib]

1. Did you listen to the sound files?

Pretty cool guitar.

$3200+ at exchange rate is pretty steep, but I would love to play one.

Funny, they didn't state the weight in the specs.

[americanstranger]

2. This is probably the wave of the future.

Luthiers like Martin have already sent out word to their customers that they were exploring alternative materials and if buyers want traditional woods like spruce or mahogany, they'd pay a hefty premium.

I'd bet that someone will license this technology in the US sometime soon - with some kind of treatment that renders the hemp 'unusable,' if you will.

- as

[JohnyCanuck]

3. I thought it had a nice mellow sound

I play nylon string classical guitar, but I've been sort of hankering to get an acoustic electric and get into some jazz. However, with a hectic new full time day job that often requires > 40 hrs per week, I have a hard enough time finding time and energy to practice to maintain my current skill set and repertoire, far less to embark on a new musical journey at this stage. So I guess for now, It's no acoustic electric for me, hemp or otherwise.

[TomInTib]

5. If you are short of time and energy, don't get a new guitar.

You will find yourself progressing in reverse.

New guitars are like beautiful women, you cannot keep your hands off 'em.

And by the time you figure them out, too much has gone by.

Seriously, though, acoustic electrics take some attention, and your chops could very well slip while you are becoming familiar with the instrument.

[JohnyCanuck]

8. Yeah, that was pretty much my line of thinking as well. n/t

[DS1]

4. sure is fugly

looks like someone dipped a fender in a vat of wax

1400 times

[Swamp Rat]

6. A solidbody electric with bolton neck and rosewood fretboard for $3,500.00???

Maybe for $2-300.00 dollars, considering the materials they offer. I can make a much better solidbody electric guitar for a fraction of the cost AND use better materials.

If they make a nylon string version and drop the price to about $500.00, including shipping (and add a lower, 7th string), I might consider buying one. Otherwise, for that price I can buy fine, handmade instruments.

Nice try though. I hope they continue improving their product to something beyond just a novelty.

[JohnyCanuck]

7. The mada guitar isn't a sold body; it's a hollow body acoustic electric.

The mada guitar isn't a sold body, it's a hollow body acoustic eletric. It will be interesting to see how it stands up over time compared to a guitar of more conventional construction. But, I agree the price does seem a bit steep.

[Romulox]

9. Actually, it's a *semi-hollowbody*, or what is sometimes called a thinline

The specs mention a center-block.

And I agree with Swamp Rat. As the owner of 15-20 guitars, that guitar has some design issues.