Instruments That Inspire Creativity: 50 Million Years Old Amber Guitar
I am Rapolas Grazys industrial designer and musician from Lithuania.
My primary profession is product design, and I am focusing on an interdisciplinary approach to sound and design. After creating high-end audio designs, worldwide conceptual and interactive art installations, futuristic technology concepts, I have started to specialize in one of a kind product creation – boutique section. I have created the LAVA trademark on the principle of cross-pollination between the fields of acoustics and modern music instruments design concepts crafted using very authentic materials.
The main idea of Lava Drops is to create and build playable art electric guitars from very rare and exclusive/organic materials, which give a unique sound and visual to each instrument. Modern instruments that influence others to create. I am creating from rare materials like black amber stone, aircraft aluminum, bell brass, wood that is used for building ships, exotic and unusual wood, stiffened volcanic lava mass, gold, silver, titanium, etc.
After creating the ergonomic six-string fretless Lava Drop unique design guitar which was the first guitar from the Lava Drops line I have expanded the range further. I’ve added a very light, versatile, comfortable Lava Drop (+) model and the innovative Lava Drop (X) which is the first laser-controlled guitar in the world with separate laser MIDI controller, aircraft aluminum contour and stiffened volcanic lava inlays.
At 2016 I have started the Platinum, collectors line of Lava Drops.
The first instrument from the Platinum line is “the Black Amber Drop #1”. I wanted to make a guitar design that connects the past and the future while also giving the nod to my home – Lithuania, where black amber from the Baltic sea is harvested. The construction of the custom guitar is a single seamless piece of Sapele for the body and neck with an ebony fretboard and 24-3/4” scale length.
The neck has a truss rod that is reinforced by two rods of carbon fiber. The Sapele has been routed out in the body to house the 4.4 pounds of Baltic black amber, with a 5mm rim around the inlaid amber rocks. Baltic amber is over 50 million years old, produced by the Pine trees which grew in Northern Europe and around the Baltic Sea. It is also considered by many to have therapeutic properties due to its high level of succinic acid, and a compound said to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The fact that the Baltic amber is millions of years old is humbling, to say the least when you pick this instrument up to play. The guitar as an instrument is a joy to play, with a swift and striking response to notes and chords, likely from the rigidity of the amber. The neck has a rounded neck profile, with large frets that give way to fast riffing. The pickups are Lace Alumitone humbuckers, and rounding out the looks of this one of a kind guitar is gold hardware and a 24 karat gold Lava Guitars headstock logo.
More info: lava-drops.com
The Black Amber Drop #1 – first in the world guitar crafted from 50 mlln. years black amber (4.4 pounds)
the Black Amber Drop #1 – first in the world guitar crafted from 50 mlln. years black amber (4.4 pounds)
the Black Amber Drop #1 – guitar crafted from 50 mlln. years black amber (4.4 pounds)
the Black Amber Drop #1 – first in the world guitar crafted from 50 mlln. years black amber (4.4 pounds)
One of a kind Lava Drops – Amber Guitar, Lava Drop X, Lava Walnut book-matched
the Black Amber Drop #1 – sound demonstration in different music styles
Lava Drops – models presentation including handcrafting process
Lava Drop Walnut book-matched top, neck trough guitar construction from 4 different types of wood: Maple, Walnut, Sapele, Ebony
Lava Drop Walnut book-matched top, neck trough guitar construction from 4 different types of wood: Maple, Walnut, Sapele, Ebony
Lava Drop Walnut book-matched top, neck trough guitar construction from 4 different types of wood: Maple, Walnut, Sapele, Ebony
Innovative Lava Drop X – laser controlled guitar with integrated Laser MIDI controller. Crafted from wood that is used for building ships, aircraft aluminum, volcanic lava inlays, bell brass details.
Lava Drop X – electric guitar crafted combining different types of exotic and rare wood together with aircraft aluminum and volcanic lava rock details.
Lava Drop plus – very light guitar crafted from one piece of European Maple wood.
Lava Fretless Drop – fretless electric guitar crafted from one piece of rare Sapele wood
Lava Fretless Drop presentation
Deep Ocean Lava Drop
Deep Ocean Lava Drop
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