Post by cofi on Apr 25, 2008 16:01:35 GMT
The Teuffel Birdfish
It looked like something the Cylons might carry on Battlestar Galactica, but it was all about function, not just form.. or, um, the absence of it. Unlike so many other attempts to break the proverbial mold, the radical look here does not alter the instrument's playability. In fact, one of the most unique features of this instrument was its flexibility. The single pickup could be repositioned along the rails that give this model its name. Rather than having only one or two options, this allowed the most demanding of players to find the "sweet sound" at the end of the neck.
Speaking of necks, this model emulated the headless Steinberger design, but took it that much further. Original, but functional. Put this on your list of what to get me for xmas.
The resonators define the fundamental sound. They are easily exchangeable. Two blue resonators made of swamp-ash are supplied, which are very percussive with clear lows and highs. Two red resonators are also included in the set. They sound more powerful and forceful.
The neck has a 25-1/2 inch scale length (650 mm). Like the fingerboard it is made of bird's-eye maple. The neck is connected to the "bird" element with a metrical screw connection. The frets are narrow and tall.
The string-clamp serves as the string-attachment to the neck. You can utilize regular strings, without double-ball ends. The strings are easily secured with the small levers.
The pickups are shift-able and twist-able. In addition, they can be easily exchanged by means of a screw connection. That way the strings can remain in their tuning. Two singlecoils and three humbuckers are included. They can be adjusted into any position. Naturally, all the pickups are hand-wound with great care.
bird. One of the two central elements that connect the components. This part's tonal function is crucial. It requires an extraordinarily careful manufacture.
fish. The second of the two central elements that connect components. For this element a particularly neutral-sounding aluminum-alloy is used. The casting process occurs in a vacuum. Afterwards the sculpture is hand-polished to a high gloss and chrome-plated.
Electronics-box. It is adjustable, in order for the Fade-in control to conform to your playing-position. The 5-way selector corresponds to that of a Stratocaster.
Headless-hardware, with which you tune the guitar. The strings are easily installed by the ball-ends. The instrument is tuned by turning the tuning knobs. Normal strings can be used.
Midi version
The midi system is based on a RMC piezo bridge and a RMC Polydrive controller. In the construction process I tried to find a path to keep midi sounds and magnetic pickup sounds seperated in two different circuits. In order to avoid the unharmonic influence of the midi-controller on the magnetic pickup sound you can play the mag pickups separately through the standart jack into any amp. At the 13 pin jack you get a combination of the synthesizer tone and the fantastic accoustic tone of the RMC piezo bridge.
The standart birdfish can be upgraded into a midi birdfish at any time. You only have to interchange the Tunamatic bridge by the RMC bridge and the standart control box by the midi box. Then plug the RMC bridge into the new midi box. Done.
On the control box you find counter-clockwise:
at the left side the magnetic pickup volume,
the next is the magnetic pickup tone
then the two little jacks for the pickup system input,
then the magnetic pickup output jack,
the midi output jack (13 pin)
the midi volume and the acoustic volume.
On top of the box are two momentary switches for controlling your converter programs (up and down).
You should use a tube amplifier for the birdfish's fabulous magnetic sounds and the P.A. or an other amp for the GR 30. So you can acchieve infinite tonal combinations of all systems together. You can control the share of the single units by using the three different volume knobs. E.g. you can play the magnetic birdfish through a high gain tube amp over layer of a synthie sound with acoustic piezo attack.
The Set
The entire set includes: a birdfish, four resonators, five pickups and a hand-sown gig-bag. This heavily-padded bag is made out of nubuk leather and has four external pockets in which all the parts fit into. A shoulder strap is included as well.
The guitar will be available in a series limited to 500 instruments.
The Concept
Despite their simple construction, guitars are subject to special acoustic and electro-acoustic rules. The fundamental character of the sound is formed by the resonant properties of the body wood. Underneath the strings are the pickups, which, according to their position between the bridge and the neck, transmit the various overtones to the strings. The composition of the pickups, which, simply put, are made out of copper wire and magnets, is tonally significant. These three fundamental principles form the character of the instrument. If one were to make them variable, then one could thereby change the character of the instrument.
This is the theme of the birdfish. The body, as a source of tone, is reduced to two cylindrical resonators, which are available in different materials. They are interchangeable by means of a screw-connection. The pickups are arranged adjustably on a rail and therefore pickup the overtones variably.
Additionally, five pickups with different characteristics are at one's disposal. One can very easily go through all the variations. The two aluminum sculptures "bird" and "fish" assume the connection of all the components. They are bridges of vibration-transfer, and establish contact to the body of the player.
It looked like something the Cylons might carry on Battlestar Galactica, but it was all about function, not just form.. or, um, the absence of it. Unlike so many other attempts to break the proverbial mold, the radical look here does not alter the instrument's playability. In fact, one of the most unique features of this instrument was its flexibility. The single pickup could be repositioned along the rails that give this model its name. Rather than having only one or two options, this allowed the most demanding of players to find the "sweet sound" at the end of the neck.
Speaking of necks, this model emulated the headless Steinberger design, but took it that much further. Original, but functional. Put this on your list of what to get me for xmas.
The resonators define the fundamental sound. They are easily exchangeable. Two blue resonators made of swamp-ash are supplied, which are very percussive with clear lows and highs. Two red resonators are also included in the set. They sound more powerful and forceful.
The neck has a 25-1/2 inch scale length (650 mm). Like the fingerboard it is made of bird's-eye maple. The neck is connected to the "bird" element with a metrical screw connection. The frets are narrow and tall.
The string-clamp serves as the string-attachment to the neck. You can utilize regular strings, without double-ball ends. The strings are easily secured with the small levers.
The pickups are shift-able and twist-able. In addition, they can be easily exchanged by means of a screw connection. That way the strings can remain in their tuning. Two singlecoils and three humbuckers are included. They can be adjusted into any position. Naturally, all the pickups are hand-wound with great care.
bird. One of the two central elements that connect the components. This part's tonal function is crucial. It requires an extraordinarily careful manufacture.
fish. The second of the two central elements that connect components. For this element a particularly neutral-sounding aluminum-alloy is used. The casting process occurs in a vacuum. Afterwards the sculpture is hand-polished to a high gloss and chrome-plated.
Electronics-box. It is adjustable, in order for the Fade-in control to conform to your playing-position. The 5-way selector corresponds to that of a Stratocaster.
Headless-hardware, with which you tune the guitar. The strings are easily installed by the ball-ends. The instrument is tuned by turning the tuning knobs. Normal strings can be used.
Midi version
The midi system is based on a RMC piezo bridge and a RMC Polydrive controller. In the construction process I tried to find a path to keep midi sounds and magnetic pickup sounds seperated in two different circuits. In order to avoid the unharmonic influence of the midi-controller on the magnetic pickup sound you can play the mag pickups separately through the standart jack into any amp. At the 13 pin jack you get a combination of the synthesizer tone and the fantastic accoustic tone of the RMC piezo bridge.
The standart birdfish can be upgraded into a midi birdfish at any time. You only have to interchange the Tunamatic bridge by the RMC bridge and the standart control box by the midi box. Then plug the RMC bridge into the new midi box. Done.
On the control box you find counter-clockwise:
at the left side the magnetic pickup volume,
the next is the magnetic pickup tone
then the two little jacks for the pickup system input,
then the magnetic pickup output jack,
the midi output jack (13 pin)
the midi volume and the acoustic volume.
On top of the box are two momentary switches for controlling your converter programs (up and down).
You should use a tube amplifier for the birdfish's fabulous magnetic sounds and the P.A. or an other amp for the GR 30. So you can acchieve infinite tonal combinations of all systems together. You can control the share of the single units by using the three different volume knobs. E.g. you can play the magnetic birdfish through a high gain tube amp over layer of a synthie sound with acoustic piezo attack.
The Set
The entire set includes: a birdfish, four resonators, five pickups and a hand-sown gig-bag. This heavily-padded bag is made out of nubuk leather and has four external pockets in which all the parts fit into. A shoulder strap is included as well.
The guitar will be available in a series limited to 500 instruments.
The Concept
Despite their simple construction, guitars are subject to special acoustic and electro-acoustic rules. The fundamental character of the sound is formed by the resonant properties of the body wood. Underneath the strings are the pickups, which, according to their position between the bridge and the neck, transmit the various overtones to the strings. The composition of the pickups, which, simply put, are made out of copper wire and magnets, is tonally significant. These three fundamental principles form the character of the instrument. If one were to make them variable, then one could thereby change the character of the instrument.
This is the theme of the birdfish. The body, as a source of tone, is reduced to two cylindrical resonators, which are available in different materials. They are interchangeable by means of a screw-connection. The pickups are arranged adjustably on a rail and therefore pickup the overtones variably.
Additionally, five pickups with different characteristics are at one's disposal. One can very easily go through all the variations. The two aluminum sculptures "bird" and "fish" assume the connection of all the components. They are bridges of vibration-transfer, and establish contact to the body of the player.
