Kickstarter

Creator Kouture Crochet on May 15

thank you so much, i got my picks!! all i need to do now is to learn to play to guitar.

Creator Les Thomas on May 14

Thank you for the update that Gold and Chrome are dipped and black is sprayed.
I would like the Chrome please.
Thanks!
John Thomas

Creator Mike Porter on May 13

Chrome please.
Good luck with everything else.
Mike Porter

Creator Jack on May 13

I'd like to keep the black tuners, please.

Creator Devon Trombley on May 12

I'm okay with the chrome tuners and completely understand the delays, just hoping to get my hands on this guitar before mid June! Please keep us updated!

Creator Zhengbin Chen on May 8

Hi Chris,

The website says that my delivery time is about May. I wonder whether is the date exactly or not because my shipping address is now my dorm in University which will be close on the May 18th. Thanks.

Regards
Zhengbin

Creator Mark Porth on May 7

I'd prefer to wait for black.
Thanks for keeping us informed I'm excited to actually play it when it's ready

Creator Mark on May 6

I can wait for the black tuners, but since the surveys have already gone out please confirm shipping addresses before you ship.

Creator Jeff Carroll on May 6

Chris I can wait for black tuners. No problem. Thanks for the update!

Creator sixyphe on May 6

Hi Chris, thanks for the update, and courage throughout the pitfalls and hitches - it's bound to happen to any project. I don't mind the delay, personally, and would rather stick to the black tuners.

And many thanks to Rob!

Patrick

Creator jeffrey dorwart on May 6

Chris,
I'm cool with the Chrome tuners and like Marshall said, not stressed about delays either. jeff

Creator Marshall Garrett on May 6

I'm good with chrome tuners, sorry to hear of supply issues. I'm also good with the resulting delays but do appreciate updates explaining reasons.

Creator Jack on April 15

Really looking forward to getting an Alpaca Guitar. Actually I left a comment on update #9, but I am not sure if you have seen this. Hence this note.

Looking at the drawings, I wonder if you are open to a suggestion? I have been looking at the position of the 'machine screws' or string tensioners and wonder if they can be better protected?

What do you think about a metal bracket (about an inch wide) that is bonded to the body of the guitar and goes from one side of the guitar to the other, protecting the tensioners?

Best I can describe is that it would look a little bit like an inch wide metal handle going over the tensioners (from the left to the right).

Creator aaron gould on March 27

Great job Alpaca crew! Thanks for all your hard work. I just read this, and you probably have too (from Scientific American), and am wondering if that kind of variable density technique is deployed in Alpacas? Interesting stuff...see below:

"Initial prototypes of composite instruments sounded "boring" to some professional musicians, says Charles Besnainou, an instrument maker who has been building and studying the acoustics of composite instruments at the Paris Conservatoire and France's National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) since 1986. What the musicians heard was homogeneity in the way the sound dissipated, he says. Besnainou has since tweaked the viscoelasticity (a measure of both rigidity and flexibility) of the composite materials so that the sound damps less uniformly, mimicking the response of wood."

Creator mike kusyk on March 21

I like the idea of using a flax seed byproduct instead of fiberglass since it provides a much saver work environment and is not carcinogenic. The health of everyone involved in the manufacture I feel is more important than using a more local supplier. It's great to here that everything else is going well!

Creator Dan Stoneham on March 9

Well done Chris, and you just got the the stretch goal too! This is a perfect example of what Kickstarter is all about.

I'm so pleased for you and wish you great success in you new venture - and obviously can't wait to get my hands on no.6!

Creator Alex Pagliaro on March 8

We made the stretch goal! Congrats Chis! Looking forward to watching your progress and receiving my guitar!

Creator Beth Lamenskie on March 6

Yeah!!!! Thanks!!!!

Creator Bill H. on March 6

I would really like stainless steel frets, if we don't reach the stretch goal, is there any way to upgrade to em? By paying a little extra maybe?

Creator Alex Pagliaro on March 5

Since this guitar isn't using a traditional headstock or tuners, I am wondering what the re-stringing process is like, and how hard it is. Could you maybe get an explanation or a video up about it?

Also I second the stretch upgrade suggestion for a cover that could fit over the main body, or possibly a cap/plug for the sound hole.

Creator Beth Lamenskie on March 2

Can't wait to get this. Looking forward to it!!! :)

Creator Ctreble on February 27

Chris - this is the response he gave me for my pickup question.

C-Treble -

Just a quick update on the pickup. I have a rep at Sweetwater working on some demo units for us to try out. He's recommending we look toward the LR Baggs because of sound quality, and encouraging us to use a passive clip on design, so it can be removed and stored for travel. We will hook them up to the sound analyzer and see what sounds best. It's not at the top of our list, but we'll get some sound bites out to the web for review.

Thanks for the question,
Chris.

Creator Ctreble on February 27

Chris Duncan probably accidentally sent me this message privately. so im sharing it with you all

"Dear Alpaca Backers,
Just a quick note to say thank you for you support. It's been an amazing week! I'm working on a stretch goals for the last week on Kickstarter. Since you, the backers, are my best source of promotion, the stretch goal is intended to give you a bonus for your hard work and social influence in promoting the Alpaca project. Further, I want you to weigh in on any ideas that affect your instrument.

As a reward for achieving a stretch goal of $67,000, I like the idea upgrading the frets to stainless steel. For us, it means a moderate tooling upgrade, and leaning to work with a new material. For you it means fret longevity and resistance to corrosion.
Feel free to weigh in on the stretch goal. As always, I'm open to suggestions.

When you get a chance, please share our campaign link with those in your social network, twitter, fB, forums and groups. Spreading the word is the best way to promote the Alpaca.

http://kck.st/XkWPzX

Sincerely,

Chris Duncan"

Creator Chris Bolstad on February 27

Chris,
You asked for "stretch" upgrade ideas: I really like the stainless fret thought, but have a couple of my own, coming from the perspective of a future owner, how about a full cover instead of the (sorry, slightly lame) cloth shopping bag that you offer currently. We want our guitar to stay reasonably pristine, not scratched and dinged up.
Alternatively, to re-raise the pick-up subjeact, either an actual pickup (surely not too difficult to make either water proof or easily removable?
Baited breath. . . .
Chris

Creator Bill H. on February 27

I hope we reach the stretch goal, but even if we don't, SS frets would be awesome :) fingers crossed!

Creator Mauro Rodriguez III on February 26

Woot! I'll be waiting for mine to come in the mail. Now to learn how to play. :P all I know is that this would be a great show off item while trying to play during open mic night. :D

Creator Steve van Weelij on February 17

Call me a fool for asking this, but what about the strings, can they really withstand the water? Would I need special strings for this?

Creator Beth Lamenskie on February 15

So excited this made it, and so quickly!!! You will have many more backers I am sure. Awesome!!! :)

Creator koen de beer on February 15

YESSSS !!! the Goal has been achieved..! * Congratulations ! And The music is going to come to our doors....
Half the fun is in the waiting , let the other half complete the happiness !
Good luck !
Cheerio from Amsterdam, Netherlands

Creator Kevin I on February 14

Congratulations on meeting your funding goal! Now on to the the stretch goals ;)

Creator Jimmy Brown on February 14

Awesome Project, Good luck

Creator Douglas Hanisch on February 13

almost funded...

Creator Ctreble on February 11

an additional question to Jeremy's. what kind of pickup would you recommend or know will work or have tried with the Alpaca? Detachable ones (that don't require any modification)? i know that it was not intended to have one, but knowing a compatible pickups that can be removable without requiring modification would defiantly make this guitar more versatile. i know mics work but more interested in a pickup

Creator Dwight Houser on February 10

This is awesome... I like the usability of the guitar around the KIDS!!! I have my guitar collection hidden away out of fear of my kids breaking them, spilling on them, etc... great job Chris!