Emerald 20th Birthday Party and You are invited!!
 

May 30th. Who's coming?

Hey Guys
Im writing this while sitting by the pool in Sunny spain, thawing out after a cold and incredibly busy winter. All this relaxing has gotten too much so Im checking up on my friends here on the forum.
This is a very big year for Emerald, it will be 20 years this summer since i completed my very first guitar and at that time I could barely have imagined what lay ahead. Let me rephrase that. Not in my wildest dreams could I ever have imagined it.
For those who dont fully know the timeline I first got an idea to build a guitar while living in St. Louis in 1994 but it remained an idea until after my mother died of Cancer in 1997. I needed something to distract me from the loss and building guitars was perfect therapy. What started as a hobby soon became an addiction and now 20 incredible years have passed.

So this year is a major mile stone and we have decided to celebrate it properly. We have booked our local theatre for May 30th and will be hosting a night of celebration of all things acoustic guitar. We will be inviting along some of the greatest local guitar players for a night filled with music, some reflection on the history and launching some new Emerald models. yes thats plural..... Models. and thats all you heard from me.
One other thing will be the first public viewing of that very first Emerald. Its never been seen in public but perhaps this is a good time.
The following day May 31st we will be hosting an open day at the factory where you can come and try the guitars and see where they are made.
Also that same weekend the Rory Gallagher international tribute festival is held in our county so Donegal will be a guitar players dream for a few days.
I know most of you on here are located in USA or further afield but its really easier than you think to get here and we can help you out with some details on how best to make the trip.
Maybe Captain Jim can bring you all in his boat.

It would be great if some of you could make it but if not dont worry because we will be filming it and live streaming it for you all to see.
See you in Donegal on May 30th
Alistair

Congratulations on your 20th anniversary...which surprised me. I thought your company was only five years old or so. Thank you for making great guitars. My X20 is by far the best guitar I have ever owned.

Best wishes for even more success over the coming decades.

And I do hope Captain Jim is buying a bigger boat.

Not a long flight from Norway... and my X20 should be almost completed by then so it sounds like a perfect alibi to visit Ireland!
Just dreaming out loud :-)

It sounds like it’s going to be a party people won’t forget!!

Wow...that's a bunch off years for such a young Lad! New models you say...nice!... might have to get me some of that.

Living in St. Louis, I'll always be aware of that link. It's quite a leap from racing boats to musical instruments but I am certainly glad that you came up with the idea and ultimately found a way to create such great guitars and other instruments!

Hey Alistair!

Always appreciate it when you stop in to give the gang here an update about what’s going on at Emerald. You usually drop a little nugget and you’ve done it again, albeit just a crumb. The 20th celebration you’re planning seems waaay cool.

I wish you continued success! Can’t wait for my X20 in May!

Enjoy the rest of your time in Spain!

Congratulations to Alistair and all the fine people at Emerald.

If one of the new models should happen to be a new X10, put me on the list!

Captain Jim... I'd like to book a seat on the starboard side, somewhere amidships. And, to quote Roy Scheider (Brody in Jaws), "I think we're going to need a bigger boat."

We can drink to our legs! :D

Boy, I would give a lot to be able to be there, but probably won't make it. LOL Thanks for all you have done to make my guitar playing A LOT MORE enjoyable Alistair ! Well done....and here's to 20+ more years.

Wow! What a cool event! What a neat company! Congratulations on 20 years!!!

Congrats Alistair and crew on this 20th anniversary celebration! Those years of efforts means that there are many of us out here who own a piece of the history of Emerald Guitars.

Alas, I won't be bringing forum members on my boat, a small boat with a range that wouldn't get us very far in the trip to Ireland. The commercial boats I've run over the years were owned by others... me taking one to Ireland would probably considered an act of piracy. ;)

I don't know if they'd let me have one of my Emerald guitars in the big house, so I'm going to have to go with: every man (and woman) for themselves to get to Ireland.

Looking forward to seeing what lies ahead for the fine instruments you create.

Best wishes,
Jim

May 30th? The soon to be world famous 20th anniversary X20 Emerald Ruby Cross may even be ready for it's first public viewing by then. :D

I'm waiting for the new Concord, be there in 3 1/2 hours.

And by the way Alistair, what about my X10-OSN thin bodied electric? Some month you should do a series of thin bodied electric guitars: 7, 10, 20, bass. Get busy!

Congrats on 20 years Alistair and Emerald team! So glad I found out about your fabulous guitars and that I'm the proud owner of my gorgeous "Lake Tahoe Special" woody X20. I would love to attend your celebration, but probably won't happen next month. I do hope to make a return trip to Ireland one day soon, and meet you and the rest of your team face to face. That would make my 4th trip during my lifetime to the Emerald Isle really special.....!! Slainte!!!!!

Congratulations Alistair and the Emerald team! Enjoy the celebration!
Barb