AMICUS

[ceciltguitar]

A

Magical

Instrument

Came to

U

S

OOh, don't tell us what it was, let us guess.

[David Eastwood]

I’m just a little envious, in a short-scale, 12-string kind of way...

[Earl49]

A buddy loves his Amicus, but complains sometimes about the D-d tuning. I just tune my regular guitar down to D-d using medium gauge strings. Problem solved, and easier on my voice too. I can always capo back up if needed.

[tbeltrans]

The Amicus is a rather strange instrument to me. The few videos I have seen certainly make a compelling case. However, I don't really understand where it fits in a guitar collection.

Tony

[RP]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

The Amicus is a rather strange instrument to me. The few videos I have seen certainly make a compelling case. However, I don't really understand where it fits in a guitar collection.

Tony

I didn't either before purchasing one. I'd compare it to my experience of becoming a father in that my son filled a space in my heart and life that I didn't know existed. In a similar way, I've found that my Amicus creates a different sound and style of play that I'd never considered before. The Amicus is a mandolin for guitar players who don't want to learn all new chords. I've found that once I started listening, there were quite a few songs, like several by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, that sounded great on the Amicus...

Amicus=Friend

[ceciltguitar]

Originally Posted by Earl49

A buddy loves his Amicus, but complains sometimes about the D-d tuning. I just tune my regular guitar down to D-d using medium gauge strings. Problem solved, and easier on my voice too. I can always capo back up if needed.

I purchased mine 2nd hand via this forum. It arrived tuned B - b. I instantly loved it tuned that way and have never changed the tuning.

[ceciltguitar]

Originally Posted by RP

I didn't either before purchasing one. I'd compare it to my experience of becoming a father in that my son created a space in my heart and life that I didn't know existed. In a similar way, I've found that my Amicus creates a different sound and style of play that I'd never considered before. The Amicus is a mandolin for guitar players who don't want to learn all new chords.

Well put. A good analogy.

[mountainmaster]

Originally Posted by RP

The Amicus is a mandolin for guitar players who don't want to learn all new chords.

Banjitar? Check. Guitalele? Check.

Mandolin guitar? Hmm, something seems to be missing.

Well, apart from a resonator, and a sitar guitar, and and ...

[RP]

Originally Posted by mountainmaster

Banjitar? Check. Guitalele? Check.

Mandolin guitar? Hmm, something seems to be missing.

Well, apart from a resonator, and a sitar guitar, and and ...

Don't take my word for it - watch this video and note how many times that Tony uses the "m-word"...

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by RP

I didn't either before purchasing one. I'd compare it to my experience of becoming a father in that my son filled a space in my heart and life that I didn't know existed. In a similar way, I've found that my Amicus creates a different sound and style of play that I'd never considered before. The Amicus is a mandolin for guitar players who don't want to learn all new chords. I've found that once I started listening, there were quite a few songs, like several by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, that sounded great on the Amicus...

Amicus=Friend

The part in bold is the best, most concise explanation I have yet read. That tells me exactly what I wanted to know. The entire post is quite good in expressing your ideas about the Amicus too. Thanks for that. Have to admit - that Alistair is quite the creative guy!

Tony

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

The part in bold is the best, most concise explanation I have yet read. That tells me exactly what I wanted to know. The entire post is quite good in expressing your ideas about the Amicus too. Thanks for that. Have to admit - that Alistair is quite the creative guy!

Tony

Here’s a lovely example of the Amicus in action, along with an X20-7. This is Kord Semrow, who’s been featured by Emerald several times.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

Here’s a lovely example of the Amicus in action, along with an X20-7. This is Kord Semrow, who’s been featured by Emerald several times.

Very nice playing. That X20 looks rather small. Is the player really tall or is the guitar really that small? The music was great to listen to while I responded to a few other posts.

I have had two 7 string guitars (not at the same time), thinking that I would like to get into playing with that added bass note. Just as was my experience with the 12 string guitar, I never did and ended up selling them.

Tony

[Matt G]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Very nice playing. That X20 looks rather small. Is the player really tall or is the guitar really that small? The music was great to listen to while I responded to a few other posts.

I have had two 7 string guitars (not at the same time), thinking that I would like to get into playing with that added bass note. Just as was my experience with the 12 string guitar, I never did and ended up selling them.

Tony

I agree - the X20 looks small. I thought it was a short scale guitar, maybe a good candidate for a travel guitar, until I read the title better. Maybe it's the camera angle that makes it look short.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Very nice playing. That X20 looks rather small. Is the player really tall or is the guitar really that small? The music was great to listen to while I responded to a few other posts.

I’ve no idea how tall he is

The X20 is actually half an inch wider, at 15 1/2”, in the lower bout, than a Sable, so it’s probably a combination of player size and camera angle that gives that impression. He has several other videos up on YouTube which might give a different perspective.