Local guitar-builder Alder & Main was born just a few blocks down the road from our shop in Telluride, Colorado. In their condo's parking garage, husband-and-wife duo Jamie and Christianna Catchpole began experimenting with fine tone woods and exploring their own intriguing guitar designs. Now relocated to a proper wood shop in nearby Norwood, Colorado, Alder & Main have really begun to hone their craft. Using the finest materials and components available, each Alder & Main guitar is built by hand with the utmost care and attention to detail, right here in the San Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado.
The music of The Black Crowes was a big inspiration for Alder & Main to start building guitars, so the "Big Rich" was made in 2021 as a tribute to Rich Robinson and his music. Loosely based on Robinson's '68 Telecaster, the Big Rich is example of Alder & Main's new "Thick Ash Tele" body concept. While T-style guitars are traditionally 1-3/4" thick, the Thick Ash Tele is 1/8" thicker at 1-7/8". The extra mass is intended to help the sustain and acoustic resonance of the instrument, while also balancing the guitar when it hangs from a strap. To ensure the neck pocket retains the same familiar feel, the body is routed around the neck joint so that it is 1-3/4" thick at the neck joint.
For pickups, Alder & Main worked with Arcane, Inc. for the right sound. The Arcane Triple Clone Humbucker was an obvious choice for the neck, and since Arcane collaborated with Robinson in the past, they recommend the '51 Experience Tele pickup for the bridge. The result is wide open—warm, full neck tone that is a faithful recreation of the original P.A.F. design, paired with the dynamic cutting bridge bite of the early '50s blackguards.
The 2021 Alder & Main Big Rich is gently used and looks like it has been played very little over the years. On the treble side, close to the input jack, there is a cosmetic surface crack in the body—not an issue, and honestly the only cosmetic imperfection worth mentioning. The Big Rich is a sweet player with a great setup and tone that rips, but it's an equally impressive presentation piece. It includes its original spec sheet and a Tweed Thermometer case.
- Body: Thick Ash Tele (1-7/8") w/ neck heel carve
- Neck: Birdseye Maple from Warmoth
- Fingerboard Radius: 9.5"
- Frets: Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
- Scale Length: 25-1/2"
- Nut Width: 1-11/16"
- Neck Pickup: Arcane Triple Clone Humbucker
- Bridge Pickup: Arcane '51 Experience Telecaster
- Electronics: CTS 500k pots, K40Y-9 paper-in-oil tone cap, Switchcraft switch
- Tuning Machines: 6-in-line Kluson
- Bridge: Schroeder TL w/ compensated brass barrels
- Pickguard: Custom engraved by Indra Guitars (UK)
- Control Plate: Custom engraved by Indra Guitars (UK)
- Knobs: Custom engraved by Indra Guitars (UK)
- Neck Plate: Custom engraved by Indra Guitars (UK)
- Case: Tweed Fender Thermometer case