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 first Constellation was made for Scott Holiday of Rival Sons who uses it on tour. At NAMM 2020, Jamie realized 90% of new builders were producing variations on the same Tele, Strat, and Les Paul templates, so he became eager to create something fresh that wasn't like the rest. While brainstorming body shapes that were different, Christianna drew the Constellation on paper, and then routed it out from scratch herself.
Scott Holiday requested TV Jones pickups on his Constellation, so Constellation #3 takes Scott's lead with two TV Jones Powertron pickups. #3 is considered an Alder & Main "Deluxe" model, so it is styled out to match Scott Holiday's #1. It is also the first Alder & Main guitar to sport hand-made copper parts including the control plate, pickup trims, truss rod cover, and neck plate.
Constellation #3 starts with a semi-hollow Walnut body and a Quilted Maple top. With a translucent green finish, all the copper parts, and gold hardware, it has taken on the nickname "Lady Liberty." The copper parts are lacquered, but they will tarnish over time—just like its namesake!
Constellation #3 features premium parts throughout including a Warmoth Birdseye Maple neck (with 10" to 16" compound radius), Kluson tuning machines, a Gold Bigsby with Vibrate Spoiler, and Dunlop strap locks so it's stage-ready. It includes a deluxe flight case from Gator.