Features

The Phoenix Electric Violin creates a symphonic firestorm

By Kenneth Tan | December 26, 2016

Wings of glory

It took a six-year ‘idealisation’ process, six extra months of construction, 100 sheets of fine 24-carat gold and a skilled artisan by the name of Alistair Hay to craft this Phoenix electric violin. In the final reckoning, its cost of US$100,000 (RM441,000) makes it the world’s most expensive electric violin.

Hay crafted this piece in East Donegal, Ireland, where Emerald Guitars’ headquarters is located. He had previously customised guitars for a slew of international artists such as American guitarist Steve Vai as well as the dragon-like Bahamut guitar for Taiwanese rock sensation Wang Lee Hom.

His latest opus, the Phoenix electric violin, follows a similar vein of dramatic expression with colour-changing peridot eyes from Zcova, and gold-gilded wings which are perfectly formed to fit the body of its wearer – Malaysian musician and violin virtuoso Dennis Lau. “It fits me like how I imagine a suit on Batman must feel like,” Lau says.

Emerald Guitars

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