D'Alegria: basses and guitars combine the craftsmanship and technological
Luthier is a term that originated in France, from the word "luth" meaning stringed instrument. Over time, became the name of the expert in making handcrafted instruments.
However, today the term goes beyond: it is the professional who designs and manufactures instruments of the highest quality, handcrafted following the same system, but directing their work for quality. It is a unique product that can be tailored for the musician, according to their needs. The Luthier is, above all, a thorough and a perfectionist. His art is equivalent to the musician who takes the stage to give their best in performance.
AD'Alegria is a company founded in Rio de Janeiro and Happiness by Daniel Rodrigo Werneck, which aims to produce basses and guitars with the standard of quality craftsmanship combined with cutting edge technology. Nothing better than knowing the work of these professionals, in an interview by Rodrigo Werneck.
Musictime: How did the idea of becoming a Luthier? The reason? In what year was the beginning?
Rodrigo Werneck: In 2002, both myself and my partner in D'Joy, Joy Daniel, we were somewhat disappointed with the Brazilian telecommunications market, where we're both coming. Daniel had a 15-year experience in construction, repairs and service on musical instruments, in addition to playing bass, guitar and guitar (so amateur). I had several contacts in the music scene here in Brazil and abroad, because of my involvement in productions of shows and magazine Music Box, which I was co-editor. Putting these previous experiences, we decided to start producing low custom craft, and in January 2003 D'Alegria was born.
The company began production of bass, guitar and more recently. How did you feel this market opening?
Yes, we started with the production of only low. The first model released was the Dart, then the Defender, Dragster, Discovery (upright bass), and finally the guitar Dimension, in 2006. We recently launched another model down the Dragon. Initially, we restricted ourselves to be low for a market share less "congested" compared to the guitars, for example. Over time, however, decided to do a test launching a guitar model, test the one that ended up being very positive. During the first years, many guitar players charged in a line of guitars. The construction techniques are very similar, after all. While there is much more competition in the market for guitars, there is also a much larger consumer audience.
Today, there is a great discussion about the extraction of hardwood forests. With the D'Alegria comes to this subject?
Some of the assumptions adopted in the choice of woods for our instruments are: the use of exclusively Brazilian species (do not use woods such as Ash, Alder, Ebony, Maple, etc..), And specifically the non-endangered (do not use Rosewood, Mahogany, among others, except possibly one or other piece coming from demolition). In addition, we seek certified suppliers, sources that make the extraction following standards and environmental concerns, replanting, etc.. Brazil is a country, possibly * the * country, with one of the largest reserves and the largest number of tree species at our disposal. So we can pass the test and use great alternative to traditional species, with results equal or superior. Today, we use the very Freijó, the IPE, the Roxinho the Garapa the Tauari, the Cherry, the Marupe the Cumaru, among other species.
What are the basic steps to produce an instrument?
Before the production itself, define the 
customer to complete configuration of the instrument, so that we can choose the most appropriate timber. This affects both the aesthetics as part of the sound characteristics, and weight of the instrument. Then select the pieces of wood to be used, cut arm, body and scale along the lines of the model chosen, and if any (aesthetic choice) covering front sheet pasted on the body and hand. We proceed with the rounding of the edges, defining the outline of the arm, glue tensor scale after installation, installation of frets and scale markers, and finally lixações of all parts to receive the finish. All steps are done completely manually, or using tools and machines manually manipulated. We do not use CNC (computer-controlled equipment) in any process.
The next step is the finish of the parts. Body and arm receive finish polyurethane (PU), shiny or satin (semi-matte), and if any are dyed, or stay with the natural look of wood. In the case of the glossy finish, there is the final step of polishing. Then proceed with the assembly of the instrument, leveling the frets, lining the cavity with copper electrical (to avoid picking up unwanted noise in the future), installation of sensors and electrical work, installation of hardware (bridge, tuners, knobs, etc. .) placement of the strings and the final regulation. The whole process takes about three months.
Although the craftsmanship that surrounds the instruments, the D'Alegria also uses a technology in the development of the electronic section. Can you tell us about?
Exact. As both my partner and I are electronic engineers graduated from PUC / RJ, developed our own preamp 3 bands (with bass, midrange and treble), following the best techniques to achieve a high performance, besides the use electronic components of the first category.
Initially this was pre handmade in our workshop, one by one, but after a while it became necessary to produce it on an industrial scale, and the pre became supplied to other brands or even individual customers, for installation in instruments do not necessarily manufactured by D'Alegria. He was born around the ToneChaser, which sells not only this pre (TC-3B), as well as pickups hand-rolled down and the guitar, "single coil" and "humbucking" ("doube coil").
This development is a major attraction of the company? It is a differential?
For a long time was indeed a difference, and many people bought our instruments for pursuing this alternative combination of woods, top quality hardware (Gotoh, Hipshot, Grover, etc.., Elixir strings), and electrical exclusive. Besides the Pre, also developed the "Vintagizer", a 6-position rotary switch that provides different sounds for the instrument, ranging from a brighter sound to something more modern and "muffled", closer to the instruments 'vintage', hence the name of control. The "Vintagizer" is still an optional feature of the D'Alegria totally unique, because it comes apart.
Among the endorsers of the company is veteran musician Trevor Bolder of Uriah Heep classic band. How did you get this contact?
I have contacted the people of Uriah Heep since 1995, and has got involved in various activities with them, since the band's own website to organizing shows, both in Brazil and England. When D'Alegria began in 2003, I contacted Trevor, who stumbled down a test as I was without endorsee at that time. There were tested several low from other manufacturers, such as Warwick, but had not adapted and continued with his old 1973 Fender Precision bass. When testing a model Defender JB ours, and I quite liked it provide 2, both 4-string, the second being a signature model, the Defender TB - Trevor Bolder model. Coincidentally, today I received an email from Trevor asking me to provide a 5-string bass, which he will need to tour to support the new disc Heep, called "Wake The Sleeper"!
Other endorsers arise through our distributors out there, as is the case with American bassist Trae Pierce, the legendary soul band / Blind Boys of Alabama gospel. Here in Brazil we also respect the names of our team, as André Neiva (Jorge Vercilo, Cama de Gato), Zuzo Moussawer (solo artist currently in the U.S.), Bruno Migliari (Frejat bands and Ana Carolina) and Jorge Pescara (band the Ithamara Koorax).
Recently Defender JB Deluxe bass was reviewed by the American magazine Bass Player. What do you think this repercussions? The business idea is to place their products in overseas markets.
Indeed, increasingly we have increased the distribution of our instruments abroad. At the moment, we sell more abroad than in Brazil. We are distributors for some years in the U.S., Canada, UK, France and Japan We closed at the end of last year with a new distributor in Sweden, which will operate in all of Scandinavia and Finland also. And we are now negotiating with a distributor in Germany, which also includes Austria and Switzerland. The foreign market is a priority for us, without neglect (or despise) the Brazilian market.
We have participated in fairs abroad, together with our distributors, such as issues of NAMM (USA), London Guitar Show and Music Live (both England), and Musical Instruments Fair in Yokohama, Japan Next year our instruments must be present at Musikmesse in Frankfurt, Germany. And here in Brazil, we have participated every year Expomusic of Sao Paulo.
Besides the analysis carried out recently by Bass Player (USA), have left more stories in magazines Bass Guitar Magazine, Guitarist, Guitar & Bass (all three of England) and Bass Magazine (Japan), and sites like Ultimate-Guitar.com ( USA) and Audiofanzine.com (France). Off course Brazilian magazines such as Down Cover, Cover Guitarra, Backstage, music scene, among others, as well as sites like Land of Music, etc..
How many basses and guitars, the company produces on average a month?
We have a production average of 5 to 10 instruments per month. This varies slightly depending on the season. For example, at the time of the summer and fall fairs market in the northern hemisphere, production tends to increase. An interesting detail is that the number of guitars produced has reached the casualties. With the new distribution agreements, however, we anticipate an increased demand for the coming months, especially abroad.
One of the advantages that the D'Alegria offers its customers is the choice of components that are present in the instruments from the wood of the body and the arm to the electronic section. This makes the product more like the next customer, is not it?
Yes, that's the basic premise of the instruments "custom made". Our customers really value the ability to be able to choose every detail of their instruments, among the alternatives we offer. There are several choices to make, model, wood, color of the instrument, electrical, hardware, among other details. The fact that our instruments are all handmade, one by one in a personalized way, is a major attraction for many musicians, professional or amateur.
What do you think the work of a luthier in Brazil? What are the difficulties?
It's a tough market, disputed, but with two different approaches. There are luthiers, say, "low profile", which operates more localized, which base their disclosure in the "word of mouth." For a certain angle, it is a less professional work (I do not mean the quality of the building itself). There, on the other hand, the luthiers (or companies luthiery) with a more professional, focused on larger markets, with a marketing scheme more structured, schematic distribution, etc.. D'Alegria is included in this second group, which does not have many members in Brazil.
The greatest difficulties here in Brazil, are to show how they differ from the customized instruments, "handmade" series of instruments made ​​by the big brands. The Brazilian also has a tendency to overestimate foreign products to the detriment of what is done in our country. This is changing, but it is a slow process. In the exterior, there is great appreciation of all that is handmade, and there is also a great appreciation of tropical timber we use.
How do you see the future of the profession? And the competition against the big brands?
I think there will always be room for instruments made ​​by hand in a customized manner. What happens today is that the instruments manufactured in series are getting better, reducing the distance (in terms of quality) for handmade instruments. The price difference, however, is increasing. The rise of Asian manufacturers marketing explains this phenomenon, which occurs in many other spheres of products and services, as we all know. This makes the scenario more difficult, but this is a phenomenon that affects more strongly the great Western brands such as Gibson, Fender and others who are having to join the Eastern manufacturers to be their own competitors, with rows of cheaper instruments. "If You Can not Beat Them, Join Them".
Already the market "custom made" works differently, is the whole question of exclusivity, the fact that each instrument has its own characteristics. You get on the edge of a highly specialized service, and not the quantity produced. Of course, as the quantity produced increases, appear several issues inherent to the process. As far as growth, without compromising quality? It's worth leaving behind handicraft production, and go for something more automated? Each manufacturer handles these dilemmas differently, and with results that vary from jurisdiction to deal with each scenario that presents itself. Creating a market that combines art with competition, professionalism, there is great risk involved in each decision.
Video: Trae Pierce and low TP Defender - D'Alegria:
Contact: D'Alegria Custom Made
Interview: Cyrus Hiruma
