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Anders--sadly you are very mistaken. Spanish Royal Cypress is made from the very last cypress tress cut down at the Alhambra. This cypress was cut down by a logger wearing leather shoes made from a bull who died in the ring at a bullfight where Sabicas attended. The trees were cut down during a full moon and after the logger danced around the tree naked (except for those special leather shoes). A well known guitar company in Spain also purchased the wood from 6 felled norwegian spruce trees that Julie Andrews danced around in the movie, the Sound of Music.
Well not exactly a true story Keith. There are plenty of huge cypress trees still growing at the Alhambra, I have a picture of myself giving one a big ol smootch. I took a few cones from it as well and the one I have left is now a three foot sapling growing at my place. I gave the other to a bonsai friend of mine and I am sure his is even more impressive.
The part about the leather shoes and naked logger, well yes that is documented fact. Luckily for him tradition dictated that he had to use an axe and not a chain saw. Much harder to accidentally circumcise yourself with an axe as anyone who has had a chainsaw kickback on them can attest.
Now the really important part, was Julie Andrews naked as well? That I would um, love to see.:)
aaron, sadly the trees at the alhambra are serf cypress not royal cypress. you can identify the two as the royal cypress trees, since cut down by the conde bros., have a purple hue to the branches at the top and the serf cypress trees have a blue ring (as in work denim) around the base.
as to julie andrews in the nude....oh every christmas time when they play the sound of music i envision her running nude through the alps. makes we think about getting some loderhosen and going to the alps. i do believe she was in a movie where she showed some skin.
speaking of julie/the von trapps. the von trapps live in vermont. my last supervisor for whom i worked when i was in boston dated, in his youth, one of the von trapp girls. apparently momma von trapp was the one that ruled that household with an iron fist.
Sbu 01: the royal cypress found in a few guitar lines, conde hermanos comes to mind as the primary user of such cypress, is nothing but an advertising ploy. as you can see a lot of us have experience with this and the chuckles came flying out. a few years ago someone was trying to sell a guitar made with the last cypress harvested from the alhambra and then every so often someone will state the harvesting wood during a full moon, etc. will make it better. i believe the only wood known to have a lunar cycle is primavera (sp?)--at least a wood book i have at home states its' sap flows with the cycle of the moon--or something to that effect.
bottom line--royal spanish cypress is probably as effective in guitar building as those pills they sell on television to make your belly smaller or "that special male body part" larger. just add one part smoke, one part mirror and a lot of hype then mix and serve between two slices of bread and you have the perfect baloney sandwich.
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