Mugging for the camera...

Emerald Guitars encloses a hand-made mug (made by an Irish artist) with each guitar as a lagniappe.  For those not familiar with that term, it means: an unexpected bonus.  When I bought that first Emerald (my X7), this was something that Emerald had just started doing, so it was an unexpected surprise that was in the box with the guitar; a thoughtful thank you for being a customer.  I use that mug everyday for my hot cocoa.

Several years later, Emerald guitar buyers talk about being a member of "the mug club."  It is a thing.

With the new X10, getting the mug in the box with the guitar wasn't a surprise.  In fact, while I was opening the case and admiring the guitar, Joan was checking out the new mug.  Just as the Emerald guitars evolve in design, this new mug was different from the other two I have: larger volume, but a lighter weight.  It has more of a production feel than a hand-made feel.  One of the first things I noticed about it was the noticeably thinner handle.

About 10 days with it, and Joan, with eyes tearing up, told me that the handle broke while she was washing the mug... she felt bad.  Honestly, with that thin handle, I kind of expected it.  I told her not to worry about it, but she was determined to fix it.

Just like "The 6 Million Dollar Man", we can fix it and make it better.  And by "we," I mean her.  She ordered some Sugru (a moldable subatstance that reminds me of Play-Doh).  She has used that stuff for other repairs (like electronics cords) and it does the job.

And, just like Emerald Guitars are designed to be ergonomic, Joan made the handle thicker, stiffer, and "humpier" - your fingers fit inside the handle better...

The handle broke in 3 places - there would have been no way to simply glue it that would have held.  The mug has some green in it (hey, it came from Ireland), thus the green Sugru (pronounced Shoo-groo) on the inside of the handle.

It works.  It holds.  And the handle is more stout than it was originally.

For those not familiar with Emerald Guitars, that hound on the mug is their logo - it is on the headstock of their guitars.  They have named that hound... Rufus.  I swear I didn't have that in mind when we named our Rufus.  The boy looked ruff and tough - Joan said he looked like a ruffian... I said, "Rufus!"  An immediate unanimous decision.  Yep, digressing.  Back to the mug.

One mug (from the X20) stays in the motorhome.  Joan's repair makes this one a "backup" for the house.  The repair makes it even more special... my Honey knows how much I like these Emerald guitars.  It reminds me of her good heart when I see the effort she put into the repair.

:-)