Emil Mod - Hybrid 2 Shape

 From Emil (Cereal Pro):

I am very pleased to share my pro model kendama with everyone! Having a pro model was a dream I have had since I started taking kendama seriously. 5 years later, and that dream is here. Thank you to everyone who has helped me up to this point, especially the Cereal Kendama team and my friends in the Philippine Kendama scene.

 My ken is made from Maple with a Purpleheart Splice Sarado. It also comes with custom engravings representing some very important things in my life:

-Underneath the small cup is my Instagram handle. If you don't know who owns this mod, now you know;

-The Scales on top of the big cup serve a dual purpose: First, it signifies that the ken is a Hybrid 2 shape. Second, I am currently in Law School and I hope to become a lawyer in the near future; fittingly, the scales show that aspect of my life perfectly.

-The small cup contains an engraving of the Philippine Sun. This is a little tribute to my Country and all the wonderful people who have shown me love. Special mention goes to my family, who have continuously supported my passion for kendama, as well as my fellow Filipino players who inspired me to get better and grow in love for kendama.

-Last but not least, opposite of the Cereal logo on the base cup is an engraving of a shield with a Cross and the letters "AMDG."

These letters are an acronym for a Latin phrase: "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam." In English, this means "For God's Greater Glory."  I chose to include this on my ken as a prayer to God. When I play and I do my best, I offer it all to Him.

I put a lot of love into my tama as well! This is a 61.5mm Beech Tama; simple, but effective for all-around play.

The main inspiration behind my tama design is my love for Music and my Saxophone. I have been a musician and saxophonist for longer than I have been playing kendama, so I this design is a nice way to pay tribute to one of my first loves. The tama is painted gold, with a black 70/30 split and a green tracking dot. These represent a Saxophone's body, mouthpiece, and finger keys, respectively.

The tama also features a music staff tracking stripe (a first in kendama design). The solid lines of the staff help with positional tracking, while the notes on the staff will help a player see the rotation of the tama as it goes through the air.

Fun Fact: the song on the tama is "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. Aside from the fact that I unironically really like the song, you get rickrolled everytime you play with this tama.