Drak Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 ...who could ask for more? Just leave your body and soul at the door Hey, dyin's just part of livin', right? OK, on to the story... Maple topped Drak-O special, almost perfectly quartersawn Mahogony body, chambered BIG TIME, almost hollow. The top I already knew wasn't particularly spectacular, but figured I'd give it a whirl. And here's the obligatory initial black stain. A shot of the sanding process, starting to show the figure. BOOYAH!!! ...OR, DEATH BY MISADVENTURE! Damned thing pissed me off, I wasn't getting the clarity I wanted to see, and this is the pre-'Wall Of Death' strike on the control cavity. Usually about 5 seconds after this stage it hits the wall,...but for some reason, I held off. Willing participant for another topper for another day. RIP until then NEXT VICTIM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Fruit Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 i think im gonna be sick... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted March 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 Be joyous, and raise a glass of blood to the Maple sacrifice. The next one is always better than the last. I think that was only a AAA, it didn't have the DNA to be a Stone Cold Killuh from the start...poor bastid. All is not lost, I'm spraying Lac on the green boy right now, it's coming out great...I think I'll make it a Carriburst I can already see the gold hardware and white (or mint) SC pkps on it, it'll be gah-roooovy, baby! PS, y'know, I post stuff like this to let people know that when something goes wrong, all is not lost, and it happens to the best of us (we just don't always post pics of 'em ) And that if something does go haywire, it's no reason to freak out and get all down about it, you just keep smilin' and keep building. It will live on to be better than it was (although it was a close call, it almost got hammered and put down ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 errr, I don't quite get how it happened? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 umm why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted March 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 errr, I don't quite get how it happened? After sanding it back, not being 100% happy with the results, and re-dying and sanding it back again, I knew it didn't have the 'nads to be King, so I punched it thru the control cavity! (of course, it didn't take much) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 hehe, you sound mighty happy about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 thats so stupid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 thats so stupid careful there,weez...members have been banned for this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted March 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 Yes, I am. Much happier now, knowing that it will be much better next time. I was unhappy trying to finesse a good top out of it, it was driving me crazy. With me, it's either King, and I'm stoked like mad about it, or it's Crap, and it's gotta go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 thats so stupid careful there,weez...members have been banned for this yeah - i read it back after and thought "hmmM" i didn't mean it like that, i just thought it was kinda weird to put that much work into a beautiful instrument only to go and wreck it like that...kinda like the way that i disagree with people smashing guitars at the ends of sets my appologies once again dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 (edited) double post Edited March 28, 2004 by weezerboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 There is always a way to make a comeback. Just make a plate to cover that massive hole you made and mount all your knobs and switches on that. And stop the madness from entering your work domain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 At work when I'm fixing a circuit board it's me vs the damn board. After I put in alot of time & parts and the POS (I mean PCB ) still doesn't work then, occasionally, it gets snapped in half and I salvage what parts I can off of it to repair someting else. The sound of that board snapping in half gives me a sick kind of pleasure and makes all the headaches worthwhile. Makes me feel more confident to see that experienced builders make mistakes too and that all is not lost. Pics like this help me to accept that eventually I'll make a mistake and that it's not the end of the world. ...Not to mention that I'm not the only one who enjoys SMASHING inanimate objects that are bent on PISSING ME OFF! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 next time youre at the smashing stage, PM me, and I'll give you my address. I'll paint the damn thing black! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted March 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 There is always a way to make a comeback. Just make a plate to cover that massive hole you made and mount all your knobs and switches on that. And stop the madness from entering your work domain. Ummm, I'm not sure you're 'getting it' I did it on purpose, there ain't no 'comeback' a comin' for that child of the devil. ...and the madness lies -within- me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Oh, I "got it" alright... whatever... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Yep, it's gotta be drop dead gorgeous every time or you might as well not bother. I get it completely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted March 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Yup. It has to be the very best I can do or it's not worth the effort to finish it off, and that one wasn't worth the time, it would have come out half-baked and under-par. Blech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 it would have come out half-baked and under-par. Blech. Which is fine if you are Gibson, PRS or Fender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 It has to be the very best I can do or it's not worth the effort to finish it off Then let one of us, who would die to have a body like that, finish it for you... just a thought. $.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 I can see both sides of the story. Stepping back a bit-- it's Drak's wood, Drak's work... ie. HIS time and money. And anything he wants to do with it is his choice. Also, if it's in his personality to demand nothing but the best, all the power to him! On the other hand, I, too, would have just done a solid colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 I like the figure of the top you smashed MUCH more then the figure of the new top. Maybe it's just the way they appear in the pictures. But the original top definately did not deserve to be smashed. It may not look extra spectacular but still damn nice and way better then any solid finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Drak - where do you get all of these guitar bodies from? Do you build them yourself or are you buying them? How do you find the time/money to do all of this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdw3332 Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Drak, I understand exactly where you are coming from and I have used a couple for firewood. My standards aren't as high as yours and I have continued work on some bodies that I figured I would never use just to practice / learn on. Of course in my case it is usually my fault and not the wood's. As usual, the green one is stunning. I am thinking about trying your stain black / sand back method on lacewood - any thoughts? Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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