VanKirk

I like how you keep the BBQ in view of the work bench. It must help keep the wood in line to do your bidding or suffer the consequences.

Very nice and great pictures with write-up.

I look forward to more!

I'm not sure if adding a green tint will highlight the natural green in the poplar or muddy it up. I'd definitely test on scrap first. I'd get yellow and blue dye. I'm thinking that it may need a bit more yellow than blue in the mix to get a light green dye.

I'd put the neck and bridge on. Then, string it up and play it, making sure the strings line up properly from the nut to the bridge. Also, look for anything else that will compromise it's playability.

Good luck!

Looking good.

I never have drilled the control holes before starting the carve. Did it hinder carving in any way? I suppose it's no big deal since I've seen carves with F holes. Shows my inexperience.

What dye and concentration did you use, if I may ask?

I look forward to seeing it finished!

I've been messing with synths, sequencers and DAWs and am looking into trying this out.

Not for the purist but I'd like to get this.

I'm in no way affiliated or endorsing this outside of throwing it out there as an optional tool for guitarists that like to try something new.

I like your burst. It has a nice shape, matching the body with a nice transition between colors.

I think gold hardware might look very nice with this but either way I look forward to the finished product.

A popular picture hosting site is Photobucket.

Create an account, upload pics, then copy the links created by Photobucket to this site.

You can either create a link to go to your pic or an img file to post the pic here.

If you route your binding channel first you could see how much top material you have before going through it. You could leave the edge at 1mm thick and hide it with binding I would think and that would give you enough for a nice contour. Nothing PRS-like but it can still look great.

*Sorry, I think I just repeated what's already been said.

A passive attenuator in the effects loop may be an option. Something similar to this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Omnisonic-Tube-Amp-VOLUME-BOX-for-PEAVEY-Delta-Blues-Valveking-Classic-30-50-/140977980384?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d2f143e0

For the volume jump issues (if I read that right), you can try out different tubes in the preamp stage (such as replacing a 12AX7 with a 12AY7) and replace the volume pot with an audio taper pot so you don't have that volume setting at 1 to low/ setting at 3 blows the windows out and yet still retain the sound you like. Some also play with different speakers as well. That may get you in over your head and more involved than you'd feel comfortable with and gets you into an area where many books have been written on the subject.

I love mine too. Your's is beautiful!

Yes, I do. So I wait months and months to spray anything from guitars to motorcycle panels. Humidity, cold and bugs piss me off when spraying. I find my blood pressure stays lower if I wait till at least spring here in the PNW.

I think bare toes violates the norms around here as we generally post feet with socks on. Occasionally flip flops or sandals.

Tone is very subjective so I won't comment on how body wood affects tone but I have personally switched out pickups, resoldered wiring, leveled and dressed the frets and replaced the nut on my $350 Mexican strat and now the action and tone (the tone I like) is as good as my American Fender.

Hey man, just seen the reply.

How's the catching up on sleep going

Congratulations

My Sister with 4 kids of her own says there's no such thing as "catching up on sleep" for a couple years at least.

Congratz!!!

We just had my first kid on 1/30/09. 8lbs 1oz

She's beautiful!!!

Just started gettin caught up on sleep.

I've been doing the Harry Homeowner thing since we bought our house last summer pretty much, cleaning up the property, painting, re-decorating, renovating, cutting down a bunch of trees, clearing the area, planting grass, etc., and really just now in the past month have gotten a nice area squared away to build again, got all the tools re-set up, woodpile in place, etc.

I hope everyone here has been furiously building away and become master luthiers since I last checked in, I am looking forward to seeing what you guys have done.

I really dropped out of all forums and guitar related online stuff alltogether for quite some time, feels good to be back.

I hear ya with the house renovations.

I've been painting, rewiring and layin hardwood flooring in preparation for my first kid we just had on FRIDAY! 1-30-09

I still don't know what day it is yet from lack of sleep but I'm unbelievably happy!

My other recent project was restoring a '75 Yamaha RD350B 2-stroke street bike that was my Dad's and stored in a barn for about 20 years. It's a kick in the pants and FAST!

Anyways, glad to see ya back in the community here Drak!

Just last week at work I had a transit company complain about a Mexican radio station coming over the 450MHz trunk system I maintain. Reminded me of that song...I'm on a Mexican WOHOH radio.

Anyways, turns out the meth-heads stole all the copper grounding wire & rod from the tower site so I had to reground everything. Dug a trench all around the buildings and into a ground bus in each building and connected it all to new rods & each leg of the tower. That relieved most of it but the radio station has more grounding to do on there equipment. 25Kw of power 20ft. away from from my equipment and poorly grounded

Next, I need to go back up ASAP to install a camera system to try and catch the copper thieves.

In the apartment I used to live in I could pickup the fire department if I turned just right until I grounded my guitar properly.

Guild of American Luthiers convention is from 6-11-08 through 6-15-08.

Saturday 6-14-08 is a free, open exhibit at Pacific Lutheran University in the University Center building.

I'm gonna be there and drag the family with me and take as many pics as possible.

I've had my Blues Deville since around...'97 or so. It's been a great sounding amp. Glad I still have it. It sounds it's best after 30mins or so with volume above 4.

Another great blues musician passed away.

Sean Costello

Check out 'Goin Home', 'Hard Luck Woman' or 'Can't Let Go' for some tasteful licks and soulfull singin' on his site: http://www.seancostello.com/ .

Another thing about technology like these tuners are loss in skills or never developing these skills. Its hard to describe the exact benefits.

Well, people of the future would rely so heavily on these auto-wipers to the point that they'd never learn to properly clean their butt without one. It would be very embarrassing to have to waddle over to the neighbors with a filthy ass because your auto-wiper is broke. Old-timers talkin about walkin in the snow barefoot uphill both ways would be nothin compared to having to wipe your butt with paper back in the day. Medieval, archaic even.

Ya talked me into it. Get me a Robot Guitar that wipes my butt too. Hooray for technology!

P.S. Just make sure the 'auto-tune' button and 'auto-wipe' buttons are clearly marked and far apart...and please don't make it shaped like that p-nis guitar that was posted here a couple years ago.

In that case, find yourself a local cabinet maker and befriend him. There's a thread somewhere about how many doughnuts and biscuits you should take

Look around the shop looking for pics of other things that you can relate to like motorcycles, cars, bands, famous hot chicks and talk about them...

and beer, lotsa beer. Half rack on a Friday late afternoon should get you full use of the shop, hehe.

Even though I don't drink this has worked for me.

Bring Tommy from USACG a few beers for him and the crew and he just may invite ya in on a Saturday to help ya with your project.

Damn, I just noticed your not quite old enough.

Don't mind me. Been a long workday, lol

Another alternative is "Tru-oil".

It's an oil/varnish blend that also comes in an aerosol can and can be found at Wal-Mart or gunshops (used to finish gun stocks).

Like Wes' "sack" example...

If there were automatic 'butt wipers' I still would never buy one.

What would happen if something went wrong? (I'll let Wes think of possible scenarios)

I'll wipe my butt and tune my own guitar tyvm!