wardd

Folks, Since my last post in the March GOTM contest, several very nice members have PM'd me and given me a better idea of the spirit of the GOTM. So, to show there's no hard fellin's on my part, here is a more light hearted entry for this month. This is a Lap Steel I built a couple years ago as a gift and then wasn't able to give it. You may see it again in the "For Sale" section sometime. The guitar is built around a solid rock maple block. I'm not sure, but this thing may even qualify as a 2x4 project, I did get the maple from a local lumber dealer who I have seen cleaning deer in his place. Ya gotta remember, I'm from Iowa, The body wings are mahogany and the top and headstock are bookmatched figured walnut. The machines set on rosewood blocks that are morticed into the head. The machines look a little different, but allow for really easy access in a seated position. The nut and bridge are machined (ok, filed) from solid brass stock. The bridge sets into a morticed cavity. The "fretboard" is flamed maple with inlaid walnut strips and maple and walnut binding. The pickup is a solid mounted single coil Schaller and has a maple burl ring. The tailpiece and "truss rod" cover are maple burl with walnut and white ash accents. (i.e. There is of course no truss rod, you couldn't move this neck with a floor jack.) I'm not really much of a guitar player, but my player guru says it sounds "Really Thick". I don't really know what that means for sure, but I do know for sure that any guitar I play sounds the same "Really Bad". I of course compensate by playing "Really loud", but I'm sure none of you do the same. Be Cool, d ward

Folks, First, thanks to all who have voted for my guitar. I was hoping for a vote count greater than 1, but I screwed up and clicked the View Results button before voting so now I just glad to see my total over 0. Second, thanks to all of you who’s information I have used to get this project done. I have been visiting this site for a couple years now and have learned a lot. Now that I’m trying to take a more active role, I am also beginning to learn a little more about the culture of the board. Up until now it seemed like a ... well let’s look at the guidelines... “a family friendly forum”, yeah it seems to be, if you avoid some of these GOTM posts. And what about Rule #3. 3. There is be no flaming, derogatory remarks, use of continuous fowl or explicit language (The Old Golden rule applies, if you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all) It seems to me that if you don’t like someone's entry in the GOTM that’s fine, no one will ever build a guitar that everyone likes. But, why not spare us the negative comments and simply explain what you liked in the one you voted or almost voted for. So from my point of view: ORMSBY Vortex: Great guitar as always, your work has been an inspiration to me ever since I first visited the site. Welt Custom - Simple (in a good way), elegant and I’m an even worse player than builder so a guitar with only one knob is right up my alley. HiTone - Love the look of the old soap bar pickups in contrast with the sunburst. I teach geometry so I had to like the fret marker inlays. Gigantor - Love the “hardware”. (Some of us think inside the box and some of us think outside the box, but there are so few of us that can do both at the same time!) Strato-Master rebuild - Great accomplishment, of all the GOTM candidates you should be proud of your work. I built my first guitar around your age and as I recall it had a Plexiglas back, so yours brought back some fond memories. Plus, you got to like a member who’s signature is “My dad’s old guitar will live again.” Brendon’s Lefty - Beautiful instrument, great choice of colors. It reminds me of a custom hot-rod, sleek and low to the ground. Be Cool, d ward

Is the strap going to be a utility belt? Be Cool, d ward

Here is my GOTM entry. Thanks for considering it. Be Cool, d ward Note: Didn't seem to be able to add the pics so here are links to them. MOD EDIT I got the pics fixed for you.......BP Body: Top: 3/8 in. carved, quilted maple, red over brown stain. Center: Mahogany center with hard maple block from neck to bridge position. Back: 1/4 in. crotch walnut wings, birdseye maple center, walnut & white ash accents. Pickup rings, Tailpiece cover: crotch walnut with flame maple center, walnut & white ash accents. Knobs: Crotch walnut with maple burl caps, flame maple with crotch walnut caps, walnut & white ash accents. Neck: 3 piece mahogany with 1/16 in. hard maple strips. Neck and headstock cut from single block. Stained tung oil finish. Headstock: Face: 1/16 in. flamed maple with crotch walnut center, walnut & white ash accents. Back: 1/16 in. flamed walnut. Truss Rod Cover: Maple burl. Machines: Schallers. Fretboard: Figured katalox with maple burl markers. 12 in. radius. Jumbo fret wire. Brass nut. Electronics: Pickups: Stew-Mac Golden Age Humbuckers. Wiring: Blended pots with coil-tap switches.

Folks, First, thanks again for all your nice comments. Here is a link to some better pics of the guitar. Be Cool, d ward http://209.56.91.10/TeacherPages/Ward/Guit.../GuitarPics.htm

Not sure you noticed that the page I link you to is a thumbnail index. You get 640x480 pics if you click the link pics. I don't have a good digital camera, but plan on borrowing one so I can get some better more detailed pics. Keep your eye open, I might get to it this weekend. Be Cool, d ward

Guys, Thanks for getting back to me so fast and for your nice comments. I'll try to take some pictures of some of the tools and jigs I have made as well as some more detailed pics of the guitar and its construction. As far as the 30 years goes I got interested in instrument making in the 70's when I worked in a music store as the electronics repair guy. I mainly fixed amps etc., but did do some work adding pickups. i.e. Butched some guitars with not much more than an electric drill. They worked, but if you lifted the pickguards it wasn't pretty. I'm a math teacher now and have the $ to have a nice shop. The tool I get the most use out of is my Delta drum sander. It makes working with the figured wood so much easier as it avoids the tear out you get trying to plane it. The thing I've been waiting for is finding sources of the kinds of quality wood I wanted to use. Thanks to eBay I now have my own mini warehouse of stock. My eventual plan is to get my guitars to a quality level that makes them marketable and then use my summer vacation time to produce them. Any ideas on how to market custom guitars, prices to ask, etc. Be Cool, d ward

Hello, I've been working on building this guitar for 30 years. Finally have gotten to the point where I can afford the tools I need to do it right. My design uses what I call a modified neck through method. I put a block of hard maple between two mahogany wings then set the neck into the maple. The neck block comes back past the neck pickup which is solid mounted. The back is then a center strip of maple with walnut wings. You can follow the link below to see some pictures, will have better ones later. Let me know what you think? Can someone tell me the process for submitting it for guitar of the month? Be Cool, d ward http://209.56.91.10/TeacherPages/Ward/Guit.../GuitarPics.htm or http://209.56.91.10/05-06LessonPlans/Ward/.../GuitarPics.htm