marksound

You know, all the other specs on this guitar match the '50s Esquire specs --so why did they bathe it in poly?

Because that's what they use at the Mexico factory. I'm pretty sure you won't find any Fender that doesn't have at least a polyester sealer coat, even the "thin skin nitro" finishes. It's just the way they do things these days.

Well, that was fun.

Back on topic, this is one to file away: always use the correct solvents for the materials you're working with.

It's always safer to stay within one family of brands for color, clear, thinner/reducer, retarder, etc., since these products are made to work together. When it's not possible, a little research goes a long way. Read labeling and MSDS for every chemical you use, and keep those MSDS on file for future reference. Important stuff.

Welcome to the wonderful world of polyester, the nearly bulletproof finish. Opinions vary, but many people find that a heat gun works best to remove it.

I apply it with my fingers but I have started wearing nitrile gloves when handling finishing materials.

I'm waiting for a set of Curtis Novak pickups for my MIM Strat. I'll let you know.

instrument building for around 3 years. No prier woodworking skills (and I still don't consider myself a woodworker, just a guitar builder)

I'm amazed at how far you've come in such a short time. When I show your stuff to my wife and friends and tell them how old you are they're pretty much speechless. You have quite a future ahead of you.

Your spelling has improved a lot too.

Cool project. That's something I've thought about since I saw Fender's Strat sized mini-P a few years ago. I don't think they make them any more.

Early Elvis. Scotty Moore played an ES295 on that stuff.

A guy I know, Curtis Novak, makes pickups and is starting to get a lot of much deserved attention. Some say he's nailed Leo's tone. Here's what he has to say:

Over-wound Pickups

I believe a pickup should NOT be thought of in terms of output, but rather of input. The function of a pickup is to sense the string and send as wide of a tone band as possible to your rig.

The problem with an over-wound pickup is that the high and low tones fall off while the middle tones become over-emphasized—resulting in a narrower tone band and a "one trick pony" guitar. This drastically limits your tone possibilities.

If it is overdrive and heavy mids that you want, you can easily get that from a pedal, when you NEED that tone leaving you free to explore other tones with your guitar.

Why do you feel a hand scatter "slop" wound pickup sounds better than a precision machine wound modern pickup?

I am no Dr. Science so I can't say for sure. Besides I think that winding pickups is actually more of an art than science (or business), so my production theories are based from that. I remember as a kid helping my Dad run a TV antenna wire, way before cable. You were told to never run the antenna wire parallel to other wires because it will cause signal interference. With a cam driven machine wound pickup each wrap lays next to the previous wrap, causing what I believe a lot of signal bleed. With a hand scattered winding pattern you get a more random pattern.

Well I have young kids and a wife that (if she got mad enough) may destroy some of my stuff. I don't want people destroying my precious things, especially my guitars.

I need a safe/vault. Anyone use one?

I think you may have problems that a vault won't fix.

StewMac bolt on Fender style necks are Mighty Mite brand. I've used 4 Mighty Mite necks on projects and they have all buzzed at the first fret high E. Each time I replaced the nut and that solved the problem.

From my experience that's where I'd start.

Stike at Gadow Guitars does a crazy bass boat sparkle.

I think Lace Alumitones would look pretty cool. No idea what they sound like though.

Secondly, I've got some great news. As many of y'all know, I'm building cigar box guitars almost exclusively now. Just this past month, I sold this cigar box guitar to a two-time Grammy Award winning folk artist... and no, I can't tell you who it is because it violates laws on promotion and what not. I'm over the moon about the sale though. To think that one of my CBG's is going to played on stage by a real artist is overwhelming!

http://home.hiwaay.net/~jehle/photos/CBG-JR.jpg

Go Me!

That's your "calendar girl" isn't it, Bill?

Hyper-Sonic. Nice to see a solid color this month.

You could probably carve it with a spoon, but that doesn't mean you should.

Not bad, kinda busy. Work on timing, playing in/with the groove.

In my opinion, if you insist on having 3 or 4 basses, just make them identical in every way except the tuning. You could even color code them to tell them apart.

There is a way around your problem and just have one instrument tuned to one key. Pick a single tuning and adapt. What's the lowest note you need? Use that tuning and play up the neck for the others. Hands too small/weak? Exercise and build up strength. If you can't do that, try a capo. How about a Whammy pedal?

Also, in my most humble opinion, if you can't adapt and play the music the band wants to play, maybe you're in the wrong band. Just sayin'.

My hands get dry and cracky in the winter, so I use Suave Skin Therapy lotion (absorbs quickly, no greasy feel). It also keeps my calluses nice and smooth, and no peeling.

Doesn't the Hiscock book have a one piece Tele style neck in one of the builds? The steps would be the same, with the headstock and heel shape different.

OK, here's another- I always think of a one piece neck as being the fender style neck with no seperate fingerboard, and a skunk stripe in the trussrod route. So I guess there is no one definition for "one piece neck"

Being Fendercentric (new word of the day) I've always thought of a one piece neck this way too. I guess it's all in your perspective.

As the Ouro sinks further and further behind in the guitar of the month voting, I have a question. What would you change about this guitar? This is a serious question and I would like honest opinion.

I'll start it off, I have plans for some very subtle inlays on the neck. I don't want to overpower the guitar, but I would like the neck to be more cohesive to the graphic. I'm working on some designs right now to do this.

So, what would you change and why? I hope its a little more than 'I don't like headless guitars' because that's more of a prejudice on your part than constructive advice. I'm asking this because I'm in the very early planning stages of a double neck sister to the Ouro. I'm still up in the air on body, features, and finish, but I'm very set on it being headless and painted with a graphic. So, any constructive criticism here might help me move in a direction I might not have before.

To me, this is the guitar of the millenium. Go figure. It was 2 years from early conception to completion and it's been a bit of a letdown to see it meet such a lukewarm response. It's funny, I (like all of the other entrants I'm sure) have really invested myself into this project so much so that my self-esteem seems to be tied quite a bit to it. So, don't view this as anger, there were some amazing contributions this past month I know (I really dig Barney), but view it more as sadness and hope that my next project will be that much better for it.

I've been a longtime lurker and it is partly due to this forum (and Brian C. in particular) to have a custom built instead of always buying a factory produced guitar. So, c'mon my peeps, let the advice roll!

My two cents:

The GOTM happens this time every month. Some months every single entry is worthy of winning, some months not so much. Regardless, there is always a winner. Just one. Most of the time the guitars I vote for don't win, and that's ok. I like what I like. I'm not going to tell you what to change on your guitar so I'll like it better. because I'm not going to play it and I'm not going to buy it. If I were, it would be different.

That's all I got.

Seriously, why are you poking around in a forum looking for a custom build?

Well...a guitar builders forum is not necessarily a BAD place to look for a luthier. Its just that this particular forum has an abundance of people who are just starting out with building (mostly thinking about starting out building...). And probably a lot of them fancy themselves as being ready for taking custom orders...

Exactly, hence the next part of the post:

You could very easily be separated from a large amount of cash and have nothing to show for it.

Used to be around here that the first mention of a blind commission people would bring up the "L" word. Not so much these days?

well I really want/need a hardtail and an ebony board and neck through construction. Thanks for the advice, but I'm it really seems like it'd be a lot more money thanks its worth to buy a prs have it re topped refinished all this other stuff and still be left with things I want in the guitar. Thanks for your input though.

Sounds like you're describing a Quicksilver. I'm sure old Ed Roman would be happy to build whatever you want.

Seriously, why are you poking around in a forum looking for a custom build? You could very easily be separated from a large amount of cash and have nothing to show for it.