Odin

How about you prove that you're right? That's how we do it in the US. Our information is open and freely available--Cuba's is not.

... just sort of walking around when all of the sudden, the Cuban Army shows up. Hauls 'em into the jail and holds them in cells that would make Gitmo look like a Hilton for 2 days. Released them two days later with no explanation of charges or why they were picked up. $500 camera--gone. $400 US cash--gone. Army didn't know anything about it, of course.

My god.. i taught Guantanamo was bad

In general, Cuban police lean over backwards not to molest tourists since Cuba is so dependent on tourism for income and since Cubans are basically very polite people and hospitable to strangers.

Personal security on the island is in general quite good. Until recently, crime was little known. That is changing with the continued economic hard times and we have seen a rise in crime which reached dangerous levels in '97 and '98 in certain areas such as Old Havana (Habana Vieja) and parts of Santiago, where purse snatchings and muggings were common. Because of this, there is now extra vigilance by the police who have taken to asking for IDs a lot more frequently and crime has gone down all over. Such ID checks are common in tourist and high visibility areas such as the Malecon along the Havana shore. It is less common in non-tourist areas. There are recent (2001) changes in the penal code which drastically increase prison sentences, though prisoners are eligible for parole after serving half of their sentences, unlike the US where parole is increasingly not part of the picture. Already a Cuban can get a jail sentence of up to 70 years for fighting with or attacking a tourist. Even so, best to consult local Cubans on what are the safe areas and what aren't. However, with the crackdown, folks report that foreigners feel they can walk the streets again...

The level of crime in the worst places is not even comparable to US levels, though hard numbers are not easy to come by. Many Cubans are in fact supportive of the current crackdown as there is a tremendous personal fear triggered by a few murders. They have nothing to compare this to and are unaware that their murder rate is far, far less than what can be experienced in any major US city.

Best of all people there have no guns either.

Just like the good little commies they are

Precisely because they don't have any money and could turn it around to another tourist for quick cash is the reason WHY I would keep an eye on it. You've already said yourself they'll sell you fake cigars all day long, why wouldn't a $3,000 (US) guitar be a tempting target when they could trade it for a new transmission for their '56 Chevy?

anyway the crime rate in Cuba is low, and....much much lower than in the US. Thats a fact. Check it out if youre goverment let you. Please give me proof if im wrong.

I have traveled a lot in Europe, US and Cuba. And Cuba is the last place i would worry about loosing my guitar. Im not even red.

Viva Cuba!

You probably won't have a problem at all if you let it settle in the case for 24 hours without opening it up. I've been to the Cayman Islands, which are pretty close to Cuba, and never had a problem.

I would definitely keep an eye on the guitar, though, both on the trip down, while you're in Cuba, and on the trip back. I have had enough non-American friends who have visited Cuba to know that it is most definitely not the happy island paradise Castro would like you to think it is, and people are very poor and would gladly rob a northern tourist of his prized Larrivee to catch a good price on the market.

Watch your back down there, my friend.

What market? There is no market in Cuba...because people dont have money. Its not a paradise, but you are safe there. You cannot compare Cuba to the other islands in that erea. But of course they will gladly cheat you when you change money or buy sigars.

Best of all people there have no guns either.

A Larivee? Consider replacement costs if damaged or lost...or stolen. :

I would not worry to much about it getting stolen. The crime rate in Cuba is low...at least much much lower than in the US.

Watch out for fake sigars!

If i where you i would leave it at home, go to cuba and buy a tres, and learn some cuban son music.

Music lessons is really cheap in Cuba. And there are many veeery good musicians there.

I would like to have that black limba..

No maple top on mine. Im planing to build a mahogany strat with cherry top.

I have made one. With humbuckers...so maybe its not right to call it a strat. But anyway it got the comfort and beauty of the strat and the tone of the les paul (more or less). Great combination! Go for it

Hi!

Im currently building a barytone guitar.

Walnut body

wenge/rosewood neck

emg 81/85 pups.

What do you guys think? Will it be to bright?

I have tried an basswood guitar with the emgs, and they where quite bright sounding.. actually that guitar sounded much brighter than my all maple guitar with the fernandes sustainer pups.

...so i became i little nervous about using them on my walnut guitar.

isnt Kirk Hammets guitar an all maple one??

we all know and love his tone, so it cant be that bad

Curtis

...i dont

I have build an all maple guitar. Sounds good, but maybe..i bit hars top. Im thinking of changing the neck to a mahogany/rosewood neck. Is the mahogany stable enough for a scalloped neck?

Does the maple top on guitar like the les Paul (among others), really affect the sound of the instrument..or is there just for the looks?

Hola amigo!

Que bueno bajo!

I like youre original body. Havent tried the bartolini preamp..but i think the pups can be a little feminin for my taste. Have heard good things about the dimarzios.

I guess you have lots of nice woods in Mexico?

What about an el-guitarron!!??

Odin

Suport Denmark

hahahaha. this thread is godin by odin. haaa...

Suport Denmark!

I have and it's just a thinline guitar... The same as say a thinline telecaster. Body has wood routed out and a top is put on. That's it.

I would like to build a guitar more or less like the Godin multiac (nylon)

Does anyone hva a clue how it is chambered?

Odin

Hi!

I have a Kahler bass tremolo. Bought it many years ago, but did not use it much.. I really dont remember how it was working (i was young and problably did not care to much about tuning probs or lack of sustain. If that was an issue:-)

Im thinking of using it on a bass im going to build these days, but im not shure yet. Have anyone tried it? Is it good? Sustain? Tuning? Compared to the hipshot..?

Odin

I would say it is a matter of taste. Many bass players prefers old strings, and some doesnt change before they break. Some player even use butter on the strings to make them sound more dead..The ones that always screams about changing strings every day is usually people that makes em, sells em or are sponsored in somekind of way.

Guitar strings may be a little different than bass (harder to keep in tune after a while etc).....either way, my advise is that you should change youre strings when you dont like to play on them anymore

Hi!

Im building a double neck bass. 8 string and fretless. To keep the weight to a minimum im interested in bying the hipshot ultralight tuners. Have anyone tried them? Do they work fine? im litle bit "less mass, less tone" person myself.. but i can imagine the weight of two necks with schaller tuners on my shoulders

The body is made of cherry...quite big, but /surprisingly) very lightweight.

The fretless on top will have the fernandes sustainer system, but without the humbucker. Emg jazz on both instruments.

The people at fernandes told me it would work on a bass. Any comments on that anyone?

Im going to post pics of the process.

Odin

..Erik, i have never seen a jazz with that pup config..? Bridge, neck (not bridge, middle)

I asked Rick Hunt at emg about it this issue. Heres his answer:

Hello

The only reason that your configuration hasn't been used before is because

of a guy named Leo Fender. Most bass builders still use Leo's

spacing/layout to this day.

Your neck pup will have a lot of warmth, and the bridge pup will be very

bright. Sounds cool!

Best Regards,

Rick Hunt

Technician

EMG Pickups, Inc.

...well i really like my walnut top ...and the bridge is a badass bridge ( like that one to) I think ill go for the "just use the drill" option. The mahogany i have used is heavy as hell...and i think maybe the bass will open up a litle if i remove some of it as well.

Im planning to build a fretless bass, and i would like to have one pup in neck position and the other at the bridge. Any reasons why theres not many basses built like that? exept for the Gibson sg and Rickenbacker..

Hi all you guitarbuilding friends!

I have just finished a mahogany/walnut bass (p-bass style) and its way to heavy

for my back. Im thinking of removing some wood from under the pickguard.. Will this affect the sound noteably? How much do you guys think i can remove?

Thanks!

Odin