Dave M

Hi Brian, I tried sending an E-Mail through the website too. (A couple of days ago) I don't know if you got it or not. I am also interested in a couple of pickups. Dave dmanley@i2k.com

I have them on a boltneck guitar. They are pretty nice to play on, but they chew through strings in a hurry.

I have seen purpleheart necks before, so I know it can be done. I even saw one with a flatsawn purpleheart fretboard, on a Quartersawn purpleheart neck. I got to play that one, and it felt really nice. A bit thinner than I like my necks, but it had a great feel. I might try using it for my next project, but currently, I have no experience with it.

I am always looking through guitar auctions on E-bay. I am starting to save the pictures from some of them onto a CD. This gives me a reference for my restorations, and scratchbuilt projects. I am getting a decent collection of Tele pics. Many sellers of high end guitars take a lot of pics, and show every part of the guitar. Photos of bodies, necks, and electronic parts are useful for reference too. especially when having to scratchbuild a replacement part. (Lots of "Naked" bodies are also pictured, which show the routing patterns) There was a '74 Tele custom that just sold for Four grand, that had over twenty great pics. The guitar was pristine, and even the tags and paperwork were there. (Look up Time Capsule) If I ever build a Custom, I now have the perfect reference. I also am collecting some "Oddball" guitars this way. You never know when they can inspire a project. I am actually thinking of building a Martin E-18 Copy someday, with my own twists, of course. I have the perfect pieces of wood ready to go into it... If you get really good, some of the head on shots could be scanned into a graphics or cad program, and serve as the basis for a blueprint. This is how I will probably make a body pattern for the E-18, if I build it. Just thinking out loud again... p.s. I am copying the pics strictly for personal use, so I should be okay with the law.

One thing Ilearned the hard way about steel wool... Tape over your pickups before using it. a tiny little strand will stick to them, and will probably work down where you can't reach it, and it will cause some stange noises as it vibrates! Other than that, steel wool is probably the way to go.

I use Plasticote, and Duplicolor automotive touchup paints too. some great colors, and they behave well for me. They are also pretty durable, but they are thicker than nitro laquer.

Great tip Brian! Better yet, make friends with the body shop guy, and get to use his spraybooth, or even get the paint applied when he is painting a car, or part. I am a dirt track racer in the summer. Our local shop sponsors a couple of racers, and keeps touching up their cars through the season. I really liked the color of a Modified running at the track, so I talked him into shooting a few coats on a Strat, while he was doing a new hood and roof after a wreck. All was well until the driver saw it, and ended up liking it too. I ended up selling it to him, and his kid plays it now. (I've seen him gigging with it, it looks great, and sounds fantastic... Although that may be talent, more than the guitar)

I've seen a couple of asian made acoustics with whammys on them. They were dogs. The heavy whammy killed tone, ,and didn't transfer it to the top of the instrument. They were okay, only with a pickup installed, then they just became an electric guitar, with a big body, and feedback problems. Remember too, that your volume drops dramatically when you push down on the whammy. Less string tension takes away some of the punch and sustain too, so the acoustic usually falls on its face under whammy playing. Sounds like you already have a unique instrument. I would go with an acoustic bridge, and jem out... I mean Jam on!

Thanks Soapbar, I'll look that issue up. I have used the drill bits you are talking about. My other hobbies include model car building, and Peanut scale flying models. I have drilled out many model car distributors and heads for spark plug wires with #80 bits! I break them too! Thanks again, Dave

I am using a new Porter Cable 1 3/4 hp router that I got for Christmas. I had only used a router a few times before this, mostly in a shop I worked at. I did have a Dremel router, and a lam trimmer, for cutting binding channels. Since I do this for relaxation, I have followed a mostly neanderthal approach to my woodworking, favoring hand tools over power tools. I have no problems routing the cavities, and neck pockets, and the like, and I have both the fixed, and plunge bases. The glitch came when I decided to use a larger, 1/2 " roundover bit to round off the body edges on my latest axe. The bit was just a bit bigger than the hole in the baseplate fo the router. I know there are all kinds of replacement bases out there for these things. Do I just get a plate with a bigger hole, and go for it, or is there a reason for the small hole on the baseplate? Is there any reason I can't make one out of acrylic, and do it myself? Where would I find one? The instructions say not to use any bit over 2 and some fraction (I can't remember exactly what it was now) inches, but this bit was nowhere near that. Am I limited to using these bits in a table mounting? Sorry for the newbie qiestions, but I mostly work with metal at work. Thaks for the help, Dave

I did the plywood pedalboard thing, but I then took another peice of plywood, screwed 2X4s to the sides of it, and put guitar case latches on it. after the gig, I took the makeshift cover, and latched it onto the pedalboard. Never had smashed up knobs, and busted cable connectors on my pedals after that.

'72 Tele Custom Club forum Not going for the sauce here, but still finding some interesting links. This is the forum of a '72 Telecaster Custom club. They are actually for any Tele Custom from '72 or later, including all of the reissues. (The funky Teles with the NECK humbuckers, and the micro tilt necks) It's a niche site, but kind of cool.

Telecaster Discussion Page Reissue TDPRI You have to register to view the messages, but it's worth it. They also have a Tele Tech page, a Strat section, bass page, and amp page.

Pickup Makers Forum For people who wind their own pickups.

Kronosonic Kronosonic boards. Moderated by "Infinite Ego" (Some tech questions, home recording) Lots of popups to navigate though.