Author Topic: Readers' Instruments (Read 166270 times)

bobb · « **Reply #350 on:** 19 December, 2020, 09:47:19 am »

Nice! That a Martin?

I have a couple of boards of genuine 5' x 2' x 3/4" Honduran Mahogany (it belonged to a friend of mine's dad). Of course you can't buy the stuff these days, so you gotta find it from other sources - knackered old furniture is a good start - especially when peope just think it's old shit and throw it in a skip without realising the value of the wood it's made from! This is what happened with what I've got.

I wasn't entirely sure what it was, so I took it to my tame timber merchant. He cut a slither off and with some inspection of grain and a sniff for good measure confrmed it was indeed the "real deal" as he put it.

There's enough to make the back and sides for at least two acoustics - possibly more if I can resaw it (or get somebody with a very expensive bandsaw to do it for me!) It should be ideal. It's perfectly quatersawn and completely flat. My mate says his dad also has a massive old Mahogany desk - the chunky legs of which will be perfect for neck blanks. The desk used to be in the office of some shipping magnate apparantly!

I'm going to build an acoustic using less exotic materials first to hone my skills, before using this stuff. Building acoustics is next level, so it's time I stepped up!

PaulF · « **Reply #351 on:** 19 December, 2020, 11:57:08 am »

Quote from: bobb on 19 December, 2020, 09:47:19 am

Nice! That a Martin?

Yes, a 00015-M. Was in my local Oxfam along with another Martin, a Gibson and a Yamaha. Mahogany is a great wood for a guitar, nice mellow tone to it. Good luck with the luthery; be interested to see the results.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #352 on:** 19 December, 2020, 03:12:30 pm »

Impressive, bobb. I built my own Tele in 2008 but it was basically an assembly job with no woodwork, using a Warmoth body and neck. It was a way to get something with the exact parts and look I wanted. The only "clever" bit I did myself was the 50s style Tele waterslide decal on the headstock, which needed applying and lacquering very, very carefully. I'm still amazed I didn't mess it up.

I didn't enjoy the wiring. A 40W iron isn't really powerful enough for the pots, which suck heat away.

hubner · « **Reply #353 on:** 21 December, 2020, 05:05:12 pm »

That's a lot of work, more than on a non through neck guitar.

Does it really say "Gibson" on the headstock?

bobb · « **Reply #354 on:** 21 December, 2020, 08:09:52 pm »

Quote from: hubner on 21 December, 2020, 05:05:12 pm

Does it really say "Gibson" on the headstock?

Yes, it does. I built it for a friend and it's what he wanted!

rogerzilla · « **Reply #355 on:** 22 December, 2020, 08:18:45 am »

I think a large percentage of custom guitars are mislabelled. It's only a problem if you come to sell it.

I saw an Epiphone '61 reissue SG years ago that had a Gibson headstock grafted onto it. This was presumably not a cheap job, but still a lot cheaper than a Gibson SG. A few Epiphone editions are as good as Gibsons.

bobb · « **Reply #356 on:** 22 December, 2020, 08:49:56 am »

I wouldn't have done it if it was for myself. The others I've built I've just left blank. When I'm finally happy with a design for a logo (using my initials or something) I'll go back and inlay them.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #357 on:** 22 December, 2020, 09:11:12 am »

Cool Hair Guitars?

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #358 on:** 22 December, 2020, 09:36:41 am »

Bobbson?

nicknack · « **Reply #359 on:** 22 December, 2020, 09:57:30 am »

Pink Hat Guitars?

IanDG · « **Reply #360 on:** 07 March, 2021, 07:28:58 pm »

Birthday present from Deanne and the kids

IMG_20210307_113905_490 by ian, on Flickr

nicknack · « **Reply #361 on:** 07 March, 2021, 08:05:32 pm »

Nice!

IanDG · « **Reply #362 on:** 07 March, 2021, 10:17:58 pm »

Quote from: road-runner on 07 March, 2021, 08:20:22 pm

Quote from: nicknack on 07 March, 2021, 08:05:32 pm
Nice!

Agreed!

What will it be plugged into, Ian?

I only have a cheap Thomann (Harley Benton) amp. Hence my boys' choice of semi-acoustic. I was playing my eldest son's electric bass in Stornoway but when I moved south he reclaimed it and I've been bass-less for 18 months. They got together and decided to rectify that for my birthday

PaulF · « **Reply #363 on:** 08 March, 2021, 05:59:26 am »

Very nice!

T42 · « **Reply #364 on:** 08 March, 2021, 08:32:50 am »

Very nice! What make is it, Ian? Flickr says the photo is private & I can't read it here.

bobb · « **Reply #365 on:** 08 March, 2021, 09:23:36 am »

Very nice looking bass. Looks like quite a short scale length?

T42 · « **Reply #366 on:** 08 March, 2021, 10:25:50 am »

Quote from: road-runner on 08 March, 2021, 09:15:02 am

Quote from: T42 on 08 March, 2021, 08:32:50 am
What make is it, Ian?

My name is not Ian but it looks to me like an Ibanez AFB.

Gotcha, ta.

I've have 200-300 euros' worth of hardware to build a bass over in the workshop for the last 3 years, but I've lost the motivation. Maybe I'll flog them.

IanDG · « **Reply #367 on:** 08 March, 2021, 03:46:46 pm »

Quote from: road-runner on 08 March, 2021, 09:15:02 am

Quote from: T42 on 08 March, 2021, 08:32:50 am
What make is it, Ian?

My name is not Ian but it looks to me like an Ibanez AFB.

It is - an Ibanez ABF 200 (sorry, changed status of photo on flickr)

IanDG · « **Reply #368 on:** 08 March, 2021, 04:31:57 pm »

Quote from: bobb on 08 March, 2021, 09:23:36 am

Very nice looking bass. Looks like quite a short scale length?

yes 30.3"

Woofage · « **Reply #369 on:** 08 March, 2021, 04:46:43 pm »

I have a similar bass, a full-scale Ibanez Artcore (single pickup version) that I inherited from my uncle*. It's a lovely instrument but the slight flaw is that the position of the bridge makes the neck seem *really* long. The short scale version shouldn't have this issue

.

* he was in a band that played at the first IoW Festival (TCTF).

PaulF · « **Reply #370 on:** 12 July, 2022, 06:33:33 pm »

Bit of a back story; when I started at senior school we had to learn an instrument. I wanted to play guitar but you had to buy the guitar rather than the other instruments which you could rent. As my parents were worried that I might give up they weren't prepared to commit so I tried the flute instead. That didn't go well, I could hardly get a sound out of it. I had a couple of guitars in my teens, a second hand classical which, as was seemingly compulsory for a teenager, I put steel strings on

and a 12 string. Come university I stopped playing and they were sold.

Fast forward 30 or so years and I'd restarted playing and my father announced that he wanted to "leave me some money early" so that he could see me enjoy it. So back in September I took a trip to Devon and a couple of weeks ago this arrived.

And watched over by Sauron when I play

So the small print for those that like that sort of thing, a "standard" Lyn, in as much as any Brook is a standard: 12 fret, slotted headstock, English Walnut back and sides, European spruce top, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard, bridge and pins.

Peter · « **Reply #371 on:** 12 July, 2022, 06:50:08 pm »

That's a really weird effect in the bottom picture, Paul: makes the shoulders look bigger than the hips! Enjoy it!

PaulF · « **Reply #372 on:** 12 July, 2022, 06:53:41 pm »

Quote from: Peter on 12 July, 2022, 06:50:08 pm

That's a really weird effect in the bottom picture, Paul: makes the shoulders look bigger than the hips! Enjoy it!

Hadn’t noticed that before! But I am enjoying it

pcolbeck · « **Reply #373 on:** 19 July, 2022, 01:42:57 pm »

Wow a Brook !

You are a lucky man.

PaulF · « **Reply #374 on:** 19 July, 2022, 03:23:52 pm »

Quote from: pcolbeck on 19 July, 2022, 01:42:57 pm

Wow a Brook !

You are a lucky man.

Yes, they make wonderful instruments and great people to deal with.