Guitar Projects

After building the maple/walnut Tele, I decided I needed another rosewood necked guitar in my life, I troubled GSPBASSES with my idea for a hardtail (same Schaller bridge as on the Tele) Strat style guitar, with a fancy top (once I saw the Koa top, I had to have it!) routed for a P90 and humbucker with a rosewood neck that had a 70's style large headstock. This is how it arrived with me As per the Tele, the plan was to finish with Eze oil and wax for a smooth natural looking finish. Before oiling, the neck was sent off to Rothko and Frost to have my signature CNC'd (abalone again) into the headstock. With the neck away, I started oiling the body. I sanded the body smooth first then set to work Once the first coat of oil was ...

I'd wanted to put together a Jazzmaster guitar for a while, but had a few false starts, I then got offered a 'B grade' JM kit from GSPBASSES at a price it was impossible to ignore. I knew already I wanted the guitar to be 'Surfburst' having seen an aged/relic'd version in Coda music while doing conga lessons, I then found some images of original ones. Rather than use the standard not so great bridge, I opted for a roller bridge from Wilkinson, this meant that I would have to modify the pickguard and enlarge the bridge holes in the body. I went for a relatively cheap trem as I'm not planning on using the trem much, ordered a parchment pickguard from eBay, then drilled out the holes that secured the trem and guard to the body. I then had to drill out the bridge post holes and enla...

November 17th 2016 When I saw that GSPBASSES (on theFretboard forum) had made a solid rosewood neck, I had to have one :) I've had it a couple of months now, it's a thing of beauty: So with this beautiful neck, I needed something special to go with it. I'd found a body in the states that I liked the look of, so tasked Graham with making something similar, but routed for a neck P90 and bridge humbucker. Was working out what bridge to get and it turned out Graham had something in stock for me I spec'd it with Grahams easy access neck pocket and a belly carve, it turned up yesterday and it really is a thing of beauty!   Both of them together Next steps, aquire some EZE Oil - turns out there is a Morrells very close by. Decide on the pickups, send the neck off for the cu...

May 12th 2016 Won't be properly starting this one until the V is finished, but the body and neck from GSPBASSES arrived yesterday The plan is to make a 79' Style 'Super Strat' guitar, target burst with a "closet classic" type finish, so some checking and hopefully slightly darker lacquer. Guitar kit is a European flame ash body routed for SSH and a large headstock neck with rosewood 'board. First purchases will be neck plate and screws, black SSH guard and trem May 14th 2016 First job done today, rolled fretboard Big fan of how they feel, so set to work with a large and small screwdriver. Before (lovely crisp edges as you'd expect from GSP) After June 1st 2016 Decal arrived today June 18th 2016 Bit more progress...

April 30th 2015 Following on from the success of the Explorer project and having a spare Chloe inlay, I felt I had no choice ? Same kind of specs as the explorer: 7 ply binding on the body White binding on the neck Ebony board with block inlays Ebony overlay on the headstock with 5 ply binding TOM bridge and Stop tail piece setup It’s again going to be Alpine White with gold hardware, pickups etc.. yet to be decided, I think Ash (Oil City Pickups) might be hearing from me again though I’ll not bother ordering up tuners etc.. before the kit turns up, which I suspect is 6 weeks+ away, the project will be a slow burner too, I’m saving any spare money (Ha!) for a house deposit. Anyway, this is the current mockup, I really don’t like the official Gibson Custom V look, so having a go at wh...