Carl's guitar project.

[warpedbored]

Carl, I've got the perfect song for you to play on that thar beautiful geetar. I have been practicing the words to this song and almost have it down pat even though I can't carry a note in a 55 gallon drum. If'n you will just keep the strummin' going without laughin' at me too much I think we'll have a hit.

 

This song is one of my favorites of all time, and sung by a guy I idolized as a kid. Why he took an Elvis song and kicked ol' Pelvis Elvis to the curb with his dynamic singin' voice which would have the women swooning and throwing their underwear on stage like we were at a ban the bra convention.. I've got me a few years of practice in at this point and I have a feelin' you and I could go on the road with our act. In that event I've even bought myself a Pee Wee Herman look alike suit so that folks would easily tell that this was serious stuff.

 

Here's the song, get yoreself some more strangs on that beautiful geetar and start practicing. I'll fly out to Portland and we'll git down to some serious rehearsin'. You and I is going places buddy, and I mean well beyond the funny farm....hopefully. What with yore fancy pickin' n' ah grinnin' and my hip shakin' n' smooth woman tantalizin' voice accompanying you the sky is the limit....well beyond pigs in space so to speak. Only potential problem I can see is if'n our wimmin folk is okay with us'in travelin' around and performin' with a bunch of star struck wimmin throwin' their clothes at us onstage.

 

 

tsap seui

 

I'm both proud and in awe of your craftsmanship Carl. Not many folks could done what you have done with this project. That geetar is indeed a work of art.

I think you're onto something there Ronny. The stage would be littered with panties for sure.

[warpedbored]

Tonight after work I got the nut ready to put on, slotted and ready for set up. I'll have to zero in on the height above the frets once the saddle is done and it's strung up. Not much longer now.

http://oi42.tinypic.com/2vbpmjn.jpg

[Oldfriend]

You sir are a home wrecker.

Oh you act all innocent and everything, but you are devious nonetheless.

You know damn well that every time something goes just the least bit haywire,

I think, "What am I doing this for? I got a good buddy who's a Luthier fer Christ sake!

I could be out there in Portland learning the trade and experiencing that all mighty cosmic

Warpedbored vibe! Shit"

So watch yer step mister and don't be surprised if one day . . .

[knloregon]

What most CLers don't know is that we in Portland are at the tail end of very stable warm, dry weather, and I have to speculate, that must be pretty good for Carl's guitar. Certainly any residual moisture or resin glue etc. off gassing was facilitated in the last several weeks in Portland. Pretty exciting to anticipate the results, hope Carl can get it in the hands of an accomplished musician for a test run..

[warpedbored]

I can play it myself Kim. I'm not all that good but I don't need anyone to test it for me. You're right about the recent weather though. It's been perfect for letting the lacquer cure. Today I made the saddle and strung it up. I played it for a little while, man it's loud. I should be able to hold my own when I play with my brother and his banjo. It sounds great. I'm going to let it set a few days while it does whatever moving it will do then start setting the action, neck relief and saddle compensation.

http://oi42.tinypic.com/rix4wl.jpghttp://oi42.tinypic.com/2eulp3o.jpg

[Randy W]

Results, man! We need some RESULTS here! Got your web cam ready? We're all invited to the encore performance, right?

[tsap seui]

Lord God Carl, that is a purdy piece of art you done made.

 

I been practicin' my sangin'....well, until the police got called the other night cause the neighbors got tired of the dogs bayin' all night like they had treed a skunk. Dern dogs, they ain't got no sense of operatic accomplishment. I still got drams of us on a panty laden stage as we tour America....people in awe of your geetar and yore playin', me with rotten tomatoes smashed all over my dayglo green leisure suit as I sing about blue Christmas n' sech.

 

tsap seui

[warpedbored]

Lord God Carl, that is a purdy piece of art you done made.

 

I been practicin' my sangin'....well, until the police got called the other night cause the neighbors got tired of the dogs bayin' all night like they had treed a skunk. Dern dogs, they ain't got no sense of operatic accomplishment. I still got drams of us on a panty laden stage as we tour America....people in awe of your geetar and yore playin', me with rotten tomatoes smashed all over my dayglo green leisure suit as I sing about blue Christmas n' sech.

 

tsap seui

But once I come out on the stage in my tie dye cowboy shirt, cut off jeans with my boxer shorts hanging out the bottom, cowboy boots, cowboy hat and ponytail, the unmentionables will be falling like rain from the sky.

[knloregon]

It really is beautiful, but to borrow an expression from the distiller's trade; the 'Maker's Mark' is in the sound.

 

Hopefully that will win a wide audience, so Carl can make good use of all that he has developed in the last two years.

[warpedbored]

I must be living right. Either that or beginner's luck is on my side. First thing I checked the neck relief by holding down the 1st and 14th frets and checking the gap under the 6th and 7th frets. You should be able to just barely slide a skinny business card underneath. Perfect, no adjustment necessary. Next I checked the action on the first fret. I already knew that was high so I got out my high dollar trusty nut files. These I bought from a luthier supply place online. They're gauged from .010 to .056. I bought them specifically for the gauge of strings I like. I filed the nut slots down to where the base side is about 1/64th" above the 1st fret on the bass side and just a skosh above the 1st fret on the treble side. I got one just a tad deep. There's an easy fix for that should any of you want to reset the action on your own guitars and make the same mistake. You just sprinkle a little baking soda in the nut slot and with a toothpick put a little bit of thin CA glue inside, let it set up then refile the slot. Next I checked the string height at the 12th fret with the first fret down. It was good. Lastly I checked the intonation by playing the harmonic at the 12th fret then the note at the 12th fret to see if they match. Four of the strings were perfect. Two are just a tiny bit sharp. I decided to hold off on filing the saddle for now and letting the strings stretch and the guitar to settle in. It's very playable now and sounds great. My fingers hurt from playing it with action too high and being out of shape but that willl pass. Over all I'm very satisfied with my first guitar. I'm ready to get moving in earnest on guitar 2 which will be a gift for my best friend.

[Oldfriend]

[Mick]

It has been such a great experience to follow this project from start to finish. I learned a lot as I watched the guitar slowly take shape. Thanks so much for sharing this with us, Carl.

[knloregon]

"I'm ready to get moving in earnest on guitar 2 which will be a gift for my best friend. "

 

Well, Carl, since you now have all the specialized tools and jigs set up --- Hope you now start several instruments at once. You are not a young man to be entering this craft, and after all, even Stradivarious was a multigenerational, somewhat massed produced workshop. If you are producing exceptional guitars, makes sense to me put them into as many skilled musician's hands as possible.

[Oldfriend]

Carl,

You gonna have that thing tuned up and running by September?

[warpedbored]

Carl,

You gonna have that thing tuned up and running by September?

I'm playing it now. It sounds great. I may adjust the saddle compensation a little but it's so close now I may not bother.