Heading In A Direction

Well, one of the things I've spent ages agonising over, over the last few months is headstocks. I know, I really should get one.

Why? You may ask, if you are truly so bored, and I guess it is because with my new look at the worlde of Jookiness, it seemed a good idea to have my own headstock shape. But it is really tricky to think of something original that doesn't looks pants or just different for it's own sake, and so I haven't got so very far.

In fact as far as the Classics and Customs go, they will usually have licensed Fender necks, so I'll go with the flow on them, but I still want them to stand out to some extent, so I have been playing around with alternatives in other ways. And basically, I think I have crackled it now, as I know what I'm going to do.

And in the end the answer was quite simple. The Customs will now have a bronze painted headstock, whilst the Classics will have copper. The Juniors, well they will be a little different but probably matching the body. And to really capture the vibe I am going to leave them unfettled by finish so like a statue they will corrode over time and generally look pretty cool I think.

I should really show you a foto, of one or two I prepared earlier, shouldn't I?

La la laaaa

The Future Sound of Jookyland

Well, I've mentioned a few times that I've spent the summer dreaming-it-all-up-again, and I think I am just about there now. Just the insignificant and boring, trifling even, part where I make it happen, to do.

Hmmm.

As the regular reader will know, over the last few years I've constantly changed the way I do things - initially it was all about 'found art' and recycling, then a mixture of old and new parts and more recently new parts with the quality of these improving all the time. And I'm really happy about that, although I must  admit I still enjoy finding parts and seeing what I can make.

Anyway, going forward I have been trying to find a way where I can co-habit these splintered and diverse needs (psychoses?)  and I think I have finally developed a plot  and a plan. And the plan that I've plotted is that from the Autumn, I'll split Jookyland into three or four provinces, each of which are not at all designed for customer satisfaction or desire, but instead aimed solely at making me a happier person. I am nothing if not utterly self-absorbed and selfish, let's face it. If I was trying to please you and make money I'd spend my waking hours turning out Butterscotch Teles. And I'm not a butterscotch type of chap.

So, Jookyland is devolving, although still under the dictatorial boot of yours truly, which is of course how all good devolution works.

So how will it look?
I'm glad you asked as I was talking meself into a corner. Well, it is pretty exciting as I see it being:

1. Jooky Customs
These are going to be the cream of the gold top, and will be limited to a few 'types' or god forbid, styles.

I will be making these to order from the best possible parts, all of course with stunningly cool Jooky finishes.
This will be the first thing you see appear as I make some examples in September and October and open an order book of all things.

2. Jooky Classics
These will be the old school Jookies and I will make them as and when I feel like it, from whatever parts come to hand. There won't be many but they will be fun, for me if nobody else.

3. Strappado Bodies
I really liked doing these and they went down well, so I'm going to aim to have a few of these available at any one time. I love the idea that people can make their own guitar with a Jookified finish and they are fun to do of course.

4. Jooky Juniors
This is still being planned at the moment, but I  want to do something cheaper and trashy and superbly cool and this will be it. I love the whole lo-fi thing, and Danelectros and Airlines, Mosrites and the rest are all supremely cool, and I think a series of Jookies in that vein would be lovely to be beholden by.

So will this happen?
I'm glad you asked that too, but yes, I think it will. There are other things changing too - the mythical web site to support and explain all this is nigh on done - and generally I think it is about time that the whole Jooky doctrine on life and love got a bit easier to understand.

So there we are. That might make no sense at the moment, but it is what has been driving me m-m-m-mad for months and at least now that I've said it, it will force me to get on with it...

La la laaaaa