Introducing:The AlcmanOne

Well, as with everything in Jookyland, it has taken a wee while longer than hoped, but I am pleased and vaguely astonished to be introducing to you to the rather spiffy and cool, The Alcman One.

And as the regular viewer will know, this is a Jazzmaster style offering, with a two-part alder body that has been lovingly finished in Daphne Blue nitro cellulose lacquer and not-so-lovingly defiled so it is knocked and chipped and crazed like a moon worshiping loon milliner.

The neck is a rather beautiful maple/rosewood jobby with binding and blocks in all the old familiar places, and some super uber neatoid Sperzel Trim-Lok tuners keeping everything on the straight and narrow.

The sparky among you will also note with glee filled gazes that this is the first Jooky to have one of the utterly wicked new logo badge things on the headstock, that those nice people at Custom CoolEtch are making for me. I've said it before by Jane CoolEtch is a demon artist and I am humbled.

The tremolo is ye olde Fender jobby and it currently boasts a Jazzmaster bridge but will instead be annoyingly brag-filled about having one of those classy Staytrem lovelies instead.

I also remembered to put the strap pins on before taking the fotos this time, which makes a pleasant change.

The final flourish and rather wowsome thing at that, is the gorgeous Mojo Pickups, Teisco style Gold Foil pickups which (without all humility) are quite brilliant and look amazing. I've put Gold Foils on Jazzmasters before of course, so know how good they sound, but they were jazzmasterified and I think these add a certain something more. OK, I don't mind  admitting that I have totally ripped the idea off from Mr Mojo himself, which makes me a genius I guess.

Of course, I've also gone for the Mojo wiring loom with top notch CTS pots, Switchcraft switches and Jack, PIO caps and Mojo laden cloth covered wire, which looks amazing (even if you'll have to trust me on that) but will of course last for decades with no bother.

And plugging this wee monster in is instant vacant grin and a little bit of dribble. I feel like Johnny Marr but obviously being from Birmingham, with a more cultured accent. (Don't laugh, try reading Shakespeare with a Brummy accent, it makes so much more sense).

But there we are, The Alcman One, which unfortunately is already taken and I guess that means I'll have to make something else now as I love it love it love it.

La la laaaa

p.s. I may be a little over-excited, apologies.

WIP: The Alcman One

Well, got up this morning needing to get on with something, so I dived straight into my little box of Mojo goodliness, and grabbed the pair of Gold Foils and loom for The Alcman One.

Everybody needs a Jazzmaster on a Sunday morning.

As you can see, Alkie is a rather wondrous Daphne Blue Nitro jobby, complete with some lovely dinks and lacquer craziness, and for once it has strap pins engaged.

I really fancied proper Teisco looking Mojo Gold Foils in a Jazzmaster as they look stupendous, but this presents a few challenges as far as fitting them goes, so I've used some fibreboard for them to sit on and amazingly it worked great. Sorry about the shonky fotos, but it really does look cool.

As for the rest, I've used one of the last of my blocked and bound necks, which looks proper pukka and all Fender parts for everything else really.



As for what is left to do, well it is all at the headstock end as it needs the Sperzels banging in along with the string bar thingy, logo and headstock painting, but other than that...tis lovely.

I think tomorrow will see me splashing metal paints and acid around the gaff, but then...who can really say what tomorrow will have to say about it all.

La la laaa

Saturday is Mojo Day

Mojo Pickups and loom for The Fretboard One
Sexy as Sin

Well, an early morning knock of the door here at the Palace d'Jook saw a flustered postie lady looking, well,  flustered as she handed over a large white box.

I love it when piles of Mojo pickups arrive as they are always so groovy.

First out of the box were a set of Mr Mojo's Authentic Vintage Dano Lipstick Pickups, along with a nice wiring loom and all the usual funky caps and pots. These of course are going into #1 Bratskis sparkly Gecko Strat and a quick plonk together shows them to be well funky. I may change the scratchplate, as the golden anodised metal one needs the holes for the pickups widening, and I quite fancy going for maximum wow and getting Custom Cool Etch to make one of their wonders instead. We'll see though as I'm not sure my boy will want to be waiting much longer.

Next of course, are the pickups and loom for The Fretboard One. A Tele bridge pickup with a Gold Foil for the neck duties. This ia actually well on it's way now, just need to finish the finish and we'll be in clover.

Incidentally, this is the guitar that will be randomly given to a supporter of the Fretboard forum - and you still have time to  stake a claim and join the place and make a small donation toward their running costs. It is going to be quite a monster with it's hand made body, bound and blocked neck, Sperzel tuners, Callaham bridge and the aforementioned Mojo Handwound pickups.Don't miss out -  All the Gen Here.

The third pile of goodliness in that there box was if anything more exciting. This is of course a little closer to my heart, as it is a Jazzmaster wiring loom complete with a pair of Mojo Teisco style Gold Foil pickups, which will find a home nailed to the front of The Alcman One. I think this could be something rather special and I am hoping that tomorrow may see a final introductiion on that one.

Speaking of introductions, I still haven't taken some snaps or The Sally James and Diamond Shiny Ones to share with the world, so I should probably do that too.

Anyway...

La la laaaa

Thank You For The Musae

Well, I  hope you did better out of Santa than I did - a 20 year old Boss Multi-fx was the highlight in the end with a delay 'pedal' aspect with RSI. But whether you did or not (and I do care, most sincerely) I am thinking that here in Jookyland, 2014 is going to be fun.

Obviously I got messed about by couriers over Xmas, so The Jamis Vu and Trojan Ones are still here, all boxed-up and ready to go, and The Travellin' Man One has slipped off the radar - which I'm guessing means U.S Customs are taking it to pieces, but they should resolve soon enough. I just hope there are no controlled explosions - those dynamite PIO caps are always a worry.

And going forward, I need to:

1. Find the camera so that,

2. I can introduce you to the newly finished The Diamond Shiny and Sally James Ones, which are each and every way glorious.

And glorious they are.

The Gold Foil/Charlie Christian-esque Mojo pickups in the Tele are genius (not mine obviously, some geezer in Halifax) and I am rather in love with my Mustang Sally.

Next of course I have The Lingering Honey One, which just needs a groovy CoolEtched scratchplate, The Speedbump laden The 668 One, which unfortunately seems to have the HB routing in the wrong place so I need to get brave and cut some wood (which is disappointing, I have to admit) and well, the others on the list.

As I am Jazzmasterless again, I'm stealing a chapter from Mr Mojo's book, and doing myself one, with a pair of proper Teisco style Gold Foils.

And this I am rather excited about. I have a lovely Daphne Blue Jazzmaster body, suitably aged and lacquer crazed, one of my delish blocked and bound necks, the Mojo Gold Foils and loom to come shortly, and a set of Sperzels and I'm ready to go. This will genuinely be a keeper, no honest, although I must admit I did open up The Jamais Vu One earlier and instantly regretted not keeping that one too. But anyway, The Alcman One should be rather groovy indeedy.

But looking forward, I think 2014 will be rather offset in the Jooky Classic department, and if things work out as hoped a few sets of Juniors too. I'm hoping that some set necked Juniors and top notch Les Paul style thingies will also happen, but we'll have to see.

For the first time I've made less guitars this year than last due to my rather extended summer break, but it has been worthwhile I think as the world is straighter in my head.

Yadda yadda yadddaa...

But there we are, Happy new year and thanks for sticking around to read this drivel.

La la laaaaa