Getting Short With The World

Well, so much for a nocturn de soldering, should have known that was unlikely. but then if I wasn't able to convince myself of the unlikely, where would we be now?

I don't know in truth, but it might have been warmer.

Anyway, we're into the last day of the holibobs and it is looking more than likely that I won't finish anything at all. Which is annoying considering how close I am on a couple of them, but there we are.

The BDSM One is still god-knows-where-but-not-where-it-should-be according to UPS as well, which is all tres bugging. Remind me not to do the export thing again. The balance of payments is somebody else's problem from now on.

As soldering today is probably not going to happen (note the 'probably' - it is that spark of hope again, the one that kills me everytime), I'm going to start on the body of The Kooky One. The paisley is likely to be turned into a cuddly Judas if I don't do something with it soon.

In other news, I've got a little travel guitar coming this way next week. It is a Hofner Shorty, which looks fun. I don't think it will end-up Jookified (but who really ever knows..?) and I have half an eye on the brats being allowed to play it so that they don't come near my Jazzymistress anymore, but we'll see. It'll no doubt be defiled before too long, most things are after all. Might have to put a P90 in it though, as you do.

So in summary, I'm all a bit on the glum side of despondent island at the end of this fortnight, but next week, man am I going to be productive. It's going to be amazing, just you wait and see.

No really, I mean it, there will be so much stuff going on, well, your boggle will barely be able to mind it.

Just not today, it seems, oh well...
La la laaa

Tiswas Day

Hmm..battered veneer on my Coronado...Maybe?

Well, bit of a clamped squid of an end to the week. Nothing showed-up of any use, and apart from playing with the frets and rather dry fretboard of The Tatty Adonis One there hasn't been too much to distract me. I just know that everything I've been waiting for will arrive first thing on Monday morning when I have a fortnight to look-but-don't-touch.

But what can you do?

CCCRRRYYY III TTTEEELLL TTTHHHEEEEEEEEE

Phew, that's better.

So where am I?

1. The Fabulous One - Body coming from Mojo-land, rest of the bits here already, just need to add a bit of bottle and make some sawdust. (There may be a touch more to it than that.) Half tempted to put a veneer on it after seeing this piccy, mind.

2. The Ronin One - Got it all, just need to drill new bridge post holes, which I will do if the drill and plug cutter things ever arrive from La la land.

3. The Tatty Adonis One - Wiring from Mojo and a pile of other bits on their merry way too. Like I said, this is the-official-holibob-build, so with a bit of luck there might be something to see by Good Friday. (Why is it called Good Friday when the nailed him up? Never understood that...)

4. Chopping wood - waiting for router bits, some clamps and a child-free-environment, but I think it will be a while before I actually produce a body that could be usable, has to be said. Though man, once I get the hang of this, there is going to be some seriously weird shit going down. (ahem, well probably.)

Yep. think that is about it.

After that, who knows. I have still got some walnut burr veneer that I intended to put on a Tele, so that will probably happen sooner or later, and I fancy doing a proper Esquire, so that could tie together nicely. If The Fabulous One doesn't get Burred first. I've always cheated and hidden a stealthy neck pickup, but it would be nice to do-it-proper for once. Maybe walnut and paisley, Hmmm, who can say. I seem to have reawakened my paisley muse, for the odd and special occasion, but it's all about finding the fabric, man, dontchaknow....

But that is then, and yesterday finished with a no-show on the courier front before taking #1 Son to his first Rugby match. I think the last time I went was, ooh, thirty years ago or more, and I was a bit surprised to find that they don't pass humbugs around and sing roll out the barrel anymore.

A tootle and a blip.

La la laaa

Getting Tatty On It

My Daughter Helped Me With The Fotos Today

Well, young Marc at Mojo is doing me proud. I've got a couple of wiring thingies coming as well as the Coronado body for The Fabulous One, so that is back in the realms of possibility again, assuming I can find the courage to chop the pickup and control holes in it.

I think I said before that I'd got a nice Maple/Maple Strat neck for it, and a chunky looking trapeze tailpiece too. For the bridge I'm going for one of those ABR or Nashville ones stuck to a bit of rosewood, dead classy like. On the pickup I think it will be a dogear Bare Knuckle P90, though I came across some lovely old Burns ones for sale (or NOS ones anyway) and I'm tempted by those. Just have to see how it feels, I guess.

Elsewhere, The Tatty Adonis One is dry and looking rather swish, I'm really rather pleased with the mix of bronze and copper and aceeeedificated degradation.

Takes all sorts,
I realise that.

I'm still waiting for the proper scratchplate and well, just about everything else, but as I've got another tortie plate around I thought I could give you a bit of a scamp of an artistically challenged impresh.

It's what friends are for, after all.

Other than that, I'm doing my usual bit for the balance of payments, and packing up The BDSM One which is off to a new home in the sun in Greece. Assuming all the usual bobbins about couriers and the rest. All of which means I'm back to being Jookiless again :o(

Better get me finger out then

La la laaa

Grandad Dog Rescues Jooky
If Only

Captain Grandad Pig Pilots Like A Whale

Pigs Over-bored

Finale

Teardrops of a Clown

A Chunk of Wood

Well, another day, and another selection of courier types to hang around in wait of.

So I was going to plot the finer details of The Tatty Adonis One, and lay them out before you like pearls (no offence), when a great chunk of wood arrived and I got sidetracked by blinding ambish.

But what to do..

First thought, maybe a Ricky 620 shaped thingy?

But the wood was too small for that. I really should measure these things.

Then I thought - a Vox Teardrop.

And that looked good.

So do I do a Tele pickup/bridge etc. ?

Maybe

Or even a P90 and a humbucker?

Too Small for Ricky - Shame

Hard to say.

Still, I think I'll wait for the neck before I get too carried away, I'd hate to mess up the bridge placement and all that.

(Man I'm on old pro' - slap the warpaint on and off I go).

But the UPS chappy just arrived and took The Foxy Roxy One Dave-wards. Blimey.





That interrupted the flow.


Where was I? Oh yeah...

So that is good.

As for The Tatty Adonis One, the front and back are drying for the day, but look rather swish, although worryingly, there is something-of-the-swirl about them..

Just Right for a Teardrop - Huzzah

As for the rest of the bobbins -

1. Maple/Rosewood Stratish neck

2. Wilkinson Steel Blocked Trem thingy for mucho zinginess and sustain

3. Single humbucker at the bridge. Not quite sure what yet, but there we are. I want something bright and sunny, I think. I may well use the Gretsch one, as the neck one was rather lovely in The BDSM One. Hmmm...

4. Tuners - I've really liked the Wilkinson pre-aged Rotomatic types, so I'm going with them as they are my new favourites.

This week anyway.

5. Scratchplate - I am really tempted to go for a nice torty one, just for a change. It is either that or something to match the body. Mr Mojo is doing me a wiring loom, which is all cool and means the guitar will work, always a bonus.

As for when - well, it is Easter holibobs for a fortnight after tomorrow, so The Tatty Adonis One might have to be my holiday 'treat'. chopping wood will have to wait until I can be alone. By which time hopefully all of the tooly stuff will have arrived...and I might even get the Ronin One bridged up and ready to go.

Got to pack The BDSM One up now though, as it is off to Greece in the morning (well, another day of courierdom to look forward to, I guess.)

La la laaa

Sold: The BDSM One

Bringing together a lot of Jooky themes, The BDSM One features a stunning paisley finish, with a walnut burr and rust veneer on the scratchplate – but that doesn’t even begin to scratch the well worn surface.

Pickups are a one-off handwound prototype Jazzmaster pickup at the bridge, made in the UK by Mojo Pickups. This gives a fantastic and thick single coil sound with a deeper darkness that you can’t find with any other type of pickup. At the neck is a Gretsch humbucker, taken from a 5120 and gives a fantastic lead sound. Mixed they are just something else.

The tremolo and bridge block are from a ‘70s MIJ Strat and features a solid brass block which rings and sustains magnificently.

Elsewhere aged Wilkinson tuners are rock solid and the neck is a nice hand-filling piece of wood that boasts a low, yet buzz free action. This feels like a proper guitar, sounds unique and looks amazing. Gretsch branded pickup cover and knobs add a touch of class.

*


To be clear, The BDSM One is an utterly unique guitar, and there will never, ever, be another made. It is signed and numbered, entirely hand built and finished cooler than a slo-mo run across the pebbled beach at Portishead. There will genuinely never be another guitar like this and past experience suggests that it won’t be around for long.

*** SOLD ***

Technical Stuff:

Type: Leona's Groovy Guitar - Vera Veneer - Cilla's Rusty Iron

Electrics: Mojo Pickups Jazzmaster, Gretsch Humbucker

Guitar Type: Fender Stratocaster

Construction: Wood body, maple/rosewood neck, Fabric, walnut veneer and rusted iron finish

Strings: Nickel 10s

Output: ¼” Guitar Lead

Controls: Volume, Tone, 3-way-switch

Special Stuff: Certificate of Authenticity, Builder Signed and Numbered, All Wrapped with our Trademark Jooky Wrapping.

Serial Number: JGE#49

RSP: £799

That Was The Week That Sorta Happened

Well, that were quite a productive week, that was.

I'm really rather chuffed with The Dust My Broom One, and glad that I didn't go the EMG route in the end. I don't think I'm cut out for such blatant modernity and despite sounding like a Mojo fanboi recently, the pickups are truly awesome, so no apologies for the religious zeal.. Or to the neighbours and their colicky baby. It keeps me away all night, so I'm just returning the favour in the daily-lit hours

*sniff*

The BDSM One too is a rather stunning guitar to play - I don't think I've ever played a Strat that lets you glide around the neck quite so easily. I could get used to this low action bobbins, I never thought it would catch on.

I must be getting old.

I am totally loving the pickups on this one also, The Gretsch 'bucker is excellent. Nice and twangy clean as you'd expect, but a great hot tone too I've got a matching bridge pickup which I'll have to find a home for sometime soon.

The Mojo Jazzmaster pickup, in this guitar at least, has a lot of the P90 to it, which is very cool indeed, as well as *that* darkness I've always loved.. It came as a bit of a surprise, but there is such a rich range of tones I have to say I can't really believe my luck.

I spoke to Marc about it and we're coming down to different environmental factors - the wood of the guitar, the wiring/capacitor, the fact it is raining, American primaries are on and England don't have a manager and people are still talking about Roy Hodgson - to explain the difference in sound between this and what is pretty much the same pickup in my Jazzmaster.

Don't get me wrong it sounds brilliant, just different, which is no bad thing, of course.

Whatever the cause, it has a great separation of the notes even when you get fuzzy with it that I'm loving.

Almost seems a shame to give it away, but there we are.

I did promise that whoever buys the truly lush The Foxy Roxy One will also find this in their stocking. (I think I might need to put my prices up or at least work on my far-too-visual imagery) so that is the way it has to be.

As for what is next. Well, I've given up on America and have ordered a boxy 70s bridge from Fake58 for The Ronin One. I'm a tad concerned that it won't fit, but given my lack of options I'll just have to get clever about it if my luck runs out. There must be a 'For Dummies' book that covers plugging holes and then putting new ones in in the right place.

The good news from the US of A is that the Gibson pickup is likely to come, which is rather nice. It just seems to make sense to go for the proper pups if i can.

That is for next week though, and at least I know Fake58 will deliver, which is more than I can say for some peeps.

Looking further forward onwards, I've grabbed some wood to practise my slashing and routing on and I'm hopeful of an old mahogany mantle piece to use 4Real, as we used to say in the olden daze.

I just figured I might as well get on with it as the worst that can happen is death and amputation or maybe a nice splinter to show the grand children. My plan is to go for a Teardrop outline with a couple of tasty pickups, Strat bridge and neck. But then it may be more amorphous blob with sharp bits that is more likely an outcome. I'm going to have a praccy freehand, but I'm guessing that there may be templates in my future.

If I can manage that I'll try and get adventurous later. I think that is the right direction to take though if I'm going to keep things interesting for myself, if nobody else.

Today though, not a lot to be done, so I think I'm going to try and record something embarrassing again.... No animals will be hurt in the process, however much it sounds like it.

La la laaaa

Introducing: The BDSM One

Well, I'm rather shocked and awed to be able to introduce to you, The BDSM One, a raw and twangy Strat I'm really rather proud of.

From the top - this is my 'Entry' to the 2012 Music Radar £100 Challenge, where you are aiming to produce or pimp a guitar for a £100 or less. With a little help from my friends, I've just about managed it.

But the guitar:

It is based on an old and battered Squier Strat, of indeterminate vintage, pedigree and character.

The body is solid wood though, always a bonus, and the maple/rosewood neck is decent quality now that the frets and 'board have had a bit of TLC.

Pickup-wise, there is a lovely sounding Gretsch humbucker at the neck. This was taken from a Gretsch 5120 and really does the business, from twanginess to hot and heavy.

At the bridge is a Mojo Pickups handwound/scattered Jazzmaster pickup that is immense. It is quite P90-ish in this guitar and has a great wild sound to it, beautifully raw. With a touch of reverb, this guitar is sex, end-of. Marc at Mojo gave me the pickup - one of his prototypes - and it sounds as good as everything else he scattered his magiic dust onto.

Wiring is a pair of pots and a switch I got given by Simon at Fusion - out of a Les Paul, I believe.

The trem is half a pound of brass that has been chromed and was taken from a 70s Japanese Strat copy. It really sings, I'm seriously impressed with it. The jack plate is from the same place too.

The tuners are some pre-aged Wilkinson ones, which work great and look good, and a finishing touch in the shape of some Gretsch knobs was a bit of an extravagance, but there we are.

As for the finish, the body has a lovely rough and glittery paisley, with the scratchplate being veneered with walnut burr and a bit of rust here and there for ageing perps.

And there we are, it looks great and sounds better and is a bit of a joy to play.

Cheers for the freebies to Marc at Mojo Pickups, and Simon at Fusion Guitars.

As for the £100 Challenge aspect, my updated numbers are:

Donor Squier Strat: £44.50
Gigbag sold: -£20
Squier parts sold: -£20

Body & Neck Net Cost: £4.50

Gretsch pickup: £12.50
Old '70s Bridge, Jack Plate, Claw, Springs: £10
Scratchplate: £12

Paisley fabric: £5
Walnut Burr Veneer: £1 (Ten sheets for £5, using 2 sheets " 50p each)
Finishing stuff: £12.95

Jazzmaster pickup: Free
Pots, Wire, Jack, Capacitor, Switch: Free

Knobs: £8
Tuners: £20

Grand Total: £85.95


La la laaa

Waiting For The Imaginary Man

Well, another day here in la-la land and I'm still waiting for the postie..waiting, waiting waiting...

While I have been doing that, and being as I have offered to give it away, I figured I might as well finish as much of The BDSM One as I can, and when the missing tuners arrive we'll be in clover.

So that be what I did and done done.

The pickups are connected to the switch, the switch is connected to the volume, the volume takes a wee diversion into the tone cul-de-sac and then pops back before making a dash for the jack socket thing.

It is like topographically-challenged-clockwork, quite lovely.

Of course I can't really tell you much about the tone as without strings all I really hear in a 'clang' when I tap them with a screwdriver - I used to have a tuning fork which was more tone-filled, but haven't got a clue where that has gone.

But in so far as you can tell by comparing clangs and the odd 'clunk' for goodly measurement, they sound well matched, so I am hopefilled about them.

Other than that, it is all back together again. And I even touched up some of the chips in the walnut veneer with iron paint so that the vile plastic beneath doesn't glow in the dark. I really should have painted in before putting the veneer on, but there we are. I wanted a splintered veneer so I can't really complain too much, as splintered and mishoven it be.

I remembered to put the Gretsch knobs on though, which is sad but makes me happy and smiley. I do in fact smile, despite the lack of post to get excited about.

Assuming the tuners do arrive I might even have it playing today. (Be afraid).

Though as the bratskis are home before the postie can drag his sorry carcass all the way up here from the nearest pub or three, tomorrow is perhaps a better bet.

I've just realised that I forgot to ground the trem.

*sigh*

Which is probably the clincher. There is always something.. Oh, and I've got to ream out the tuner holes, and I don't know where the reamer is. It is all coming back to me.

Also waiting for the postie's tender caress, is of course The Dust My Broom One, and depending on the timing of his appearance, assuming he makes one and doesn't have another dozen for the road, ending up face down in a bush sleeping it off with my parcels as a pillow, I might even get both of them sorted on the same day - which would be a first and is therefore unlikely to happen.

As firsts rarely do, of course.

Especially twice.

That, however doesn't need reaming, assuming I ordered the right control plate, so I might do that first, if I am quite honest. Which I try to be, flies with warts and all etc.

As for my other long-term-sick baby, The Ronin One is still waiting for a bridge from the US. Which probably means that there is an American postal operative off his face on gin andfunny looking rocks, hiding my parcels in his loft. I've read Bukowski. I am also waiting for a pickup too, but am coming around to using the one I took from my Gordon Smith instead as I liked it and have a low tolerance for boredom, which is odd as I am a Baggies fan..

Anyway, in other news, I'm not quite sure how, but a couple of peeps seemed confused by my little offer yesterday, so to be clarity incarnate....

If you Buy The Foxy Roxy One by Clicking on the big yellow button on this page,
I will also send you the rather crazy The BDSM One absolutely free.
Where FREE means for nowt, zilch nada and not a penny more.

So, Buy One, and You Get One Free.

Tis being as simplistic as that.

But aren't we all?


La la laaa

NotaLotta WIP: The BDSM One

Well, couriers apart there wasn't a lot to do today. I did however get to the bottom of The BDSM One, and this will hopefully be together this week.

As you can see the paisley is on, the walnut veneer is scratching the plate and a bit of wire and some tuners and we'll be in clover.

As to what I'll do with it, well I decided that I'd give it to whoever buys The Foxy Roxy One, assuming they buy it from this little web site.

So basically, Buy The Foxy Roxy One here, and get The BDSM One FREE.

Lovely..

Mr Mojo Landing

Well, I (literally) just received a lovely parcel from Marc at Mojo pickups, it were like Christmas - paper everywhere and a little quiver in my voice.

My hands were shaking too, but nothing new there.

And so I opened it, and inside there were a pair of Tele pickups which I will be plopping into The Dust My Broom One quite shortly enough.

These are based on the old Broadcaster ones and use Alnico IV magnets, for added warmth on even the chilliest evening.

In addition, the chap has done a fantastic job on a wiring loom for the same guitar, including a 'Jooky' branded capacitor. Of which I'm secretly verily pleased, even though my hard-man-of-fabric-covered-guitars image won't allow me to suggest such a thing.

So clearly it means nothing to me.
Oh Vienna.

But they are here, presented perfectly and ready to go. I can't wait.

So next job is to put that little lot into The Dust My Broom One, and try and remember some Muddy Waters madrigals.


But what is that, in the corner of the pile of Mojo paper?





Could that be another wee pickup?

(It is still panto season, innit?)

Well, beholden and Lo - Marc seems to have given me a Jazzmaster pickup to put into The BDSM One.

And that bit is true, Marc has very kindly donated one of his prototype Jazzmaster pickups to the £100 Challenge cause, bless him.

This is made a bit differently from his normal Jazzmaster pickups, there was something about the winding wire, and has something else different that he explained very, very slowly using words of teensy syllable counts, but I've forgotten anyway.

So I can't be waiting to hear that either.

So in summary, what a complete star the boy is. He has even put connectors in the bag so I can plug them together instead of soldering them. Genius. That's one less trip to casualty.



Right, I'll be back later on to formally introduce The Dust My Broom One, as let's face it, even I can't screw this up....

Well, maybe.

And I've said it before, but feel I should repeat that Mojo Pickups can be found here, and here, and they come highly recommended from all in Jookyland.


La la laaa

Of Poetic Wiring and Rustified Pickups

Mojo Wiring - Pure Poetry

Well, OK, I got carried away with The BDSM One, but it is seasoning for a while now, so I'll really keep me mucky mitts off of it. The pickup cover is particularly rusty and lovely though, I'll sneak you a foto out whilst I'm not looking.

Elsewhere, and I know I'm going on about this, but I had another foto from Young Marc at Mojo Pickups, showing the wiring loom he had done for me, to go with the pickups he is winding for The Dust My Broom One.

And isn't it lovely? (OK, it might just be me that thinks so as I haven't had to torture meself in the process, but it does look cool, of that I'm sure.)

I do feel a bit lazy though, it has to be said, even if it is clearly for the greater good, and all that. I must admit I'm trying to be all grown-up about it, but I really can't wait to plumb it all together and give The Dust My Broom One a bit of a bashing. I'm sure you will be glad for me to shut up about it too. Go on, admit it...

I'm thinking that I really should change my Golden Rules of Jookidom as at the moment, only being allowed to keep one of them is a bit restrictive. (OK, originally, it was none, but stay with me.)

So I'm thinking that maybe it would be OK if I kept one-of-each, so maybe a Les Paul, a Telecaster, a Stratocaster, a Jaguar, a Firebird, a Jazzmaster, a Ricky etc.

That would be OK, wouldn't it? I mean, not one of each finish/colour/design, that would be excessive, I think.

Of course, it might not go down so well locally, so I might need to compromise and start making double-necks. Or deck the loft out or something. I think we have a loft - should probably check. Do houses still have lofts these days?

Thinking a bit further forward, I quite fancy doing another Semi Acoustic, maybe something Coronado or Rickie-like, I don't know. Something unwieldy and jangly really, I'm not totally sure what, I have to admit.

I'm also feeling that I should at least have a go at winding a pickup. Not that I am hankering to move in such a direction, I've read about it and I think it would do my head in, but as a kinda right-of-passage, I think I should at least have tried to make one, once. Even if it is just so I can better understand the grief my dithering imposes on the winding folk proper

Rustified Jazzmaster Pickup Cover Thing

It's like cutting guitars out of wood and hammering frets into slots and the rest, all part of the meandering pathway that isn't a journey but goes from back there to somewhere up-front, that I feel I should err, take.

So anyway, a bit more research is in order but before the year is out, I'm going to make a P90. So there.

Of course it will be really, really quiet and have knots in the wire, but such is life. Maybe I should learn to tie shoe laces first.

So plans for the rest of the year - wind a pickup, build a semi acoustic of some sort, buy a Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster and cover it in rust, get a nice SG, or at least one of the cheapo Epiphone bolt-on SGs they sell in that memory lane place, cut a body out of wood and turn it into a guitar, do some fretting and probably make a few more guitars along the way.

That should keep me busy, which is all good, and I feel better as I have to keep dreaming this Jooky bobbins up again and again, or I stagnate and nobody likes a stagnant brummie. Ozzy apart, of course.

La la laaaa

WIP: The BDSM One

Well, I've put The BDSM One to one side for a little while as basically, I don't want to peak too early. I've got the whole month to do it and I need the adrenalin rush of a last minute panic, otherwise it won't feel right. Needless to say it will be verily Jookified when I get around to finishing it. Probably on the 30th.

Where it stands is that the body is covered in lovely paisley. The scratchplate has a walnut burr veneer, and the headstock is a rusty iron combo. But it will stay that way now for a little while.

One thing I am doing today though, is covering a glow-in-the-dark, Tom-Cruiser-toothipeg-white Jazzmaster pickup cover in iron paint so that I can rust it. It will stand out like a twirly-lit-house against the walnut scratchplate otherwise.

Speaking of which, I edged that with iron paint, but didn't rust it in the end as it looked nice all dark and brooding.

But I'm not thinking about the BDSM One for a while.

Not even the lovely, slightly glittered paisley or, or, or well any of it.

Today then, apart from rusting pickup covers, I'm not thinking about The BDSM One, OK?

Although I have got to find some tuners, which shouldn't take too long.

And I could oil the roseywood 'board and give the frets a quick polish, as they are minging.

And I need to find some scrap strap pins, there are some leftovers around here somewhere.

La la a laaaa

Rout to the Edge of Something or Other

Well, I guess yesterday was the real Day One as far as The BDSM One goes, as I actually managed to do something.

Firstly, I did eventually finally de-couple the router from it's beloved table, and then used it to make a Jazzmaster-pickup-sized hole in the scratchplate.

It isn't what you'd call 'neat' mainly because I hadn't realised that I should tighten the router bit (technically known as 'the very sharp bit') and it came off and careered quite spectacularly, taking a bit of the 'plate with it but thankfully nowt critical in the body parts dept.

And the squared corners are distinctly rounded too, now I come to think about it. Still no stitches required thanks mainly to my ninja-esque reactions (or dumb luck - you decide), just a bit of tiling, and I have learnt something else new.

I've filed the episode between 'don't try and stop jigsaws with your fingers' and 'don't use a carving knife to cut Ben and Jerrys' in my cabinet of life's lessons learnt.

After that I convinced myself that getting back in the saddle was a good idea, and started the paisleyification of the body. I forgot how much fun/torturous this is, but the paisley is on the back, and on it's way to being on the front as well, so that is looking good. Lots of lacquer is the next step there, closely followed by 'what am I doing with the veneer' conversations with myself.

I'm going to use an unusual lacquer for the body as I want it to look oldish and age well over time. Never tried this one before so tis a bit of a gamble, but I got it from a geezer who ages paintings and statues prior to auction, all totally legal I'm sure, and it seemed worth a pop.

As for the remains of the scratchplate, I was thinking it should really be walnut veneered. I was toying with the mouse of an idea that maybe rust would be good, bringing the fabric/veneer/metal corrosion finishes together, but I think it may be a bit much to get heavy on the rust this time.

I am going to go for a bit of a rusty burst around the edges though, as I think it will look rather nice..

Least I think I am.

The only worry is that there will be a whole lot of gubbins that might react with each other. I should be OK if I lacquer in between the different things, but I'm a tad wariness-incarnate, I have to admit.

^^^ Musical Interlude Type of Thing ^^^

In the end though, in a spurt of decisiveness, I put a walnut veneer onto the scratchplate, which I think should be a nice contrast to the paisley. I'd show it you but there are a couple of large bags of salt atop it at the moment, and I'm not one to interrupt a bit of bonding.

I'm still thinking about whether to veneer the body too, but I think I'll wait until the paisley is done-and-dry and see how it looks.

On the rust front, I've gone with that for the front of the headstock, and probably will have a touch around the edges of the body. A subtle leitmotif, or a note for the milkman as we call them down the South West, if you will. Or maybe if I will, or won't. I don't know.

Hmm, decisions.

As for the £100 Challenge aspect, my updated numbers are:

Donor Squier Strat: £44.50
Gigbag sold: -£20
Squier parts sold: -£20

Body & Neck Net Cost: £4.50

Gretsch pickup: £12.50
Old '70s Bridge, Jack Plate, Claw, Springs: £10
Scratchplate: £12


Paisley fabric: £5
Walnut Burr Veneer: £1 (Ten sheets for £5, using 2 sheets " 50p each)
Finishing stuff: £12.95


Jazzmaster pickup: Free
Pots, Wire, Jack, Capacitor, Switch: Free


Knobs: TBA
Tuners: TBA

Grandish Total So Far: £57.95

So that leaves me £42.05 to cover the tuners, knobs and any other finishing gubbins I need.

Should be easy enough if I don't take too many wrong turns.

In more professional news, Mr Mojo sent me another foto of the nigh-on-finished pickups for The Dust My Broom One, bless him.

They are looking good, dontcha think?

Ah, movin' and a groovin'

No, don't know why I said that either.

La la laaaa

If I had a Spanner...

 

Well, here we be, Monday again, and as I never got any spanners yesterday, that is toppathelist, so I can attempt to try and do some routings for The BDSM One.

Other than that, I'm aiming to have at least got the body together this week even if it be sans lacquer.

I finally decided that I would go for a Gretsch plus Jazzmaster pickup combo, as variety is Ginger Spice and all that.


As for other things, still the wait goes on for parts from America for The Ronin One, so that is burning around the back. Nasty rash, what can you say?

As for The Dust My Broom One, I had some more fotos from the Man-from-Mojo, these showing the bobbins having been aged. They apparently need a bit more time-machine work and then Marc will do the winding.


I don't know what you think, but it all sounds a bit organised to me, as though he knows what he is doing, has all the parts easily available and is in some way structured and 'together'.

It'll never catch on.

Here, anyway.

So looking forward to them...

But spanners, time to find some spanners.

La la laaa

Coool Cap With A Trilly Hat

Hmmm, well what can I say. I never got too far with the routing of The BDSM One on Friday, as I was a spanner short of a tool removal. Which basically means that I still, after 48 hours, haven't managed to get the router off of the router table so that I can use it.

Later then, I will be going spanner shopping, which is a tad frustrating, but there we be.

On a positive note young Marc of Mojo Pickup fame tells me he has started dipping bobbins and doing other technical things, and should be winding the pickups for The Dust My Broom One in the nearest of potential futures. I can't wait to hear them, not least because the comments/reviews I've read have all been suitably positive. It is a guitar that needs playing too - it is sat in the corner spitting poisonous gubbins at me as I type this.

He has already made a fistfilled with dollars, OK maybe capacitors, and sent me a nice foto of them - so here they be. Now are they the coolest thing, like Ever?

He really is a top geezer, I know I'm starting to sound like an iCarly fanboi, but such is life. Tell it like it is, know what I mean?

But the routing deficient The BDSM One. As I don't actually need to chop chunks out of the body, I could take a trip down the paisley highway so that I can point and shout 'See, I have started, really I have', but it would feel like I'm bottling it again, so spanners it be.

I have a whole month to do this, so how bad can it get?

Elsewhere, I did spend a lot of time playing The Foxy Roxy and Old Burny Ones side-by-side (not an easy trick, I think you'll agree), as I'm all intrigued and perplexed by the pickups in both. The both I'm talking about are of course old Gibson pickups - 'Velvet Bricks' in the FR and "The Originals" in the OB One, and have long been superceded by all manner of other types there in the wonder-filled world of Gibbo.

OK, the guitars are different materials, but I can't get my head around just how different they sound. The ones in the Foxy Roxy are a bit more defined and 'woody' if that makes sense, a really All Right Now sort of sound to them, while The Old Burny One is a bit more growly and harder to clean up.

I think the thing I'm confused by is how come they seem to have so much more 'personality' than the modern Gibson pickups I've played in recent Les Pauls. Don't get me wrong I like the '57s - the one in my Gordo has a great sound, but these two just feel a bit more...raw, or something. Less polite. foul mouthed and...alive. (Gord, sorry about this.)

Hmmm, interesting.

Should I mention that I'm football happy?

Well, in the last three games, we have put five past the Dingles, and got their manager the sack, 4 against the Mackems who luckily had only recently got a new manager and then yesterday brought a rare home win, rarer still as it was against Chelsea of all peeps. Who will probably sack their manager for stooping limbo-like and low.

And I know Chelski aren't at their best at the moment, but I never remember West Brom getting credit for all those years we were really crap when we got beat by all sorts of 'lesser teams'. What can I say? Harry for England, and we'll keep 'Woy' for another couple of years, if that is OK with you?

Boing boing, I'll say no more.

10.15 On A Friday Morning (is BDSM Time)

Horrible Scratchplate Shocker

Well, what can I say apart from that today is going to be the day I use my wee router thing in anger. So, equally it could be the last day I write, unless I learn to type with my tongue or something.

So what is Job Uno, I hear nobody cry apart from the baby next door?

Well, the plan is to make a big enough hole in the Strat body of The BDSM One that I can fit a Jazzmaster pickup in. Actually, I just looked at it and as I'm going for the JM pup in the bridge it isn't a problem due to a minor jacuzzi shaped routing already being there.

To be honest, I could put the pickup in a dingy and it would bob around quite happily in the widely opened spacedom.

Hmmm...

So after a bit of a rethink-de-rapide, today's job is now to cut a big enough hole in the scratchplate that I can fit the said Jazzymaster pickup thru it.

And if I manage that and live and am somehow feeling brave I might do the same at the neck and go for two JM pups. That does require the body to be routed too, so we'll have to see.

On one hand it would be nice to use the Gretsch humbucker - different tones and all that - but on the other it would free-up twenty quid of my dwindling budget to buy a replacement body/parts when I inevitably wreck them.

Tough call.

Actually, I want to use the Gretsch one, so forget I mentioned it.

I did in fact get a rather ugly plastic scratchplate in the end for The BDSM One, mainly because I wanted to have a go at doing this instead of bottling out again. Not that I have before, of course, well, I say that but you know the truth as you are my conscience and realise how this really goes down.

But where was I?

Oh yes.

Assuming that body and scratchplate are suitably chopped, the next step will be down memory cul-de-sac and will involve putting paisley fabric onto a Strat body.

Whoever imagined two years ago I'd still be repeating the same party trick?

Still, it is for a good cause.

After that I will need to decide exactly what I'm going to do with the veneer - apart from obviously using it to cover as many of the gouges I will clearly be making in the scratchplate as I can manage.

In other news I finally got my act together and had another chat with Marc at Mojo Pickups, about a set of his Broadcaster Tele pickups for The Dust My Broom One. I've said before I want to try these as the people who have (that I've found on-line) have been raving about them like foamy cheeked pooches..

And let's face it, I'm rather pleased with his Jazzmaster pickups and all.

He is also going to wire me a wiring loom (?) which has the benefit of it no doubt working first time and not relying on my dodgy mitts to stop shaking long enough to do it.

It is something I've been moving toward with the Shugz and Fake58 looms, and it makes sense. Plus I like the idea of the Jooky guitars having 'Mojo Inside' - must ask Marc for a sticker I can put on the outside ;o)

He is going to send fotos as he builds the pickups again, so I'll no doubt be sharing with the group as and when.

But to the router - I will no doubt be back to present the alternative reality that will be Plan J17.V later today.

La la laaaa.

Getting Foxy...Slightly Returned

Well, it's Day One of the MR £100 thingy, so obviously I spent it doing something else.

No point getting over-excited about it, now is there?

As you may have noticed I snuck in a bit of soldering over-night and finished off The Foxy Roxy One, and man it sounds crazy-good.

I really didn't know what to expect from the pickups/oak body, but the neck pickup has a really bright and biting tone, loads of 'definition' and I just find myself wanting to play Wire songs.

Really should learn some.

Not what I'd expected but a nice surprise. The bridge is clear and defined too, but a lot heavier - more Les Paul like and notes sustain for a minor ice age..

As I said, the 'Velvet Brick' pickups came from an old '80s Les Paul Custom and they really are excellent. Well chuffed with them and it am we.

The other thing is the neck - it's feels long like a Jazzmaster feels long (I probably should have guessed - Firebirds being extensive-of-length and all) and it is lovely to play. I've got the action quite low (for me)  but it still feels right.

And there we are, tis all good.

As for the others, well The Ronin One is still awaiting a pickup and a bridge from Stateside, and I haven't sorted pickups for The Dust My Broom One yet, though I am going to try Mr Mojo himself's Tele pickups out, just haven't quite decided which ones yet. Must email the chap...

As for The BDSM One, well I start on that tomorrow sick kids/meteor showers permitting.

A tootle and a kip

La la laaa

p.s. I had a bit of a lofi strum on The Foxy Roxy One, which probably tells you nothing, but it is Here if you are bored...

Always a Day Away

Well, as unlikely as it sounds, I thought I'd have a little practice with my new router thing, on something less than critical - before I start to destroy The BDSM One tomorrow.

We never use the kitchen table anyway.

I know, it's almost a grown-up approach. Must be the slightly more warmerish weather.

And I have to say that it is ridiculously impossible. I mean I know I'm big in the nerdy-wimp-raspberry-ripple department, but I felt like some kinda toon flying around, hanging-on for something grimly life-like.

Sheesh.

I might have to get my 5-year-old to do it instead.

Needless to say I will Percy McVeer and then dig out the only chisel I never broke last time around.

Despite all of this, I do have a good feeling about it all. The Gretsch pickup will hopefully be hot, yet twangy, while the Jazzmaster has that darkly P90 type of thing going on I know and lurve.

Which is all cool. I'm kinda hoping that now I have been able to flog the spares that the budget will stretch enough for me to get a Mojo JM pup wound, but for the challenge the MIJ might have to do.

In fact despite effectively getting the neck and body for a grand total of £2.50 (I flogged all the parts and the gigbag it came in) I'm still going to be pushed.

I can always upgrade it later ;)

Last year I think I replaced mostly all of the parts within a week or two, but there we are.

Wonder if I will ever see The Golden Shower One again...?

As for other things, well the parts for The Foxy Roxy One showed up, so that is all done apart from the usual soldering escapades. I'm going to do those later today. Honest.

I'm pretty pleased with the bronze top dripping over the sides...nice.

La la laaa.

Of Foxy Roxy and the BDSM One

Well, I thought I'd get my parts together for The BDSM One, the Strat I'm going to build for the Music Radar £100 Challenge during March, mainly to see what I'm missing.

Despite not finding all of them among the part explosion, it seems like I am not so far off.

From the top:

1. Squier Strat Body and Neck.

2. Nice roll of sparkly, yet tastefilled, paisley fabric.

3. A small but perfectly formed collection of walnut veneer wood stuff thingy.

4. '70s Strat bridge - solid brass and well zingy. Claws and springs etc. Not sure where they are, but they will turn up somewhere.

5. One Jazzmaster bridge pickup (MIJ)

6. One Gretsch Humbucking neck pickup

7. Electrical bobbins - pots, switch, jack - thanking Simon at Fusion.

8. One funky capacitor - similarly thanking Mojo Pickups,

9. Strap Pins

Things I need to get that I haven't yet:

a. Scratchplate - though I might make this out of something. In fact I am tempted to paisleyificate the body and walnut veneer the scratchplate, but we'll have to see.

b. Tuners - I have a set of barely-OK-ones, which if the budget is tight I might use, but I'm hoping I can sell some of the parts from the Strat I don't need to fund something decent.

c. Knobs - I want to use a couple of Gretsch knobs, but it depends on the budget. If not it will be a couple of whatever-I-have-lay-around ones.

So not so bad.

Before that though, I intend to finito The Foxy Roxy One as the remaining parts should be here tomorrow. This is my little bronze corroded, oaken of body Firebird sort of thing. It has kinda jumped ahead of The Dust My Broom One as I still haven't sorted out the pickups for that baby, but such is life.

I must admit (as per) I can't wait to play the Foxy Roxy One, there is something that is just wrong about the shape in a very cool way, and I'm loving the look of it.

And that be about that.

La la laaa

That Fried-day Feeling Good

Old Parts. Not the most interesting foto, I'll admit

Well, I think I have just about descended to earth after yesterday's Mojo-Pickup-Rush. It was nice to see a few concurring voices in the comments/on forums etc. as you start to wonder whether they can really be that good.

They still sound it this morning though, so I'm assuming I didn't dream it all.

If I can work out how to do it, I'll try and record the wee thing today so you can tell me if I've gone gaga or not.

On the other side of pickup life, I have to say I had another go on a Tele laden with a set of EMGs yesterday evening, and I've come to the conclusion that they really aren't for me.

All of the Jookies have to be guitars I would want to own, and they just left me cold, so there is no point. So I'm going to move them on and try something different.

Though I must admit the fact that I don't like the way they look may have a little to do with it. Sad, I know.

Where that leaves The Dust My Broom One is pickupless, but I'll sort something out I'm sure. Mojo's Tele pups being favourite when I can get a few bob together.

So that is my holy trinity all awaiting parts, how daft is that?

It hasn't turned into the most productive week as far as Jookydom goes, but I'll console myself strumming away on my Mojo'd Jazzmaster, I guess. So not so bad.

As for The BDSM One, I stripped it down yesterday as far as removing all the parts goes. I'm going to keep the body and the neck but that is about it. I think a bit of fretty TLC could make it decent.

Necks on Squiers constantly surprise me, even on a lot of their cheaper guitars there are good ones to be found, though a little fretwork can pay dividends,
even when I do it.

As for what I'm going to do, well it will be covered in paisley fabric, with the top having a walnut veneer which will be distressed enough that you can see some of the paisley peeping thru.

Not quite sure whether that will work in reality, but there is only one way to find out. I might do the back the same way too - I got a job lot of veneer this time...

Pickup-wise, I'm thinking either my MIJ Jazzmaster pups, or maybe one of them with a Gretsch Humbucker at the bridge. Depends how the budget goes really - though I have a pile of Squier parts and a gigbag to flog which will hopefully help the running total.

Once it is done I'm going to raffle it off or otherwise give it somebody, because that is the kinda guy I am.

La la laaa.