Coming Soon: The Gimme Shelter One

Well, it's been a while since something new was started, but it seems as though we have just a little something on the way. When it will be done, who knows, but all verily excitementish.

From the top, we've gone for a nice lightweight La Cabronita body. This is going to get the Mother of all Jookies Pearly top, dark stained rear (we've all been there) and a twist or two to keep things interesting.

The neck is the obvious lefty Strat neck, which will be fitted with Ye Olde Split Klusons, waxed and oiled finish-wise.

Bridge, is one of those vibrant lumps from Hipshot, which will make it ring-a-sing-song-sing.

As for the pickup, still a little undecided on that. It may prove to be a Mojo Pickups Overwound Mojotron, but Gold Foils always seem to sneak in when you least expect them, so who knows, things could change yet, and probably will.

Wiring, again it will be one of Marc at Mojo Pickups art installations, but we're thinking-the-thought that a Volume plus a three way switch rather than a tone knob could be cool. Something mayhem-lead anywaysup.

This will be The Gimme Shelter One, coming one day, soonish, maybe probably.

It's so nice to be able to say

La la laaaaa

It's Olde, It's Golde

Well, as you probably guessed if you were vaguely interested, not too much is happening here in Jookyland at the moment, but one thing I have done that needed some doing is to start to finish the finish on the luxurious Olde Golde One.

Shonky fotos apart, there is real gold in them there hills and sparkly and sparky it be.

The neck is pretty impressive too, star spangled even, which is twice as nice.

From here I'm thinking a pair of Mojo's finest Mosrite stylee Jazzmaster pickups, Staytrem bridge, Fender AVRI Tremolo, Sperzel tuners and a measure of lurvve.

Que cera, whatever will be Edie, ciao bella baby

La la laaa

The Olden Golden Shot

Well, lordy lordy, it's nice to get things moving again, so once the paint had dried, I couldn't help but get The Olde Golde One out on the lawn clover and take a few snaps.

Only thing is I can't make my mind up on whether to go for the gold or white 'plate. Decisions, decisions.

This is a new twist on the mother of Jooky Pearliness, as I took the liberty of mixing in a wee bit of 24 karat gold powder just for extra glisterness, and it has turned out pretty and yet also wow. It also looks different depending on the light, but then I guess gold always does.

This is going to be a fun one though. Lovely neck, AVRI Tremolo, Staytrem bridge, Sperzels, and I'm thinking a Mojo Mosrite at the bridge for some serious bite, and a Jazzmaster pickup at the neck as there is nothing better in the worlde than a Jazzmaster neck pickup.

But anyway, white or gold...?

La la laaaa

Like Gravity

Well, I'm hoping The Rilkean One will  be shuffling quicksmart tomorrow as it is holibob time for the bratskis once more and progress regresses.

The finish is done and I went kinda subtle with a corroding rather than corroded copper under the beeswax  special brew.

Excuse the shonky foto, I'll do better in the morning light, but the neck is now attached, utterly groovesome Steinberger tuners are on, as is the string bar thing and logo. I've even put the strap pins on there too.

As for the pickups, I have three authentically cool Mojo takes on the original Daneletro lipsticks hanging around, so hopef.lly they will fit and then I need to sort out a wiring loom. Tele style but with a sneaky five way switcheroo. Oh, and the bridge, mustn't forget that there bridge.

I love teardrops, so am really looking forward to this one. Groovy McFloozy indeed.

As for other things, well, we'll just have to see now won't we.

La la laaaaaa

Rilkean Copper

Well, it is a sunny day in Jookyland, waiting for couriers to no-show, a fresh batch of copper paint and the teardripped loveliness that is The Rilkean One in my sights.

Doesn't get much better than this.

So a first coat, a second coat drying and then hopefully a light drizzle of the noxious house brew to give it a touch of blues and greens around the edges.

Think this is going to be treacle.

I just noticed the body and neck for The Alcaeus One too, hmm, need some pickups and wire, but couldn't decide whether to go trad jazzmaster, or mad get Mosrite stylee. Have to have a ponder on that one.

La la laaaaa

Purple Daze

Well, not quite there as I forgot I am waiting for the jack plate and Gretsch knobs among other things, but I'm really rather pleased-as-punch with how The Velvet Pearl One is turning out, and couldn't help meself but pop some strings on and give it a blast.

And as expected, the Mojotron is gorgeous. Cutting in all the right places but with plenty of  tone too. Loving it.

I just went for a basic Volume plus Tone combo, instead of maybe the Esquire route, and they give plenty on their own.

As for the finish this is another variation on the Mother of Jooky theme. I wanted texture and sea monsters and Bermudan triangles and that is where I ended-up, so all is cool and yet groovy McFab too.

Right, twanging time.

La la laaaa

Plonking Together The Bacchylides One

Well, The Travellin' Man One made it back to dear old Blighty in one piece, though I think it needs a few days to settle down, so I thought I'd plonk together the first ever Jooky Jaguar, The Bacchylides One, and see what I'm standing.

So nice alder body, nitro Lake Placid Blue finish (needs some more ageification methinks), rather pretty neck, Mojo pickups and wiring on the way (pickups hotter than vintage, but otherwise pretty trad),  tremolo, Staytrem bridge (if I can find where I put-them-safe) and there we are. Think it is going to be a bit of a stunner indeed.

As for other things, The 668 One is all done with the slight exception of a missing jack plate and a set-up, so maybe that will surface tomorrow.

OK, it's the school holibobs again, I have to hot-wire my brain to do anything that doesn't involve Lego.

La la laaaaaaaa

My Hun, My Bun

Well, I finally got to play with the body of The Liberian One, and am jolly pleased with how it turned out. As I said (ahem) I wanted the lovely one-piece swamp ash body to look natural and 'time stained', and for once I remembered and did just that.

When I do the time stained thing, the idea is to make the bodies look like old wood, and as I have no imagination I tend to find such a piece of aged timber and basically try to recreate it. I suppose I should go the relic route and try and make them look like road-worn-guitars (TM), but then there are plenty of people who already do that with mystical ability so nobody needs me.

So in the case of The Liberian One, I wanted a natural wood look, that has been dinged and scraped over time and generally mellowed and yellowed. (We know a song about that don't we kiddies?). This is based on a kitchen I saw once in an old house, that oddly was made of ash. The kitchen, not the whole house, that would have been silly, mainly as it was in Coventry and it would never have survived the Blitz.

But anyway, such is life.

La la laaaa

WIP: The Alcaeus One

Well, no work to report but The Alcaeus One has dried hard now, and is looking rather lovely and pearly cratered indeed. As the one-piece swamp ash body looked rather lovely, I wanted to be able to see some of the grainy action, and that has come across well, so I be pleased.

So I did a quick mock-up, along with the pretty Warmoth neck which has a sneaky two-tone blue headstock...

I must admit I still can't decide on the pickups, but I'll have a think over the weekend, perhaps.

I'm also waiting for an AVRI Fender tremolo and a Staytrem bridge, and will bang a set of Sperzel Trim-Loks on as they are so very sweet.

Anyway...

La la laaaaa

WIP: The Starry Night One

Well, I know all about being a supportive father - I watched Chicken  Little twice, at least and even sat thru the Lego Movie last week - so I know I should be proud, but I must admit to being a little bit narked at how well #2 bratski's initial Jookulele has turned out.

I mean, splodging a bit of paint around is cool, but then claiming it is based on a Van Gogh and getting there, well, I'll say no more. It isn't worthy.

La la laaaaaaaaa

WIP: The Whipped One

Well, things are a movin' if not quite a groovin' here in the Kingdom of the Fat White Jook,and yesterday saw my little The Whipped One take several giant steps in the right direction.

As you can see from the pix, the Mother of Jooky inside-of-a-shell top is finito'ed, and I went subtle (ha - me, subtle) for the back to show off the Flamey Walnut body nicely. (Came as a shock, I didn't realise you could get flamed walnut at room temperature)

Other than that the blingy gold bridge matches the blingy Gold Sperzels and Blingy Gold Gretsch knobs, and the super and dooper looking Mojotron, whilst not gold, adds to the visual wow-ness.

I spent a lot of time checking on the flatness of the fretless ebony 'board, so fingers crossed it works as planned...

As for what is left - well, I need to sort out a pickguard and I didn't have any bling gold neckplates or strap pins, so they are on the way annd will be swapped for th ones I put on yesterday. I am also still waiting for the flatwound strings, but hopefully they will be here today or tomorrow. If I get the nut on I might try some normal strings just to get the string height right, or I may not. it's that sort of day, really.

La la laaaa

WIP: The Fretboard One

Well, I was aiming for the end of January to complete The Fretboard One, and it is going to be close as for once in my life I have someone who needs me, someone I've needed so long, and I have managed to get my act in gear and my backside together and well, do a little...

As you can hopefully see, I've taken TTony's rather lovely hand made body, and smothered it in bronze and copper and then generally abused it with foulness and vitriol. And rather bonny it looks on it too.

I have of course forgotten to take fotos all the way along, but heh, such is life.

As the eagle-eyed among you may notice, the rather cool Callaham bridge is a little wonky (it isn't screwed down, but I also need to sand the routing somewhat still) but the Mojo Gold Foil is already nailed down and there we are.

So, more to do, but progress, and that is never a bad thing. Unless you are a Roman.

La la laaa

Putting Out Fire With Gasoline

Well, the finish on The 668 One is done, so I had a little plonk-together (not that I have many parts, you will understand) and my only concern is that it looks a wee bit posh.

I'm really not sure what went wrong.

I'm thinking that a maple neck might help, so I will probably do that, and a trem too, of course. And, well, lots of other bits.

Still, can't be bad, may be done by Xmas, after all.

Really, want to hear this Speedbump pickup though, I got a feeling that it may prove to be a beggar in a prince's finery

La la laaaa

p.s. Just woke up, you'll have to excuse the lack of interestingness

Slow Starter

Well, I know it takes me a while to get from thought to deed, so I thought this morning that I'd get my finger out and make a start on The Sally James One, and so that is what I did do.

As you may remember (barely in my case) this is going to be a nice Mustang, which I was planning on making uber colourful, but instead seem to have painted with copper as it feels quite a bright and crisp morning and, well, it might be nice.

For a change I'm not going to go Beyonce mad on the corrosion, maybe just a tad around the edges for forms sake, as believe it or not sometimes I can actually show restraint.

As for the rest, well there is a nice neck coming and I'm hoping Mr Mojo will come up with something trashy for me in the pickup dept. as well, and this afters I will sort all of the other parts out.

I am efficient, after all.

OK, well I will try and remember to do it.

I've never actually made a Mustang before, so am looking forward to this...a leetle pressie to meself, perhaps.

La la laaaa

WIP: The Lingering Honey One

Well, it has been a bit of a slow one, but the finish on The Lingering Honey One is nearly there - I have the acid burns to prove it - and despite the shonky foto, it is really cool. I went for a mix of copper, bronze, aluminium and something else I've forgotten, but I tweaked the mix as I wanted a petrol blue-ish hue. And hooray for the hue.

As for looking a bit Art Deco. well, you didn't think it would be obvious, now, surely did you not?

Once it is together, you'll revel in the glory of the coming of the lord.

There is no more to be said.

Right, casualty then

La la laaaa

Oiling My Honey

The Secret to a tasty finish,
is to use both the butter and
the mushroom soup

Well, getting past the tears of yesterday, I thought it was about time I got on with something - so today I have started in and on The Lingering Honey One.

If you remember this little baby is my lovely MIJ, long tenon of necked Les Paul Jr, which will feature a bit of an Art Deco vibe, or at least look a little more fancy pants than your average Jr. Probably.

So anyway, the back sides and neck have been stained a lovely old walnut colour and then will be getting a sheeny nice oil finish. I love oil finishes on necks, and as I'll probably end-up keeping this forever more (I know, I know) I may as well go ferrit.

As for the rest, it will of course be having a rather delish looking Mojo Gold Foil in lieu of the usual Dogear P90, and the wrap around bridge is going to be a Hipshot one after many other alternatives have been contemplated. Tuners will be Grovers with fancy bits, and there we are.

As for the pickguard, well, I'm hoping for something fancy indeed for that, but fingers crossed. It might be black vinyl if things don't pan out.

Yeah, yeah, it's good to be back, good to be back...

La la laaaa

Feeling Groovy..

Well, the postie arrived - shocker - and I seem to have got a good way towards finitoing The Jamais Vu One, which is rather nice.

Just a few screws to hammer and a couple more bits 'n' bobs to arrive in the strap pin and string tree areas and we'll be in candy covered clover.

I'm rather pleased with the copper leafing if I do say myself, which of cause I usually do.

Tomorrow then will hopefully see this blighter done, and the rather lovely mahogany of The Lingering Honey One smothered one way or t'other..

I am feeling all very positive at the moment for some reason - I guess it is because I have one day before the brats are on holibobs again and once more frustration thy name is Mc Jooky.


La la laaaa

WIP: The Jamais Vu One

Well, it has been so long since I did a WIP I almost forgot  how, and only took one foto, but I got a riddle on yesterday with the body and the lovely lump of alder became blacker than a darkly black thing, and I even got the back copper-leafed while I was at it.

Today followed on nicely, with the front catching up and rather splendid it is looking too. Reminds me of a slightly battered Wulfes fan, which is never a bad thing.

I wanted a shinyish finish on this one as the copper can dull down a bit otherwise, and it is looking good so far. Few more coats and we'll be crimson with deelite.

Once this is all dry and polished and the rest, I'll nail on the rather lovely neck I had custom made with it's ebony 'board, flamed maple woodiness and stainless steel frets. It is meant to be a U shape, but I think it is more like a Gibson 50-something which  is a nice hand-filler indeed.

I'm waiting for the pickguard - a nice red tortie one, but have the lovely Mojo Pickups and wiring loom and a gorgeous Bigsby B5 to go with them. I've also got a set of Gotoh tuners I was going to use elsewhere, but will divert in this direction as they have a lovely solidness about them so all is groovy.

Other than that I've got a Jazzmaster bridge, but may end-up with the usual cool Mustang replacement, and I'm thinking aged  Telecaster knobs will be a final flourish.

So basically, if the postie gets his finger out and delivers some Jiffys I may finish this quite soon. Which will be handy, has to be said, as I want to play it.

As for The Sappho One, I have finished that now, so I'll do a proper intro soon as I stop playing it, methinks

La la laaaa

WIP? - More of a slow crawl

Well, I thought I could just about get The Boogaloo One together today, but obviously ballsed-up the planning stage and had ordered the wrong bobbins.

On the plus side, The Bigsby is on , nice and straight thanks to a couple of bits of string, and I've even put the right neck on and quite beautiful it is too. I think I'll be using a lot more of Warmoth's necks in future, as this is peachy.

I also drilled the holes for the pots, switch and jack plus and fitted the scratchplates too, so all is looking pretty groovy.

And I was just about to drill the wee holes for the pickups (the Mojo Gold Foil Toasters are flat bottomed so that is all that is needed), when I thought I'd fit the leccy bobbins - which is where I discovered my mistake. I had ordered the wrong parts and they don't fit thru the top and give me enough room to put a nut on.

Harrowing.

Marc over in Mojo Pickups land is doing me a  replacement loom, and I'll fit the pickups, but it was a tad on the deflating side of bugged, but I had vague hopes of playing the thing and that isn't going to happen.

Though saying that I could put the strings on and play it acousticalified, but it wouldn't feel the same, so I'll wait.

I have to say I am rather pleased with it so far though. Tres bon indeedy.

La la laaaa

WIP: The Sappho One

Well, I got a lovely box off the miserable UPS chap this morning, opened it with casual abandon, and peeping from the wrapping was the body of The Sappho One.

And to say I was slightly impressed, agag and agog, ecstatic, pleased and ever so slightly awed, would be a lot of vowels. So instead I think I'll just say I am rather happy with what Rich has done to it.

If you remember, I've always wanted a Lake Placid Blue Jazzmaster, and that is what Rich has done. Taken my rather lovely swamp ash body, given it all manner of layers of silver, blue and tinted clear nitro, and then delicately crazed it... And it truly is amazing work. I came to conclusion that I didn't want it relickified, so no dinks scratches or belt sanders were harmed, but it does look old - like it was bought a long time ago and then just left to do it's own thing. And of course it will continue to age, which comes to most of us too.

As for the rest, well I'm waiting for the proper neck - a nice Ebony boarded Jazzmaster jobby with a U shaped neck and flamed maple stick - so in the meantime I'm going to use a Warmoth Strat one which is equally beautiful - Anigre and a slab Kingswood 'board - well posh.

Other than that Marc at Mojo Pickups is making me a pair of Jazzmaster sized pups based on a Gold Foil and a  Mosrite jobby, as well as the usual loom, which means it should sound just about as cool as it looks.

La laaa and indeedy laaaaaaaaaaaaaaa