Back to the Day Job

Well, all the Tickled Pink shenanigans should move away from Jookyland tomorrow, and organisational bobbins apart, I'm hoping that I can reset my focus and get The Confused One finished.

I had changed my mind about the tuners, so now have to re-rout the holes in the headstock (me least favourite job in the world of Jook), but other than that it should just be a case of nailing the neck on and we'll be clover-bound if not quite upto our necks in it.

I have since put the bridge on, but can't find the camera so you'll have to imagine it for now.

It'll be nice once this one is done, as apart from The Chi Chi One which is (surprisingly) waiting for parts, I should have the decks cleared so that I can start chopping The Pearly Dewdrop One out of a piece of Alder, and maybe even do something about the others too. Well, you never know.

But back to the fones..

La la laaa

Look At The Caps On That 'Un

Mojo Grey Tigers - Coolest

Well, today saw us wandering around the village with The Tickled Pink One, which you can read about elsewhere. Or look at the fotos at least.

Of more interest were some cool fotos Mr Marcy Mojo sent thru of the pickups and wiring looms for The Pearly Dewdrop One - which yes, I will have to make now - and The Chi Chi One.

And stunning that P90 looks for the 'Drop, and absolutely gorgeously Chi Chi indeed are the PAF and P90 too.
But the thing that caught my eye was the new Mojo Grey Tiger caps, which are glorious.

Now I'm no great expert on such things, but I believe the Grey Tigers were one of the original Gibson specced capacitors and a bit of a holy grail for many.

Like the Bumble Bees but cooler. So that fact that Marc is making these uber authentic ones is well cool. Can't wait to hear them in action.

 

He also did Shugz - the man for the vintage loom - some "Shugz" branded caps recently and from what I know of the chap, he is picky picky picky, so his recommendation would convince me anyway.

But there we are - top fella is Marc Ransley, clever too.

La la laa

Introducing: The Tickled Pink One

Well, I'm pleased to introduce to you, the rather rarefied and gorgeously pretty of spirit, The Tickled Pink One. A guitar that is destined for great things as it travels the country, clutched by musos-a-plenty and generally bashed and picked, twiddled and tapped, arpeggioated and strummed, and all in a great cause.

But first the basics, it is:

1. A Jookified homage to the Fender La Cabronita.

2. It has a swamp ash body that has been hand stained and hard waxed, with a delight-filled pink ribbon fabric top, thru which the lovely ashy grain peeps at you, coquettishly. This has then been bashed and battered, scraped and burned before suffering the final indignity of being pierced with a selection of rusty screws. And who hasn't had a night like that?

3. The neck is a rather lovely maple/rosewood job, with relicked Wilkinson tuners at the top and an aged plate and screws nailing it to the body at the other end.

4. The scratchplate is roughly cut from a 1960s Beatle record - 'All You Need Is Love' for the completists among you - which itself has been well screwed too.

5. The pickup is totally lush, being a P90 in a TV Jones size, that was handwound by the maker of the finest pickups within these shores, Marc Ransley at Mojo Pickups.

6. The wiring loom is again made by Marc Ransley, and features a one-off PIO capacitor that is bright pink and branded with the Tickled Pink One name.

7. Around the back the control cavity cover has been chopped from a plastic box, is a bit wobbly and features dish washer instructions that probably should now be ignored. Why, you may ask, well it is so you can see the pink cap by simply glancing down and moving your belly to one side. (Speaking for myself anyway).

8. To finish it off, a hard tail, thru body stringing and some glitzy Gretsch knobs make it look very-much-the-guitar-around-town. With the DR Handmade Neon Pink strings providing a certain something. (I can't quite imagine what at the moment).

As for sounds, well it may just boast a single pickup, but this has all the P90 grit and growl you'd hope for, yet cleans up beautifully, twanging like a twangy thing with a touch of reverb and generally being super cool and groovy.

And there it is.

Of course The Tickled Pink One is about a lot more than being a cool guitar, as it is destined to be auctioned for Breast Cancer Care next February, and is travelling around these shores through the clutches of some fine guitarists and maybe one or two that aren't very good, but have their heart in the right place. (That'd be me then).

So The Tickled Pink One, coming to a town near you, very soon.

La la laaaa

I Can Almost Taste It...

Well, The Tickled Pink One now features strings, if only a set of cheapies for an initial set-up, and sounds every bit as good as expected. I did some more work on the frets, so they are super shiny glassy now and there we are.

One slight drawback was that I managed to put the wrong strings in the wrong place, but it is quite pleasant sounding regardless, if a little wobbly at times.

Speaking of strings the rather excellent Paul at StringsDirect has donated some lovely strings to the cause, which will be very much appreciated as we go along, I think. Cheers to Paul for sorting that out, what a geezer.

As for other stuff, I think I spent longer fettling the neck on The Confused One yesterday than anything else, but the pickup is wired in now and gives a satisfying clang when I hit it with a monkey wrench. I also organised the missing bridge and neck plate, so they should be here by next week and the confusion will be at an end. Light dawns, enlightenment follows.

So all together the usual mix of solder, oil, scraped knuckles and something else I forget now.

As for today, well as Mr Mojo is rapidly winding and wiring a Dogear P90 and loom for it, I'm feeling the pressure and am planning to chop The Pearly Dewdrop One body out of a lump of wood. I can't hide anymore, put up or well, shush-yer-yapping-yaw, I expect.

Saying that, I think a little web site or blog for the Tickler might jump in front, but there we are.

It's tricky being so organised and productive.

La la laaaa

WIP: The Confused One

Well, I'm pleased to say that The Tickled Pink One is 99% there, but as I am awaiting a final ingredient or seven to make you all go 'Wow' and 'Cor blimey' and generally nod in *that* old familiar yet special way, you'll have to wait a little longer for it's unveiling.

It's all about the grin, that's the important thing.

In the meantime, I thought I'd show you the WIP of The Confused One, which is looking delightfully tattered and torn, and I've really taken rather a shine to it.

It is another swamp ash body, with a back that has been mahogany stained and waxed, yet the top, and dribbling over the edge, is a stunningly cool rusted iron finish.

Other than that, the neck looks like it is likely to be a total gem, and the Gretsch Filtertron pickup looks the Mutt's Nuts, as it were. Can't wait to hear what it sounds like.

Other than even more all of that, young Marcy Mojo has done me a nice Esquire wiring loom so that we get some joy from the tones and there we be.

In fact all it needs is a bit of solder to join up the dots, and then a bridge. Don't ask me how, but I forgot to get one, which is sadly fundamental to the whole putting strings on vibe. Oh, I forgot the neck plate too, tut-di-di-tut.

Still, other than that trifle, it be looking good and shouldn't take long from this point forward.

So is it an Esquire or is it a La Cabronita? I don't know, it sort of goes both ways. Double the fun and twice the opportunities. Wish I'd realised that sooner. Might have made adolescence more interesting.

La la laaaa

Closing Down The Pink

Well, I am so pleased with how The TV Dinner One has turned out, that I really can't keep me sticky little mitts off the thing. I've said it before, but there be something special about that Mojo boy's pickups. They are glorious.

But today I need to concentrate, as The Tickled Pink One needs to be finished.

In fact most of it was done last night and all that is left to do is a bit of soldering, put the strings on and then generally fettle it.

Team Jooky, in the shape of the bratskis, has helped me do most of this one, and Brat #1 is going to solder in the pickup later as his hand doesn't shake like what mine one does.

So an Introduction to look forward to there later with the wind at my back.

I also need to put up a wee web site/blog thing so that we can follow it's progress aroung the country (he says) as young Jools and his team are coming together nicely.

But there we are, all goodly stuff.

La la laaa

Sold: The TV Dinner One

The TV Dinner One is a guitar dedicated to a Transvestite Imaginary Friend called Erika. It has been based on the classic Fender Telecaster and the walnut body has been stained and hard waxed to give a feeling of old wood.

To add a slither of colour, the scratchplate has been coated with bronze and copper rich paints before being attacked with our Home Brew acid to force it to corrode spectacularly. This is an old looking yet jaw dropping guitar.

From there, the pickups have been specially wound by Marc Ransley at Mojo Pickups to replicate the best of the early Tele sounds. This ‘Broadcaster’ set is (to our mind) the best sounding Tele pickups out there and we’re proud to use them here along with one of Marc’s Ye Olde wiring looms, proper pots and switches and hand made PIO caps.

Hardware is relicked courtesy of Wilkinson and is rock solid, with an ashtray cover for the bridge adding a final sheen. There isn’t another guitar like this and there won’t be another made. This is in so many ways a one-off, just like the imaginary friend that inspired it.


*


To be clear, The TV Dinner 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.

To treat yourself - and why shouldn't you, you're worth it? - to this amazing guitar, for a silly £499 including a hardcase and delivery to your door (assuming your door is in the UK) be the first to  click on the Big Yellow Button. Somebody will, they always do...

*** SOLD ***

Technical Stuff:

Type: Norma’s Natural Guitar

Electrics: Mojo Broadcaster Telecaste Pickups

Guitar Type: Fender Telecaster Style

Construction: Walnut body, maple/maple neck

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#63

RSP: £799

Introducing: The TV Dinner One

Well, I'd like to introduce you to the latest progeny of the Jooky stable, as The TV Dinner One is officially in dah harrss. And what an understatedly cool looker it is too.

If you remember, the original idea for this was that it would be influenced by my imaginary friend, a tatty and faded transvestite called Erika and in my mind at least that turns out to be an Old-Wood-looking Tele with an acid strewn scratchplate that, like gauche makeup, is meant to deflect the eye from the reality.

Deep, I am, verily.

So from the top, it is:

1. A two piece solid walnut body, that has been stained a darker colour, scraped and torn around the edges and generally looks a little battered to the untrained eye. I wanted this to get that 'Old Wood' look and I think it has just about got there, which is cool and surprising in equal measurements.

2. The neck is a lovely maple/maplejob, with aged Wilkinson tuners at the top being solid in the face of many a hissy fit.

3. The scratchplate has layers of bronze and copper with acid gently sprinkled into it's face for variety. Kinda the average Saturday night in the places Erika hangs, as it were.

4. Pickups are a matched set of Mojo Broadcasters, specially wound by Marc Ransley and to my mind the best sounding Tele pickups there are, bar none.

5. A matching wiring loom using all the old familiar parts was also created for this guitar by Marc and as ever gives great sounds as well as looking as cool as funk.

6. Other than that the aged Wilkinson traditional Tele bridge is adjustable for intonational goodliness and a super shiny ash tray adorns the top, for a bit of out-of-place glitz. The knobs and control plate are also aged nicely, just for good measure.

How does it play?

Well, I can honestly say it is one of the nicest Teles I've ever strummed and picked, and I know I'm biased but what else can I do but speak as I find?

It just is.

The tones are fantastic and there is a real depth which may be enhanced by the walnut, but to be honest I don't really know. I plugged it in and started smiling, and that is how I rate guitars.

So there we are, I think we've done Erika proud, The TV Dinner One. Lovely, faded, and a bit beaten about the ring and glamorous all in one.

La la laaa

p.s. Erika sends hugs, mwah x

Something Chi Chi

Well, after the variety of Les Pauls that have come and gone around here, I still find myself in need of something for that humbucker sound.

OK, need might be a tad strong, but you know what I mean. I want the one I haven't got, and all that.

To scratch such an irritation, I think I will probably sort out an SG sooner or later, but in the meantime I snaffled a nice HH Strat body, which I thought would make a change.

I should probably have found a mahogany one, but I'm on a bit of a big-grained-swamp-ash mission at the moment, so that is what this is.

Anyway, I've already asked Marc at Mojo to sort me out with some pickups and one of his groovesome wiring looms. How's that for organisation?

What I've gone for are a nice PAF to live at the bridge, with one of his humbucker-sized P90s at the neck. I've never tried either of these before, bizarrely, so I'm looking forward to it. The body has been routed SG-style so twin volumes and tones and a three-way switch should make it fun.

As for the neck, well I want a big head and rosewood 'board, and it is a standard trem it is chopped for, so that is easy enough as I've done them once or twice.

As for the finish, I am probably going to wind-up my stained ash addiction with this, so I'm thinking something light in the vein of The B Movie One, as that was rather pretty. Though perhaps I should go for a Cherry and really mix my messages. Nah.

In fact (as I forgot to post this earlier and I got side-tracked) I've now given it a nice stain and sand to get the grain going and have finished it with beeswax as, well, I like the smell. No harm in that, is there?

So there it be, The Chi Chi One, coming one day, probably maybe.

La la laaa

What's In The Box???

Well, a nice lady from Herpes awoke me this morning with gifts from the frozen North, which proved to be some nice boxes from a chap in Mojoland, called Marc. It even said so on the box.

But what's in there?

Well, top of the list is a lovely TV Jones-sized P90 and Jookilicious wiring loom replete with shiny pink cap, all for The Tickled Pink One. These are the final part of the jiggysaw, so we should be in business next week and ready to travel.

What else?

There is (are) a set of Mojo's stunningly cool Broadcaster pickups for The TV Dinner One too (I already had a loom in stock, as it were, from when I changed my mind sometime ago. I know, I'm normally so decisive.) That too is pretty nigh on there especially as the other parts I had forgotten also arrived this morning, along with the uber triffic ash tray cover.

Is that all?

Well, no. No it isn't, as finally, there is a nice loom to go with the Gretsch 'bucker I haven't laid hands on yet, for The Confused One. That might take a little while longer, but such is life.


As for The Fallen One, well short of resoldering all the connections (which I can't do at the mo) I am stumped as to what is wrong, so that is going back to Mojoland when I get a chance as Marc is being cool on that score too and putting right whatever I managed to bugger up in the first place.

So all in all a big massive leap forward in the direction of finished Jookies. We could be flooded with them next week, which around here would make a change from being flooded with raw sewage and Third Division footballers..

La la laaaa

Long For The Final Fur

Well, today proved to be a bit of a squib with rising damp. I finished everything on The Fallen One and it truly looks uber cool, but somehow managed to break it so now it gives a selection of battery-failing-fuzz noises and not a lot else.

Initial investigation was fruitless and I have a headache so it will have to wait for another day. I'm a little gutted in truth and had to console myself by playing my Jazzmaster, The Resurrected One and #2 brats Lightning Dragon, which I seem to play more than anything else at the moment. Maybe I am ready to try a Jaguar again.

As for other things, well I put the tuners on both The TV Dinner and Confused Ones and nailed their necks into place, so they are as done as they can be, and The Tickled Pink One is similarly spoodled. Just a case of waiting for the pickup and wiring deliveries and we'll be in clover.

Oh, I made a rear cavity cover for The Tickler out of a sandwich box, so that is see-thru and usefully has recycling and do-not-dishwash marks on it, which could save some disappointment along the way. I might have to make a stronger one to go with it as it is a bit floppy, but you'll be able to see Mr Mojo's Pink Cap shining thru so that is cool.

Not a sentence I ever expected to be writing.



There was something else I just can't remember what

La la laaa

WIP: The Fallen One

Well, it has been a (truly very muchly) long time-a-coming, but I spent a few precious moments with The Fallen One last night, and it is pretty darn tootingly close to being a guitar.

Few things left to sort out, but nowt drastic, more annoying, like trying to remove one of the tremolo screws where the top sheared off, and bolting the neck on, strap pins, string trees and finding some screws the right size to hold the pickups on. That sort of bobbins.

So from the top it is now....

1. Swamp ash body, stained dark oak and finished with hard wax oil - verily touchy and feely it be too.

2. A lovely lefty Jazzmaster neck, apparently made by some American luthier, but either way it is really nice.

3.  Lefty Kluson tuners

4. Mustang bridge,

5. Jazzmaster tremolo

6. Corroded copper 'plate

7. A Pair of Mojo Jazzmaster pups, which if they are anything like (and they will be) the ones in my MIJ will be stunningly cool

8. A Mojo loom using all the old familiar things like the right pots, switches, wire and PIO caps (which iirc are Jooky branded, bless him)



And that be about it. I may even finish it today, though The Tickled Pink One is top of the list obviously..

La la laaaa

WIP: The TV Dinner One

Well, things moved along, if not to plan then at leastforwardlyish.

The TV Dinner One made the most progress in the end, with the 'plate bolted on and the control plate all sorted out too. That is looking mighty fine in a traditional Tele kinda way. Apart from fitting the tuners, when the pickups and wiring come we'll be there on that.

I'm loving the look of the walnut body and it feels proper even as it stands, and as I'd forgotten that the loom has solid of shaft pots and got the wrong knobs, but after a quick visit to Axesrus with a bit of luck the knobs will arrive tomorrow, and I slipped in a wee ash tray cover just for good measure. It's gonna be a good 'un, I can feel it in me water.

As for The Tickled Pink One, well tuners are on, neck is drilled and again it is just a case of adding a smidge of the leccy stuff and we'll be there in clover. Must do the rear cavity cover though, forgot about that.

Elsewhere, The Fallen One is drying and will be ready to go together in the next day or two and The Confused One now has a neck to boast of.

Will anything get finished tomorrow? I hope so, but we'll see, and to be fair if the brat is school bound I'll probably be playing with the router anywaysup.

La la laaa

Have Marigold, Ready To Ream

Well, Day 4 of the bratski-infestation of Jookyland, so me and the sidekick are on a mission to try and get The Tickled Pink One sorted out, along with shooing a couple of the other stalwarts of the Coming Soon list in the right direction.

I can't face getting beaten at any more board games, I have to be honest.

So, for the Tickler, today Team Jook will be doing:

1. Fit tuners. I went in the end for a set of Wilkinson pre-aged nickel covered ones, as they are solid and predictable in a good way. I need to ream out the 6mm holes so that the 10mm tuners will peep thru, so that is the place to start. A single Marigold glove is of course essential.

2. I realised last night that I had neglected to fashion (turn to the left) a rear cavity cover (turn to the right), so I'll also be doing that. I'm going to see whether I can make a see thru one out of an 'old' (as in not mine) CD case, so that Mr Mojo's fluro-pink capacitor can be seen more easily. If that proves not to be viable, I'll make one out of a record to match the 'plate, I expect.

3. Fit the neck. I need to drill it to match the body and get it joined at the hip. I'll put a couple of strings on even without the pickups so I can get the angle of the jangle sorted out for a decent action.

4. String Trees. I went for a modern version, well, modernish.

5. If Herpes deliver them today, I'll hopefully get the pickups and loom in. Similarly, if the posty arrives with the electrosocket thing, I'll bang that one home too.

And that is about that. So post of different shades permitting, I'm hoping to have The Tickled Pink One playable by the weekend, which would be nice, has to be said.

Other than the Pinkster, I'll be finishing  The Fallen One's body in hard wax, and similarly coating the pickguard for The TV Dinner One.

Get me, eh? Mr Productivity.

So all-in-all, it could be a busy day, but hopefully there be light at tunnels end.

Of course, I may just fall asleep. If she lets me.

La la laaaa

Love, Love, Love....

Well, a first instalment of parts arrived today, so other than staining the Fallen, I managed to put strap pins and bridges on to the others (remembering to drill ground wire holes handraulically), and an Esquire plate on The Confused One - think I'll leave that as plain black - and I have started to smother the 'plate for The TV Dinner One in bronze, with copper and acid to follow.

Got spanked on Scalextric by the six-year-old though, so it wasn't all good.

As far as The Tickled Pink One goes, I made holes in the Fab 4 scratchplate with an old soldering iron, chopped off the excess melted placcy stuff with a Stanley knife, and then screwed it to the body with old and rusty screws.

Somebody asked me whether I would be playing safe with the Tickled Pink One, so I think I probably am. I haven't even thought about setting it alight yet.

Though....nah. better not.

Anyway, I followed this with a nice circle of rusty screws all around the body as, well, I liked the idea and I'm pleased with how it turned out. Tis all good.

And that is about as far as I can go right now. I did forget a bridge for The Confused One, so I need to sort that out, and I'm still waiting for control plates, electrosockets and a few other bits, but they should be here tomorrow, as will the pickups and wiring from Marcy Mojo.

Another quick thank you, firstly to Marc at Mojo who has donated the pickup and loom for The Tickled Pink One, and to ESBlonde from Music Radar-land, who sent me some strings to go with the guitar on it's travels and £20 which has already hit the Just Giving page. It is really cool how many people are chipping in, in lots of ways, and long may it last. This is before there even is a guitar or we've started to get it moving around the country.

But there we go, the brat will be back at school the 'morrow, so hopefully I'll get tuners installed along with string trees and necks connecting to bodies. Oh, and I need to finish the finish on The Fallen One, that is pretty and cool too.

La la laaaa

I've Fallen For A New Body

Fallen For A New Body

Well, I had a nice swamp ash Jazzmaster body turn up yesterday (not quite what I was expecting, but there we are.)

And as the router isn't likely to get much use in the nearest future, I decided to do something radical and use this for The Fallen One instead. The other one will no doubt find a home later on.

Makes a change it is normally every other part of the guitar that I change my mind over.

Anyway, I should at least be able to do something with that today, so I am thinking that I will dark stain it as per the original idea, and there we are. Electrik yet Kool.

One slight needle is that the bridge I have doesn't fit, and daft though it seems I hadn't really looked closely at it before as I was having to drill the hole for it  - whilst on the new body it is already done.

But for another bridge, not this one. If that makes any kinda of sense.

And Lift

Which set my head straight anyway, as I was thinking of getting a Mustang one for it anyway, so this sealed it.

Other than that, I have all the parts to hand for once so with a bit of elbow grease we should be in business and if I'm done before the bridge turns up I can always nick the one off my Jazzmaster. OK, maybe not, I'd only end-up selling it as a project after months of not remembering to replace it.

I'm really looking forward to getting this one finished as it is the first Jooky with a proper Jazzmaster Trem and there is still nothing to match a Jazzmaster in this boy's affections.

Plus I now have another Jazzmaster body, which makes me feel good about the world.

As for other things, well there were no shiny new parts in the post yesterday so hopefully I'll be ticking pinkly today instead. I am in Half full cuppa mode, clearly.

+++ Music Free Interludish Time +++

Well, as you can hopefully see, before I finished writing I couldn't help but nip out into the damp cold frozen zone and get going with the Dark Oak stain. And jolly nice it looks too...lovely.

La la laaaa

Au Natrel

Au err, stained