Writing On The Wall

Well, another day another duffnut and as I'm into my final hours d'freedom I thought I'd see how far I can get with The Raspberry Ripple One. So the plan today, for today and tomorrow (assuming such things as tuners and scratchplates arrive in a timely manner) is to finish this baby.

To this end - I am such a writer honey - I have removed the pickups from my Gordo, which now looks sad and forlorn, but every war has casualties and it will just have to deal with it - and I have put them on a table next to the wiring loom that came from a Gibson SG some time or other.

Sitting on a table, big step towards productivitiness, you have to admit.

Also, I have dug out such niceties as chunky strap pins and bits of bridge and tailpiece (OK, haven't found the tailpiece itself, but I know I have one somewhere), and there we go. Once the 'plate arrives I should be able to solder and bolt and with a bit of luck we might end up with a pretty guitar that makes cool noises and everything.

All good stuff.

If on the other hand nothing arrives as hoped, well, I will immediately leap into Plan B Mode and pretend that I'm a fat old sad white boy rapper who looks like Paul Jewell. Or maybe at least get the soldering out of the way so I can plug everything else together when such opportunities present themselves.

I think we all know what will happen here, to quote a poet of note, the writing is on the wall.

Shelley never came up with lines like that, though maybe Shelley Winters did, I wouldn't know.

As for what I'll do over the next week or so, well woodwork is out, but I have vague hopes that all the various bobbins will arrive so that I can get it on and generally bang a gong with the pink-tastic The JoBo One. I've decided that this will be a proper single pup Esquire and I'm-a-planning on getting another Broadcaster pickup from Mr Mojo as it quite simply was the best Tele-pup I've played so far, and that be good enough for me, tellin-yer.

But that is for another day...just a case of waiting for the postie...

As for today, I'm maybe possibly meeting Simon from Fusion Guitars at a motorway services to relieve him of some bits of wood and guitar bodies (I think anyway), so that is something to look forward to in between watching day time telly in my vest and generally living on scratchcards and Pot Noodles.

La di laaaa di daaah

Clanging Chimes of Doom

Well, today proved to be a bit of a deadloss again, though The Raspberry Ripple One is lacquered and hardening off so I guess that be a step in the rightest of directions.

I finally decided on the pickups, and am swapping the Gibson '57 and Seymour Duncan Phat Cat in out of my Gordo, which I'm going to do something different with.

I like the PAF/P90 mix so that should sound pretty good methinks.

Especially now that I've realised the Phat Cat sounds a lot better if you, err, wire it proper-like.

School holibobs are nearly here and it is dawning on me that I won't get The Fabulous and Pearly Dewdrop Ones much further along, but that's OK. I can live with that shame, on top of so many more I usually have to pay for.


As for the Riviera, I've decided that it would be nice to have a Semi to keep, so I'm not Jookifying that one even a little bit. It is just going to be a straight rebuild once I find a Bigsby and everything else. I should never have sold The Bosted Dot with it's Mr Bump sticker, but such is life, you live and learn and sometimes remember life's meagre lessons long enough to, well, whatever it was. Something cool, it really had to be. It's probably next to my car keys...

La la laaa.

WIP: The Raspberry Ripple One

Well, yesterday was a day of courier hell once more, but they got here in the end so the Epi Dot is off to fields fresh. As that kinda ruled out woodwork, I went hades-for-PVC with the Epi SG and apart from a couple more coats of lacquer to do today, got a fair old way along, I have to say.

As you can hopefully see, the body and neck have been bronzed with a smidge of copper for depth, and then suffered the indignity of a mushful of the house acid. This has been stabilised and then lacquered. I was planning to wax oil it but, err, forgot until about five minutes ago when I tripped over the tin of oil and spread it across the garage floor. Ho hum.

Other than that, I've had a change of heart and am doing it as a Jooky proper, as basically I thought it was worth it. So gone are the cheap Epi tuners and a nice set of Grovers are on their way. I've also ordered a full face scratchplate for good measure and have raised my sights on the pickups too. Basically, I've learned that I can't bring myself to do anything other than my best, which is a worrying trend. I never thought it could would should happen to me.

Speaking of pickups, I've decided I want to go the twin PAF route, for some reason, so I'm on the skirmish for those at the moment.

There we are, The Raspberry Ripple One. It might have had a broken neck, but it can still make a contribution to road safety in particular and society in a more general sort of way, I feel.

La la laa

The Glued-Up Epis

Well, I found the camera and here are the glued-up Epis.

And wouldn't that be a great name for a band?

The Dot will soon be off to new fields, sorely missed and all that, but I am trying to be grown-up about it and so here I am, awaiting UPS once-more-for-luck.

I have realised that I need loads of parts to get the Riviera ship-of-shape, so that will have to wait until I'm a bit flush - three P90s and a Bigsby for a start, sheesh. Need to re-mortgage the re-mortgage again.

But the SG I'm going to start to refinish today with a load of sanding and then a mixture of gubbins because sometimes you just need to express yourself and let people know what you've got on your mind. And as mine is a bit befuddled at the best of times, it could get complicated and yet blurred around the edges.

One thing though, I've always preferred full fat of face scratchplates on SGs so I'll maybe go with one of those - mainly because the little one I had was from a Gibson and doesn't fit, I have to admit, but there we are. Call me Zappa's mate.

Or not, as you like.

But whatever.

As for pickups, I'm struggling to decide to be honest, which is odd as I'm normally so decisive and sans ditherment. I might get another of Marcy-boy's Mojotrons and put it with a PAF of some sort, that could be fun, or even just a couple of P90s. Decisions, bleurgh. Hate them.

All of which sounds stunningly familiar, I'm sure. I need to be clear and say that this most definitely isn't a Jooky, despite how it may look, as I plan to keep it and if it was a Jooky even by accident - I couldn't.  (I've fallen into that trap before, let me tell you.)

So it will still say Epiphone on the front of the newly stabilised headstock, because then everything will be OK. Even if it does cheapen me in ways I can hardly describe.

And it wouldn't be a Jooky anyway, as it will have a repaired neck, worse, repaired by me, and I'm not sure I could sleep at night for fear of flying woodchunks killing random audience members in random ways.

So basically, as the Riv is in the same coracle, I'll have two guitars that I can't move-along-please-sir, which is awful but I'll just have to cope really.

The plan today had been to finish chopping and drilling The Fabulous One, now that I have the magnifique Mojo Toaster-tronic pickup, but it depends when UPS arrive, I guess. Assuming they might in some parallelogram of a universe. I've kinda forgotten what I was planning to do and can't be arsed to go look back at the blog, but I'm thinking stained and oiled back and sides and bronze-of-top. Though I have some gold leaf which might be nice, but no, I think it will be bronze.

There, a decision of sorts. And so quick. this doesn't normally happen to me.

La la laa

Adventures In Glue and Stickiness

Well, woodwork is again out today for waiting-around-reasons, so I thought I could have a wee play with the broken necked Epi SG.

Looking at it, the break looks quite an easy one to fix (words you think you'll never utter, part deuxieme), so as that is the crux of things, I broke out the Titebond and some clamps and gave it a go. It went together beautifully, which feels a result right now.

I'm in a total quandary about the finish. I've always loved glossily-cherrified SGs, but I am tempted to give it a corroded copper blue finish. As I say it isn't going to be a Jooky, but it doesn't stop me wanting to play. Other than that, I have all the parts and even have an SG wiring loom out of a Gibbo I picked-up somewhere for some reason, so it is just pickups to decide on. I'm thinking PAF plus P90 as per my default usual setting, but then I always am. Maybe I should try something different just for appearances sake.

Plus I see it as a bit of a test bed of a geetar, and getting back to the finish, corrosionificationing it would let me try out the hard wax over corroded copper effect over a period of time. For longevity and all that.

I've tended to use lacquers of some description, but the hard wax appeals as in tests 8 out of 10 cases it has preserved the corrosion a little better. Or differently anyway, which is another colour for the pallet truck and all that. I don't know.

But anyway, the neck is drying and I doubt I have the paint anyway, and well, whatever.

As I was flushed with succesfulness, and had a load of clamps looking under-utilised, I also glued the neck back on to the Riviera. This is also drying and seemingly went on straight and everything. Most odd.

I still haven't decided whether this means that I'll let the broken Dot go now or not, but I've run out of clamps so it is still tattered and torn.

Other than my adventures in glue, The Kooky One went this morning, to a nice geezer called Richard who's playing of it raised me 74 notches on the neighbours-impressed-by-my-meagre-ability-de-musique scale.

Well, so I hope.

They probably saw him arrive and hoped he was here to teach me something other than that there cacophonous-meandering I tend to specialise it.

Still, nice to see it off to a good home.

Other than even that, I also received some lovely pink paisley in the post and a rather splendid looking toaster pickup from Marc at Mojo Pickups. All of which means that I have more stuff, not less than I started with.

Forgive the lack of fotos of all of these exciting things, but I can't find the camera.

La la laaa

Survival of the Sickest

Well, I've been having a wee bit of a potter about what-comes-next-part-MMCMMCCCXXXVIII and I've come to conclusion that I am confusing myself again.

Firstly, there are The Fabulous and Pearly Dewdrop Ones, which a bit of woodwork this week should move along, if not finish.

After that is the pinktastically-groovy The JoBo One which I am filing under 'awaiting parts' as per.

And that is it.

I have got three broken necked Epis - the SG, Dot and Riviera I mentioned last week - but they are for fun really, they won't end-up as Jookies.


I can pretty much do the SG from my box of bits anyway, so that might be this weeks fun.

I probably won't keep all three anyway - the SG I'll fix up for when-times-go-by, but I can't see any point in fixing both of the other two. I don't need two semis and The Riviera looks the bigger 'challenge, so I might just punt on the Dot and share the project love. It is pretty though, so we'll see.

After that though, I've got young Simon of Fusion fame and his box of wooden delights showing up soon, and who know what is in there....

Fun fun fun

La la laaa

Losing My Head

Well, blimey. It seems my clearing-it-all-out thingy has a bit of a set back. The PRS SE One has gone, and so did The Glory B One. Which was a good start, but now it seems as though the broken Epis I was talking about are going to keep me busy..

There are in fact three rather than two and amazingly they showed-up this morning (Ah, ParcelForce, so much to answer for..)

They be:

1. An Epiphone SG with a bendy neck. Or perhaps not as bendy as somebody thought neck,

2. An Epiphone Riviera with a detachable (well, detached) neck, and

3. An Epiphone Dot again with a somewhat bent-oddly neck that is all blonde and fresh looking.

Not quite sure what I'll do with them, assuming I manage to fix them that is, but I think the SG is destined to be a little sit-in-the-corner type of thing for easy strumming duties and somewhere I can plug in pickups and see what they sound like without too much grief..

While the others, well, we'll see I guess.

The SG and the Dot look to be straightforward in a glue and clamp way (I hope so anyway), while the Riviera looks a bit more major, but such is life.

In addition to these I have some other stuff - bodies and the like, I think coming from Simon at Fusion next week. I talked to him ages ago and can't remember what they were at all, and I'm not asking as I like surprises. They should be here next week sometime, though who be saying can really?

So my plans for a simple life seem to be retreating somewhat.

Yesterday was spent practising making neck holes in lumps of wood, which would have been quite impressive if I had a neck to check if they worked out or not.

I have got one - well, three actually - somewhere, but can I find them?

Not a hope

I also cut some holes for P90s, humbuckers and a Tele bridge pickup. Which seemed to go OK enough.

So if anybody wants an oblong guitar with a neck on each side and seven pickups, step into my office. I might just be able to help you out.

Later, I'm going to have a go at cutting it into a teardrop shape before I start doing it for real next week on a lump of something more expensively wooden and tonal..

Well, so I say.

So in summary, not too much has happened this week with the other and one thing, but who knows, the brats break up from school next week so maybe I'll get something done before then. What, I really haven't got a clue.

La la laaa

Flame Grilled Toast

Well, bit of an early start today as the Bratskis wanted to see the Olympic Torch being shuffled along by some geezer in an '80s shell suit, so that was fun. It surprised me a little though, just how many people had got up to witness this once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to look at a flame.

Still, must have been the first time in living memory that the Police were getting cheered as they went past.

Nobody, was singing We'll Meet Again, but there was a definite Blitz Spirit (tm) about the place, and a few of the people watching looked as though they had been bombed out overnight.

Here back in Jookyland, it will be a quiet day as real life intervenes once more. I've ordered the final bits (pickups apart) for the JoBo One, so that should be on the cards for next week, and I've also snapped up (hopefully - all TBC to be fair) a couple of broken guitars. Both have had headstock breaks, and will give me something to play with, so I must dig out the clamp collection.

One is an Epiphone SG, which as I may have mentioned once or twice-per-dozen times was my first proper guitar, so that is nice, assuming I fix it. The other is an Epiphone Rivera, with the headstock completely removed. This I would think might be the trickier of the two as there is potential for me to put it on back to front or upside and down. Still, if it happens and I can fix it, it would be fun as they have three P90s and that sounds like a fine place to be, to me. Of course none of this might happen at all, but we'll see.

And my heart gave a little flutter just moments ago, when Marc-of-Mojo-Fame sent me a little picture of the not-a-toaster-at-all bread burning pickup I'm hopefully going to be putting on The Fabulous One if I ever finish it like.

So, cool, so verily chilly.

La la laaa

Coming Soon: The Jobo One

Oh, to be a notch...

Well, I couldn't get deep down and woody today and tomorrow is looking decidedly ropey too, but I did snaffle some bits and bobs for what I'm lovingly terming The JoBo One.

Now don't get me wrong this isn't an official Joe Bonamassa signature guitar, nope. But I figure it is only a matter of time before he does play a Jooky and well, one thing leads to another, quick article in a dozen guitar magazines and there we are. I just like to be prepared for future eventualness.

So it is more of an imagining - a kind of what-if, if you like. And I think if Joe (he doesn't mind us calling him Joe) were in fact to want a Jooky, this would be it. He just doesn't know it yet.

So in my head, what would Joe want from a Jooky?

Well, from the top, it is going to be boasting a nice ash Tele body, a sparkly pink paisley finish, traditional brass saddling and a maple/rosewood neck. Or maybe a maple/maple one, haven't quite decided on that yet. As the Joe in my head hasn't been ultra clear on that point.

As for the pickups, I can't quite decide whether it will be a proper Esquire, so a single bridge pup and some spiffy tonal switching optionals, or whether to go for broke and have a neck pickup as well. Maybe even a 'bucker.

Hmm, that's a thought. I'm not sure whether Joe is the kind of chap who'd needs a 'bucker as a kind of safety net or whether he'd just get on with the natural limitations of an Esquire without any bother. I think the latter, but I'll have to think about it a bit.

Additionally, I haven't quite decided whether to just paisleytop it, or whether to do the whole body, so we'll have to see about that too, I guess.

But there we are, one for the Coming Soon list I thinketh.

La la laaa

Toasting Fabulous

Innovations in Toasterdom

Well, the all-change approach to guitar ownership is well on't way. The PRS One has gone, and I'll either be left with my beautiful Les Paul Studio or my delish Sonex, depended on which of those goes first. Leaving me with one of them, my Gordo and my Jazzmaster. Which I'm convincing myself is *enough*.

Although I do keep peeping at the Danelectro Wild Thing, but it is a minor obsession, I think.

All of which feels better.

No real work done today as couriers took over, but I did re-wire my Gordo as there was a bit of a clickiness about it that bugged me.

Tomorrow though, well, it is going to be woodwork day. No, really.

I mentioned  Marc-from-Mojo, was letting me have one of his prototypes to play with, and that I'll probably try it in The Fabulous One, and I'm looking forward to that big-time. Basically it is a Toaster-looking one, all Rickenbacker-esque, which should be cool and jangly.

One to look forward to anywaysup.

La la laa

Better-er Days...

Well, it's all a little upsy-downsy in the Jooky Kingdom right now. The Glory B One got finished and is delish with a capital dish.

All my guitars are on the block as I am too indecisive to decide which one should go, and,,,

I still haven't got to grips with the woodwork.

Nice summary.

This week then, I am planning to get Fabulous (sick brats permitting), though there might be a touch of a small change in spec as something special from Mojoland might be landing in my lap. Something a bit different to the P90 I was planning on using. So we'll have to see.

I am also planning to bite the full metal jacket and get on with The Pearly Dewdrop One and at least chop some of the wood. I have a few different 'blanks' to play with now, so I'm working with Annette, as it were. (Nice lass but no head for heights.)

But despite that, I think starting is the key, and at least I'll know how likely it is that I will ever finish.

Moving forward then, I've been having a think and The Fabulous and Pearly Dewdrop Ones will take a while, so I'm going to do a Tele, just to keep my hand in like.

It will be pink paisley topped and probably an Esquire as I keep promising myself I'll make one and then get sidetracked by other bobbins.

Unless it isn't and I use the walnut veneer which I also keep saying I'll do. I haven't got any of the parts of course but then that's half the fun methinks.

I'm trying to avoid big-massive-long lists again as I just get confused, you might have noticed.

La la laa

Sold: The Glory B One

The Glory B One is perhaps the lightest Strat I’ve ever played never mind made. It has an alder body, maple/rosewood neck and a quite beautifully corroded copper finish.

I’m really rather proud of the finishas the colours from the corrosion of the copper are stunning.

What makes this a special guitar though, is a complete one-off pickup, The Mojo’Tron, made by our friends at Mojo Pickups. This takes the Gretsch/TV Jones sounds as a starting point, and all the twang and jangle you’d hope for are easily found, but there is also a lot more to it than that. Beefining it up a bit gives some great P90 grit and when overdriven it cuts thru clear as a dinging bell.

Overall then, a lovely single ‘bucker guitar with moresounds on tap than your average Strat, that looks grimly fiendish.
*


To be clear, The Glory B 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: Lulu’s Copper Top

Electrics: Mojo Pickups Mojo’Tron

Guitar Type: Fender Stratocaster

Construction: Wood body, maple/rosewood neck, Corroded Copper Finish

Strings: Nickel 10s

Output: ¼” Guitar Lead

Controls: Volume, Tone

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

Serial Number: JGE#53

RSP: £799

Introducing: The Glory B One

Well, I'm kinda happy to introduce you to a new member of the Jooky cabal, The Glory B One.

From the top, it is a lightweight alder bodied Strat, with a nice maple/rosewood neck. Tuners are pre-aged Wilkinsons which work a treat and the body has luxuriated in a bright and summer breezy (makes me feel, err, finey) corroded copper finish. And man that copper sulphate is lush. Sulphuric acid, can't beat it.

Under the plate is a lovely Mojo Pickups wiring loom replete with CTS pots, cloth smothered wire and a PIO capacitor the size of a swiss roll. (Maybe not quite the size of a swiss roll, but it is big.)

Most interesting of all though is the pickup I sort of challenged Marc at Mojo into making, and at the moment it is a complete one-off, but I have no doubt the boy has a big future and will be rolling a few more (Winding? I forget the technical chat).

This looks like a radiator from space, but sounds gorgeous. It's hard to nail the sound in words, not that I won't try, but there is definitely a bit of a TV Jones/Gretsch twang about it, but with maybe a touch more soul and tears. If I'm going to try the Book of Guitar Reviewer Cliche's I'd trot out articulate and airy and resonant, and talk about even with high gain and fuzz there being plenty of separation, but enough to say in my inarticulate way, it just sounds Gah. The tone control, for once, becomes your best friend as it varies between classic single tone cleans and more of a gritty oomph.

Oddly, in my head I find myself comparing it to Mojo's Wide Ranger, and this would make a lovely bridge to a Wide Range neck as there is a cross over, but not enough to confuse.. I'd love to hear a middle-position-mix 'tween the two, maybe I will on another one. Hmmm..

Given everything I've said, I'm loving it with bluesy-ness as it has something about it that just sings and wails. That P90 breaking-up-sound you just keep hitting.

So there we are, I'm rather pleased I asked now, as the pickup maketh the guitar.

(Not sure I'm getting this the right way around, somehow)

La la laa

WIP: The Glory B One and a Bit of Angst (Slight Return)

Well, I'm all-of-a-cringe at the moment, as I decided to put three of my guitars (not Jookies, I mean, from my private stash) up for sale, and see which one goes first, as I can't decide which to keep and what to lose.

I'm not taking it weeeeell so far, I have to admit. I keep shouting 'Nooo' every time one of them gathers another 'Peeper'.

I know it is the coward's way out, or at least one of them without having to scribble notes and get involved in ropes or hosepipes, but I guess it appeals to the randomness in my soul, even as it breaks-me-up-inside. (It is offish crap-80s-lyric-day in Jookyland, in case you are wondering.)

The sad thing is I don't want to sell any of them and will be all upset and melancholy-shopping-trolley when/if one of them goes, but there we are.

And then somewhere deep down is a little voice asking me whether I even need them at all... Which is of course stupid and basically a subtle form of sacrilege and not something I'm likely to think about ever again. I feel somewhat dirty even mentioning it, and not in a good way

The ones that haven't made the list are my Jazzmaster and the Gordo, which with a P90 and a '57 'bucker covers most of the bases the other three do, but that sort of rationalisation isn't helping overly-much-at-all either. Though I'm going to bite the bullet and replace the SD Phat Cat in the Gordo as it is annoyingly-too-nice, especially after playing the Mojo P90 in the PRS. I am tempted by one of Mr Mojo's Wide Rangers, but I do like a P90, it has to be said.

Though I chased-up The Golden Shower One at the local tech, which I know was maybe a bit pushy as I only dropped it in back in September, but you have to chance your arm, and that has a couple of P90s in it, so maybe. It'll be ready by Christmas, I expect..

In more distractingly-better news, the scratchplate for The Glory B One arrived and is now suitably copper-covered and acid dribbled, and the aged tuners are in the aged neck.

I will hopefully be putting it together sometime tomorrow, despite still being brat-infested. I need to do it just to find out what the Mojo'tron sounds like, for myself and in a way, I like to think for each-and-every-one-of-you out there. (ahem). Looks pretty stunning when it is plonked, if nowt else.

Right, off to play my Jazzmaster and Gordo, sequentially, to convince myself I don't care about the others

*sniff*

La la laa

*sniff*

Dirty Little Pleasures

Well, despite my deep and tenderly caring love of the raunch that is now my Mojo-equipped PRS, I still find that I can only bring myself to play it with the curtains drawn. So perhaps it is answering my which-one-has-to-go question all by itselfdom.

Either that or there are days ahead with me in me pants and string vest, eating out of takeaway trays and strumming all by myself with the curtains shut.

I don't know.

Not a pleasant thought, well, for anybody I'm sure.

All of which distracted me from The Fabulous One somewhat, but for not much longer, so getting that sorted is today's job. Sorted as far as disfigured can mean sorted. With less wood than I started. Literally, I mean. That isn't bringing me back to the PRS.

But today, yep. if things go to plan, it will be routing The Fabulous One and copperifying The Glory B One's 'plate before putting the rest of the guitar together tomorrow. I have high-ish hopes of getting some Glory this week.

I just have to think about finishing it and I find myself having thoughts about finishing it and then I realise I've been thinking about it and ultimately I realise I was thinking about it and then it's time to get the brats from school - game over.

So instead of just thinking I'm going to try doing, you never know, it might catch on.

So where to start.

Dunno really.

Ah, an instant update of breaking news from the Jooky front-line.

Sick brat stops play.

I should have known better, than to hope, to dream that perhaps, just perhaps, that one sunny day we'll meet again. I might be mixing my metathingies there somewhat.

Ho hum. Hope the scratchplate comes, at least I can be-copperify that.

La la laaa

p.s. Saw Obama got to meet Beckham yesterday.
Must have been a high point for him.
Is it me or does he look more like George Michael every day?
Beckham too, now I come-to-a-ponder it.

Not So Nice Anymore

Well, the rest of the parts never showed-up for The Glory Box One, so I distracted myself further with the PRS SE One I was talking about.

Now before I explain further, you play guitar, right?

I can't imagine anybody reads this drivel that doesn't.

Good.

Now will you try something for me?

Nothing arduous, I promise.

Yes?

Cool.

So anyway, get your favourite guitar and your favourite amp.

Take the amp and put it into a cupboard or the boot of your car or something.

Cover it with quilts, coats, rags and small children if you have any.

Plug a lead into the amp and put the other end in the guitar.

You need a long lead, I should have mentioned that.

And an extension lead if you can't park outside your house.

Shut the door/car lid and walk away as far as you can from the amp. As long as your lead will allow.

Now, if your guitar has a tone knob turn it all the way down to the 'muffled mud' setting you normally avoid.

Play the guitar for five minutes and seventeen seconds.

Remember the sound.

Now, go back to the cupboard, remove all the coats, rags, children.

Turn the tone back up to 'Full' on your guitar.

Shut the cupboard door behind you, or sit on top of the amp if it is in your car.

Play the guitar for five minutes and seventeen seconds.

Remember that sound.

Now, I didn't do that today, but if I had that would have been quite close to the difference replacing the stock PRS P90 in my wee guitar with a nice new one from that Mojo Pickups chap Marc, made when I did it earlier.

The first time I hit a chord and bent some string, it gave me eczema on my face.

It is raw and beautiful.

The pickup sound, I mean, not my mush.

I don't think I can explain it better than that.

La la laaaa and a triiinnng.

Nice, but well, Nice.

PRS SE One: In Need of a bit of Mojo methinketh

Well, yesterday was a bit of a strange day all-in-all. Had to be out and about, so I managed to miss the arrival of the PRS SE One and that was pretty much it.

Haven't really had a good chance to try it out yet - the One, I mean - but I'm not entirely convinced. The odd thing is that the pickup is a lot more gentile and polite than I ever remember it being when I've used such pickups before, transplanted into other guitars, so I'm a tad underwhelmed at the moment. Playing it louder always helps, mind, so I'll do that in a wee bit and see.

As for the guitar generally, it is very nicely put together. Slightly battered (which I knew about) and the neck is a good handful, but maybe it is because I've been playing the 30-year-old Sonex and the 20-year-old LP Studio, but it seems a little personality-light right now.

I'll give it a blast anyway and then maybe pop the Mojo loom and P90 in and see how it is then. I don't generally give things much of a chance, but maybe I should.

Don't get me wrong, it looks nice (apart from the headstock) and plays nicely, but nice isn't really what I was looking for. More your face-ripping type of thing. I was hoping for something to fill my eternal Les Paul Junior void, but...

As for Jookidom, well, the Mojotron arrived along with yet another wiring loom from Marcy-boy and I can't wait to try it out. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting for the other bits for The Glory B One, but hopefully they will arrive today. Scratchplates and tuners, they really do matter. I'll need to be-copper the scratchplate before I can put it together proper, but it should be sorted this week, methinketh.

Other than that I'm planning on finishing the woodwork for The Fabulous One and that is it. Nowt else to get in the way, just that.

It has gone on too long already so I need to finito it, or at least the dangerous part or I won't be able to look at meself in the mirror. Well, if I had a mirror.

Off to give the PRS a blast, then we'll see...


~~~ Later On Like ~~~

Well, I've given the PRS a blast, and I like the neck. Not sure about the finish, and am going to put the Mojo P90 and wiring in, and see if that gives it a bit more organicness and bite, as it is far too polite...

My natural instinct is not to like a PRS on principle - but the One on paper should be my kinda guitar, so I have this horrible dilemma - like finding out you prefer the Tories' policies compared to Labour and despite every fibre in your body screaming that you-can't-do-it, you feel like you have to at least think about it.

Though saying that, the outcome is no doubt predictable anyway...




La la laaa.

Not That Sorta Boy

Well, I still can't make me mind up, about which way to go.

I mean, about which of my guitars to keep. Tis hard being this decisive. The Sonex looks favourite for the chop, but there is always the PRS factor to consider. I just never have and still can't see myself playing a PRS, I'm just not a PRS kinda chap, even if a single P90 is my kinda heaven. We'll see tomorrow when it shows up, I guess.

I got the Floyd Rose equipped guitar I mentioned on Friday, but to be honest it wasn't quite what I was hoping - so back to the drawing board on that, and I met a man in a car park yesterday and he gave me money for it. So I can't actually remember it too well now. So back to the drawing board on that one (Soz P. but these things have to be right...)

As for The Glory B One, well that is just waiting for the scratchplate, stuff from Mojo - I am in lurve with that Mojotron pickup - and some tuners. I'm similarly back in lust with Ye Olde split Klusons, so it might be them, or maybe something else. I was half-asleep when I ordered them and I can't remember now.

As for the chopping of The Fabulous One, well it pertered out last week with courier-waiting negating woodyworkering, but once the courier arrives tomorrow, I'll hopefully get it done

I've just remembered to realise that I need a new tailpiece as the one I bought is too big. I knew there was something else.

Also, I've decided that The Pearly Dew Drop One is just going to have a P90 now. Don't ask my why as I can't remember. It could have a nice tailpiece, it'd probably fit.

Hmm...hadn't thought about that, could look nice.

So really, it is just more of the same chaos. I don't know what to do with the guitar-thinning, and I've only just managed to stop myself buying three others over the weekend. I may have a problem bigger than I imagined.

So plan for the week -

1. Get the PRS SE One from the smiling courier

2. Put the wiring and Mojo P90 in said PRS,

3. Play all my guitars with criticalness, standing in front of a mirror to check my R'n'R cred.

4. Make a decision on which guitar to lose.

5. Cry a little and hit Ebay

6. Finish The Fabulous One woodwork

7. Finish The Glory B One

8. Try not to buy anymore guitars

Simple innit?

La la laa

In The Crissy-Crossy Hairs

The Radiator From Space - MojoTron

Well, the more-of-a-stripe-than-a-burst The Glory B One is coming together quite nicely. I've finally got my act together and sorted out the single pickup scratchplate, and best of all Marc from Mojo has just sent me a foto of the finished pickup - that will forever now be known as a Mojotron. =>

Basically, it is a slightly warmer Filtertron type of thing, that looks rather cool. He has also done me a loom for it, so Glory B indeedy.

As for the scratchplate, I've decided to go for copper because, well, I think it will look nice. And what else truly matters?

Following on from my thingy the other day, I've kinda decided that I need to get rid one one of my guitars - because I don't include Jookies in the head-count, obviously.

But which one....so I could do with some help:

1. '93 MIJ Fender Jazzmaster : Handy hint this one goes nowhere

2. '92 Gibson Les Paul Studio

3. '81 Gibson Sonex 180 Deluxe

4. Aria Acoustic: Horrible sentimental attachment, so this stays.

5. PRS SE One: Hasn't actually arrived yet

6. '80s Gordon Smith

And I'm finding it tough.

The obvious way is last-in-first-out, which means either the Sonex or the PRS, but I'm loving the Sonex right now and have lusted after the PRS SE One for ages and have one of Mojo's P90s and looms to install which is something to look forward to.

But I can't see me losing the Gordo as it is a complete wreck, but is probably the one that makes me smile most when I play it. It smells gorgeous too.

Which leaves the Les Paul Studio, but again lust comes into it and side-by-side, I'd have to say it pips the Sonex - though that could be a pickup thing. I am liking the ebony board on it though. And the colour, but then the Sonex' neck is a total dream.

So what to do?

Decisions, decisions.

Maybe I should put them all on Ebay and see which goes first.

La la laaa

WIP: The Glory B One

Well, I did the acid thing on The Glory B One and have gone for a bit of an acid burst - which sounds like an Opal Fruit, but probably wouldn't make your mouth water in a good way.

What I wanted was to do a copper top, but then bronze and corrode it around the edges. Partly to give an impression of creeping desolation and corruption as felt by the Western spirit as normal social boundaries disintegrate and social norms become disregarded as antiquities and curios, but mainly because I wondered what it would look like.

And I like it. I'm not decided on the scratchplate yet - I'm wondering whether plain black is the best bet - though I think perhaps I might bronze that too. I would have already if I had gotten around to getting it, but I haven't. It'll be a single pickup either way.

As for the neck, well I've copperified the headstock, and given it a name and number. No rank, that would be silly..

The rest of the bits should also be here in the next day or so, so it is kinda happening quite neatly for once.

As for The Fabulous One, I never got to return to my chopping yesterday, and unless the courier comes early I probably won't today either I am actually pretty much done on the wood bit, just a bit more and we're quids in. But many a slip between alcopop bottle and lip, .so still plenty of time to screw it up.

And while I'm rounding-up, the Sonex, I took that apart earlier on as the switch was a bit weird, and replaced that with a new one. I must admit I'm not sure about the pickups - no idea what they are even - as they get a bit mushy.

I think I've been spoiled by all these handwound, air-filled pickups I've been using lately. I'll have a think about them and save my pennies.

Oh, I wasn't going mad about the mini-switch not doing much, as it isn't connected to anything at all. The rest of the wiring is lovely though - a nice surprise - all good pots and PIO caps and all that.

Still, it all works fine now and I'm rather chuffed with it. Might have to change the knobs though, I really loathe speed knobs.

La la laaa

In The Navel

Well, bit of an odd day. I got The Glory B One copperificated and will be throwing acid in it's mush shortly, but that is about all. The courier will now be tomorrow *sigh* so I'm wishing I hadn't boxed The Kooky One up.

As for the Sonex, well, I've had a bit of a fiddle and I'm liking it more and more. I was playing it side-by-side (no mean feat) with my LP Studio and they are quite different, which shouldn't surprise me but somehow does. Like playing a Tele and a Strat, I guess.

All of which leaves me in my standard 'undecided state' as to what I should do with it. It would be a shame to cover up the aged white as it looks beautiful in 3D, so I can't see me Jookying it, though I am tempted to change the wiring (the switch is a bit temperallymental, for one, and the tone pots are kinda off-or-on) and maybe the pickups too. I quite fancy putting some Dirty Fingers in it or T-Tops if I can find some of the right vintage.

So do I keep it or not, I'm not sure about that yet. I am already feeling that I have too many guitars again and with the PRS coming soon something will have to give. Especially as I still fancy an SG, amongst others (ahem). Whether the giver is the Gordo, the Studio, the One or the Sonex, we'll have to see once they are all sorted out in their own little ways. Maybe I should get rid of all of them and just happily play my Jazzmaster. Well, it's a thought.

 </NavelGaze>

La la laaa

All Tattered and Torn

Well, it sort of went well yesterday, though courier hell continues and a no show means I'm awaiting again for someone to take my Kooky away, which is annoying. I think I must live in a black hole or something.

On the plus side, I got further along with The Fabulous and Glory B Ones, which should get further still today with a bit of luck. The pickup-with-no-name is likely to be wound todayish, so I'd better get my act together on that.

Speaking of that winding chap, I think I said the P90 and loom for my PRS SE One arrived from Marc-at-Mojo yesterday, which will be good and handy when the guitar gets here.

And of course, I went to drizzly Swindon yesterday evening to lurk in a train station and swap The Tatty Adonis One for the Gibson Sonex 180 Deluxe you can see in the fotos...

And very nice it is too. The neck has been sanded back and feels great, and I think it has probably been refinished at some point - certainly the neck if not the body, but it is very much a 'players' guitar (insert obvious joke here) so it doesn't matter too much.

The pickups too aren't original unless somebody put covers on them, which seems unlikely and there is a micro switch in there for good measure, which might be a coil-split or maybe even err, something else. Not sure it did too much at all, tbh, but I was playing quite tip-toe-quietly, so maybe I missed something dramatic.

I've come to the conclusion I don't really like coil taps much, I think the only time I have been truly impressed was on The Wicked One where it was more of a boost if anything. But I digress..

All-in-all, first impressions of the Sonex are pretty good, and I am well pleased. I'll give it a proper try out later and have a peep under the hood and all that

And no, I still haven't decided what to do with it, though I love the colour - a well aged white - and it is tidy for, what? Thirty-one-years-old. Tidier than I was back then anyway.

So all-in-all a good deal, though I already miss the Tatty and now need to find an excuse to get another Mojo Wide Ranger. I could be radical and get a telecaster, I guess...

But today, on with the chopping and copperification, while waiting for the courier...

Every day is the dame

La la laa