Golden-ness on the Bay

Well, one of the things I looked forward to seeing with the Strappado bodies, was how they ended-up once people had turned them into their own guitars. It appeals to the random in my soul.

Typically, nobody ever sends me a foto of the finished guitar and I end-up pacing the floor, just like wondering.

But today was a good day as I happened across this wee beauty that Ash put together with my gold leafed Strat body, and very nice it looks too.

He is flogging it on ebay if you fancy it, and even did a YouTube video, which I hope he doesn't mind me putting here.

Not such a bad day after all..

La la laaaaa

Do Tha Bump

Well, you know how much I love a 'different' pickup, one that is out of the ordinary that gives that little something different to the rest. I like that, guitars that sound as well as look a bit unique.

So top excitement when Marc at Mojo Pickups told me he was doing something special based on an old Kay Speedbump Humbucker, basically a big fat magnet with loads of wire wrapped around it...and as per I-just-gotta-have-it.

The question of course is what to do with it, and as I normally do in such moments I find myself thinking of a single pickup jobby, so that is the likely plan.

Don't ask me what and I can't be bothered to think of a name, but there we are..

La la laaaa

Free The Ganga6

Well, one good thing about having nowt I can do at the moment is that I get to think a bit more...and today's thoughts have been thunk in a Junior kind of direction.

I mentioned (many times) before that as well as doing the posher Customs and Classics, I also wanted some cheaper plug 'n' play dirty and deep down guitars that will be hot sexy hot and fundamental fun - the Jooky Juniors.

I'm sure Paul Reed Smith feels the same way. (watch the comments, he is a regular reader, of course (ahem.))

But what I haven't sorted in my little brain is what these should be.

I know they will be a single pickup - maybe a P90, or more likely a Gold Foil or having played the Mojo Mosrite inspired pickup in The Sappho One, that too is a seriously cool option.

As for the necks, that I know too - initially something trad, later something more like home (it takes a while and I'm never good at waiting).

But the body, what will the body be like? You see I have all sorts of ideas, but can't choose between the blighters, and so I thought, well why should I?

So instead, I'm going to go for gangs of six (gangs of four would have sounded better, of course, but what the hell), and by that I mean that I will make six of one body shape and that will be that, and then the next time something different again. And these little Sixers, will all still be unique of course, each of the six will have a different finish and no doubt be groovy on it.

These will be:

1. Gold Leaf
2. Rusted Iron
3. Corroded Copper
4. Corroded Bronze
5. Corroded Aluminum/Copper
6. Paisley

And that will be fun, fun and a bit more fun. Wonder if I   can get the first Ganga6 done by Crimbulmus?

Would be kinda groovy...

La la laaaa

Of Course, The Only Downside..

Well, it was cool to get The Sappho One fettled yesterday, and all that is left to do is a bit of window dressing - but naturally, I'm waiting on bobbins so I can do that, and all I can do with the blue one is well, play it.

It is a tough job sometimes.

And waiting seems to be the name of the game at the moment - necks from one place, bodies from a couple of others, tools from more places than I can imagine - so plenty of thumb twiddling.

Might even have to learn a fourth chord at this rate

La la laaa

Sneeka-Peeka-Sappho

Well, I got some strings on The Sappho One at last today, and I really, truly and slightly insanely can't stop smiling.

There are still a few tweaks to be made, so I'll do a formal introduction tomorrow, but I couldn't help but share it with the group..

And from the top, it has a delight-filled swamp ash body that has had a proper Lake Placid Blue Nitro finish (with the silver beneath so it shines, shines, shines). This has not been relicified, but has had some lacquer crazing induced which looks stunning and can only get better. Saying that, it will no doubt have a few genuine dinks before the day is over. That's the kinda guy I  am.

From there we have a quite beatified reversed lefty neck - Stainless steel of fret, Goncalo Alves with Pau Ferro fretboard of woody bits. Sperzel tuners at the top are staggered so no need for the stringy trees and a Graphtech TUSC nut for the detail chaps.

Back down the interesting end, I've gone for a Mustang bridge, and the classic Fender tremolo, shiny Gretsch knobs for a bit of bling and a minty cream scratchplate.

As for the pickups (and dear what pickups they are) Marc Ransley of Mojo Pickups fame has outdone himself with a couple of Jazzmaster sized beauties that are uber cool. At the neck we have one of his Gold Foils which is superb, whilst at the bridge we have a Dirty Gerty of a Mosrite style pickup which is brash, harsh and stunningly in your face. The middle position is simply enormous and the sustain on these two just goes on, and on (and on and ...)

But like I  say, I'll do a proper intro tomorrow maybe. or the next day, or week or something.

La la laaaa

Strappado-a-Go-Go

Well, it is the end of the week and it may not feel much, but getting four new Strappado babies fettled is definitely a step toward that place over there called Right.

It's been a while, let's face it, but it was fun and took my mind off the waiting-for-parts-to-arrive depression.

Today though it is going to be about the Old Gordo as I'm itching to give it a blast, although if the parts for The Sappho One should put in an appearance, it might get relegated once more.

La la laaaa

Feeling Rusty

Well, I'm having all manner of fun-ness doing some Strappado bobbins, and the second pair are coming along quite nicely-thank-you-verily-much.

The one on the left is a real multi-metal combo - I've exposed more of the alumium as that is quite sparkly, and layered it with copper and bronze over some iron, so as it corrodes it will be all rainbow-like.

On the right I wanted to do a straight rusty iron job, as I must admit this is still my fave.

There is something sadly and yet deeply satisfactory about seeing iron rust. I can't get enough of it.

And this really is my first trial with my new way of doing it. The rustifying acid stays the same, but I did a lot of meandering and head-scrabbling over the summer to try and improve the way I fix it all.

Originally I used lacquer, but you lost a lot of the colour of the corroded bits, it was cool, but things can get better. Next I went with the hard wax oil which was a bit more stable, and now I've found a strange mix of beeswax and essential oils originally used by Egyptian Religious nuts to keep Pharaohs eyes looking gleamy in their pyramids. I kid you not. You really want to try milking an asp sometime. This even  lets the corrosion carry on for a little while which is stunning, and means it will age nicely.

And it seemed to work well on the scrap wood before, but this is the big test and again it seems to be panning out so far.

But time will tell...

La la laaaa

Tying Myself in Knots

ST#8

Well, the first of the new round of Strappado bodies are done, and jolly decent they look too.

I went for an orgy of metals and corrosion, and though my shonky fotos don't really show it, they look quite 3D and sparkly up close and impersonal.

Both in fact have aluminium, copper and bronze in there and groovy they are too.

As for other stuff, waiting for the postie really, though I need to solder the Old Gordo so I can be-a-playing, methinketh

La la laaaa

ST#9

Fake Tan and Strappado Body Art

Well, I thought I'd get me finger out, and at least start something this morning, and as you can see a couple of what-will-be-shall-be Strappado Bodies are in the early stages..

What I'm going to do with these is give them a fake tan of a walnut stain, back and sides - for that dark back look, with corroded copper and bronze tops to follow.

I will probably do The Diamond Shiny One along the same lines as it looks soooo verily cool, to mine mince pies, but the kitchen table isn't big enough to do them all at once, what with all the other junk I've piled on there.

While they are drying, I'm planning on soldering the wires and doing the strumability thing with the Old Gordo. I've realised that I've run out of a few nice-to-haves, like knobs and neck plates and things, so The Sappho One will have to wait a day or two until they show their faces.

Such is life.

La la laaaaa

And So..

Well, my earlier pondering went around in a few circles and the end result was that I spent some time putting the lovely Mojo PAFs and loom into The Old Gordo. Typically though, all that is left to do is connect the wires and do you think I can find a working soldering iron? Nope.

Four soldering irons and none of them work. It is a disgrace. So that too, is a job for another day. *

As for The Sappho One, my dithering has ended and I am going with the excessively gorgeous Warmoth neck for that, I've given it a good polish, sorted the fret ends and generally fettled it and basically I can't resist temptation. Fingers crossed it will be finalised this week then.

As for The Diamond Shiny One, I may in fact be using a different body for that, for highly technical details that I don't think I'll go into here as you will laugh at me, but basically because the knotted body has a new porpoise in life, methinks, that will be quite fun and involve copper nails.

More on that another day methinks

La la laaaa

* Edit: Just realised I had the power switched off at the wall... *sigh*

Decisions..

Well, the rather lovely neck I'd ordered for The Sappho One arrived a few minutes ago. A lovely posh wood Warmoth one, reverse of headstock, Goncalo Alves woody bits with a poshly Pau Ferro 'board.

And naturally I quickly mock it up with my beautiful LPB body, and then I get indecisive.

And I'm thinking, should I wait for the ebony boat oar I'd originally planned to use and instead put this on the knotted Tele that is The Diamond Shiny One instead (as it will clearly fit it to a tee and a hee) or should I go with the plan.

So instead of thinking that I could be playing Sappho like a honey fiddle before the day is out, I'm buying myself another few weeks of thumb twirling instead.

So I'm not sure what to do really.

It does look good in the foto, I like that a lot. But then,...gah.

I think I'll go and start drilling and sanding the Diamond instead and put it off until tomorrow.

La la laaa

Diamonds Take Forever

Well, I had another box of glittering delight arrive this morning, from the land of Mojo Pickups, and couldn't wait to put the Gold Foil at the neck of The Diamond One, matching it up with Marc's prototypical blade Tele pickup with-no-name.

To be fair though, it has a way to go (holes to drill, sanding to endure, finish to apply) and I am missing one or two bits...

1. Neck, quite fundamental
2. Tuners - equally so
3. Bigsby B5 and Tele conversion thingy
4. Saddles
5. The usual knobs, strap pins, switch tips, control plate, neck plate and selection of screws (though I have some copper nails which may make an appearance sometime soon.)

So with that in mind, no I don't know why I got excited at all, apart from that all of those things are on-their-way.

Also in the box was a loom for this of course, and a pair of Marc's lovely PAF flavoured humbuckers, and another loom to go into the Old Gordo. This will probably happen tomorrow alongside the fettling of The Diamond Shiny One, body-wise.

I asked Marc to do the flippy-floppy-Peter-Green Magnet thing (as I'm lazy), so I'm looking forward to that.

I'm genuinely keeping the Old Gordo this time.

Forever.

Stop smirking,

I mean it.

Really.

La laa laaa

Neckless of Posset Town

Well, I seem to be struggling with my necks at the moment. Bodies-a-plenty, but not a neck to call me own.

So this week, unless one arrives, I think I'm going to have a play with some Strappado bodies and try and build up a bit of stock, or maybe enthusiasm. Or perhaps maybe something.

When this web site of mine eventually sees the light, Strappado bodies are one of the things I'm keen on having on there, mainly as it gives me the fun part without worrying too much about necks. I hate necks. Necks are evil. The devil's work.

So I  think this maybe be a Tele body week. I still have the one to do as a How To for The Fretboard Forum of course, and the lovely knotty woody one for The Diamond Shiny One, but I have a couple more Tele bodies around too which could look good in bronze, copper and rust, probably.

Not that I'm depressed

La la laaa

A Chap's Bezzie Mate

Well, I just picked up the body I am going to use on The  Diamond Shiny One, and it is lovely..

As you can see, it is a well knotted bit of alder, which should look groovy by the time I've finished with it, and I feel is destined for greatness.

As for the finish, this is going to have a nice walnut/oil/wax finish back and sides, to show off the devastation, with the very first copper/aluminium finish on top. In 8 out of 10 tests, this has ended-up with a shiny blue finish once it has been corroded, so should be a peach. The other two, well, I don't want to talk about for fear of self-incrimination.

What else? Marc at Mojo Pickups has done me a Gold Foil for the neck and I have his prototypical blade thingy for the bridge, so that is definitely in the something-new department.

As for the neck, it will be a stupendously groovy Strat one, I just err, haven't got it yet. Still, such is life.

This coming week I can actually start doing something again, it is going to be soooo much fun.

La la laaaa

Seller's Regret

Well, you'd think I would be use to it by now, but giving The Boogaloo One a final once over and a good hour or so of strumming duty, I have to say I am genuinely gutted to see it off to pastures new with Arto in Helsinki.

The neck is absolutely gorgeous, and the 620ish shape feels very natural - and those Mojo Gold Foil pickups, of which these are the only set in the world right now (Toaster-tastically speaking,) I just can't say enough good things about them.

All of which means I am only pacing the floors of Jooky Towers, hoping that the neck for The Sappho One will arrive tootsie and sweetly so I can play myself a Jooky again. It is a hard life of knocks.

So it is a little painfilled and sad, but there we are. I guess if I could sling them out the door without a seconds thought and second thoughts it wouldn't be worth making them in the first place, would it?

At least that is what I'm telling meself.

La laaa laaa

Juniors Wailing

Well, I've been thinking longly and, well, hardly about how the Jooky Juniors  will turn out and I've come to a conclusion that is rather crazy, but I think might just work if I develop the bottle to do it.

You'll remember, as it is very, very important, that the Juniors are Phase Deux of the whole Jooky Resurrection, and won't see day's light until the new year.

Oh, I didn't mention that before? No matter.

Anyway, I'm aiming for January for these, and have been going around in circles trying to decide the details.

What I do know is that they will be a single pickup jobby - probably a Mojo Gold Foil.

They will also have a neck. I know that for sure. A long neck with frets.

I also know that they will have an extra-especially-cool headstock. (The Classics and Customs will have Standard ones though somewhat Jookified).

I even know that they will all be boasting Rusty Tops of some sort.

In fact the only thing I don't know is whether the body will be a Dano-esque construction, or a single piece of wood. And until now I didn't actually know what shape it will be.

I mean, I'm going around in circles - should I go for an Offset? A Teardrop? Do I find some old obscure Eastern European effort and rip it off...or Gord Forbidden, do I come up with something off the wall and unique. And once I got to the last bit, well, it was always going to be.

And so I've come up with a design (though still not sure whether it will work or how it will be made), and I think it is do-able in theory. But have I got the bottle? I've never basketed my eggs like this before and it is a little worrying.

So I think I need a prototype, to just see how it goes. Whether it works. So maybe that's what I'll do tomorrow. maybe I will.

La la laaa

And Then Again..

Well, I put The Sappho One together, but couldn't bring myself to use the 'other' neck, and instead snapped-up something cute and yet incredibly cool and special...

So with the hope that that will arrive sometime soonish NOW, I think it is a good move.

I won't describe it yet as I'll no doubt jinx the whole shaboombangabang, and that would never do.

Other than the continuing saga of the neck that never was, I've been organising some cool bobbins that will help the new style Jookies stand out from the crowd, as they are a bit understated recently.

Speaking of which, Mr Rendall, who did the classy Lake Placid Blue-ness on Sappho, I saw his latest on Facebook - this stunning Zombie Burst Strat body... (Hope he doesn't mind my nicking the foto)

So if you are looking for a re-finish of epic quality check the chap's stuff out HERE

La la laaaa

Plan Bee: National Sappho Week

Well, the news I dreaded arrived, and the spiffy ebony neck for The Sappho One is going to be delayed a further month. And I have been patient, very very so patient. I haven't ripped a corner on the wrapping paper, no sneaky peeky peeps, nothing.

But another month at best is a step too far, for even one so tranquil as I, and I am going to Plan B.

Not quite sure what that is yet, and it may involve a fat sweaty guy in a suit, but I'm going there.

I have got a quite lovely maple/rosewood and big-of-head neck I was saving for a special occasion, so I may just go ferrit in that direction.

I mean, really, what's a poor boy todo today?

So this week then, I will be doing Sappho, and strumming some delish Mosrite and Gold Foil sounds thru my AC15 or, err, the little Yamaha THR5 amp that seems to be heading in this direction. (I need something to play my iPod thru, well, if I had an iPod.)

La la laaa

Calendar Boyz

Well, not that I'm bored or anything - though I am - but I thought for a laugh it would be fun to do a Jookified calendar for the new year.

Which is a cool idea, I'm sure you agree.

However, I don't actually have any Jookified guitars as they are all gone, gone aand gone, so I need a little help.

So if anybody out there has a Jooky guitar and wants to send me a foto of you playing it, with extra points for playing it somewhere more interesting than your front room or neckid - I will:

1. Laugh, it's a nervous thing. I'm terrible at funerals.

2. No doubt put the fotos on the blog, and

3. Make a calendar with them.

Assuming there are 12, of course. Be emb. if there aren't and I probably won't mention it again..

Other than that, I now have a groovy new logo which will go on the groovy new web site next week. I'd show you it, but why kill the surprise? I also for the first time ever, know precisely what I am doing.

 Like I said, I'm bored.

La la laaaa

Bedbugs and Boogaloo

Well, The Boogaloo One is off to Helsinki, and my post-holibob surge of enthusiasm and achievement faltered in the first furlong as one of the bratskis got an early sick day in before I had a chance to catch me breath. It's never simplistic around here.

Tomorrow though (unless the other one  has her turn) I'm going to be getting The Sappho One together as far as I can as the super cool neck should be here any day now (meant to be yesterday, but who is counting? Well, me obviously.)

This is going to be a special one in many ways - the cracked nitro Lake Placid Blue finish, the Mosrite and Gold Foil pickups courtesy of Marc at Mojo Pickups, and the U shaped neck, 12" radius, jumbo of fret, ebony of board and flaming  maple of stick - all pretty groovy. Nice heavyweight set of Gotoh tuners too, Fender tremolo and Mustang bridge. Lovely.

Better still as of course this is the Jooky I'm going to keep. No, really. I know I said that about The Boogaloo, Golden Shower, Old Burny, Groovy, Old E and another dozen or so of the Ones, but this time is different. Probably mainly..

Scouts honour.

La la laaaa

Diamonds are forever

Well, I mentioned it yesterday, so I should get official about it all and tell you a bit more about the other Jooky Custom that will hopefully make the list, The Diamond Shiny One.

And as I said, this little baby will have an excess of the chrome stuff, will be a lovely Telecaster with a Gimp at the bridge and a Mojo Gold Foil at the neck. To take  it one step further it will have a stunningly cool Bigsby B5 on wobble and shimmer duty.

As for the the other end, I'm going for a big headed Strat neck of super groovy quality.

And as with all of the Customs, I'm looking at using top quality necks and other bits too, and really quite looking forward to it all.


In other news, I have pretty much got my web site sorted, just need some fotos of the new guitars to set it off, so that is pretty sweet too.

And bestest of all, I've been 'working' - rather he has been doing the working - with a nice chap called Brendan who is designing a logo which will set things off a treat.

And all this is good, mainly because having had the summer holibobs off I am desperate to get going, inspired and generally gagging ferrit.

La la laaa

Jamais Vu Like Never Before

Well my tatty tawdry wee plans for world domination clearly need a little TVP on their bones, which brings me nicely to what I think will be the central plum of my Jooky Custom Range (I did marketing once, does it show?) in the shape of The Jamais Vu One.

This is destined to be a top notch Jazzmaster with a few tweaks - notably a Bigsby rather than the usual Fender lump of metal work in the tremolo department, and I think will be somewhat stunning.

I mentioned before that the Customs will centre on a handful of standard designs and people will then get the choice of pickups, hardware and finishes, though being anything to do with me of course these will have to be something I want to do, which means Custom isn't quite what you would expect, I imagine, but there we be.

In fact I've spent the summer plotting what these will be - the options, I mean - and it will be this Jazzmaster, my cross between a Telemaster and a Les Paul Jr and the other one which escapes me now.

Oh, a Telecaster I expect, I like Telecasters. With an Ash body and a nice Mojo Gold Foil pickup at the neck, and a Bigsby. Did I mention I like Bigsbys?

Probably.

But there we are, the plan is that I will make an example or two of each and then if anybody wants their own - cool - but if not, I end up with lots of nice guitars.

Hope for the best, plan for the probable, that's my motto.

La la laaaa