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

Sold: the Diamond Shiny One

Well, it has taken a while and many forms, but I am pleased to introduce to you the stripped down noise machine that is The Diamond Shiny One.

In the end I went for a bare bones approach as basically it looked the best and it just suited it somehow.

We have a corroded copper and bronze topped alder body, a rather lush maple/rosewood neck, ye olde Tele Ashtray bridge and two quite incomparable pickups.

At the neck is what is becoming rather trademark-like here in Jookyland, which is unfortunate as it is is somebody else's trademark - a Teisco style Mojo Pickups' Gold Foil. This, as the regular viewer will note, is a stunningly cool sound and at the neck of a Tele is awesome.

At the bridge is one of Marc Ransley's legendary prototypes - this time a Tele pickup, but that has a low output and a blade. Us nerds will of course recognise the recipe and instantly think 'Charlie Christian' and we would be right, as it has all the lush, tear-dragging properties that you would expect. Blues, Jazz are nailed on and the middle position is just, well, something else. Man. However, being more limited myself I can't help but mention that it nails those Clash and Pistols sounds beautifully.



*** SOLD ***

Technical Stuff:
Type: Jooky Classic

Electrics: Mojo Gold Foil Pickup, Mojo Pickups Blade Tele Pickup, Mojo Wiring Loom

Guitar Type: Telecaster

Construction: Maple/Rosewood Neck, Alder Body

Strings:     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: JL#9

RSP: £1249
 

LAST CHANCE - To Win This Groovy Guitar

Well, I'm not sure I mentioned it before (ahem) but Tomorrow, i.e. Thursday at 7pm sees the closure of the bag of balls, and you will no longer be able to take a punt and possibly win yourself the rather dishy The Fretboard One.

I won't go over the uber spec again...just let you see the taster of a video young Ben knocked out with it earlier..

Clearly he is playing it too fast and I keep shouting at the screen SLOW DOWN MAN YOU'LL HURT YOURSELF, but they don't listen, do they..?

So if you fancy a punt go HERE NOW or regret it forevermoresome.

And remember, every sixty seconds, another minute, dies.

La la laaaa

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

Give My Regards To Bridge Street

Well, brats are back at school, so I can't but help to feel energised and ready to get on with some of this Jooky bobbins, though maybe after a short nap. We'll see.

Anyway, I am rather excited to be moving on with things as I had a bundle of joy coming from the direction of Custom Cool Etch in the shape of my lovely headstock plates. All made by hand and etched by uber talented Jane and in two sizes for Telecaster and for headstocks of a fuller figure.

They really are dreamy though, I am verily pleased.

And speaking of dreamy, I've been checking out the other half of that there business, Bridge Street Guitars who have launched their first four guitars and a pretty web site. (I have web site envy, I must admit.)

These look seriously cool and I can't imagine they are going to be hanging around long either. Serious guitars at friendly prices, can't be bad. And made in the U.K.




Their web site is Here and I've taken the liberty of pinching one of Emily Hannah Photography's uber groovy fotos of the guitars, to moon over..

La la laaaa

Little Elves Go Brushy Brushy All...Night...Long

Well, due to a lacking in the sleep department, I seem to have been doing an Elves and The Guitar Maker recreation, and have found the front of The Alcaeus One has gone all of-a-pearl.

I love it when that happens, though it plays havoc with the bed clothes.

Unfortunately, I hadn't finished the back, so progress in reality is mixed, but there we are, can't have it all.

As for today, well I was going to be painting the, err, The Alcaeus One, but that is drying, so..well, we'll have to see I guess.

La la laaa

The Back of Love

Well, a day of pearly kins as both The Alcaeus One and the first ever Jookulele had their backs painted.

Still a way to go on the guitar as you can no doubt tell, but the lass is far more professional and decisive than I and is pretty pleased with how her work is turning out.

What you can't see is that it is all underpinned by sparkle which should look pretty tasty indeed.

Other than that, not a lot to report from the frontiers..

La la laaa

The Week Ahead In The Little Kingdom of Jook

Well, I'm all of a buzz to get some things done now, not least because Ben has done a funky cool SoundCloud thingy of The Fretboard One, which was a little inspiring of awe, to one so ham fisted as I.

Ben is also going to be doing a video, which I must admit after this I'm really rather looking forward to.

The Fretboard One is of course going to be given away and you still have a chance to get in there - up until Thursday at 6pm anyway. Here is where you need to see the score...

As for more mundane matters, I have at last started to Mother of Jookify The Alcaeus One and over the next few days will make it glow with liquid pearl. I'm going  for a rather dark blue on this, unless I change my mind/spill something or generally, well, forget.

It is going to be rather groovy though, but I can't decide on the pickups at the moment.

On one hand my knee-jerkery points at a pair of Gold Foils to make-up for the demise of The Alcman One, and it was rather super splendid before it, well, got crushed. But on the other hand I am kinda thinking that Ye Olde Jazzmaster pickups are rather stunning too, I have to admit. It is hard being so decisive. I'm glad it is not a burden I carry too often.

After that, there is another wee pearly dewdrop of a project underway here too, but this one subject to the tender mercies of my daughter. She has decided that we should diversify slightly and has taken it upon herself to build the first ever Jookulele.

Not just any old four stringer is good enough for her, mind. Nope she is going for a six-steel-stringed, guitar tuned behemoth that will be visible from any passing space station. It is going to be epic, I am quite sure. She is still deciding upon a name for that as I type, so I'll have to let you know when she finishes her pondering.

La la laaa

The Final Curtain

Well, The Fretboard One has been passed to a nice fella called Ben who is going to do a video and generally get all widdly-wiv-it in ways a chap of my advanced years can no longer dream of contemplating

Mr Tony-Sir, of The Fretboard has outlined how the draw will be made to see who gets the guitar for keeps, which I reproduce shamelessly below:

We're going to do the draw at the GBGS.  (Great British Guitar Show)

We might get lucky and find a passing famous maintenance man to do the honours.

This weekend I will list all the donors and give them a random number between 1 and however many donors we've had.  That list will be published on this thread, so you'll know your number, and you'll also be able to double-check that you've been included.

Each number will be written on a ping pong ball, and all balls placed in a suitable container.  

The passing famous maintenance man will then be invited to pull the lucky ball out of the box / bag or whatever.

It'll all be video'ed and the clip posted here (once it's all been edited to show that I really was just that lucky).

He is joking about winning it himself of course, at least I think he is.

Anyway, what that means is that now is the time to put things right, and get in on the action and generally be in it to win it and whatever slogans I've missed that U2 didn't half-hinch first.

 

The Door-Sprung-Dork-Technique, as it is now forever known.

You still have moments - just GO HERE you know it makes sense.

La la laaaaa

Unveiling The Fretboard One - Part Trois of Trois

Well, OK, I'll never make a salesman..

So here it is, in all it's glitter and lack-of-gloss...

A proper introduction will follow but Time Is A Running Out....

La la laaaa

Unveiling The Fretboard One - Part Deux of Trois

Well, here are a couple more fotos.

I wish I'd just said two parts as I'm bored already, but I'd better go with it *sigh*

La la laaa

Unveiling The Fretboard One - Part Une de Trois

Well, I'm pleased to say that I can finally begin to unveil The Fretboard One, the guitar that will be given away FREE to a supporting member of the Fretboard Forum in the next week or so...

I've mentioned it a few times but we are genuinely choosing one lucky personage at random at The Great British Guitar Show a week on Saturday and you really are in with a chance to win this lump of Jooky heaven for your very ownsome..

Mainly to annoy you, I'll spread the fotos over the coming hours. There is genuinely has no other reason..

So here it is, and Gord Bless all who sail close to the wind with it..


Not had a punt yourself - GO HERE NOW and find out what you need to do..and don't dilly dally on the way.

La la laaa

Mr Whippy - I Want to Ru-u-un

Well, don't ask me how, as it has been a voyage of discoveryness, but I seem to have gotten the fretless wonder that is The Whipped One all fettled and groovy and I can even play it a bit now too.

It is total fun and like learning to play a new instrument in a lot of ways, but that is all cool.

I never realised how many scales I could play (intentionally) along a single string, but it is a useful thing to know.

All that is left to do is to nail on a pickguard, and I have in fact asked those groovy people at Custom CoolEtch to fashion me one of their visual delights, so that will no doubt look funky cool.

However, earlier I had forgotten that and instead chopped myself one out of a copy of U2's The Joshua Tree.

Which itself looks rather spiffy too.

So I'm not sure which one I will eventually use, but maybe both or even I could force myself to make a fretted La Cab too.

That would be fun.

In fact, as you have probably surmised, I genuinely haven't a clue as to what I'm doing right now.

La la laaaa

Ruinous Blue

Well, OK, I'm over it.

I'm over the smiting of The Alcman One and the only way to fight back is to get back in the saddle.

So I've decided what to do about The Alcaeus One, and it is going to be epiC with a big C.

So gone is the white pearl, and in comes a stunning cool shades-of-ruinous-blue Mother of Jooky finish.

Out are the standard Jazzmaster pickups, and in are a pair of Mojo's Gold Foils all over again.

And that is it, really.

So I have grabbed my rather lovely one-piece swamp ash body, and prepped it like a good 'un, and will start mixing my paints with attitude, because this time it is serious. And man this baby is gonna shine, shine, shine..

La la laaaa

Daze Like These - Doomy McGloomy

DOA

Well, one cross that burdens lots, is the fact that couriers somehow can't do the simple things right.

Today I found out:

a) The Travellin' Man One has been stuck in U.S Customs for weeks/months? I forget, but finally will be released from captivity, no doubt clad in orange and shackled, and

(ii) The Alcman One got smashed on the long and arduous journey from Bristol to Northampton.

Of course this follows on the heels of

3. The Jamais Vu One getting smashed on a journey to Oxford, and

D. A rather sweet old Burny SG Jr getting it's neck broken on a trip towards Portishead from somewhere heathen (Essex? Maybe, I forget.)

And a few before them too...

Sweet Seaside immediately springing to mind.

I guess on the law of averages of the 179 guitars I've shipped over the last couple of years, percentage-wise that may not be exceptional, but it does sting so. All hard hardcases and boxes and labels and well, lots of tape. Man do I use tape. I ooze tape. A sickening amount of the stuff.

But what can you do?

Still on the bright side of the street, I'll be taking The Fretboard One over to Stroud myself tomorrow (get your money on the M5 Carnage headlines in Wednesdays papers) so at least the rather talented Ben will get a chance to put it thru it's paces and do a wee video.

Fretty, as it has become know locally, has been a bit of a slog in the end - just one of those where it has been harder than expected, and I really don't know why. It sounds so zingy though, and has crazy sustain - I think the Callaham bridge might be part of the equation, but the Mojo Gold Foil at the neck is as immense as ever.

I've also finished The Diamond Shiny One for what must be the third time, so I'll do an introduction to that tomorrow in between finding a new courier.

Yours depressed of Portishead

La $%^&g laaaaaaa

Don't Be Thinking - Here's What I Could have Won

Well, I haven't mentioned The Fretboard One for a wee while, but am pleased to say that the lump of gorgeousness will be unveiled on Friday to a salivating nation, and I am rather pleased with how it has turned out, I must admit.

From there it will be off to sunny Stroud on Monday where a top notch guitarister will be doing a proper cool video to show it in a better light than I could ever manage, before the winner will be unveiled or announced or something at The Great British Guitar Show in Birmingham in a couple of weeks time.

This is exciting, really.

The what, what and what? I hear you say?

Well, if you missed it, this guitar is of course going to be given away to a member of The Fretboard Forum, and best of all you still have a chance of winning.

I've said it before, but the idea behind it is to raise a few bob toward the running of the Forum, which is totally independent, won't steal you words as 'content', has no advertising to annoy you and is full of great advice, fun, frolics and the odd free guitar.

To join in  and hopefully bag yourself a slice of Jookiness, all you need to do is:

1. Join the Fretboard Forum. it is is easy, just go Here and you can logon with your Facebook or Google accounts so you don't even have to fill a form in.

2. Go to the Free Guitar thread Here

3. Read the thread and not only will you see WIP fotos of the guitar being built, but also find out more about how you can win it.

4. Something to note - joining the forum is free, but the winner will be selected from people who have made a donation to the forum - a couple of quid is enough, but it is a good cause so don't be a stingy get all your life.

And that is it.

As for the guitar - the spec is pretty darn tooting...

1 A handmade body courtesy of one of the Fretboard's founding fathers, Mr TTony. (I think he is dyslexic). This is a solid Tele style body with some lovely curves and carves. Exceptional work that I can only envy. It is signed by Mr T. hisself and is a complete one-off.

2. A gloriously cool bound and blocked, maple/rosewood neck.

3. What is only the second ever Custom Cool Etch made Jooky headstock plate.
Surprisingly on the headstock.
I can't imagine what I was thinking to be so predictable.

4. A rather beautiful if I smugly say so meself, aged bronze finish.

5. A Teisco Style Mojo Gold Foil Pickup at the neck.

6. A Mojo Broadcaster Pickup at the Bridge.

7. A Traditional style top notch Mojo Wiring loom (all CTS pots, Switchcraft switch and jack, PIO caps...)

8. A quite beautifully understated Callaham Stainless Steel Tele Ash Tray Bridge

9. A set of Sperzel Trim Lok Locking Tuners

10. A rather cute Hard Case

And let's face it, if that isn't enough there is no pleasing you.

So for the final time (today) this is me nagging you,  to punt a few bob toward a good cause and give yourself the chance of a lifetime.

You'll hate yourself if you don't

Glory be.

La la laaaa

Gecko-a-go-go

Well, I hear from those fine folk at Custom CoolEtch that the scratchplate for Old Lizzy, the Gekkoified Strat I mentioned not-a-lot-of-long-agos will be here this week, and I have to say that, despite myself, I am really rather looking forward to it.

The scratchplate is of course all very special, and  has been custom made to cope with the uber cool Mojo Pickups lipsticks (that are bigger than other men pickups) and everything else.

I know I'm not a Strat fan, but this has got the old pulse err, pulsating, so we'll have to see.

Luckily it isn't for me, so what I think really doesn't matter.

Either way, I can't see me being allowed to let it slide for too long.

La la laaa

Let Me See You Whipped

Well, no fotos I'm afraid, but I forgot to mention the other day that I had got The Whipped One fettled and playing like a sitar on acid. Quite lovely.

I still need to sort out the pickguard, I'm thinking something golden would best suit, but in terms of playability, it is rather neat now.

The cool thing with a fretless is that you want it to buzz in the vicinity of the strings, and this it does epically. I've even got to grips with playing the thing and I must say it is rather refreshing. I could take the strings lower, but there is no real need...

Anyway, that was all, as you were.

La la laaa

So Telemasters and Relicification

Well, this isn't really a Jooky thing, but I kinda snapped up a Telemaster body that had already been finished by MJT (American company with a great rep. for such things.)

Anyway, it looks lovely, the nitro paint - lake placid blue gone green - looks fantastic, loads of pretty crazing and all that, and I'm going to knock myself a TM up at some point. But it has also been relicked, which is OK, but I have to say it shocked me.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind a relic if it looks natural and the damage isn't uniform, and the actual damage itself is realistic. I don't do them myself, but I can see there is an art to it.

So around the edges and the rash de le buckle is there, if a little predictable. What shocked me though was that all of it looks as it has just been done. Fresh rather than aged. Now I realise that probably sounds daft, Telemasters are a recent thing, but if you go to the trouble of aging the paint so very well, why not jump the final hurdle and age the damage too? Just seems a bit weird.

But as I said,  I love the look of the body, and half an hour with a Typhoo tea bag (other brands are available) and it looks more as though it may have happened in the distant past.

But there we are.

As for what to do with it, well, old parts are de rigor mortis, I guess, and I am going to go for a Bigsby too, but it  isn't a Jooky so what do I put on the headstock?

My name isn't Fender so I can't put that on there, so well, I don't know.

Still, I'll work it out.

La la laaaa

In Alcaeus We Trust

Well, today is all about The Diamond Shiny One, with the slight problem that I came to put the neck on and noticed it has split.

Which is a troublesome detail, but there we are.

Other than that it is looking good -- shorter than nature intended, but as a new neck should arrive tomorrow, it isn't the end of this or even the next world.

On the  plus side I noticed before I started fitting the tuners etc. so I'm not doubly miffed.

All of which made me think of obscure Greek poets from six centuries before the little baby Jesus showed up, which naturally made me think about the rather spiffy one-piece swamp ash Jazzmaster body under my stairs and that I would quite like to make another Jazzmaster.

So that is the plan, and after swearing I would never go for a Mother of Jooky finish again after enjoying the process so much with The Whipped One, I am, err, going to do just that.

Basically then it is a homage to a pearly white Jazzmaster, clearly has to have a red tortie scratchplate, a rather dishy big handful of a Warmoth neck, all the usual fixtures and fittings and there we are.

What I can't decide is what sort of pickups to put in it. Don't get me wrong, you can't beat the Mojo Jazzmaster jobbies, but after my dalliances with Mosrite and Gold Foils, I do have the urge to go west young man.

I'm sure I will work it out though...

So that will be The Alcaeus One, sometime, whenever I can be arsed.

La la laaaa

Sold: The Sally James One

Well, up for grabs if not up ferrit is Jookyland's first ever Mustang, The Sally James One and what a delight the wee thing is.

A swamp ash body has been smothered lovingly in an active copper paint, which has then been abased with noxious acids to start the process of it's corrosion. I know, what will we think of next?

This gives us a beautiful blue, that over the years will continue to grow, but a topping of beeswax means it won't cover your favourite band T Shirt.

Uber tres cool, were the words you were looking for, I believe.

From there we have a pair of Mojo Pickups' Hot Mustangs and Ye Olde Worlde wiring loom - top quality CTS pots, Switchcraft this,  PIO that - a beautiful 24" C shaped scale neck and it all comes in a lovely tweedy hardcase.

This is a genuine looker and sounds immense...

*

To be clear, The Sally James 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: Jooky Classic

Electrics: Mojo Hot Mustang Pickups, Mojo Wiring Loom

Guitar Type: Mustang

Construction: Maple/Rosewood Neck, Swamp Ash Body

Strings:     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: JL#3
RSP: £999