Something Seedy, Something Dirty New

Well, yesterday was a bit of a write-off, but it is paisley time today and there we are. The Craps Dice showed up - which look ridiculous yet cool, and will go well with The JoBo One I think.

Being slovenly did however give me some ponder time, and letharic of brain though I be and I know it is kinda my default setting, but I have *that* yearning again, the one where I make a single pickup Strat.

I'm not really sure why, but they are the only Strats I seem to like a lot of the time and there is something that just feels pukka about single pickup guitars. Maybe I'm just too lazy or indecisive  to use a switch, I don't know, but there we are. It is one of those, I just can't decide which.

Anyway, I have some bits 'n' pieces including my shiny Gretsch Humbucker, which I've been keeping like a shell in a pearl for just such an occasion, and I'm a bit excited at the prospect, it has to be said. I'm always the same, I get down to one guitar to play and then make another and then it goes mad - kid-in-sweety-shop style and I end-up with lots again and get all uber excited and well, talk a lot of rubbish really.

Anyway, back to the Strat and I want to do it completely in rusted iron, but I want to try something a little different with the finish and maybe another with a twist or two, not sure yet.

I'm going to dedicate it to a pub I went to a long time ago in Bristol so this will be The Old E One. If you ever went there, you'll be knowing what I mean.

Other than that I decided to drop the price on The Fabulous and JoBo Ones to £399 delivered in a hardcase as well, basically, why not.

La la laaa

Sold: The JoBo One

The Fender Telemaster is the great combination of a Jazzmaster and a Telecaster that Fender never made but most definitely should have. The JoBo One is our little Jooky twist on the whole caboodle, taking it further along in the unlikely stakes by giving it a stunningly cool bubble gum pink paisley finish and capping it off with a scratchplate lovingly hand carved from an old Beach Boys record.

It is basically the signature guitar Joe Bonamassa would have if he played a Jooky, and let's face it, it is only a matter of time. (Obviously, he knows nothing, zilch and nada about this and in no way endorses this. He hasn't played it for one, and that would just be silly.)

But getting back to The JoBo One, it isn’t purely surftastic, taking the original single pickup Telecaster as our hero on a plinth, we have gone for one of Mojo Pickups fantastic hand wound and generally scattered Broadcaster Tele Pickups and paired this with an Esquire wiring loom that means you get three great sounds from a single pickup.

Now tell me that isn’t groovy?

A Wilkinson traditional Tele bridge with ashtray cover, genuine Craps Dice from the Las Vegas Sands hotel as knobs* and a beautiful maple neck with Kluson tuners finish what is quite obviously a unique and stunning guitar. Sounds like hell with a bit of fuzz, it has to be said. If this is Surf it is Surfa Rosa all the way.

*


To be clear, The JoBo 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 Nevada desert. 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: Leona’s Groovy Guitar

Electrics: Mojo Broadcaster – Esquire Wiring

Guitar Type: Fender Telemaster

Construction: Alder Body, Maple/Maple neck

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#56

RSP: £799

* The guitar will be supplied with both the Gretsch knobs pictured, and the dice knobs too, so you can choose how Vegas you feel on any given day.

Introducing: The JoBo One

Well, I'm pleased to introduce you to The JoBo One, which from the start I should point out is NOT a Joe Bonamassa signature guitar. It is an ugly rumour (that I may have started), and it frankly isn't true.

What it is, is an imagining of the guitar I think Joe would play, if he was to play a Jooky, and the imagining I thought about was that it would most probably be during his yet-to-happen Surfing-in-Vegas period. You may say I'm jumping the gun, but I like to be prepared and all good things come to he who waits and well, there we are. It is all only a matter of time anyway.

But to the guitar.

As you can hopefully see The JoBo One is a stunningly cool, pink paisleyified Telemaster, complete with a Beach Boys record hand chopped into the shape of a scratchplate, with a nice alder body from Fusion (you'll have to trust me on that as you can't see that bit) and a maple neck.

The ashtray bridge comes with a cover to flick your ash into (does anybody know if JB smokes, I wonder?) and underpinning it all is one of Marc at Mojos stunningly uber cool Broadcaster pickups, with Ye Olde Worlde Esquire wiring giving three highly useful tones to play with.

The fotos show it with a set of Gretsch knobs, which is kinda your black tie version, but it will also come with a set of knobs made from Craps Dice from the Sands hotel for when you are hitting-the-Strip. They just haven't arrived yet and I got carried away.

And there we are.

As to how it plays, well it has all the twangy surfedness you could hope for, but the grimy dirt of a Tele that we know and lurve. A tankful of reverb and you can spank Dick Dale's booty and tweak Duane Eddy's nose with a plum. Or maybe aplomb. (Are you taking notes Joe?)

Add a touch of the dirty fuzzy stuff and you are instantly transferred to Pixies, Monkey Heaven and from there on in it is sex on a sticky stick. Pure unadulterated, unashamed, filth. And you don't even need to take anybody on a one-way trip into the desert to cover it up afterwards. Cool.

So there we are, I'm happy now.

La la laaaa 

Lippy, Powder and Slap

Well, I was really rather chuffed to see a nice Mojo-esque parcel waiting for me yesterday, for I knew what not that what and which I would do, as it were.

I did know it was coming - Marc told me he had posted it on Friday - but there is always a wee buzz when something comes from Mojo as it is always good.

So far, anyway.

Don't want the boy to stop trying, know what I mean?

Anyway, I knew this was going to have another of his Broadcaster Tele pickups, which I've raved about before and got funny looks when I've said it knix it against a Bare Knuckle Brown Sugar (the pickup formerly known as the best in Tele-dom). But nonetheless, I know that will sound good, so that is cool and Jesus wants me for a penguin.

The other bit in the package was a lovely prewired harness/loom to go with the pickup in my The JoBo One Telemaster. This is the fabled Esquire setup where one pickup gets three tones, and I'm looking forward to trying it.

I have to admit, I've tried such things before and not been overly impressed as everything sounded a bit woollyboymuffled, but that wasn't with this pickup - which will be raw - and not with Marcy boy wiring it, instead of me, which you could say might make a slight teensy weeny difference, if you were going to be cruella de jour and hurt my feelings. Assuming I had any left.

But anyway, the rest of the guitar is ready so these just need installing and we should be in pink paisley clover.

So, given my new realism, and the dawning of the third period of enlightenment, I'm aiming for this to be done by the end of the week. In the hope that I won't upset myself further with deep seated knowledge of my own failings and failure.

Or if I don't cock it up, it might be ready for a proper introduction later today. You never can tell even if you can usually guess.

Other than The JoBo One, I'm aiming to kick on with The Travellin' Man One this week as it is about the only one that doesn't need woodwork and I am seriously scared of the router now. And I think it will be fun, but more on that baby laters.

As for the rest of the week, well if I can find a router without homicidal tendencies, I will hopefully get on with the woodwork. If not I might have to start making bodies out of matchsticks, vinegar and brownish paper.

So, to the soldering iron and my pink heaven


La la laaaa

Pinkies and Lemons...

Well, end of the day excitement. Another magical package of cool stuff arrived today from Marc at Mojo - a nice Broadcaster pickup and Esquire wiring loom for The JoBo One. Can't wait to sort that one out tomorrow as it feels a long time coming for some reason.

But the fun never stopped there, oh no by gum, there was also a lovely, tres bon de lovely Vintage Lemon Drop Les Paul-a-like, for me to practise the bit of Black Magic Woman I can remember on with proper hollow middle soundedness.

And very cheerfilled to play it is too. The foney relic job is less annoying than I expected and it doesn't have that tacky shininess I've always hated about Epis. So in summary I'm rather pleased.

Typically it seems to have had a jiggle or three on it's way as one of the pickups didn't initially work, but a drop of solder or three sorted that out, so no big deal. No doubt I'll be flogging it in a fortnight, but nice it is, so I be pleased at the mo.

And that was that in truth. Not a lot achieved but set-up nicely for the morrow methinks.

La la laaa

Monday, Monday Doo-bi-doo

Well, here we go again in the little kingdom of Jook and in the coming week, with no footballish distractions to tear my guts out, I see in the eye of my mind that we may well expect the finish of The JoBo One.

That is my one target, and as I'm expecting the pickup and groovy wiring loom to turn up today or tomorrow from Planet Mojo, it should be achievable even for me.

After that, I'm planning on starting to finish The Travellin' Man One, as in finish the body, the rest of the bobbins are in the postal ether.

This is going to be a bit of a combo type of thingy so should be pretty nice, methinks.

Other than that, I have a nice HH Tele body on it's way from distant shores that will prove to be the basis of The Raymund One with it's paisley, rust and walnut burr finish, Strat trem and other things I forget.

Not sure when that will arrive by duck though, so not really a this-week-kinda-thing, so I don't know why I bring it up.

As for the rest, I'm still a router short of a tenon joint, so unless I find a chisel nowt will happen for a while. Though I have got an odd hankering for another single pupped Strat, we'll have to see.

So come-on-mister-postie, I'm booooorrrreeeedddd.

La la laaaa

Rainy Afternoon in Jookyland

Moody fotography
or did I lose my spex?
You decide..

Well, today is a bit of a non-runner, so I guess I'll just have to have a little Fabulous time, which is a hardship but I should take opportunities when they come.

I am rather loving my pretty wee jangle-monster though, it has to be said.

Other than that, a few parts showed-up, so The B Movie One now has it's neck attached, a bridge and groovy bullet ferrules around the back for consistently cool string passageness.

They haven't fallen out yet either, I must have ordered the right size after all.

So that and The JoBo One are pretty much there apart from pickups and wiring, which is cool.

So all in all, at the end of the week I've done everything I could really, so I feel settled now, and might have to go on a router hunt.

Anyway, guitars to strum etc.

La la laaa

O Mother, I Can Hear...

The Fabulous One
If I Only Had A Tailpiece
And a Bridge
And Was Wired-Up

Well, another week in paradise regained without the Rooney-esque barnetry benefits, unfortunately.

As to what gets done this week, well in truth it depends on what shows up in the post.

Young Marc of Mojo fame is whirring his winder and producing all sorts of bobbins and general loominess.

There are necks and tailpieces, strap pins and bridges and all sorts of other stuff in degrading orbits too, and who knows what will crashland next.

As for things to make and do, well as far as the three-most-likely-to-be-finished go, there isn't actually that much.

1. The Fabulous One:

The lacquer is dry so I just need to sort out the ersatz binding and then put it all together once the tailpiece and bridge arrive. Sounds easy, hmmm.

2. The JoBo One:

That is waiting for a pickup and wiring loom and that be that.

3. The B Movie One:

That is waiting for, well, everything. Though I need to craft a scratchplate, which I can be doing, like.

So today then is binding the Fabulous and scratchplating the B Movie, which shouldn't take long, and then the race is on for the rest.

Hopes, dreams and expectations?

Well, I would like to finish one of them this week, but I don't really know which. The Fabulous One is probably the most likely, but who can really guess at such quicksilvery slivers in the corner of your mind's eye?

Other than all of that, I'm going to go ferrit on The Pearly Dewdrop One and get some wood chopped.

Didn't I say that weeks ago?

Probably.

And there we are....

Fun fun fun

La la laaaaa

Quiet Days Am These

Well, a day away from Jookyland, but still I managed to sort out some pickups thanks to the ever resourceful Mr Mojo - he is going to be winding me something groovy and TV Jonesish (I really should say Gretschish ) of shape especially for The B Movie One. All of which means I'll no doubt finish that last-minute-distraction before all of the others, but such is life.

Can't wait to see what he comes up with.

Elsewhere, the lacquer is dry on The Fabulous One, so I'm assuming that with parts arriving early this week I might actually get that put together soonerish. The JoBo One too now I think about it.

All of which is timely as much as I while lurve my Jazzmaster, I do like grazing across a selection of guitars and having knackered the Gordo I'm limited of option and general graze potential.

Speaking of my Gordo, I still haven't worked out what pickups to put in it. I might just go for a PAF and a P90 again, though that is a bit of a cop out as I'd be back to where I started, so I should probably try something else. Maybe, err, dunno.

Today though, in between the usual weekend bobbins, I shall be masterplanning my initial Jooky - Haut D'Jook - T Shirt. There truly is no beginning to my talents.

La la laaa

WIP Again: The JoBo One

Do you think I have a fat arse?

Well, amazingly, The JoBo One is getting a lot closer to 'there' on a daily basis.

In fact, as you can hopefully see it is now sporting a rather trendily cool retro Beach Boys vinyl scratchplate and is only missing a pickup and the control plate/wiring bobbins.

Oh, and I went for Ye Olde ash tray bridge cover too, that was a late addition and should probably arrive tomorrow.

But it all looks rather nice. To say I'm stunned is obvious - most people think it is thyroid, but no I suffer from constant surprise - but there we are.

As for the scratchplate, I managed it on the first try of the day, in the end using my patented record-chopping-stratagem of sticking the record in the oven for thirty seconds so that it gets vaguely floppy, then attacking it with a craft knife until it crisps up again, then repeat until done.

After that I sanded the edges and there we be, simple.

As for the screw holes, I have an old soldering iron that dabbed those out easy peasie like, no bother.

I wish I'd done some fotos of the process now. Hmm, maybe I'll do another one later and do that.

Now if I can just find a 24 inch single, I might do a My Bloody Valentine one for my Jazzmaster.

So The JoBo One now is officially back to 'Waiting for Parts' status, and I can think about what is next.

La la laaa

Scratchin' Around

Well, I got a couple or three LPs the other day, and am trying to make my mind up which would be the best to use for a scratchplate, for The JoBo One.

The three I got (after trawling thru the K-Tels and Easy Listening masterpieces of house clearance hell) were:

1. Beach Boys - 20 Golden Greats - which is the same one my Dad had when I was a kid and I played to death, and has a surf vibe that kinda fits with a pink paisley Telemaster, I think.

2. Fleetwood Mac's - Rumours: Which doesn't have Peter Green on and isn't really that bluesy, but I like the cover, and

3. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms, which basically, I don't mind chopping up too much.

Actually, Mark Knopfler is who Joe Bonamassa reminds me of, thinking about it. Hmmm...

On past performance all three of these will no doubt be shattered in moments and I'll be back to pick up Demis Roussos and Pam Ayres instead - and what a night that could be - but I think I'll wreck them in that order and fingers-crossed one of them might be usable-ish.

Actually, I didn't even realise people bought a vinyl version of Brothers In Arms, I thought we were all meant to buy a CD Player so you could enjoy the depth of Walk of Life and the rest, after of course spreading jam over it and feeling cosy in the knowledge that it would last forever. Always sounded more of a threat to me, that part.

But there we are...it'll be worth it in the end

La la laa

Looking Good if you Squint

Well, tis the last day of the current school holibobs, so lots of chasing around finding stuff discarded and since well disguised.

The JoBo One is dry and has holes cut out, and a little shopping saw me catch a hand-filled-full with old LPs and 12" singles, so I will hopefully be able to make at least one decent 'plate. Well, it would be nice. If not I'll just scratch a spiral onto some black plastic.

I have got this whole dilemma going on about whether I should be using a 'good' record, and ruining it in the process, or a 'bad' one and then ending up with a guitar featuring a Val Doonican scratchplate on it with all that suggests - cardigans, mainly - about the maker/player/man next door to the chippy.

But then I thought that if I'm going to cover the label up it doesn't matter anyway. Record company gold discs aren't usually the record being celebrated, so...well, whatever.

As for the coming week, I want to get The JoBo One sorted, of course, but I think The Fabulous One has got to get moving. I still haven't got a proper tailpiece, though I have everything else, including a lovely stuck-on-a-lump-of-rosewood bridge, so it really is only being delayed by me. So there we are.
This week I need to at least try to start being Fab, if nothing else.

My other challenge is to try an decide what pickups to put into my old Gordo which is looking a trifle disgruntled and sort of naked in it's lack of noisemakingness. I did have something lined up, but then ran out of money again and the boat was missed, but such is life. It is making me play The Raspberry Ripple One, which is good. Or was until somebody bought it (I think). Either way, I am neglecting my Jazzmaster at the mo' for some reason as I'm in a bit of a 'bucker mood recently, which is odd, but there we are.

But anyway, hopefully tomorrow will start warming the motor of progress's diesel engine. A bit Soviet-Bloc and clanky, but then so am I in sooo many ways.

La la laaa-ski

Record Breaking

Well, things aren't always as straight forward as I hope. Sometimes ideas work beautifully, other times they take a lot of work and then more others still are blinkin' dangerous.

Case of point is that yesterday I had this "great idea" to cut the pickguard for The JoBo One out of an old vinyl LP. I know it isn't original, you'll find plenty of guitars on-line with them, I'm not making any great claims for trail blazing. In fact I even did it on my second ever Jooky though I cut that in a melting kinda manner with a soldering iron. So nothing new to be proud of, I just thought it would look good against the pink paisley.

So I dug out some vinyl - for younger readers, these aren't the small plastic CD things that your Granny used to keep her music downloaded on, these are the big black things that you thought were invented by cool DeeJays just before Xmas.

So anyway, I got an unwanted copy of something or other - Age of Consent by Jean Paul Sartre or maybe Bronski Beat, I think it was for the fact fans out there - Fired up the Quattro Gene and the first one shot past me ear and exploded on the garage wall.

Hmmm, maybe a slower speed setting would be wise.

Try 2, I went for Transvision Vamp's Debut Album - I always really liked them, in an ironic way, I'm sure - and figured that maybe a lower speed setting might be a good idea, although it would make Tracey Tracey sound like she was on Mogodon. Or was Tracey Tracey in the Primitives, and it was Wendy James vamping it up? I can't remember now.

So off I went and it simply shattered. "Ahh", I thought, "Maybe I'm not on the right track."

(ker-ching)

So I left it for the day while I retained a head on my shoulders. I might have to give it another go and maybe not use a Flymo to cut it next time, but I'll have to trawl the charidee shops for some more LPs first. Possibly try using a hacksaw to cut the shape out next time though, we'll see. I can't just give up on the idea, and in fact that is half of my problem. Now I've thought of it, it has to be done, let's face it. I'm like a dog with a string of sausages chasing magpies in the garden taking care not to tred in cat shite.

Other than such distractions, The JoBo One is having a weekend bathing in lacquer as I'm pretty pleased with how the paisley looks. It's actually a bit brighter in the reality, which is all good and despite sounding like yet another broken record, I really can't wait to play this one.

In other news and as school holibobs somehow stretch into next week, I'm aiming on starting a bit of woodwork on Wednesday, but ideally I'd have The JoBo One ready for the pickups and wire by then, and then drop them in when they arrive from the land of Mojo..

All of which sounds quite 'Handy' but  you know better than that.

Apart from dreaming up meta-guitars this week, I've been resurrecting another dormantly old idea and am going to do a few Jooky T Shirts.

Obviously they will all be one-offs and I think they will be tied to individual guitars - maybe when you get a guitar you get a T Shirt to match, or maybe I should do something else with  them.

I don't know.

Anyway, I've sorted out some T Shirts so we'll have to see how it goes when they arrive and my brain kicks-in. So possibly November.. Truth is Andy Warhol is dead and Baby I don't care.

La la laaa

WIP: The JoBo One

Well, as expected there hasn't been a lot of Jookyness this week, but I have at least started to paisleyficate The Jobo One today, in all it's Prom Queen splendourness. And you can't complain too much with that in your Versace manbag.

I think I said before, but Marc at Mojo is winding me one of his lush Broadcaster pickups and doing me a nice ye olde specc'd Esquire wiring loom, so that is me off the hook for the tricky stuff.

I have a lovely maple neck for it and I think I've got all the other parts apart from that I need to chop a scratchplate, which I'm looking forward to with bitter almondy relish.

I'm not quite sure whether to just go for a plain black 'plate or whether to go metallic and then match the headstock to it. Decisions, decisions. I guess plain would highlight the paisley better, so perhaps that is the answer. I have gone for the now traditionally Jooky Gretsch knobs for this one as, well, I like them. Sad I know, but there I am.

Other than that it is olde worlde Klusons, Wilkinson proper Tele plate, brass saddles (though groovy for the modern palate) and I don't know. Big strap pins maybe, was there anything else? I forget. I know I should really get an ash tray cover for the bridge, but sometimes, to be honest, I really can't be arsed. I probably will, but not today, eh?

Speaking of which, I forgot I needed to drill a few holes, just little things like for connecting the neck and pushing wires thru and that. Nothing critical, more your nice-to-haves-and-have-nots.

Hmmm. that would have been a brighter thing to do today prior to lolloping on with the finish
.
But anyway, here are some WIP piccies to delight and generally amaze.

Me if not you.

Just ignore the lack of practically hollow features for the moment. I'll get to them soon enough, promise.

La la laaa

Pink Sunshine

Well, top excitement as far as The JoBo One goes, as believe it or not I've got off my rear long enough to sort out all of the parts - with the exception of the pickup, unsurprisingly - and they should arrive this week with a bit of luck and all usual robbin'-postie-get proviso bobbins.

For the record, it is an alder bodied Telemaster that is going to be hot bubblegum pink paisley-ified, it'll have a lovely maple/maple neck, and will be a single pickup'd Esquire.

There, it sounds so simple when I say it like that.

As for the sticky point of the pickup, well Mr Mojo's lovely Broadcaster is still the best Tele pup I've ever heard, so it isn't a tricky choice to make. Just got to remember to speak to the chap.

"Remember;" Ah, something else that sounds so easy when you say it quick.

>>.>>>> Musical Interlude - Bit of Fuzzbox, if you were wondering <<<<<<<<

OK, that was easy, just emailed Mr Mojo and he is going to do me a nice Esquire wiring loom as well as the pickup. Lovely. The thought of sticking capacitors into dark places left me somewhat cold, it has to be said and it'll work this way, of course, which is always a bonus.

(Why do I feel I've said those exact words before? Hmm, probably the last time I got a Mojo harness. Must try harder to be original. Unless I've said that too, in which case Fla-di-dooo-la-li-par-fo-si-me-rayy-n-booo.)

*cough*

Other than the bits for my main man JoBo, I also got a tailpiece sorted out for The Fabulous One, which will come in handy to hold the strings on, I expect. I even remembered to stock up on supplies of bronze, iron and copper paint as they always come in handy too, and even even even more oddly, thought to meself that I should buy some paint brushes as finger-painting the home brew acid plays havoc with the nails, sugar, not to mention the NHS waiting lists, and who wants to sit melting on a trolley on a Bank Holiday? Eh, who? Not me, that's for sure..

It is that kind of attention to detail that separates me from so many other acid-splattering-junk-modelling-guitar-pimpers, let me tell you.

So basically, and in a summary of sorts, I'm again waiting for the postie. I've flogged all my guitars (Jazzmaster and Gordo-in-tatters, apart), and so am revived and enthused once more, (perhaps even renewed? who can truly say), for the fight ahead.

I have piles of wood, loads of bits 'n' bobs and a pile of Lego.

What more can a Jooky Boy want?

I think we may be slowly edging into Jooky phase 2, a brighter world with less confusion and contusions, less shade and cherryade and well, something interesting for me to rabbit on about. I need a nap now.

La la laaaa

p.s. Sadly Fuzzbox had tried to turn into Bananarama by this point, but I've always liked this song..

Hunting and a Gathering Virtually

The Jobo One - A Telemaster on a bed of paisley pink

Well, somehow The Raspberry Ripple One gone and got fettled, I'm still not quite sure how, and to play it is to lurve it. Well, I think so anyway.

In fact, a small plea - PLEASE DON'T BUY IT.

There, that was subtle.

But anyway, where was I? Well, obviously the rest of the weekend is going to be Jubilicious as I am the Queen's #1 fan and all, but it doesn't stop me thinking about what happens next, and so I have been. So lock me in the bloody tower, seef I care.

With holibobs once more precluding woodwork, it is The JoBo One I'm aiming to do over the next couple of weeks. As it happens I'm a bit light in the parts department, but I have the Telemaster body, I have pink paisley and I have various lots of gubbins. After that, well, I need all the other parts.

Still, the hunter-gathering is half of the fun, and my current shopping list reads:

1. A neck. I'm thinking maple/maple for the twang is the thang,

2. A bridge. It has to be a full monty Tele one I fear, all brass saddles and steel of plate,

3. Control plate. I've actually got a Mojo harness already, so I just need the plate and knobs,

4. Scratchplate, I'll have to make that. Luckily Simon included some plastic gubbins for me to use,

5. Pickups. I am a bit undecided on these. On one hand I fancy doing an Esquire with a Mojo Broadcaster at the bridge. Actually, that sounds good. On the other I could maybe find a TV Jones or PAF and put it at the neck. Dunno, can't decide really, but time will tell.

6. Tuners. I really like Grovers at the moment, so I'm going for a set of those.

7. Screws, strap pins, and other bits 'n bobbins.

Hmmm, sounds quite a list. Still, all good fun.

La la laaa

So Very Nearly, So Very Muchly Not

Well, I have to say today has been kinda frustrating. Nowt has been as simple as it should, every screw head has broken off or rounded, I've demolished a chunk of the stairs with my nose and when I've come to put The Raspberry Ripple One together, it has been like honey trekking. Most annoyingly slow of going.

But despite all the having to trim scratchplates, ream holes, burn holes in the kitchen table and play hunt-the-brown-spring-on-the-brown carpet, it has somehow come together and turned into a guitar. In fact it looks very nice and all that is left to do is a couple of blobs of solder and to put some strings on.

Obviously, that was the point when I remembered the Jubilee party at the bratskis school, so it is still unsoldered thanks to Britannia ruling the waves and calls to get us all to crush rebellious Scots or something.

Actually, that was the National Anthem, wasn't it?

Anyway, I'm hoping that I will get a chance to do that last thingy later and just about hit me deadest-of-lines and have something new to play over the holibobs.

I do of course have a pickup-less Gordo now, which I'll have to think about, but there we be.

Speaking of thinking, I've been having a ponder at the stash I got from Simon, and I am verily tempted to use the Telemaster body for The Jobo One. I just think it could look super cool in pink paisley with touches of corrosion to set it off, and I'll always use the Tele body when it finally arrives anyway. Maybe even with that mythical walnut burr laminated on top So the telemaster - it just seems a shame to leave it there doing nowt much at all, after all.

So that is the new plan - The Jobo One is going to be a Telemaster. Sorted.

Must buy some grain filler, among well, everything else I've run out of.

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.

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