Sliding Away...

Well, I have to say I'm all flattened deflated at the moment after the hole-cut-backwards-ness of the bridge plate for The Betty Blue One. Whether they send a replacement or not, it is just so annoyingly boring and take-long-time-ish.

I could just use a different bridge I guess, but it isn't as it was meant to be, and that be that.

So basically, Betty is back in the corner again for a while, until my brain recovers.

In other news, despite expectations I have spent some time recording The Fabulous One, but that too has ended in a frustratingly aching heart as the $%^&*& PC crashes every time I press the STOP button on Audacity.

I mean, you can't imagine the great art that has already been lost to the world.


As for other stuff, to cheer meself up I've bought a How To Play Slide For Numpties DVD and one of those funny little bottles as a slide (Coricidin Coricidin - bless you etc.)

Now, I can actually play a bit of slide - I used to play along to lots of old Blues records at one time, but I think this autumn I need to stretch my brain a bit, so this can go on top of the pile of other books and DVDs I've accumulated and never used.

But this time will be different.

Really it will.

Honest.

Either that or you'll see them on Ebay next week.

I'm trying to teach myself a little patience at the moment, that's all.

Plus I'd need a new guitar to setup as a slide-box, of course, and those shiny metal resonator would match the glazing of my eyes.

La la laaa

Getting Into Futures, Dahlink

Well, the good news as far as young Betty is concerned is that GFS are rather cool and had sent me a replacement straight away for the mirror-image bridge 'plate before the day was out. Can't say fairer than that, I guess. Maybe there be hope for her future, after all.

Other than Beth, the next week is going to be somewhat distracted and vaporific at best, but I'm getting my head together about what the Autumn will bring, and I think it will be fun.

I think there are two main things that I want to happen (both of which I probably said last year, but I have the ability to forget such things and if you had any kind of attention span, you probably wouldn't be reading this anyway.)

So the votes from the Portishead jury, are:

1. Make some guitars. 

OK, that is what I do at the worst of times, but I really mean make some bodies for guitars. I want to do the Dan Electro/Semi thing, and I want to chop some wood and release the angel within, as it were. I want to have a Teardrop, 620 and a custom shaped one by Xmas.

There, ambition.
Specific.
Measurable.
Oops.

2. Make less guitars. 

I've sort of somehow averaged 2 guitars per month over the last couple of years and felt all the way that I'm slacking. Which to be fair, most of the time I have been. But I'd like to half that to have more time to do the woodwork thingy. So that'll be 3-per-month, then, I expect.

And that be that.

La la laaa

Bigsby Style (Slight Concern)

Well, I was so excited to be getting one of those lovely GFS Vibrato and Bridge Combos, it looked exactly what I needed.

But putting it together, I don't know, I mean I'm no expert and everything but...

Something just looks a little wrong somehow.

Heh ho

La la laaa

Ooah, Betty, I Can Feel...

Well, top excitement today as I got a lovely card pushed thru the door telling me that my chunky trem and bridge - for The Betty Blue One - had arrived from far flung lands.

Not quite requiring so much of a cheery hearthed welcome was the £9 customs charge, and the £8 the Royal Mail are charging me for the privilege of not bringing the parcel to my door, but there we are. I was half expecting it anyway.

So I can hopefully go and get that and do a bit of stuff with o'er Betty, though of course that was the point when I realised that I haven't got the girl a neck yet, which is a bit of an oversight.

I really must check that though, as I was sure I did have - maybe I've used it, wouldn't be the first of times. I still haven't heard the Mojo Tele P90, of course, so there is a hint of bubbly excitement, I have to admit.

But still, be nice to get closer to finishing something, it seems like forever since the last time.

On the back of such promise, I dug the body out of it's hiding hole, gave it a quick dust and dazzle and I have to say it is a bit of a wow-lit stunner. The walnut burr looks rather gorgeous pretty, and I am loving that it is tattered and torn so that you can see the corroded bronze beneath.

The shaved edge binding (I'm making up meaningless terms to make it sound good, today) also works for me in a big way, and the back is dee and vine. Like a Parisian window as seen by Monet after he'd been on Les Meths. Lovely.

If only the girl had a neck, it would be perfect.

How many times have I said that before?

At least in those Ruby Red Pimpernelistic dreams of teenage.

I know it is sad to get excited about tiny little small steps such as this, but there we are.

La la laaa

Rainy Day in Slo-Mo

Well, another rainy day here in funtown, and I seem to be at a bit of a loose end.

I've started making some sort of sound file for The Fabulous One, but then knackered my headphones and the PC speakers, so I can't hear what it sounds like (though I have a fair idea in truth, and I expect you do too.)

Plus of course, Minecraft, Roblox and YouTube seem to limit my access to PCs and laptops on rainy days at the best of times.

Elsewhere, The Old Gordo finally got picked-up today (that's the sound of a stupid heart breaking) and I decided against the Steinberger tuners for The Fallen One as they seemed a fair bit heavy, so I've gone for a set of Klusons instead. Even remembered to buy lefty ones, most impressed with myself.

As for the tale of the incoming, well nowt has arrived as yet, but I probably wouldn't get much done at the moment if it had, so Key Sarah as they said in ancient Latinland.

Can't remember if I said, but I do seem to have acquired a Tokai Les Paul. It is a Chinese or perhaps Korean, rather than an expensivo Japanese one, but that is OK, I have no hang-ups about such things.

America, China, Korea, Manchester London, they're all foreign to me.  But the Tokai - it has already been pimped a wee bit, having the Japanese Mk 4 pickups fitted, CTS pots and all that, brass nut (not good for chilly monkeys or mornings) and the shininess has been rubbed away so it looks nice and sheeny instead. Not that I've seen the sheen yet, but there we are.

I'm thinking that I will probably get a nice SG at some point for 'bucker duties, but figured I'd get a cheapo Vintage LP or SG to tide me over, but this popped up and, well, there we are. I'm going to see if I can keep it for a whole month as it will make a change.

Other than that I've been sketching some body shapes I will one day get around to trying to make and failing dismally at. It seems a bit of a waste to just copy existing ones if I get the hang of it as that, err, kinda goes against the grain in lots of ways.

La la laaaaa

Just Liking That

Well, birthday parties and piles of discarded wrapping bobbins are over for a while, so it is back to awaiting the postie and her magical sack, in which all my parts seem to have disappeared.

Blip.

Just like that.

It is in truth going to be a sparse kinda time over the next fortnight for one reason or another, but I do seem to have somehow acquired a  Tokai Les Paul to fill the gap the Gordo has left (which makes no sense whatsoever Chris, I realise that.) But when that will arrive, I haven't got a clue or even two.

I am planning one or two little wrinkles though over the next few days, as I think I'm going to start The Hartlepool One, even though finishing it probably won't be for a fair old while.

In the end I am going to remain true to my indecision and do two bodies, one a Teardrop based shizzle and the other a Ricky 620 inspired shazzle. If I can't find a way of swapping them mid-song, they may even end-up as two different guitars, if they end-up as any kinda guitar at all. So it will perhaps be Hartlepool and Grimsby, or maybe Stirchley.

Long overdue, your Stirchley, methinks. Though how to capture essence d'Charidee-Shop, d'Balti and d'Brothel, I'm really not sure.

As for the Lightning Dragon, we need to sort out a gold lightning bolt, some red polka dots and a picture of a dragon from somewhere, which could be fun. Must remember to get some water slide paper.

Other than that, I'm going to break a habitual life and do a little recording of The Fabulous One, as to be honest I am loving the tone of it. So I'll apologise for that in advance, but if you a guitar player it will no doubt make you feel good about yourself. Even if the opposite is true of me.

But anyway...batteries to fit, broken toys to take back to shops and outlaws to feed. It's a Rock 'n' Roll life in Jookyville.

La la laaa

Somewhat Religious Overtonal Undertones

Trying to remind myself what I'm meant to be doing

Well, I gave The Fabulous One a bit of a tweak and a lot of a play this morning, and I have to say that I think I may be in love. Again.

I know, I'm fickle like a fuckle in a fackle, but Jesus loves me and at the end of the day, what else truly matters?

Least he said his name was Jesus.

Odd though, I never figured him coming from Bratford.

As for other stuff, well, not a lot of building for the next week or two due to family bobbins (unless I sneak something in here or there, know what I mean?) But I have got high hopes of some parts arriving and introducing some dim light into the shadowlands of my tawdry little life.

I also tottled up all the wood I've acquired, but never quite gotten around to using, this morning, and I think I have enough to either build a good dozen guitars (or perhaps one good guitar and a lot of partially finished,  yet subtley damaged piles of scrap), or maybe a small ark.

So I really am going to have to at least try to think about making a start or something.

Anyway, the week ahead is dire, the one after equally so, and then, well, whatever.

I hate Sundays

I do think I should make a nice ash Telecaster though, that would be a good thing.

La la laaaa

I Don't Know Why, I Love You

But I Do

Well, I am in my usual state of flux around here. The Fabulous One has turned into a bit of a dream and I can't quite seem to bring myself to leave it be. It has a real Ric sound to it (OK, I know the Mojo Toaster pickup might be influencing this) and the neck is just lovely.

And, and, and...

*sigh*.

Elsewhere, obviously my pondering of my own three guitars the other day got twisted in my bonce, as I seem to have shifted between trying to work out what pickups I'd want in the Old Gordo, to shoving it on Ebay and flogging it. And I'm a little shell-shocked as I really don't know why, I loved that guitar.

I do seem to have this deep-seated need to kill the things I love, or at least get rid of the guitars I like, not sure why it is. Probably low self-esteem or an even lower boredom threshold.

For the first time in eons, I have a meagre three guitars in the house including The Fabulous One, which as ever is on the block. And the Jazzmaster and Old Honey are looking at each other a bit twitchy like.

Of course with the Gordo gone (can't believe that I can write that so flip) I am indeed humbuckerless, which might have to be filled by an SG or Les Paul of some description. Saying that I've been casting glances at the Squier Jaguars, but inside I know I won't like it as much as my Jazzmaster, so then I feel 'why bother'. But maybe one of those Jaguars they did a while back with two humbuckers could be a decent compromise. Hard to say, innit?

Of course I could just get my act together and make something with 'buckers, but then it is just another turn of the wheel, and...there we be.

But anyway...

La la laaa

Re-Introducing: The Fabulous One, All Over Again

Well, OMFG I have to say that The Fabulous One, with it's new neck and lovely manly tremolo is a bit of a revelation.

Don't get me wrong, I loved it's first incarnation, but with the lump of iron nailed on, it has more sustain and a zingier tone all around.

The neck is a lovely shape-in-the-hand too and has a working truss rod, which you have to think of as a good thing.

The strings seem 'firmer' too, which works for me as well, and the roller bar on the trem gets the best out of the bridge, which is a nice bonus.

I really wish I'd recorded a before and after kinda thingy, but you're perhaps glad I didn't, but I'm well impressed and not a little relieved.

I've got a new guitar to play again, lovin' it, lovin' it and generally, well, lovin' it.

Which is good as there isn't a lot else to report.

We've got to the usual waiting-for-parts sitch as far as The Lightning Dragon goes, and there is no immediate chance of routing The Fallen One or doing anything else much that involves cutting stuff up into chunks.

So there we are, I'd given up hope of finishing The Fabulous One, but you never can tell.

So maybe, a bit of a strummy afternoon, after all...time to dust off those Smiths' licks (OK, Smiths' lick) and Byrds and Beatles tricks.

The Bo-o-y With Tracey Thorn In His Si-i-de...



La la laaa

Sold: The Fabulous One

Back in the olden days, Fender built a series of semi-acoustic guitars called The Coronado. It was idiosyncratic to say the least, it gave feedback at even the lowest levels and tastefilled styling seemed a thing of the past. They were lovely.

Fast-forward many years, and here in Jookyland we think it is time for a revival, but obviously with a few twists of our own.

The Fabulous One has a name to live up to and man does it. The body is pure Coronado apart from the thought-filled addition of a centre block to tamp down that feedback. It has been finished on the top with our home brew acid concoction being applied lovingly to a copper finish. This gives a beautifully 3D effect that will appeal to the whole family and doesn’t need silly glasses.

The back has a different corrosion, with again acid being brushed onto metallic paint, with bronze being the one to get tatty on it.

Around the edges is a quite messy paisley ‘faux binding’ that sets it all off.

As for the pickup, well Mojo Pickups have wound a prototype based on something toaster-like that captures all the jingo jangle you’d hope for and so much more.

Other than that it has a Ye Olde Horshoe Tremolo for all those Bigsby-esque shimmers and warbles, a pressed metal bridge – lovely and Dano-esque – Grover tuners and a top notch Mojo wiring loom.

All together this is a complete attention grabber to look at and a slice of something truly Fab when you play it.

*

To be clear, The Fabulous 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 the road to the Wirrall. 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: Pam’s Baywatch Bronze, Lulu’s Copper Top

Electrics: Mojo Toaster Pickup

Guitar Type: Fender Coronado

Construction: Semi Acoustic body, maple/maple neck

Strings: Nickel 10s

Output: ¼” Guitar Lead

Controls: Volume

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

Serial Number: JGE#55

RSP: £799

Today This Could Be Fabulous Yet Again

Well, I'd just about decided to keep the trapeze tailpiece on The Fabulous One, so I re-fitted it, put the strap pin back on, dropped a couple of E strings on, got everything lined-up neat and tidy and was generally feeling quite happy with myself, when ...typically...
the horseshoe of a trem arrived.

So, as I really do quite fancy using it, today I will be attempting to unpick all of the above and fitting it.

Now, I've never set one of these things up, and I have never even changed a string on a Bigsby so this could be fun with a lower case ferr.

And with the next couple of weeks going into holibob-OD I'm verily conscious that today is the day this has to be done if I am to be in with a hope of getting to play the thing anytime soonish.

So that's the plan, for what it is worth- Gammon.

La la laaa

Treacle-Stomping Daze

Now THAT'S  what I call paint dribbles

Well, yesterday was a bit of an odd day.

Got the body of the Lightning Dragon done - looking vaguely battered, chipped, dribbly and scrappily scraped.

It seems red polka dots are the plan now, so I need to work that out, but generally - we're on target.

Going good.

Likely to succeed like a toothless canary.

Sorted.

As for the trem for The Fabulous One, well that was another no-show so I got a bit bugged about that, but maybe tomorrow, maybe today. It would be nice if it was this week.

But anyway, polka dots, not quite sure how that will be accomplished, but where the is a will and all that.

As for other things, I am really going to have a go at the Steinberg tuners today, and if circumstances permit, I may even find meself cutting out some shapes from my lovely planks of wood.

Well, you never know.

It all has that familiar wading thru treacle feeling again at the moment.

La la laaa

This is It?

3 Steps To Satisfaction
Step 1: 90s MIJ Jazzmaster

Well, I am suitably covered in yellow paint, my boots glow in the dark and I have breathed in far too much sanded-lacquer-dust for antibody's good, but the Lightning Dragon has come along nicely so I feel like I've done something good for once.

Proper parenting, innit?

Doing something you want to do and claim it is for the little bratskis.

Other than that, I put the Mustang bridge on my Jazzmaster, and have fallen in love with it all over again.

It just feels right when I play it and I've come to a worrying point in my life where I'm really-quite-happy-thank-you-very-much with my guitars and don't actually even imagine needing any more. I'm there, the GAS tank is empty. Done and dusted and generally sorted in and out

Most weird. I honestly don't think I need any more at all.

I've got my (cheesy) 3 Steps To Heaven all at my feet.

Or rather I will have when I sort the Old Gordo out, but that is going to happen soon methinks.

Just as soon as I decide on the pickups.

Step 2: Prematurely Aged Les Paul Studio

So, theoretically happy this week at least, whilst fully accepting that I need a Tele to call my own and maybe a La Cab, another Jazzmaster and one of those Squier Jaguars if I can't stretch to a MIJ one, and a Danelectro Wild Thing, and a Firebird, a Les Paul Traditional, a Vox Teardrop, a Ricky 360 and a 620, a Gibson 335, a nice big orange Gretsch with a P90 at the neck Cochran-style, and probably a Strat in case somebody pops around and wants to borrow a guitar.




I quite fancy a 12 string too, but have to ask myself, would I ever use it?

But generally, I think I'm there.

Though I quite like the look of those Airline thingies too, now I come to think about it, and maybe a sitar, a nice mandolin, an Explorer and a Vee as they are pretty cool and I'd love one of the orange Epiphone Wildcats and a Nighthawk and a hand filled with Eastern European things with lots of buttons and switches for when I get bored and need some inspiration.

Obviously, the Les Paul Jr with a single Dogear P90 goes without saying, so I won't bring that up.

But anyway, I'm generally happy.

Step 3: Battered to Funk Gordon Smith

Other than that, the trem didn't arrive for The Fabulous One, which is annoying, but the funky Steinberg tuners for The Fallen One did, though how the hell you fit them I really don't know.

A job for tomorrow that one, methinks and I've found a  How-to-Fit-Them tutorial on the Stew-Mac web site, so that is OK. Or would be if I could ever follow instructions..

I do have to accept that I really am going to have to cope with some woodworking-pain if I'm going to get on with much else, which is a lickle annoying as it isn't what you'd call holibob-compatible. Hmmm.

But anyway, I've got some Spacemen 3 to murder

While I look at the National and Dobro web sites...

Terrahabit

La la laaaa

Of Fallen Dragons and Fabulous Jazzmasters

Well, the back of The Lightning Dragon is a satisfyingly obscene day-glo yellow, and after a bit of work has some nice crazing here and there too. It has had some lacquer as well of course, but will have more after Phase Deux, whatever that proves to be.

The front gets the treatment today, so that's cool, if not a mellow,
yellow.

In fact I got side-tracked and we have started the spraying already, a few coats in fact. Obviously we aren't looking for pristine here, more of an anti-OCD approach, so the crazing was lovely on the back and we've ladled the stuff on like custard so we have all manner of gloopirific runs down the side.

As for the rest of it, well it is going to have a 24 karat gold leafed scratchplate and all of the hardware will be golden too, if I remembered to order the right stuff.

As for the day job, well the headstock and scratchplate of The Fallen One got lacquered and are pretty much done, and today with a bit of luck and a fair wind at the back, the trem for The Fabulous One might arrive as a finishing touch.

I really want to get this sorted and fettled as it is starting to bug me, hanging around, eating all my chips, winking at the Ukuleles; all actions unbefitting of a civilised house guest.

To try and focus my befuddled brain, I thought I'd plonk together The Fallen One to try and inspire me to sort out the routing for once and ever more. I'm pretty chuffed with the way the 'plate looks against the walnut, though that should end-up a tad darker methinks.

So today - it will be slo-mo-a-go-go, but I should get the front of the yellow peril painted  if nowt else and I've ordered a new router, so things might be on the up soon enough..

Oh, and I treated my Jazzmaster to a nice old Mustang bridge, so that can go on too. Lovely.

La la laaa

No Particular Place To Go

The Golden Shower One
AWOL For 12 Months Now

Well, The Old E One got a final strum, or forty, before it got packed and ready for the courier. (I've changed brand from UPS to TNT as I don't think they have stomped one of my guitars yet.)

So today involves a little of the usual waiting.

It suddenly struck me earlier, that it is nearly a year since I dropped The Golden Shower One into my local tech for a bit of raised-fret attention.

I was going to sort it out myself, but figured that this would be quicker. Since then I think I have had 78 different guitars. I'm not sure what this says, other than perhaps I should give them another call.

I rang a month or so ago and they said they would be doing it soon, so I suppose I shouldn't complain.

As for other stuff...

1. The Fabulous One: Waiting for the trem to arrive. Everything else is done that can be done though.

2. The Betty Blue One: Waiting for a neck and the trem from the US of A

3. The Fallen One: Waiting for me to grow a couple and do the routing. Other than that it needs pickups/wiring, tuners and strap pins, finishing etc. All of which will crowd me and point fingers soon enough.

4. The Travellin' Man: Finished the lacquering and need to chase-up the parts.

5. The Lightning Dragon: The back is painted, but we ran out of paint, so I have the do-I-nip-out-and-risk-missing-the-courier / stay-in-and-do-nothing- while-the-courier-does-a-no-show dilemma, we all know and love.

Other than that it is waiting for parts. Oh, I came across an IronGear teSLA SHark pickup yesterday, which will do nicely I think. Clever naming that IronGear crowd. Subliminal, even. Nice.


And that is about it. I've obviously not started the others yet, as they are better left said. Some things are.

La la laaaa

On the road again...

Bye Bye Old E...

Well, The Old E One is travelling south to it's new home, so once again I'm Jookyless, and feeling inspired to get my act together.

Although, of course, I've fitted the new maple neck on The Fabulous One and just need to get that set up and fettled and see how it looks. I decided in the end to go for the Horseshoe tremolo, so I've removed the tailpiece and moved the Strap pin back into the middle, which feels better as far as my little-known-OCD goes.

Obviously I gave it a bash with  a hammer for good form too. You can't get too carried away about it all, of course. So once the trem arrives, it will be pukka and sorted. Lovely.

Hopefully that will be finished this week, which is nice.

Other than that, I've sourced all the bits 'n' bobs for The Betty Blue One, so it is just a case of waiting for them to show up and I still need to grow-a-pair and rout the neck of The Fallen One as that is pretty much ready to go otherwise too.

So basically, it is the same as last week, with one less guitar to trip over and a few more parts to wait for.


La la laaaa.

Getting Fab All Over Again

Well, a bit of Morning Glory saw The Fabulous One, get a new neck fitted, with the original Grover tuners (nice rusty screws in place - check) and raring to go.

Hopefully the posty will bring me a boxload of new strings and I can get it proper fettled and play the thing all over again.

I'm glad we've ended-up with a maple boarded neck, it was originally meant to be that way but naturally I dithered and changed my mind a few times on the way.

Better still it is straight. (It's the little things in life that make me smile, like Oompa Lumpas and Ronnie Corbett.)

As for the remains of the day, it'll be over to the Dragon's Den for a bit of Hi-Vizzy yellow on the Lighting Dragon.

Masks and goggles have been arranged as have surgical gloves and Dad's old T Shirts - so they will be fully protected from the nasty niffs.

I still haven't organised the pickup I'm going to be using, but all the other bits 'n' bobbins should be here soon enough, so that isn't top of my list right now.

But there we be..ending the week with a flourish, I like that

La la laaaa

Another Day, Another Neck

Well, not a lot done again today, apart from picking the paint for my lasses Lightning Dragon - High visibility yellow, naturally. Nothing understated around here.

I did get the new neck for The Fabulous One though, and it is quite lovely.

I went for a Maple/Maple job this time and the finish is lovely and smooth, like silk it is. I'm really going to have to put that right.

So the old neck is off and I'll swap the Grover tuners across tomorrow. It is slightly wide for the neck pocket, but better that way than too loose. I'd forgotten how much fun this guitar is, that Toaster pickup from Mojo is stunningly cool sounding..

I am still in two minds whether to replace the tailpiece with a horseshoe tremolo or not. The tin bridge takes a bit of care at the best of times so I'm wondering whether the trem would be a step too far or not. Maybe I'll just get the neck on tomorrow and see how it is with the tailpiece and go from there.

Blimey that almost felt grown-up and proper organised and methodical-like.

La la laaa

Fallen In Love Again...

Well, The Fallen One now has a corroded headstock to match the scratchplate and if I ever get some lacquer I can finish them off, which is cool. The Steinberg tuners will hopefully be here this week too, so at least the top end will be sorted out.

I did manage to have a wee praccy as far as the neck pocket goes, as I haven't tried one in ages, and that turned out well, so with a bit of luck (and peace and quiet for half 'n' hour) I might well get it sorted out today or tomorrow or maybe even next Wednesday. Which would be nice as I want to get on with starting the finish, as it were.

While I am into the routing side of life I thought I would also make a start on the centre 'log' for The Hartlepool One. I've cut a chunk of Korina especially, so getting the neck pocket sorted out would be a really good start. Not that I have too many expectations for the first few goes, but starting it would feel quite majorly cool. And that's the kinda guy I am. Blisteringly cool. (Ahem).

I must admit, in the R&D lab of my little brain, The Hartlepool One is turning into more of a Semi-Acoustic than a Danoelectro, which is a worrying trend toward something or other.

La la laaa

Her Name is Betty, And She is Jooky

Her Name Is Betty,
She's Kinda Kooky

Well, couriers come and couriers go, where the parcels end up...etc.

I think you know the rest.

But fair play to them, both UPS and TNT collected when they were meant to and the place looks a whole lot emptier now. And (forgetting the in-need-of-a-resurrection The Fabulous One, which I've taken apart), I am once more down to a single Jooky The Old E One, and rather lovely it is to play too.

So I'm not exactly upset about it.

The pickguard for The Fallen One has finished corroding and just needs some lacquer, which is cool, and speaking of lacquer I ran out, so need to sort that out so I can finish The Travellin' Man One too.

And further speaking of which, I'm going to chop a scratchplate for that today, I think and also paint the headstock of The Fallen One to match it's scratchplate, which I should have done at the same time but forgot, clearly.

I am human, it may surprise you to know.

As for other things, I've organised some wooden board stuff for The Hartlepool One, I went for a couple of types in different thicknesses as it is all a bit of a voyage-of-discovery, as per and I couldn't make my mind up as per also-like.

Without getting too far ahead of myself, I might actually try a couple of these until I get the hang of it, when I will obviously stop as there won't be any point any longer.

Other than even that I've got that itch now about The Betty Blue One and can't wait for the trem thing to arrive in a letter from America. Oh and the neck from Pontefract, which sounds less exotic but they make cakes out of liquorice, and how much better is that than Mississippi Mud Pie?

Other than all of that, it is back to waiting, always waiting

La la laa