Fuzztastically Cool

Well, I don't tend to use effect pedals much these days - I used to be a complete junky pedal whore - but in recent weeks I've kind of collected a few, just for a change like. Flangers I love, and a bit of chorus is very nice too thank-you-very-much, and delay is just cool, and as for my favourite Dod Classic Tube Overdrive, well, what can I say. Stuff your Centaur, this is awesome.

But for me, I have to say, fuzz is the perfect pedal. It sounds groovy, you can get away with a lot (always a consideration for me, I have to admit) and there is so much variation to be had, the world is a better place.

So when I was talking to Mike at 'Life Is Unfair Audio',  I did the obvious thing and tapped him up for a good deal on one of his glorious pedals, and man am I glad I did.

The pedal I got is his 'Awkward Breed', and it nailed everything he described.

So anyway, it showed-up yesterday, custom painted with style and and all due aplomb, and after the 'Fuzz Factory' disaster which I really can't bring myself to talk about, I was pleased that it only had two knobs to twiddle. For one with such a little brain, it was quite the relief, I have to say.

See, as far as pedals go, I'm more your find-a-sound-I-like-and-walk-backwards-from-it-and-never-return kinda guy, as opposed to your sonic explorer. But with fuzzes especially, I do want to use those funny knob things on the guitar and change things around that way, and so this has proven perfect.

And a two-knobber it may be, but man there is no shortage of stimulation. My first inclination is to go for a classic 60s fuzz, and that was easily found - I was playing The Rilkean One, so what did you expect? - but that wasn't the end of it's range, as a twiddle here and there could take you all the way to daft flat battery noises, and every stage in-between.

In a lot of ways it reminds me of the range of tones I used to get from my Zoom Ultra Fuzz, which I'm sure isn't bootique enough for many, but has an incredible variety on tap. But loving the Zoom though I am, this definitely has a richer sound across the spectrum, and manages to both give you those classic sounds whilst also being totally modern. A nifty trick to pull off indeedy.

Mike is launching Life Is Unfair Audio on-line soon, and if this is his starting point, I fear I may well be joining the ranks of the pedal junkies once more. In fact I have gone back to an old Ibanez DFL Flanger - Tom Morello started using one after he heard mine all those years ago. Probably. - so can't wait to see that and my Awkward Breed playing nicely together. Going to be groovy.

If you want to get in touch with Mike, he is on The Fretboard Here. Top chap and brilliant builder methinks.

Right, back to murdering My Bloody Valentine...

La la laaa

Sold: The Rilkean One

Well, I'm pleased to introduce to you, The Rilkean One, the latest product of our fevered imaginationings and uber-tastically cool, if I do say so meself.

From the top, it is a beatified tribute to the classic Vox Teardrop, but man Brian never had it this good as this is super playable and stunning sounding all at the same time. The body is beautifully hand made in the UK from alder, and the neck matches perfectly, with a beautiful piece of rosewood stuck to some maple.

Pickups have a nice twist, with three of Marc Ransley of Mojo Pickups take on the original and classic Danelectro Lipsticks. Loads of wire wrapped around big bertha magnets in a pretty tube. Simple as that, but man do they sound sir and wheat.

Wiring, is the usual top notch Mojo loom, top quality CTS pots, Oak Grigsby Switch, PIO caps, Switchcraft jack and all that.

The tuners I had never tried before, but are brilliant, a set of Steinberger's gearless wonders, with an 18:1 ratio, so very fine and dandy your tuning will be.

As for the finish, I went for pure copper with a slight amount of corrosion around the edges, but as this is corroding under the protective layers of wax, rather than corroding, it will slowly change like a lava lamp.

As ever this is a complete one-off in  oh-so-many-ways, signed, dated and numbered and no doubt it won't be around for long.

So why not treat thine self for the silly price of SOLD in a cute yet hardy hardcase to your door (if you still have one in the UK.)

Be first or well, be nowhere.

To be clear, The Rilkean 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.

Technical Stuff:

Type: Jooky Classic

Electrics: Mojo Lipstick Pickups, Mojo Wiring Loom

Guitar Type: Teardrop

Construction: Maple/Rosewood Neck, Alder Body

Strings:     11s

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#11
RSP: £1249

Babylon Dawns

Well, some things take a while here in Jookyland, so typically the worst two offenders - The Babylon Blue and Travellin' Man Ones are both near to their respective new owners donnies.

The Travellin' Man One will hopefully be on it's way again tomorrow, but more amazingly, The body for the Babylon Blue One arrived today and that is now a runner too.

As you can see it is a heavy relic, white over blue, Ricky-esque-ish semi acoustic with a blocked and reversed Tele neck.

Pickups will be a Tele one at the neck and a Gold Foil at the bridge, Ricky scratchplates, Bigsby, Sperzels...blah blah and yet blah one more time.

I'm a leelte overcome.

La la laaa

So Anywaysup

Well, so anyway, I'm looking forward to next week - The Alcaeus One is next on the block - but can I make up my mind on the pickups? Can I be ekkers.

So from the top - a lovely one piece swamp ash body.
Glorious Warmoth Maple/Rosewood neck.
Sperzel tuners.
Fender AVRI Tremolo.
Staytrem Bridge.
A lovely Mother of Jooky pearly queen of a finish.
Ye Olde Mojo wiring loom, but
I still don't know what to get Marc to wind.

On one side, I'm thinking Jazzmaster pickups. I beatify them, they sound immense - what's not to love?

But then I think I might keep this one (I laughed too) and a pair of the Mosrite styled ones would indeed be pretty darn lovely too.

Yet, there is the classic Gold Foil + Mosrite combo that worked so well before.

Or even Mojotrons, now they would be cool.

Or even even more so, a Wide Range humbucker plus a P90, would be sex on a hard drive.

And that is all before I look at every combination of the above and stick sticky sticks in my eyes.

And worst of all I've spent three months trying to work this out.

I just don't know what to do.

I am tiller-free and generally uncertain.

Maybe I'll sleep on it.

La la laaaa

Thingamabobs and Bobbins

Well, not a lot to report as it is the school holibobs again (so soon, so verily soon), but the old gears are turning as per, in between iCarly and Spongebob re-runs.

For the record, both The Alcaeus and Rilkean Ones are nigh on done. Just a fiddle and a spit and they will be taking a bow next week some time.

The Travellin' Man  One is again ready to brave American Customs, and The Bacchylides One shouldn't be too far behind either.

But the thing I'm most excitable about  is something new and well, exciting.

I think  so anyway.

And other than the odd bit of nitro, this is quite cool as it is a proper collaboration and that makes a wee change if nowt else.

So what will be the end-result?

No, I don't know, just wondering if you have a clue?

La la laaa

Jooky Olde Gold

Well, The Rilkean One is looking nifty, and yes I forgot the fotographic evidence. But tomorrow is another day apparently so they can wait.

And tomorrow I may even nail the pickups in place and remember to talk to Mojo Marc about a wiring loom so I can finito it.

Well, you never know.

But tonight I'm thinking gold, and more to the point I'm thinking about the rather nifty one piece swamp ash Jazzmaster body I've been hiding under the stairs, and more to the point how the two go together.

And I have to admit, I really rather fancied breaking the rules d'Jook and repeating myself, doing another gold leaf job a la Seaside, but sanity interceded so then I thought, wow, why don't I try and mix up some olde gold looking Mother of Jooky Pearliness instead. So that is the plan. It should look crazy enough to criticise yet opulent and lux in a urious kinda way.

So that goes on the Coming One Day Maybe list quicksmart as I'll have forgotten by morning.

You didn't think this bloggy thing was for your benefit, surely.

In other news, well, there isn't any. School holibobs don't you know?

La la laaa

Like Gravity

Well, I'm hoping The Rilkean One will  be shuffling quicksmart tomorrow as it is holibob time for the bratskis once more and progress regresses.

The finish is done and I went kinda subtle with a corroding rather than corroded copper under the beeswax  special brew.

Excuse the shonky foto, I'll do better in the morning light, but the neck is now attached, utterly groovesome Steinberger tuners are on, as is the string bar thing and logo. I've even put the strap pins on there too.

As for the pickups, I have three authentically cool Mojo takes on the original Daneletro lipsticks hanging around, so hopef.lly they will fit and then I need to sort out a wiring loom. Tele style but with a sneaky five way switcheroo. Oh, and the bridge, mustn't forget that there bridge.

I love teardrops, so am really looking forward to this one. Groovy McFloozy indeed.

As for other things, well, we'll just have to see now won't we.

La la laaaaaa

Rilkean Copper

Well, it is a sunny day in Jookyland, waiting for couriers to no-show, a fresh batch of copper paint and the teardripped loveliness that is The Rilkean One in my sights.

Doesn't get much better than this.

So a first coat, a second coat drying and then hopefully a light drizzle of the noxious house brew to give it a touch of blues and greens around the edges.

Think this is going to be treacle.

I just noticed the body and neck for The Alcaeus One too, hmm, need some pickups and wire, but couldn't decide whether to go trad jazzmaster, or mad get Mosrite stylee. Have to have a ponder on that one.

La la laaaaa

Introducing: The Velvet Pearl One

The Velvet Pearl One is a rather stunning walnut bodied La Cabronita telecaster.
From the top it has the coolest looking Mother of Jooky finish yet, a gorgeous maple/maple neck and a few more thingies to boast about in chateaus and lounges alike. Sperzel tuners, Gretsch knobs, it just goes on and on and on and then on a bit more.

The pickup is stunning, a Mojo Pickups' Mojotron which will give beautiful cleans but still take the paper off the wall without blinking. Wiring is the usual top quality Mojo fare too, for many a mile of confident enhancing motoring.

*
To be clear, The Velvet Pearl 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.



Technical Stuff:

Type: Jooky Classic

Electrics: Mojo Mojotron Pickup, Mojo Esquire Wiring Loom

Guitar Type: Telecaster La Cabronita

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#10
RSP: £1249

Interesting Times

Well, things have been moving finally, and The Velvet Pearl One is now done - a proper introduction tomorrow, before it flies off to Jim - and the plan is to finish my lovely Jaguar, The Bacchylides One, tomorrow too.

The Travellin' Man One is back together and all dried out and various bits replaced that had gone rusty-in-a-bad-way, so that will finally be back on it's travels too.

All cool.

In other news, I had two 'incomings' today, both Les Paul stylee, and both it their own way quite cute..

The first is a Gibson 50s Tribute Les Paul Studio, which has had a hard old time of it. These are lovely guitars, but it needs some renovation methinks as whoever did the amateur relickification was clearly lacking a trolley to fall off.. The front doesn't look bad, but the rest is, well, wow. Old Goldy is going to get a Bigsby I think, though amazingly the Gibson pickups are really nice, so may hang around for a wee while.

The second is polar oppositified, and is pristine and pretty too. This is  a Japanese Edwards Les Paul, and is rather beautiful. I haven't had a chance to plug it in, but it feels and looks verily classy indeed.

The Gibson is going to get a Bigsby and maybe a Gold leaf finish, the Edwards I daren't touch.

And of course after spending months working my way thru every Vox amp I could find, but never quite finding what I were looking for, I also got one from the left of field, which nails it better than anything.

I got a Genz Benz Black Pearl which is utterly gorgeous to play. The reverb is stunning and there are more tones in there than I know what to do with. Clearly I will keep it forever.

So busy busy and a leetle busy, feels good to be back..

La la laaaa

Hot Rodding and The Good Doctor

Well, you know what it is like, you spend all your time making lovely guitars, and your nearest and dearest get all excited about somebody else's work.

And so when the #1 guitar from the soon-to-be-fabled "Rob's Hot Rod Shop" known locally as The Bobbit showed up on the shores of Jookyland, with it's Warmoth body, Gretsch Filtertron, girly looking blue finish (I'm not bitter, I'm not bitter), well...what can you do.

And despite myself, I have to say it is rather beautiful. The finish shows a touch of grain thru the paint, the lines are clean. Very mild aging which is utterly convincing. Lovely bridge, gorgeous flamed maple neck and Ye Olde Gretsch knobs.

Obviously I hate the man, but can't knock his guitar..

One to watch is this Doctor Robert, even The Future of Rock 'n' Roll can spot it...

La la laaaa

WIP: The Velvet Pearl One

Well, must be a day for it, as The Velvet Pearl One is nigh on donededed.

There are a few minor things left for the morning, like handpainting the Jooky logo on the pickguard, strap pins (why oh why etc.) and a pair of Gretsch knobs for that Hot-Rod-Bob look.

But it plays lovely cool, (I should say before you ask, but fotos were pre-set-up, so the saddles are more wibbly-wobbly-aligned now) looks rather stunning with it's dragon skin/petri dish Mother of Jooky finish and scorches the earth like the end of days.

This one isn't going to be for sale for it is off to Jim and hopefully appearing on his record (along with his Custom Jazzmaster - fingers-crossed) next week (or maybe the week after, I forget).

Anyway, as you were..

La la laaaa