Guitars and Life

I've completed finishing the neck.  I've done another top coat on the body - I might do another yet, will wait and see once it has cured off. Anyway here are some photos of the neck.   I used Wudtone Original Yellow which has given the colour I was hoping for.

The body and neck finishing is going really well.  I think I've just done the 3rd top coat on both.  I'm going to do at least one more on the body, possibly two and maybe one more on the neck.  I'll decide when I look at them after this latest one has cured off. In preparation for them being ready for assembly I've turned my attention to the electrics.  I commented at the start of the build a plan for some mods to the electrical circuit - nothing too major but a couple of little tweaks. Seven sound wiring .  One mod often seen on Strats is to add the two sounds you can't get on a standard 5 way switch with the three pickups.  Namely all three on together and bridge and neck on together.  The way I'm doing this is by just having a simple switch to switch on the bridge pickup no matter what position the 5 position switch is in. Many of the mods show this mod using the neck pickup.  I've favoured the bridge since I'd prefer the bridge only "lead...

I don't get to many gigs these days.  The change of work situation, i.e. working only 2 days a week now means financially I cannot justify going to that many especially with the cost of many tickets these days.  I heard an interview with Mark King (Level 42) the other day and he was commenting "I remember when albums were £15 in the shops and a gig ticket was £3.  Now people give albums away for free and charge you £50 to see them live".  Very true - the shift in where you can make a living from music I suppose. Anyhoo... Mrs F and I went with a few other friends to see Show of Hands at Tonbridge Well.  Show of Hands may not be a household name, which is a shame for them as frankly one of the best folk bands about and maybe there in lies the issue, the narrow characterisation of them into a particular genre... however they have been known to play Peter Gabriel covers so what does that say about breaking down the preconceptions? Just brilliant is my overall s...

Sadly - another RIP post.  I read today that Jack Bruce has sadly passed away. One word... Legend... Makes sense now why they did this get together... At least now he can reunite with Gary This was a terrific line up - shame they didn't do more together

RIP Alvin Stardust when I was 10 I was buying his singles but the landmark in my life was attending my first gig at the Central Hall (now Theatre) to see him with a slightly older female friend of the family who my mother trusted.

Just a quick update.  Being a bit busy at the moment with stuff - work, course, volunteer training etc.  The build is on the go-slow.   On Monday I put the last base coat on the body.  You need to give it 2 days to dry out fully anyhow but I'll be unlikely to get to do anything until the weekend now.  The neck I've finished the base coats on.  So weekend I'll start the top coats on both.  I'm expecting 3 or 4 of them we'll see as it develops so probably at least another week or two then the advice is to leave it a full week before assembly.  Patience... it's a bugger at times isn't it!

Some overdue reviews of latest CD additions to my collection. Bellowhead - Revival. Bellowhead on top form.  Frankly their best yet I think.  Sea shanties a plenty kicking off with Let Her Run and straight into Roll Alabama my favourite off the whole album.  There isn't anything new here if you know Bellowhead, excellent arrangements using the huge variety of instruments their large and versatile line up gives them.  The vocals are spot on and much of this album is up tempo foot tapping sing-a-long chorus type stuff that simply they do so well.  Off to see them live in the flesh in November and on this basis can't wait. One highlight is I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight a stonking reworking of the old Richard Thompson song.  I heard an interview with them on BBC Radio 2 where they said they included this song as they wanted something "contemporary" in the track list.  I roared with laughter at this, for most groups who trouble the top 40 wi...

There's a confusing post title and probably the title of my forthcoming 90 min epic single track progressive rock album... ;-) No seriously folks.  I've started on the finish. I'm using the excellent Wudtone products.  I like these since they are so easy for a DIY build like mine.  You "rag" them on, I use old cut up pyjamas as they seem best to me in terms of not soaking too much of the liquid up etc.  No sprays or complicated stuff like that.  You don't get the mirror finish a pro would get with proper spray booths etc. but the finish on the Tele Build was really good just right between colour, semi gloss shine and the feel of the real wood.  They have some sort of sealant in them so help with making the wood resistant to water etc. so all good. The body is being finished in Carmine Gypsy red and the neck in Original Vintage Yellow. Here they are after the application of the first coats.

The birthday weekend was a bit of a whirlwind.  On my birthday we went out for nice meal once Mrs F finished work.  My daughters boyfriend had got away from his job early so the four of us headed out for a three course slap up at the local Harvester which is in walking distance.  Good time by all even managing to squeeze in an ice desert with toffee sauce! My son and his girlfriend then made the trek home arriving late in the evening, for my son he'd spent too long on a train after a days work having gone back from Leicester to Birmingham and then to Kent but lovely to see him and the house was suddenly over full with people again. Saturday I had a workshop I had to be at in the afternoon and then the gig in the evening.  Meaning I had to squeeze in cooking a huge curry for everyone too.  Must have been good, totally empty plates all round. We dashed off the to the gig.  Roadworks!  The route I'd plan had a road closure on it, luckily I knew a ba...

Today is my birthday so Mrs F finally let me loose on my present. Here it is as it arrived.  For some reason they actually fit the scratchplate and electrics, probably for safety in transit to stop them getting damaged but obviously if you want to finish the body you need to remove them... so first thing was to whip them out... And then to try a test fit of the neck, can't resist it! All good, all parts (body, neck and scratchplate) are marked with 35 on them somewhere showing they've been mated together before putting into the kit.  On the body and neck  this has proved valuable the neck is a very good snug fit into the pocket, so much so with friction alone holding it together you can lift the guitar by the neck and body doesn't fall off.  This is a good sign.  Incidentally the body is basswood and very light.  The neck is maple with a nicely grained rosewood fingerboard - being a 12 string the neck is quite wide measuring about 48 mm at the n...