Guitars and Life

I'm building a new guitar. So three things influenced this one.   A hybrid tele / Strat body I saw, an interesting neck and particularly an interesting electronics option.  Here are the bits as arrived.  The body is a telecaster shape, telecaster neck pocket, telecaster control cavity but routed for 3 Strat pickups and a Strat style vibrato bridge.  The control cavity makes it different to many hybrid Telecasters a la the John Mayer model which have a more Strat like control cavity.  The body was advertised as "mahogany" it's quite red in nature but nice looks to be two piece centre jointed.  The neck is mahogany with a maple fingerboard and a maple skunk strip. So a bit reverse look from normal.  Electronically I'm going with three Strat pickups from Tonerider, having used there nashville set in the nashville tele conversion I did I was impressed. Five way switch master volume and tone.  But I'm putting in a shape shifter switch ...

I read on guitar.com that the famous UK Yorkshire based JHS distributor is closing down. Sad days.  They've been part of the UK music for as long as I've been buying kit. My first phaser pedal in the 70s was one of theirs  Not mine which I swapped for a Big Muff before 1980.  They were for a long time Hughes & Kettner distributor in the UK and super service supplying me with some spares when I needed them.  They in recent years created great guitar brands like Vintage and Fret King.  I own two Vintage guitars and have often considered Fret King. I really hope those brands don't disappear.  For a home Partscaster builder like me too they are distributor for Wilkinson parts which are simply the best there is for the money in my opinion.  After recent shop closures another blow to the UK music instrument retail industry. 

I've not posted on here or my other blog in ages. I came here in a moment of reflection based on the fact that I recently went through my 21st soberversary. 21 years!  One day at a time which I learnt early on.  Anyways. What's going on?  I've become a Grandad.  My daughter gave us our first granddaughter on my birthday last year. Best birthday present ever and my daughter-in-law the produced our second on Christmas Day. Best Christmas present ever.  I'm in a jam band with some other old foggies. It's good fun we meet in a studio one guy built in an old garage and it's all through headphones so "silent stage" essentially.  Which works well for me with my terrible hearing now. I wear hearing aids in both ears the left being profoundly deaf now and almost useless.  Awaiting delivery of parts due a new guitar build which I may film - I don't know.  Anyway to anyone reading this - Hello.