The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #91  
Old 09-08-2021, 06:28 PM
srick's Avatar
srick srick is online now
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 8,177
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by phavriluk View Post
Here I am minding my own business, when I see - - - for the first time ever in my experience in print, a mention of The Jungle! I spent two of my Uconn years (1965-1967) on West Campus. Rumors were that the Jungle was host to madmen and engineering students. Loved it!

And that router base for circle cutting - - - I made one just like it by writing down dimensions and materials while Chris Paulick described how to make one on YouTube.

It's a small and wonderful world.

Thanks, everybody!
P - Fellow AGF er ‘thebardrocks’ was at UConn the same time that you were. You should connect! But I think you both missed the Judy Collins days.

My dorm, (Litchfield Hall) was the first co-ed dorm on the UConn campus… an experiment in 1971 living. It sounds so quaint today. Perhaps what set us apart was that the dorm President and Vice-President were military vets, and of legal age. They provided the dorm with a lot of social lubrication! In my sophomore year, the drinking age was lowered to 18. Nuff said. Many of us in that dorm still keep in touch. Most telling, is that within five years, the majority of all of the dorms on the campus had become co-Ed.

Gosh, I sound old.

Best,

Rick

PS - did you know Dave Green, another Granby denizen and guitar nut (sadly departed)?
__________________
”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet”
Reply With Quote
  #92  
Old 09-08-2021, 09:15 PM
phavriluk phavriluk is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Granby, CT
Posts: 2,913
Default news

I never knew Dave Green, but I went to a Sunday-afternoon gathering at his house for coffeehouse pickers (Charlie Irwin et.al.) some years ago. Invited by a mutual friend.

I did miss the Judy Collins days. But some years ago I went to a summertime concert at Jorgenson to hear Asleep at the Wheel. Emmylou Harris opened.
Reply With Quote
  #93  
Old 09-09-2021, 05:43 AM
jt1 jt1 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,062
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by srick View Post
John Thomas (I'm sure you're listening!) - I've always been curious if there was any legal standing behind Gibson's threats, or if they were "just shots across the bow?"
Ah, sorry to have missed this.

Alas, Gibson's efforts appear sincere, if horribly misplaced.

I'm meeting with Gibson in a couple of weeks in Nashville. I'm going to do my best to talk the company into a sensible position on the issue. Sigh.
__________________
John
Reply With Quote
  #94  
Old 09-09-2021, 06:09 AM
srick's Avatar
srick srick is online now
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 8,177
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jt1 View Post
Ah, sorry to have missed this.

Alas, Gibson's efforts appear sincere, if horribly misplaced.

I'm meeting with Gibson in a couple of weeks in Nashville. I'm going to do my best to talk the company into a sensible position on the issue. Sigh.
IMO - the more frequently a homage to vintage Gibsons is made, the more valuable their brand name becomes. After all, 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

My other thoughts on the topic, I think I'll 'wisely' keep to myself.

Good luck making any headway. There are a several luthiers who would really benefit.

Rick
__________________
”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet”
Reply With Quote
  #95  
Old 10-01-2021, 11:20 AM
srick's Avatar
srick srick is online now
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 8,177
Arrow Things can change…

A reimagined guitar. How a Gibson SJ turned into a sort of, but not really, 1927 Nick Lucas

______

Art is a funny thing. Like so much else in life, you may start in one direction and find that the goal that you had in mind has not only moved, but is now a very different one than you had planned on. Building a guitar can certainly fall into that realm.

I love it when an artist has freedom to explore. By necessity, an acoustic guitar has specific elements that need to be included, but there is room for creativity and variations on a theme.

This guitar was originally inspired by John Thomas’ 1943 Gibson SJ, which had gone to Europe and back during the Second World War. I believe that my original specs were: to have a guitar that played as nicely as JT's, an armrest, a Dale Fairbanks burst, EVO frets (I have a nickel allergy), a good thump in the bass, and a headstock paying homage to my late friend, Larry “Foxy” Fox. You may remember that the wood had been salvaged by Foxy from an old mahogany table leaf. And, I wanted Dale to create an instrument that he (Dale) would like to look at and play.

Maybe it’s just as well this guitar got delayed. It gave Dale and me a lot of time to dial in specifics that I had not initially been clear on. As we discussed some of the fine points, and went back and forth, things changed:

First, I asked for an armrest. Getting it just right drove Dale crazy and totally changed the appearance of the guitar. Then, Dale suggested that Rickard ‘banjo’ tuners might look really cool.

Back to me: Since we are using Evo frets (which are inherently a golden color), we’ll have to order the antique brass finished tuners.

Back to Dale: What about the inlays? Do you still want parallelograms?

Me: I’m not sure. Let me get back to you. Two hours later: how about this pattern from a 1927 Nick Lucas special?

Dale: Good choice

Then with the headstock, I said, “surprise me,” which he did! We had a back and forth on whether to bind the headstock, the ‘busy-ness of a headstock if there were too many design elements, and how the overall guitar would look.

Well golleee… what an interesting result. The appearance of the guitar is definitely not a mid-century Gibson. The tuners almost give it a steam punk vibe. So maybe this is what Lloyd Loar might have come up with if he was a luthier in 2021?

We’re going up to Burlington real soon to adopt our new baby. I suspect we’ll be doing a lot of singing together.


Rick
__________________
”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet”

Last edited by srick; 10-02-2021 at 05:34 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #96  
Old 10-01-2021, 11:59 AM
srick's Avatar
srick srick is online now
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 8,177
Default

Here’s a preview of the final guitar. It will be getting one of Dale Fairbanks’ famous bursts and a clear finish on the mahogany.


C504C351-3D98-48A8-BF64-C4E29BE56920.jpeg

DF38E69E-9E67-4451-BBE3-13956E5D887F.jpeg

E4CD78CC-FDDC-4E7C-9B10-62C130D0369C.jpeg
__________________
”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet”

Last edited by srick; 10-01-2021 at 12:05 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #97  
Old 10-01-2021, 12:07 PM
srick's Avatar
srick srick is online now
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 8,177
Default

And here’s the headstock and neck:


DD2D0576-EB3C-4880-A5C4-515617E68645.jpeg

7DC3DDC3-C30B-40E0-889C-53A78869DE6C.jpeg

B2CBDA44-9A82-439D-85BA-56AAF65E606B.jpeg

9D91B017-26F7-42EF-89B3-53616766A79C.jpeg
__________________
”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet”
Reply With Quote
  #98  
Old 10-01-2021, 12:13 PM
fredsj200's Avatar
fredsj200 fredsj200 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 150
Default

Wow! Looks awesome. Can not wait to see completed guitar. My Fairbanks build is at the same stage as yours. Hopefully, it will be sprayed in the next few weeks.

Btw, the Rickard banjo tuners are an excellent choice. I have them on one of guitars and they are simply wonderful. Congrats!

Fred
Reply With Quote
  #99  
Old 10-01-2021, 12:22 PM
BrunoBlack's Avatar
BrunoBlack BrunoBlack is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: New England
Posts: 10,483
Default

Different and very nice. What a blast!
Reply With Quote
  #100  
Old 10-01-2021, 02:08 PM
justonwo's Avatar
justonwo justonwo is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 7,120
Default

Very nice! So exciting.
Reply With Quote
  #101  
Old 10-01-2021, 06:40 PM
dave42 dave42 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 982
Default

Wow!! How interesting is that!?! That is so cool! Can't wait to see it under finish. That back looks great, too!
Reply With Quote
  #102  
Old 10-01-2021, 10:09 PM
Guitars44me's Avatar
Guitars44me Guitars44me is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mountains east of San Diego
Posts: 7,372
Smile Nice!!!

Very interesting and attractive axe!

Good on you!!! I like the armrest addition...

Bet you are getting hot to trot.

Salud

Paul
__________________
3 John Kinnaird SS 12c CUSTOMS:
Big Maple/Cedar Dread
Jumbo Spanish Cedar/WRC
Jumbo OLD Brazilian RW/WRC

R.T 2 12c sinker RW/Claro
96 422ce bought new!
96 LKSM 12
552ce 12x12

J. Stepick Bari Weissy WRC/Walnut

More
Reply With Quote
  #103  
Old 10-02-2021, 05:55 AM
Yrksman's Avatar
Yrksman Yrksman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lancashire/Yorkshire border, England.
Posts: 2,589
Default

Awesome! Dale’s guitars are up there with the best of the best.
__________________


Chris Stern



Guitars by:

Bown Wingert Kinscherff Sobell Circa Olson Ryan Fay Kopp McNally Santa Cruz McAlister Beneteau Fairbanks Franklin Collings Tippin Martin Lowden Northworthy Pre-War GC Taylor Fender Höfner

44 in total (no wife)

Around 30 other instruments

Anyone know a good psychiatrist?

www.chrisstern.com
Reply With Quote
  #104  
Old 10-02-2021, 07:36 AM
TomB'sox's Avatar
TomB'sox TomB'sox is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: The Lone Star State
Posts: 13,447
Default

How awesome that things have begun to come together now, seems like just yesterday that....well no it doesn't .

I like the simple fox on the headstock to remember your friend which you will every time you pick it up or look at it. That is the point right, I love when a guitar has a special provenance like that!

As an aside, does Dale share a shop, it looks huge!
__________________
PS. I love guitars!
Reply With Quote
  #105  
Old 10-02-2021, 09:59 AM
srick's Avatar
srick srick is online now
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 8,177
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
As an aside, does Dale share a shop, it looks huge!
Yes! When I first met Dale, he was working out of his 20x20 foot garage. About two years ago, Dale partnered with Adam Buchwald to produce Iris Guitars. Adam also has his own brand of guitars, banjos and mandolins that he calls Circle Strings. And on the same property is Adam’s business, Allied Lutherie. I believe that they have seven or so employees working on the Iris line now. They have a full time CNC operator, PLEK machine and a massive spray booth (The facility had been an auto body shop).

I intend to post a full AGF photo tour of the operation after we pick up our baby.

Rick
__________________
”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet”

Last edited by srick; 10-02-2021 at 10:06 AM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:30 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=