My Cornerstone SJ Build

[Ozsi]

...and here's the pre-fretting fretboard, neck, and post-fretting fretboard

Seeing these ones has really started to ramp up the excitement again. It was still great seeing the body progressed but you knew that at that point you were only in the middle of a long process. But now the neck and fretboard are underway it feels like we've turned onto the home straight (or at least the last few corners before the home straight )

[Cornerstone Guitars]

uh-oh
I think I'm a bit behind with the pictures....

[tpp]

Looking nice, getting closer!

[mesa]

Peter, even the clamps look great!

[cpabolting]

I did not see what wood the top is....looks like adirondack to me. So what is it?

[ikan_kunning]

Oh boy.... I miss all these progress pics. Brings back memories....goodness... I hope you are enjoying this journey as much as I am enjoying the pics. Don't know why I really dig the simplicity of the Ichthus Fish....beautiful.

Congrats!


Kudos to Peter...once again. Do you ever get bored with the praises heaped upon ya????

[Ozsi]

Originally Posted by worshipguitar

uh-oh
I think I'm a bit behind with the pictures....

Hey, you're not holding out on me, are you?!?

Originally Posted by tpp

Looking nice, getting closer!

Yep, as I mentioned the excitement is steadily building as each set of pics shows how close it's getting. This is my first custom guitar build and I think it still hasn't quite sunk in that I'll actually get to hold and play this guitar at some stage. Can't wait!

Originally Posted by cpabolting

I did not see what wood the top is....looks like adirondack to me. So what is it?

Yes, you were on the money with your guess, it's an adi top.

Originally Posted by ikan_kunning

Oh boy.... I miss all these progress pics. Brings back memories....goodness... I hope you are enjoying this journey as much as I am enjoying the pics. Don't know why I really dig the simplicity of the Ichthus Fish....beautiful.

Ha, I love seeing the pictures when they come through, but I'm sure being able to look over and see an actual Cornerstone guitar in the corner must be even nicer? Or are you getting the urge to order another?

And it's a funny story about the inlay design, but let's just say I was compelled to have it by forces beyond my control... And I'm glad I was, because I really love it too. As you say, I think the simplicity of it is really lovely and fits well with the guitar. Peter has done a great job with it.

[Ozsi]

Well, I got the news yesterday that she's done, and I am ecstatic! Looks-wise, Peter has nailed exactly what I was after - elegant, with an understated beauty. And he tells me she sounds pretty good too

I'm just about to head out, but I wanted to post some pictures for you, so here's some pre-bridge and stringing, and one of her all strung up.

[Ryan Alexander]

looks great!! I hope you love it as much as I love mine

[tpp]

Fantastic, congratulations!

[Cornerstone Guitars]

Hey Simon,
have you been playing much lately?
We're dying here!

[cpabolting]

That is one beautiful guitar Peter. I love the sapwood!

I especially love the character in the top...wide grain and the coloring of the top is fantastic.

[Ozsi]

Originally Posted by worshipguitar

Hey Simon,
have you been playing much lately?
We're dying here!

Sorry Peter, I honestly have been meaning to write something all week,but just haven't gotten around to it... I'm just about to head out this evening, but I promise I'll do a full review tomorrow! (or even tonight if I get time) But in short - I absolutely love her

Originally Posted by cpabolting

That is one beautiful guitar Peter. I love the sapwood!

I especially love the character in the top...wide grain and the coloring of the top is fantastic.

Thanks mate, I can tell you the pictures don't her justice (as is always the case). She's even more beautiful in person - Peter has done an amazing job

[Ozsi]

OK, as promised... I'm just going to start writing here and see what comes out - it will probably get long and gushing, so please accept my apologies from the outset...

So, thankfully the guitar made it unscathed from the USA down to Australia. Though it did sit in the Perth airport for several days because I wasn't contacted when the time came to pay customs fees etc (the DHL tracking page just said 'Customs Clearance Delay', with no other notes on what the delay actually was...). So in the end it took about 2 days to get from the US to Australia, then another week to travel 40km from the airport to my house

Anyway, I carefully opened the packing box and my first (good) shock was the quality of the guitar case, emblazoned with the Cornerstone logo. It's incredibly solid and looks great too.

Opening the case my intial feeling was amazement at seeing in person the guitar that had been in all the pictures. That was followed very closely by the relief at seeing it was still in one piece. This my first custom guitar, but I suspect those initial moments will be the same for any future ones too Maybe someone with a few more can confirm that?

After a few minutes admiring the great craftsmanship I tuned up (which was a pleasure - really smooth and precise tuning machines) and had a play. First impressions were the volume (which I'm sure the soundport helped with - also my first on a guitar) and, I'm pleased to say, the lovely sound. I don't want to make it meaningless by spouting an endless stream of adjectives, but suffice it to say that both fingerpicked and strummed/flatpicked, she has a very deep, full sound (which is exactly what I asked for). And did I mention loud? I can't get over how much more volume it has compared to my other guitars (all regular factory ones) even when playing softly.

I tried briefly putting some phospor bronze strings on (the D'Addario ones I typically use on all my other guitars) mostly as a known point of reference. However, probably as expected (being sitka and rosewood) there was just too much going on the lower frequencies (see how nicely I avoided saying 'muddy'? ). I put back on one of the few sets of 80/20 bronze strings I had lying around and it was back to the lovely crisp bass and full trebles again.

Something interesting (to me at least) - my only playing out at the moment is in the music team at my church. Getting over my fear of taking the new guitar out of the house (or even out of the bedroom!) I played it at church last Sunday. A number of people commented on both the looks, AND the acoustic (i.e. unplugged) sound. The comments on the visuals are understandable, but to have "laypeople" (as far as guitars are concerned) admiring the sound, Peter can be very proud indeed.

Now, the plugged in sound of the Cornerstone (with a B-Band pickup, I think?) is good, but the Cole Clark is great. So interestingly, while the Cornerstone will kill it acoustically, the Cole Clark pickups are really something else. That said, I was still able to get a sound I was pleased with from the B-Band, and given how much more comfortable the Cornerstone feels against the body when standing up (the Cole Clark really is huge!) it has straight-away become my new stage guitar of choice.

What else? Scary story from day 4 - I had forgotten to mention it and Peter had forgotten to ask if I wanted a strap button on the heel and so it came without one installed. With some advice from Peter on where to drill, I managed to calm my ragged nerves for long enough to take a drill to my new baby. Three times in fact! A pilot hole, the real thing, and then the real thing a little deeper after finding it was too shallow initially. It was absolutely terrifying, but it all went smoothly in the end.

OK, I should wrap it up here because I think I'm going nowhere now I just want to mention also how good Peter was to work with, and also that he is a very nice guy to boot. All my dealings with him were by email (with a 16 hour time difference it makes it real tough to find a good time to phone), but then I did manged to give him a call the day after it arrived to say thanks in person. After that conversation, my only regret is that I hadn't sorted out some times to call him earlier - he's a great guy to talk with and it would have made the whole thing even better. Not to worry, and I'll know for my next one

All in all, I'm a very happy man. I will endeavour to get some more photos and some recordings up to at some stage.

Oh, I mentioned briefly how lovely the visual aspect of her is, but I want to emphasise that again. Each time I pick her up, I have a look over and am still amazed each time at the fine detailing in the purfling, the internals, the woods, sapwood strip etc Peter, you've done an incredible job!

And... I'm done. No, really

[cpabolting]

And there you have it, another case in point and how really all of the luthiers are to work with...in my belief, they follow the path of if you do what you love for a living, you will never work a day in your life!

Kind of like that philosophy that if you focus on the work, the money will follow instead of focusing on the money first.

See Peter, you do have one with my name on it! LOL