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Location: Cicero, NY | The background - As a lot of you know, I picked up a “previously well enjoyed” 1537 from MWoody, who picked it up on eBay. Woody graciously offered it to anyone who would want to have it sent back to the Mothership for a proper refurb job. As I have always lusted after a sparkly 1537 (read: not a beat up one), I thought the time was perfect. We had gotten a “rough estimate” from the guys at the factory on the refurb and off it went. Well, one thing led to another and I just couldn’t bear to make it “ok” – if I was going to do this, it was going to be done the way it should be done – so the estimate went up a little, then a little more, then, well, you get the picture. In the end, I was going to pay a “little more” than they were going for on eBay. However, given that it was going to be totally refurbished and like new, I was fine with that. I think most of us get a little something extra out of bringing something back to life anyway. In six to eight weeks, I would have my 1537.
Fast forward to today: John Budney emails me and says “She’s ready to be boxed up and shipped – tomorrow you’ll have ‘er!”. Like a kid at Christmas (I don’t get new guitars all the time and this one is going to be niiice), I’m all excited and tell JB to shoot me the invoice and we’ll get that out of the way. Imagine my surprise when he tells me that some anonymous OFC’ers have decided to, for no reason at all, help bring this one back to life and have contributed a “gift certificate”. The amount of the “gift” is really beside the point but, believe me, it was hardly insignificant. I was totally taken by surprise by the completely unnecessary generosity. Flabbergasted really. Still am.
I know I will never get the list of who started it or contributed so I am just going to throw out a blanket and very sincere “Thank You” to all of you who were involved. I have always known the OFC to be a very special place and, rest assured, this deed will be passed forward. You are very special people and, coconut bras notwithstanding, a group I am very proud to be part of. |
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Location: big island | wow! for once, i am almost speechless! |
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Location: Upper Left USA | 
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | You must make pictures available ASAP...
...but, not before the requisite 12 hours |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Weas - we're really happy for you! Let's see some photos. And coconut bras. Dave |
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Location: Marlton, NJ | Weaser - that's awesome! This is truly a great collection of individuals. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I've been banging around this sight for a couple of months now wondering how involved I should get. Frankly, these threads are so much fun just to read that I don't often reply. But this one...something else! If the people in this community care this much, it's time to participate, not just browse. The guitar sounds great. But I'd rather say "Congrats Weaser; you sure have some great friends!" |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Cool Deal!
[I was/am also speechless, but I had to type something. That really is cool.] |
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| Send me $50 and I'll give you a list of names. |
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Location: GA USA | I agree with Patch. You (WE) have some great friends. |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | You'd BETTER come to the tour, and you'd BETTER bring that guitar!
John <>{ |
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Posts: 5329
Location: Cicero, NY | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
You must make pictures available ASAP...
...but, not before the requisite 12 hours She arrives this afternoon and, starting tomorrow, I'm out of town until Sunday night so that's when the box will be opened. Pics will be available shortly thereafter. |
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Posts: 5329
Location: Cicero, NY | John - The guitar and I will definitely be at the Tour this year. I really have no option but to come show it off - the way I see it, it's the first true OFC Guitar! |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Rumor has it, Weaser will be working his "Special Appreciation" booth at the tour... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | You can come on the tour, leave the guitar in the car, just bring the coconut bra. |
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Location: NJ | ". . - the way I see it, it's the first true OFC Guitar! . ."
Sorry Weas, but it's actually the second . . .
. . . there was another one about four years ago.
It does sound AWESOME tho, ENJOY it!!
(and DO bring it to the Tour) |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Congrats Wease...nice guitar nice guy! |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | There was a third one (also a 1537) about a year ago.
Anyway, that's not the point. It's so cool that this club can do some nice "community service" once in a while for people who deserve it.
Dave |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Welcome Patch!
You can now pass from Lurker to Junior Member.
Be careful with Clyde and his "roaming" exchange reate Wease! Pay him in Euros! |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | I have had the opportunity to take part in three little community "swaree's"(sp) that involved a 1537. Either there was a need, a want, or just an opportunity to put a smile on someone's face.
Here's a challenge to everyone to keep the 1537 Club alive and well. |
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Location: Rego Park, NY, | I smell a photo op for the tour. MWoody, Weaser P and the 1537 in the middle. |
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Location: GA USA | If we just had a photographer... |
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Location: closely held secret | ...asian ones are the best... |
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Location: GA USA | Then we should advertise for one. |
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Location: Rego Park, NY, | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
...asian ones are the best... especially the one that uses a GPS. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Official OFC Geosyncronous Asian Digital Photographer, Version 1.1???
Put me down as an OFWG Guitar Picker Version 2.0! |
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Location: closely held secret | If only we could find and Asian photographer with a New York accent and a GPS - but knows how to use it.
Nah. Too much to hope for. |
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Location: Rego Park, NY, |  |
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Location: Upper Left USA | What image should we shine in the sky to call on such a Super hero? |
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Location: NJ | an EggRoll. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Teamwork baby! |
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Location: Cicero, NY | Originally posted by cliff:
an EggRoll. :D :D |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | ... "EggWoll" |
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Location: Houston, Texas | Hey Weas, we all saw the before pictures, so I'm sure we all want to know what all the details are of what work was performed and what was replaced and what remains original. And of course, good pictures!
Congratulations and I can't wait to hear all the reports about how it sounds! |
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Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Semi-within Topic - I understand they made a new/old top for this one.
Which means a 1537 reissue is an achievable event!
Please talk quietly amongst yourselves now... |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I demand a post with before and after pictures. Weaser, we were all glad you took the plunge and decided to restore this one to it's former glory. Mine came from the famous adoption agency, after a strange call out of the blue from some guy named Bruce, who I didn't know was Noah's real name, in which we (mostly Bruce) talked about all sorts of stuff. I've often wondered if case workers who check on families about to adopt a kid do as thorough a job of getting to know the prospective parent as Bruce did with me. Thanks again Bruce. This is a wonderfully strange bunch. |
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Location: Cicero, NY | As an adoptive parent, I can honestly say there's no comparison between the two, Mark, but I understand the question. ;) And pics galore with be coming but nowhere near soon enough for me! |
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Location: Upper Left USA | 
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Location: Houston, Texas | Originally posted by MWoody:
Semi-within Topic - I understand they made a new/old top for this one. The 1537 top has always intrigued me. It appears to me to have a tapered plywood construction for just the upper third of the top (the area around the epaulets) that is glued to the solid spruce, which appears to be bare for the remaining two thirds. It's as if they were trying to achieve a stiffening of the upper soundboard with a normal resonance at the bottom.
Whatever the actual construction or why it was employed, one thing is for sure, it sure does have a terrific sound. |
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Location: big island | i have instructed stellarjim not to ship the 1537-4 to me until the temperature climbs up to the mid to upper 30's where he lives. it was most difficult to type those words but i want to be cautious.
in looking at the photos above, is the fact that a starbucks (or similar) card can slide between the fretboard and the top a good sign or a not-so-good sign? aren't some of the models made so that the fretboard does not contact the soundboard? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Lanaki,
I hid a valuable little item in that 1537 before selling it to StellarJim. I don't think he ever found it. |
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Location: closely held secret | Ewww. Might be why he sold it. |
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Location: big island | okay. you guys are scaring me now. wait, you did call it "valuable"...hmmm...
well, i just got an email from stellarjim that he shipped my guitar today before receiving my email asking him to hold off. he thinks all will be well. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | It will!
No problem.
((((((crickets)))) |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | There is a gap under the fretboard, Lanaki, so don't panic and superglue it down. |
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Location: big island | :eek: |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I wasn't entirely joking. We've seen them glued and screwed down. |
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Location: Houston, Texas | And you can see that Woody's/Weaser's had a shim fairly nicely made and inserted. As far as I know all of the 1537's were made with the floating fretboard. Time and environmental conditions take their toll so it's not unusual to see these on ebay with the fretboard glued or screwed down, supposedly to fix a buzzing when the fretboard warped or came into contact with the soundboard.
On Weasers, the shim was nicely made and it may have been inserted in order to allow the use of the frets above the 14th. With the floating fretboard those notes tend to sound muted.
I'm not sure how much having the floating fretboard increases the vibration of the top but it is reasonable that it is at least part of why they sound so good. But you do kind of lose the usefullness of the frets above the 14th. |
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Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | WOW!!!
I guess I haven't been keeping in touch with the OFC board as often as I should ... I read a while back that you've been wanting a 1537, which were the reason behind why you were selling your guitars. I never knew that something special was going on all along.
Congrats on your new guitar Weaser!! and I'm glad to see great camaraderie with members, in this virtual on-line musical family. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | 
Ok, where's Weaser??? |
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Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | I had forgotten about the monogram. Did they replace the binding as well? |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Weaser is in Ossining being held on Felony Trafficking charges. Turns out you can ship a lot more than just the instrument in a guitar case...
Wanna hold an anonymous fund raiser for bail?
;) |
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October 2005
Posts: 5329
Location: Cicero, NY | Back late last night and was thoroughly exhausted so never made it past opening the shipping box and playing for a few hours then off to bed. Opened the shippng box and took out the case and was seriously concerned. Whatever war it went though, it was a big one. So, the first order of business is going to be finding a new/slightly used case that is more befitting to what I found inside.
To anyone who had any questions at all, the boys at the shop did not disappoint in any way, shape or form. The guitar is simply fantastic. There is not a mark on it that shouldn't be. Every angle of this guitar is beautiful. And the sound is every bit a 1537, which speaks for itself. I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the work the guys did. Pics will be coming in the next couple of days to back that up as well. Just outstanding. And anyone who is able to attend the Open House will see that firsthand.
Once again, I must thank all of you for your incredible gesture. I was prepared to bring this guitar back to it's proper standing but what I received was so much more than what I bargained for. It will never be forgotten. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Hmm, "OFC Bail Bonds, we never close"!
If it's the original case I'm surprised they didn't talk you into another one. I think the 9158 works.
Get some rest.
You'll need to write that Valentine's Day song for Lady Weaser! |
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Posts: 2487
| There are some generous people on this site. Nice story.
Randy |
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A necessary reply