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Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Given the protracted period of social restriction & reduced movement over the past year, the challenge has been to design & construct stuff without depleting the IRA excessively. So, out to the spare parts & "I will use that someday" collection.
"The Bottom Feeders Luthiery Guild is a group of like minded dreamers and tinkerers whose desire to create, re-create and advance the level of their skills is out measured only by their frugality."
Began with a refurbishment of an old 1515 Ultra 12-stringer. Dunno why, but the bridge was in the wrong place. Didn't wanna give up easily, either. Reglued some braces, leveled the frets, filled the top cracks, & rebound the top. Installed a Fishman preamp, with onboard tuner. Yes, tuning represents an opinion. Plays pretty good, too.
Proceeded to repurpose the 4-by-8 particle-board welding diagram for a lean-to-steer pedal-power trike (another adventure in shadetree engineering) into a very sturdy, read 22-1/2 lb., wood case for the 1515. Probably would survive a limited thermonuclear strike.
All in the interest of maintaining some semblance of productivity, creativity, & staying off of SWMBO's radar.
Anyrate,
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Posts: 704
Location: moline,illinois | looks good,love the home made case,
did you put wheels on it so won't get a hernia moving it around LOL 
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Great idea! I probably have some old lawnmower wheels around here. Hey, I have an old desk chair, with a set of casters. Yeah, that’s the ticket! Thanks for the approbation, too! |
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Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Nice! |
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February 2016
Posts: 1802
Location: When?? | @seesquare - >>>Probably would survive a limited thermonuclear strike.<<<
Could be true.. but I bet that FedEx, UPS, or any given airline could still pummel it to splinters in just one trip if given the opportunity.
Edited by Love O Fair 2021-02-06 11:17 PM
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Probably true, LOF. I doubt this critter, or its cocoon, will be leaving this locale, anytime soon. Intrinsic value, & blood, sweat, & effort invested. BTW, I capo at the 2nd fret, & tune it down a step. Not that I doubt my repairs, just that erring to caution on a 30-plus-year-old 12-string gitter would seem wise. At least, no cracks on the back of the neck, yet. Trying to channel some Leo Kottke, at least his droll wit, anyway- "Tuning a 12-string? It's just an opinion." |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | A bit more revealing evidence of BFLG rudimentaries:
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | And, get a grip..........
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February 2016
Posts: 1802
Location: When?? | I admire your material re-purposing and shade tree tenacity! It has my skills beat by a good measure! And good move on the capo and tune-down. It's amazing, the tension stress pounds that can be reduced on the components by going down just one step.
Oh, and PS-- what I said before was not meant as a slight to your solid work and engineering prowess. What I meant is that I swear the shipping company and airline baggage folk sometimes seem to have it in for us when they see anything guitar-shaped come into their realm. Like it's a target.
Edited by Love O Fair 2021-02-07 11:16 PM
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | "airline baggage folk sometimes seem to have it in for us when they see anything guitar-shaped come into their realm. Like it's a target."
Kinda like, maybe, we need some undercover insurance investigators? I have had pretty good luck, thus far, with the shipping companies. If it came down-to-it, I would buy the guitar & case its own plane seat. Do you remember the old Samsonite commercials, with the gorillas as baggage handlers? |
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May 2008
Posts: 1555
Location: Indiana | I've talked about my relationship with Billy Strange numerous times here on the OFC. I went to work for him in 1980 and by the time he passed in 2012, he was a bonus father to me.
He went to Vegas sometime in the mid 80's to conduct for Nancy Sinatra and her old man for a week. (Forgive the name dropping... it's important to the story.) I went to the airport to pick him up, met him at the gate... you could do that back then... and as he made his way down the airstair, it was obvious he wasn't his normal jovial self.
"I just saw a baggage kid throw my guitar case 30 feet."
We made our way to the carousel, his bags came around, we opened the guitar case and, sure enough, the headstock was broken off.
Billy went up to the claims counter, explained the situation, and was told that... sorry... the airline wasn't liable. He politely asked if he could borrow the landline phone there and called Nancy. He handed the receiver back to the woman behind the counter and after a brief conversation, she hung up.
"Have it fixed and no matter the cost, the airline will pay for it."
Sometimes, it IS who you know. |
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February 2016
Posts: 1802
Location: When?? | @Jonmake Stone >>>Sometimes, it IS who you know.<<<
True indeed.. and a great story on that one!! You are fortunate to have worked and melded with the performers you have.
I saw Nancy and her dad together on stage during that same mid-80's time frame (Harrah's Tahoe in winter), and it was a very memorable thing to log into one's life experience book (great seats and table, too). Both of them put on a perfect show. I was a guest of someone else, and at the time I didn't so much see our date that night as shaping up to be any big deal since I was an early-20-something dip who wished instead to be seeing INXS or some damn thing.. but within only a few minutes, when the old man started singing "New York New York", I finally realized exactly what I was seeing in terms of legendary performers. Blew my dumb little mind, and I must have sang that song 30 times during the rest of the week there flying down the ski runs. And something else that I have always thought was very cool of Frank that night.. is there was another singer (can't remember who it was.. jazz singer guy) who came out and sang a few numbers while Sinatra took a breather. And instead of going backstage, Sinatra grabbed a drink and a towel, went over and sat on a stage riser, dabbed off his forehead, and sipped his drink while watching the singer perform. I just thought that was kinda classy of him.
Edited by Love O Fair 2021-02-09 1:28 AM
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February 2016
Posts: 1802
Location: When?? | (sorry.. didn't mean to misspell your name in last post.. too late to edit.. again) |
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May 2008
Posts: 1555
Location: Indiana | Love O Fair - 2021-02-09 1:51 AM (sorry.. didn't mean to misspell your name in last post.. too late to edit.. again) I have a weird first name. I've seen much worse. |
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May 2011
Posts: 755
Location: Muenster/Germany | Tune down one step...or even more. Have you seen my short video: https://youtu.be/ddF6wI86D2I Just try to figure out how low I tuned the guitar.
I have 9 12 string guitars and I use : one halfstep down on 4, 1 step down on 4 and 1,5-2 steps down on 1. No standard pitch, never. |
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Idle hands
