NYC Journal

Calzone said:
Paul,

Time is your friend for sure. Shop around and explore things fully.

Most of all enjoy the excitement and experience.

Know that My carved top Tele is still evolving. The Brandon Wound and Harmonic Design Vintage 54 pickups are great pickups, but perhaps a little too bright for a semi-hollow body that is made of swamp ash. Semi-hollows tend to scoop mids.

When I get my string order I’ll change the pickups. I have a Fralin Blues Special for the bridge and a Fralin Big Single to try. If that does not do the trick I can go back to a set of Harmonic Design Z-90 and S-90 for a retro P-90 sound.

What will be different this time if I go back to P-90’s is a shorter Gibson scale neck. Pretty much almost a ES-335 except with single coils.

As you see things evolve and it takes time…

Cal
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Cal,

Are you familiar with Rick Beato, Rhett Schull and Tim Pierce? I came across these guys on YouTube a couple of years ago. These guys are professional studio musicians. Anyway, I listened to a Rick Beato vid from a couple of days ago about string gauges. They all discovered that thinner strings actually improve tone!! That is so counter intuitive to what I always thought. Check it out it is really interesting and certainly eye-opening.
 
PaulW128 said:
Cal,

Are you familiar with Rick Beato, Rhett Schull and Tim Pierce? I came across these guys on YouTube a couple of years ago. These guys are professional studio musicians. Anyway, I listened to a Rick Beato vid from a couple of days ago about string gauges. They all discovered that thinner strings actually improve tone!! That is so counter intuitive to what I always thought. Check it out it is really interesting and certainly eye-opening.
Click to expand...

Paul,

Actually it depends…

I have a friend who was classically trained, and he played with a light touch with light gauge strings, and his tone was amazing.

Then there are guys like me who try to get a piano sound out of a guitar…

I can see it go both ways.

Also if you ever played a bass, you would realize how much richer and warm thicker strings are…

Also depends on amplification… depends on amount of signal processing… An example I would argue is that under heavy distortion thick strings would get muddy in a very bad way.

On acoustic guitars, some guitars play and sound better with a light gauge strings: my new Santa Cruz Model “F” is a good example, but my Santa Cruz OM likes a heavier gauge.

In the jazz world it seems thicker strings are heavily favored. Rock players tend to favor lighter gauge strings than a jazz player.

Now I guess you have to figure out which way to go. If different than mine, its all good, and cool.

Also there is a pretty big group of acoustic guitar players that favor small guitars that are say Martin 00 sized or smaller. Parlor sized guitars is another exploration.

Anyways this is what makes guitar complicated and so interesting.

I will say that lighter gauge strings do kinda support finger style playing, but a guy like Tim Lerch defies that. Interesting to note that Tim uses a pick when he plays the blues.

Cal
 
TV Jones Duotron bridge pickup expected delivery is Monday. Mucho excited.

Mucho strings should be delivered any day now.

I think I will recycle the pickups I have in my Carved top Tele into a solid body Tele that has a Korina body.

I am short a neck to build out 5 teles with two pickups. The Snakehead neck has to get some finish sanding and a polish. I have these optical abrasive cloths that go up to 10,000 grit. Of course they were “liberated” from Grumman. Only the best for me.

Pretty much I can get a mirror finish, all done by hand.

I think I will try the Fralin Blues Special in the bridge, and a Fralin Big Single in the neck of the carved top. A little more output (perhaps 5%) but a bit less shrill on the treble. The semi-hollow scoops the mids and pretty much this inadvertently emphasizes the treble a bit too much.

When Monday happens a new Cabronita will emerge. It might end up with the Hog 24 3/4 inch shorter Gibson scale, or it might get the vintage style maple Snakehead neck.

After a quick evaluation the short scale Hog neck might get put on the solid Korina body as a trial.

At this point it is all about trying to form a magic combination that is a lot of experimenting, and also a lot of fun.

Let’s see…

Cal
 
Tweaked the push-pull tone control and tested the carved top again. I discovered I really love the guitar as it is, and it will stand pat as is. “I’m in love,” I tell you.

My strings will come tomorrow. I‘ll restring the guitar known as “Worm” with a set of Nickel DR’s (Pure Blues 12 gauge) with a plain unwound 3rd string. The old school nickel strings have the warmer retro sound of the 50’s-60’s.

Did you know I met Johnny Farina of Santos and Johnny fame, the two kids from Brooklyn that made the hit from 1959 called “Sleep-Walk.” Johnny is the the guy in the duo who plays the eight string slide guitar.

I worked at Grumman with this guy who played piano in Johnny’s band and got invited to go to a gig.

Johnny played the same triple eight string Fender he played as a kid and in 1959.

Tony, my coworker at Grumman told me that every year Johnny got a check for $30K for royalties for the song Sleepwalk. Seems like not only is it still popular and gets airplay, but it is used in every 1950’s movie because it is iconic. This $30K mentioned was over thirty years ago.

I did a little research and found out the song was made when the two brothers could not sleep one night, so they jammed and made the song one night.

So I wonder why so many things happen to me, and why? Too many things that are remarkable for just one person. Anyways some wonderful things are happening on the guitar…

Lately I’ve been wearing these Irish shirts from Lee Valley. I wear them with exercise pants. Mighty comfortable. What surprised me is that “Maggie” started copying my style. Generally she hates the sloppy way I dress. She says, “I have no style,” but I would argue, “That’s my style.”

So anyways she is the fashion blogger, the expert, and she flatters me by saying I have a cool look. Kinda funny…

So I need another guitar neck to build yet another Tele. I have the rest of the guitar scattered around as parts. I have two sets of pickups to select from.

Soon I should have five 2 pickup Tele’s and if you count the Cabronita as a Tele three more 1 pickup Tele’s (AKA Esquire’s). I think I can stop there.

So my weekend mission besides getting the Audi’s oil changed and an inspection is change the strings on “Worm” and set up the neck for the Cabronita who’s TV Jones Duotron pickup will get delivered Monday.

I have owned the 2015 Audi for two years and I put 13K miles on it. When I got it the A4 had only 16K miles.

Did you know that Snarky Joe’s idea of installing an electric crate motor might still be a great idea. Eventually prices will come down, and battery technology will advance. My goal is to get the I-6 going strong so time will be my friend. Might be 15 years out for me, but the 196X C-10 was developed as a demonstration vehicle at SEMA already by Chevy.

I figure at my rate of usage the Audi A4 will take me about a decade to add 70K miles to get 100K on the odometer, so pretty much a 15 year timeline for me is kinda real. I get the oil changed every year, even though its less than 7K miles.

I still find it funny that someone here on RFF called me a gas guzzler.

Cal the “Gas-Guzzler”
 
The carved top Tele initially seemed too bright, and I was going to change pickups, but I guess the new set of strings introduced some zing I did not want.

After some play I killed some of the over liveliness and the tone I wanted settled in.

I got shorted on part of my order. Half the order of the DR All Blues with a wound 3rd are back ordered. The moral of the story is stockpile and hoard. At least I locked in the sale price, and back orders at JustStrings.com shipping is free.

I found out that even though I have just 29K miles on the Audi that my brakes are hardly worn. The wear rating was 9-10 where 11 is brand new, and around a three the brakes need to be replaced. Not bad for an eight year old car. Realize I pretty much baby the car and do a lot of highway driving.

The guys at Audi remark how clean my car is and the remarkable low mileage. Unlike other people in the burbs I garage my car. At less than 7K miles a year I figure I could be still be driving the A4 a decade out or even 15 years. How cool is that.

I did look at the Audi RS7 in the showroom. $129K was the base price, and with options it was over $150K.

I didn’t price an Audi E-Tron, but If I keep the A4 for more than a decade I’ll have the cash saved in the bank for an E-tron.

Snarky Joe pointed out that I already have the 100 amp service in my garage.

New nickel strings on the guitar called “Worm.” I will let it settle in overnight, but I think I need to tighten the truss rod a bit more. I like an almost perfectly straight neck.

When I plugged in it still had the same tone, but the bigger strings create more signal and drive the National/Valco amp a little harder. Perhaps the tone is a bit warmer also as there seems to be more overtones.

Cal
 
Flooding due to global warming has forced Fender to limit use of Swamp Ash in building guitars. Pretty much shortages and supply disruption.

So I speculate that now would be the time to stockpile a few Swamp Ash bodies while the choice wood is still available like one-piece bodies, or ultra-lite bodies.

The War in the Ukraine kinda accelerated de-globalization…

What a mess the world is in. These and other shortages I don’t think will go away too soon. Brace yourself.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Get them while you can. I would stockpile lightweight bodies and one-piece, all vintage routes.
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Why? How many electric guitars do you need? What happened to the simple life? Or is this as an investment with a view to selling the swamp ash bodies down the line? They are not that expensive, so how many would you recommend stockpiling? How many are you in for?
 
I got a surprise delivery, a day early, the pickup that was suppose to be delivered today.

I got the Cabronita together late last night and just had enough time to plug it in for some testing.

This is an Alder Tele, so the new sound is welcomed.

Saturday I cut the nut slots deeper on “Worm” for the thicker 12’s and it opened up the guitar where it has mucho new overtones. Since I had to tweak the truss rod a bit more, I also shimmed the neck pocket for less neck angle, and I believe somehow I discovered a sweet spot. The tone is almost like the reverb you get from the springs in a Strat from the vibrato, but know that this is a single pickup Tele that is a Hardtail.

Tonight after the childcare is done I’ll be plugging in…

Lots of surprises lately.

Cal
 
Glad I built out a single pickup Cabronita. The Alder body is different than my other Teles, and the shorter Gibson scale (24 3/4 inches) allows me to play at pitch with 12’s.

This led me to experiment with dropping down the tuning on some of my full scale Tele’s (25 1/2 inches) to enjoy a lower string tension for playability. Then I raised the action on my electrics so they play free from any fret sizzle, so for many this is like setting up an electric to play like an acoustic.

So now my acoustic playing is carrying over into my electric playing, and I’m enjoying the clean pure tone. Seems like a breakthrough of sorts where my playing is unifying and my style advances. Not everyone can play with the higher action, it requires good technic, proper technic, and is likely more unforgiving.

Anyways I guess there is a certain amount of precision I’m honoring here, but that precision I use in my printing and photography. I also owe homage to the “German” culture that I learned and adopted from my 17 years at Grumman. Precision, perfection, and innovation were a deep part of the work ethic.

I believe because I have set up thousands of guitars, having the work experience in a high end guitar boutique, enables me to optimize my rigs for my style of playing that is evolving. I’m happy and pleased with the results.

The holidays have us being busy. Not too stressful or frantic, but I’ll be glad when they are over. Building out the Cabronita is my way of celebrating the holiday, a gift of love and kindness to myself.

Cal
 
I looked over my Santa Cruz’s and changed the gauge of strings to a higher tension set, but I tuned down a half-step. The thicker strings drive the top better.

Interesting to note that the difference in tension, lighter gauge at pitch, and heavier gauge tune down a 1/2-step were pretty much about the same. No adjustment of the truss rod was needed/required. So with the tension about the same the real difference is the mass of the heavier strings which drive the top harder and longer. Also more overtones.

This setup was performed on the Model “F” known as “Hog” that is all mahogany, but at some future date I might try doing this on my 1934 Model “F” that has the old growth wood.

It worth the experiment, but every guitar is different…

Cal
 
ptpdprinter said:
Why? How many electric guitars do you need? What happened to the simple life? Or is this as an investment with a view to selling the swamp ash bodies down the line? They are not that expensive, so how many would you recommend stockpiling? How many are you in for?
Click to expand...

I'm going to be stocking up on upright pianos because I may need one someday. 😉 (I want to utilize my space the best, so uprights and consoles make the most sense. I can fit half a dozen uprights in the same space as one baby grand.)
Phil Forrest
 
Phil_F_NM said:
I'm going to be stocking up on upright pianos because I may need one someday. 😉 (I want to utilize my space the best, so uprights and consoles make the most sense. I can fit half a dozen uprights in the same space as one baby grand.)
Phil Forrest
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Phil,

Seriously, I was looking at Piano’s for utility and also as an investment. Moving and storing can be problematic, and then there is maintenance, upkeep and if you don’t want your soundboard to split and crack you need humidity control.

If you buy the right one it is a bit like a “hard investment.”

Anyways I have heard stories of “Free” Steinway piano’s where you have to remove it from an apartment. Have heard of a Steinway cut into pieces and put out on a curb.

Anyways, not like a 1966 Chevy C-10 that can be stored in a garage indefinitely until I get around to fixing it up and getting it road worthy.

Even a vintage show car can be a liability. Paying for storage, maintenance, insurance… My friend Cris had a Plum Crazy Purple vintage Road Runner, it was a California car and had low miles, but 40 year old paint was developing blisters.

Anyways even though we don’t have a TV in the living room, I thought a baby grand or upright would be cool in our “Parlor.” I was looking into this, but of course “Maggie” did not like my idea.

BTW I don’t watch TV, I do other things…

Cal

POST SCRIPT: A similar idea would be collect Epson 78XX and 98XX printers. Pretty much create a junk yard and rebuild what was likely the most durable printers Epson ever made. Some of these are available for “free pickup.” At work I downloaded the Epson service manual, and it is somewhere in the basement.
 
A failed experiment: The guitar called “Worm” does not work well with a plain “G” string, the output is unbalance with the other strings. The pickup is a Fender Custom Shop 51 No Caster with flat pole pieces.

Oh-well.

Tomorrow I change strings. I have sets of DR Pure Blues in 12-52 gauge that have a wound third. EZ fix.

The Cabronita is a fun guitar and it plays great. The TV Jones Duotron has really great string separation and clarity. Pretty much the sound remains clean and articulate, does not get mushy, and has a nice round warm tone. This guitar does fine with a plain third (“G” string). Not as bright as as Tele, but in the realm of a single coil sound, even though it is humbucking.

Cal
 
raydm6 said:
What a synchronicity. My manager took us out for Christmas lunch yesterday where a co-worker and I were discussing classical music. He made a reference to harpsichord soundboards made by the Rucker Family in Flanders - mentioning some were re-cased during restoration.
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Ray,

The guitar shop where I worked performed mucho restoration work, mostly on DeAngelico Arch Tops.

Did you know that nitrocellulose plastic used in pickguards of the era outgassed and deteriorated often damaging the guitar finishes nearby?

Seen a lot of hack repairs on guitars that needed to be undone like in your link.

My friend Cris and I worked together back in the day, and now Cris is the next “Man” after John Monteleon passes.

Pretty much the line goes like this: John DeAngelico (deceased); James DeAgusto John’s apprentice (deceased); John Monteleon (still alive); and then Cris Mirabella…

Interesting to note that John Monteleon no longer does repairs on guitars he built, and he passes on that work to my friend Cris. It has been said that there are two waiting lists for a Monteleon guitar to be built and that first list is 7 years long. After the first 7 year wait a 50% deposit is made, but it might take many more years for your guitar to get built.

I was wise about 18 years ago and was aware that Cris was being groomed by a very high end dealer and John Monteleon himself, and I not only bought one of Cris’s guitars, but I ordered one.

Pretty much I acted like a patron and gave Cris a blank slate, the only problem is that I’m still waiting for the guitar I paid for. It is in a state of construction: it is an 18 inch “trap-door” guitar. The neck blank for building my guitar is from Jimmy DeAquisto’s estate. How cool is that? Also the body wood also was select wood Jimmy kept in reserve.

Sometimes it pays to wait.

Recently I called Cris and mentioned twenty years of waiting is approaching, and now I’m retired. My friend Dave gave some sound advice: “The longer you wait the better the guitar will be.” This came to be true.

Www.MirabellaGuitars.com

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Www.MirabellaGuitars.com

Cal
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Wow Cal! Exquisite workmanship. All works of art. I have never seen a trap door design before nor was I ever aware of it.

The closest I ever had to a jazz guitar was a natural blonde Gibson ES-175 (inspired by early-Metheny and Steve Howe) that I played while at Berklee and subsequently foolishly sold - albeit - switched out for a natural Gibson Les Paul Custom which I still have.

Thanks for the link. Great eye candy!
 
raydm6 said:
Wow Cal! Exquisite workmanship. All works of art. I have never seen a trap door design before nor was I ever aware of it.

The closest I ever had to a jazz guitar was a natural blonde Gibson ES-175 (inspired by early-Metheny and Steve Howe) that I played while at Berklee and subsequently foolishly sold - albeit - switched out for a natural Gibson Les Paul Custom which I still have.

Thanks for the link. Great eye candy!
Click to expand...

Ray,

Fact is my 18 inch trap door is the first one. Right now a pair of 18 inch Trap Door guitars are being made side-by-side.

About 16-17 years ago Cris built a prototype Trap Door that had a brown burst that was called “Carmella.” This kinda jump started and launched Cris to a newer higher level.

My guitar is kinda named “Jane” after Jane Mansfield the bombshell because she too will be a big blond (natural clear finished maple guitar). Anyways I kinda created a historical guitar.

Know that Cris has worked on restorations of DeAngelico and DeAquisto guitars, as well as Monteleon. The side sound holes is something that Monteleon is known for, but Cris decided to make these “ports” tunable by adding doors that can close down the opening.

BTW I’m a big fan of Metheny. My other Mirabella is modeled after a ES 175/ L5, single neck pickup with a carved top. Right now Cris is revamping the guitar into something new for me.

The second 18 inch Trap Door is going to some wealthy guitar collector.

I got the idea of my commission from “The Blue Guitar” collection that was commissioned by Scott Chinnery. Scott gave a blank slate with a can of blue lacquer to all the top builders at the time where they all tried to outdo each other with craftsmanship, design, and art. Eventually this collection became a National Treasure and was purchased by the Smith-Stone-E-N.

Cris was too young and was left out. I gave him a blank slate and then he developed a Trap Door guitar. I told Cris, “Build me a Blue Guitar,” but because of the wood we decided to make it a blonde guitar and name it “Jane” as a statement. Made from likely the most select wood that Jimmy DeAquisto saved for a special project recovered from his estate.

I went to DeAquisto’s house after he had died. I went with another friend who was being offered tools from Jimmy’s shop. The small cottage was humble, but off the kitchen was a sun room that displayed a par-kay floor made of some of the most highly figured maple on the planet. It was crazy.

Cal
 
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