GregP

I didn't say I wasn't going to vote for yours, Jer-- I just said that Godin was wrong about it being as cut-and-dry as all that. Greg

but why did the pic's creator put "be for" instead of "before"?

<peeks at strategically placed pedalboard and wonders what's on there> Good work on the neck so far. Hope it levels nicely for you and doesn't pose any problems! (not anticipating any, just wishing you luck. ) Greg

Haven't seen an amp simulator yet that does a 'Carvin' sound. Of the 'standard' guitar amps, which sound would be the closest? (standard being the various Fender, Boogie, Marshall, and Vox amps) Greg

I'd love to know this, too. I haven't a clue how to replicate the Vai signal path. Greg

I haven't heard the song, but what's being described in the post above is harp harmonics, not pinch. Greg

The right pickup is definitely important in a guitar. On the other hand, if the right pickup has larger ears, you're only left with 2 options-- larger holes or smaller ears. Using a small grinding disc on a rotary tool, you won't chew through metal fast enough to ruin the pickup, using the flat side rather than using a cutting edge. Take the usual precautions and the odds of ruining it that way should be pretty low. Greg

You know, mentioning the metallic and the sparkly bits set off a different image in my head than the first one I had. It actually could end up being rather sweet... now I'm picturing something with great Rockabilly appeal. So, let me at least somewhat retract my previous implied message that it wouldn't look good. I think it could, after all! Greg

It's because red and green mixed together make neutral. Ie. a variation of grey or brown depending on the tones used. They don't fade together easily and for the most part don't look right. However, since it's an effect that appears in nature (an apple!), there's precedent. Don't know if it will produce a nice-looking guitar, but could do! Greg

That Les Paul is awesome.

Any sort of illustrator package should do it, I would imagine. .eps is "encapsulated post-script" so when you're looking for an app, that's what you want to watch out for. Alternatively, you could take a screen shot when the one you want comes up, and edit it as a bitmap, if you don't need the precision of a postscript/vector drawing. Greg

Why do I suddenly feel like listening to either Ska or Cheap Trick? Great work!

I don't imagine any solutions will give you the satisfactory results that removing the fretboard would give you. Greg

Sorry, I'm not experienced enough to give good tips... definitely don't use power tools unless you're sure of what the binding's made of, though, because most binding is made from a highly flammable plastic. Back in the day, instead of using 'satin finish' clearcoat, you would just use glossy coat and then use sandpaper to give it a matte feel. Maybe this would be enough for you to prefer your neck's feel and save you the time of going right down to the wood. For reasons other than the flammable binding, I'd be hesitant do use power tools at all... I haven't tried, but imagining how it would progress, I visualize screwing up the neck by not stopping at the right depth. Again, I wouldn't know for sure, but it seems to me that the best solution will end up being a combination of solvent and final hand sanding. Greg

You can just grind the larger ears down to size if that's what you really want to do, can't you? Greg

I don't imagine it'd be as simple as that, RGGR, but nor would it be impossible. korge: - You just rout from the back. It's exceedingly common practice. There are lots and lots of guitars that don't use pickguards and top routing. - He already mentioned that the truss rod is in there. That's how he knew he sanded through too much, because he went right through to the truss rod channel - A neck through is commonly made with straight pieces glued together. Even if you want to make a neck-through with an angle, you use straight pieces and then plane the body (not the neck) flat at the correct angle. Greg

This one gets my vote. Greg

Bang on. BUT, punk isn't really associated with any particular guitar or price tag, either. So, a $1,500 guitar would work for a punk player, but so would 3 X $500 guitars. Greg

Yup. The sense of community is very important, otherwise it'd just be a dynamic encyclopedia of knowledge. I like sharing ideas with like-minded people, and I like that I can ask a question and either have it answered or be given pointers to where I CAN find the answers. I can't imagine tackling this back in the days before the interweb. I'd have been even more lost than I am now. Greg

When you say scrapping the neck, do you mean scrapping the body, too? Pretty hard to just scrap a neck on a neck-through. Greg

Yup, some very cool bands out there. I went to the Warped tour the last year that it was still cool. Social D played, Pennywise... Royal Crown Revue... other good bands. But, some punk bands contain musicians who can't play very well. They're still punk. Is anybody cooler than Johnny Ramone? Greg

Let's face it. Punk isn't ALWAYS about playing crappy. But it can be, sometimes. Heck, Sex Pistols learned to play after they got a contract, really. You talk to a lot of punk musicians and they will say that the goal isn't to play crappy, the goal is just to play. And if you happen to be crappy at it, that CAN be part of punk, even if it's not the definition of punk. Greg

I'm sure someone has brought this one up a long time ago, but it was due for a reminder for all the new members! (plus, I hadn't bookmarked it... ) Cheers, Idxhtcldp Greg

In fairness to those other trades, there are costs incurred there, too. A hairdresser, for example, has far more than $200 sunk into his/her tools, and depending on the work venue, either is a business owner, or pays a fee for having a spot in somebody else's salon. A good computer technician has hundreds and hundreds of dollars in tools, some of it software and some of it hardware. I worked as a computer tech, and it was impossible to do without having a series of various computer 'husks' to do work and testing on. I used 3 computers. At the time, they were about $1,000 each. Usually they can be pieced together from parts that somehow 'accumulate', but those parts had to come from somewhere, so while they seem 'free', there's a red mark in a ledger book for them somewhere. However, I only say that to defend the other trades-- having been a computer technician and now trying to be an amateur guitar-maker, I can say that the skill set is different, the tools ARE less expensive as a tech for sure ($3,000 might only buy you a HALF of a needed piece of machinery!!!), and the sheer volume of computer techs compared to professional luthiers is quite different. <grin> Back to a point, though-- it does depend on what's being delivered. A person could easily do the electronics for a guitar with nothing but a soldering bay, a meter, some solder, and some wire. (any needed parts being at the cost of the client). I'm pretty good at setting up a guitar, but were I a professional musician, I'd happily pay Perry, Jeremy, Myka, or whoever else a couple hundred dollars to do the job right. Greg

It all comes down to what's being delivered. Some of the guitar shops have rank amateurs doing it and learning as they go, but they still charge pro prices. If a gigging professional wants a job done properly by somebody with reputation and experience, they should expect to pay for it. But with that price, they're not just paying for the work, but: a. peace of mind b. reliably delivered service c. the right to expect a deadline When you're paying a pro price, it's because you're expecting the job to be done not only adequately, but excellently. guitarmonky, I think you handled the whole situation exactly right and have a perfect attitude about it. Good on ya! Greg