Author Topic: Lowe Shop Notes  (Read 97110 times)

BTL

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Lowe Shop Notes
« on: December 09, 2014, 08:47:38 PM »
I've been tinkering at this guitar building game for about five years now.

My progress has been slow, but very deliberate.

I've learned a lot about building guitars and the industry in general along the way, and I'd like to share some of that experience here.

I'll start with what's in the pipeline today, and then I'll cover some of the back story over time.

My necks with tiltback headstocks have a groove for access to the truss rod.

I have always felt that while tidy, it seemed a little unfinished leaving the hex-head visible.

With that in mind, I'm having Hipshot products fabricate a cover in shiny stainless steel to match the other hardware pieces they do for me.

Here is the CAD drawing, and I should have parts in hand late next week:



Rob

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2014, 06:52:03 PM »
Thanks Brad  :)

drbassman

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2014, 06:21:17 AM »
Nice looking work.  I'm not so sophisticated in my building approach, but I can really appreciate what you're doing.  Hipshot is just down the road from me, a good company for sure.
I'm fixin' a hole where the rain gets in..........cuz I'm built for a kilt!

BTL

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2014, 09:01:28 PM »
Thanks!

I stumbled on this site while looking for some information on neck hardware and decided to stay a while.

;)

drbassman

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2014, 07:08:00 AM »
Welcome.  There are several of us building here.  Carlo is most prolific and skilled,  Scott (Godofthunder) builds as well as me.  There are others whom I'm forgetting in my usual chemo brain fog!  We've learned a lot from each other over the years.  Hope your plans go well!
I'm fixin' a hole where the rain gets in..........cuz I'm built for a kilt!

Highlander

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2014, 01:47:18 PM »
I just admire the building from afar... (other side of the Atlantic, in this case... :mrgreen:)

I like to play with fins but probably have the worst record on the site for work completion... :rolleyes:
The random mind of a Silver Surfer...
If research was easy, it wouldn't need doing...
Staring at that event horizon is a dirty job, but someone has to do it; something's going to come back out of it one day...

BTL

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2014, 09:49:12 AM »
Here's the last one for 2014...a gold top Thund-R-Luxe with a one-piece swamp-ash body, maple neck with macassar ebony board, & white pearl dots.

The pickups are Lollar Thunderbirds and the paint is by Jim Jaeger at Roxy finishes.

I used Chet Johnson's neck mounting bolt kit on this one and I'm sold.

I won't be going back to traditional wood screws for the instruments I build.


















Pilgrim

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2014, 10:40:58 AM »
I like to play with fins but probably have the worst record on the site for work completion... :rolleyes:

I'll match my intertia up against yours!  It goes with the 280ZX Turbo that I've had on blocks in the garage for two years....
"A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any other invention with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila."

Highlander

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2014, 03:04:49 PM »
You do not want to know the last entries on when the RD and the AD rebuilds were... and as for fitting that Lollar pup in the PC... :o

(exemplary workmanship, Brad...) ;)
The random mind of a Silver Surfer...
If research was easy, it wouldn't need doing...
Staring at that event horizon is a dirty job, but someone has to do it; something's going to come back out of it one day...

BTL

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2014, 08:03:22 PM »
Off-topic digressions are highly encouraged here...8)

4stringer77

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2014, 08:55:01 AM »
Nice work Brad. I especially like the bound body effect. How do you like those Lollars? I've got a build about to come in with one of them.
Contrary to what James Bond says, a good Gibson should be stirred, not shaken.

Highlander

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #11 on: December 15, 2014, 01:12:37 PM »
Off-topic digressions are highly encouraged here...8)

Of course...!
Some people drift off into trains, planes and automobiles; occasional tanks, and a side-line in cross-dressing is popular in some States; oh yes, sheds and squirrels...
on topic... I bought a gold Lollar to replace a failed Peter Cook pup in my PC Thunderbird 2 or 3 years back... unless I have an incentive (ie playing, which I don't intend to think on until re-located) I'm somewhat sluggish in my workmanship rate... 2010 was the last spurt of excitement from the shed...
The random mind of a Silver Surfer...
If research was easy, it wouldn't need doing...
Staring at that event horizon is a dirty job, but someone has to do it; something's going to come back out of it one day...

BTL

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #12 on: December 16, 2014, 09:29:43 PM »
Of course...!
Some people drift off into trains, planes and automobiles; occasional tanks, and a side-line in cross-dressing is popular in some States; oh yes, sheds and squirrels...
on topic... I bought a gold Lollar to replace a failed Peter Cook pup in my PC Thunderbird 2 or 3 years back... unless I have an incentive (ie playing, which I don't intend to think on until re-located) I'm somewhat sluggish in my workmanship rate... 2010 was the last spurt of excitement from the shed...
You have a Peter Cook Thunderbird?

Cool!

Any pics?

By the way, a few cool things are coming down the line:










BTL

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2014, 06:51:40 AM »
Nice work Brad. I especially like the bound body effect. How do you like those Lollars? I've got a build about to come in with one of them.
Thanks...everyone who plays them loves them!

gearHed289

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Re: Lowe Shop Notes
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2014, 08:52:18 AM »
Cool. I like the Ric-inspired one and the 2+2 headstock. Do you make the necks, or are they "Fender licensed" from somebody else?