Lowe Shop Notes

[BTL]

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]

Thanks Brad 

[drbassman]

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.

[BTL]

Thanks!

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

[drbassman]

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!

[Highlander]

I just admire the building from afar... (other side of the Atlantic, in this case... )

I like to play with fins but probably have the worst record on the site for work completion...

[BTL]

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]

I like to play with fins but probably have the worst record on the site for work completion...

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....

[Highlander]

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...

(exemplary workmanship, Brad...)

[BTL]

Off-topic digressions are highly encouraged here...

[4stringer77]

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.

[Highlander]

Off-topic digressions are highly encouraged here...

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...

[BTL]

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]

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]

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?