So I'm trying to clear out the last project so I can get back to air guns. Jr has been offered some musical equipment at give away prices and we have been accepting the best of the offers, you saw the amp. He was offered a made in Mexico Fender Stratocaster and a Fender/Squier Stratocaster, both in EXCELLENT condition for $80. I scooped them.

I cleaned up the Squier Stratocaster first, restrung it and put in a few small parts. It came out perfect. I was working on the Fender Stratocaster today, really taking my time, everything thorough, perfect. I had scrubed the neck fretboard, a drop of oil in the tuners and greased the truss rod adjustment nut. I started on the body. Disassembled and was cleaning when it started to slide out of my lap. You know whats coming. Threw the cleaner to catch the body. Body fell anyway, knocked over the lamp, cleaner lands on computer and starts dripping into it, chair rolls back and collides with printer.

In 4 seconds the guitar went from steal to disaster:



Guess I can get back to the air guns and lathe now.

Hi Lon,

I feel 'yer pain dude. Hopefully, some bondo, sanding, and airbursh can fix it. Or ... a story about Jr. hammering the stage with the guitar at the end of Woodstock ... ????

It happens. Always a bummer. I've had one such diaster put 3 completed airguns on the concrete floor - at about 2am. I just went in, woke Kelly to tell her we would not be leaving for the show that day, and started fixing stuff.

Gary

Bummer Dude Sounds like a good excuse to get freaky with the color. Not that purple isn't freaky. But now you can bondo and repaint with what every you wish.

Do you play or just collect those jam sticks? I've taken a few lessons with my son, he's continued with lessons I just pic and grin.

Thanks for sharing,

Kent

Kent,

I'm learning to play, lots of great lessons on YouTube.

I like cleaning and tuning them as much as playing but I have a genuine desire to play. We'll see what happens.

Gary and Kent,

I haven't tried to refinish one. I assembled this one with the damage and it sounds great. The neck needs to be shimmed a little and it still needs some final tweaking but it works fine. I have another complete Squier completely disassembled that I could refinish as practice, and may. Time to rotate guitars for air guns for a while though.

Lon

Bummer man. That happens.

I used to play guitar pretty seriously actually, when I was in my early-mid 20s. Still have a few friends that stuck with it and tour all over the world. I've kept a lot of my gear, in the hopes I'd do something with it once I "settled down" and got it out of storage, but that hasn't happened yet . . . we'll see. But I've got a few nice pieces -- among them, a 1976 Les Paul Custom that was my uncle's, a Marshall 30th Anniversary full stack (the blue one), and one of only 200 original Bogner Fish preamps ever made -- handwired by Reinhold Bogner himself on Christmas Day 1991.

Yeah, I'd paint it a different color too. Strats should have white pickguards anyway.

-- Jim

Jim,

I find it very relaxing to play as long as I can do only as much as I want when I want. You should keep a simple configuration in the corner to relax and fiddle with at leisure.

I have a decent Epihone Les Paul that JR picked up for $100. Cleaned it up, new strings and made a back plate out of a CD case, it works great. Set neck, one of the good ones.

I prefer the Straocaster right now though, they are neat, especially with a modeler. Unlimited range of sound. I use studio monitors with an amp modeling black box for my electrics.

I was working on Tom Petty's Last Dance With Mary Jane last night till 4am.

Lon



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2011 06:45PM by Bigbore.

Guess I should contribute to this popular thread ... Good job Lon!

I have a couple of Acoustics. A nice mellow nylon string rosewood cased one I rescued from a PAWN shop in D.C. in 72. And a later steel string Fender. Haven't played in a while. Might have to do that.

Funny story. My grandmother used to play. During their later years, my grandfather built some cabins in West Virginia. They enjoyed the area, and people. They'd host anybody who wanted to come visit them there. Used to be that you could only stay in state ... 30 days I think ... and after that you needed new state car tags. Being proper ... they'd stay 29 days ... come home again. They enjoyed a small W. Va. church when there. Really small. Really good country folk. Well ... for a gift ... (guess grandmom had wanted a guitar) ... my grandfather bought her one. A brand new, pretty cherry wood, ELECTRIC guitar and amp. I think it was a Gibson. You'd have to had known my grandmom. A saintly woman. Very mild. Very dry. Very proper. To hear her strum her electric guitar ... in a regular beat ... in a West Va. church in 1964 ... and sing hymns in a grandmotherly voice ... (with me joining in as a 10 year old) was something that you guys missed!

Gary

Apparently, I'm the only one here who hasn't played guitar since high school when I got an A for my rendition of a couple James Taylor tunes...

I'll have to pack up PJ's amp and guitars for the next shoot. That boy can play, and he works on them just like Lon. I figure we'll have some entertainment by the fire after it's too dark to shoot!

"my rendition of a couple James Taylor tunes..."

Don't worry bud, it won't leave the Rendezvous.

Maybe I'll inspire everyone to dust them off.

What does PJ have?

Lon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2011 06:47PM by Bigbore.

Gary,

I remember you telling me years ago you dabbled in music.

I'm a beginner but I'm serious. I'm learning to read music. These are great times to be alive and learning to play an instrument, YouTube brings a private tutor into your home. I'm going slow, only what is comfortable so it's taking a loooooong time to learn but I'm enjoying it and it's relaxing. That is what's imporatant to me.

frightening

I'm just glad that we finally struck an airgun topic that everybody wants to comment on.

OOPS, airGUN, I thought this was the airGUITAR forum!!

I think a jam session after a days shooting would be great! We can play as loud as you want. How do I know? Well the most recent "church" about a quarter mile away was having a revival and were playing very load till about 10pm. What were they playing in rural MS? Christian Rap!!! Yuck! Even He can't make rap sound good.

Kent

Hey Lon,

We want to know if you've gotten out the Bondo yet?



Gary