Wednesday: Mostly cloudy 18C. (again)

Lunch today was a banananana and a cold coffee.

After getting everything perfectly smooth I got the topcoat on – it’s that great colour amongst great colours, that boldest finish amongst the bold finishes:

SHELL PINK!!!
SHELL PINK!!!
SHELL PINK!!!
SHELL PINK!!!


Despite everthing I read about the colour looking better with white trim I took a punt and went with black. I think it's looking prety nice. The binding appears almost blue in the pictures - it needs to be sanded smooth still, as is it's scuffed from where I was sanding the primer.



Here’s what the pick-guard will be like. You'll be able to see more of the binding when it's finished, I have to get rid of the paint that's all over it




This shape is ‘inspired’ (ahem…) by the pick guard on Tomkins guitars, which is my favourite shape for a pick guard on a t-type guitar. Allan Tomkins makes incredibly fine instruments, but sometimes get the finish a bit wrong. Why he keeps dying the necks crazy colours is beyond me.



Is there an instrument you’d like to see played in bands more often?
I’d personally like to see people playing keyboard WELL. With two or more keyboards stacked up like Garth Hudson from The Band. There are plenty of pretty girls in crappy electro-hipster-pop groups with Nord’s, playing single finger melodies using the ‘auto transpose’ function if the song isn’t in the key of C, but very few people who actually pound on those things or make them sing. Shame really.

I’d like to see more people playing G&L guitars too. I’ve only ever seen one guy playing an ASAT live.

Songs about large women.
I’m not a huge fan of novelty songs, the exception being when the topic is large women. My favourite is ‘Huggin’ and Chalkin’ by Hoagy Carmichael. Have a listen here.

I heard one yesterday on the radio, I didn’t catch the artist or the song name, something about a southern girl I think, but it had some great lyrics. My favourite line from the song:
“I’m a regular Hugh Hefner
Of the Huge and Heifer kind”
I laughed a lot at that one.

Others songs that come to mind are;
‘Big Bottoms’ by Spinal Tap
‘Baby Got Back’ by Sir Mix-a-Lot

Any more?

Shell Pink sure is a rare color.

Only time I saw one in person was an Esquire reissue.

Like the Tompkins style pickguard.

Which brand of PUs are going in the guitar?

Who are the custom PU makers in Aus?

INSTRUMENTS

Like the B3. Especially when played well.

Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFaT69CyyKU

Booker T & the MG's - Green Onions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-7QSMyz5rg

Moanin' - Rhoda Scott
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIB2ywz3S9o

"Jimmy Smith Tribute", Tony Monaco Trio Live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU7Wkah_lQA

BIG GAL Songs

Merle Travis - Fat Gal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ujLFdr8L9Q

Sir Trail Mix-A-Lot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt9qHHFkwV4

Whole Lotta Rosie

from Rock n Roll bad boys ACDC. Perhaps Aussie's greatest contribution to rock.

Cool looking build Blarg, been following but not posting.

I can match you on the pickguard department today, a teaser. Fitted a steel blank to my ASAT the other day, we have it, minus 3 very minor tweaks for the final product. This is just steel, but even that looks good. The process was a bit rocky as the stock guard (apparently Chandler) was an extremely poor fit and got away with stuff that metal could not (see hugging the pickups tight/friction fit, etc).

Jamie, I have been following your project and have not had time to post. Ginny looked at a Shell Pink Custom Shop Strat on the bay the other night and said that she really liked it. I like Shell Pink too and always thought it was a cool color. I think that the black binding is an excellent choice. When you get plenty of clear coat, wet sand and buff, it will be awesome. Great project! I am starting several refinishing projects in May and intend to post them. They are not G&Ls as they do not need refinishing!!!! Only other brands do so that is a plus for G&L. Color is such a big decision. I was going to do a Red but I have been informed that I have to many Red ones already. I still may do Buck Owens RW&B. I know I can get by with that. Keep us posted on the project. --Darwin

Love the shell pink. That is an awesome tele color. I would have thought the black binding would look hokey with the pink, but I really like it. Not everyone can rock a pink guitar!

What about the more obvious big girl song, which I love, Fat Bottom Girls by Queen. Buddy Guy has a hilarious verse he uses live. I am going to search youtube and see if I can find it. I'll post if I can.

Sirmy, like the pickguard. Very unique. I would keep that blank. Let it age, it might get cooler than the chrome over time!

Sirmy, like the pickguard. Very unique. I would keep that blank. Let it age, it might get cooler than the chrome over time!

I plan to hold on to it, the effect was great, the final product is anodized black aluminum though, not chrome. The black and orange will play very nice together I think. I liked the stock look of the black guard I had on it. I would need to contour sink the screws on the blank, but that is it.

Sirmy, Thumbs up on the black pickguard! -- Darwin

The guitarist in Bassman's band RAGS slings a shell pink Strat. Real Tasmanian Vovo magnet it is! ;+) - ed

PS: Great project you have going there. Sorry I've had such a busy week and haven't participated much. Did manage to drool over the duck, though, and am wondering what kind of tree you've got with the red fruit hanging there in your back yard. Edible?

Seems like everyone likes shell pink. I'm surprised!

Which brand of PUs are going in the guitar?

Who are the custom PU makers in Aus?

I'm putting Don Mare 'Don-O-Caster' pickups in it. The same ones that have been in my '97 Classic, which I have changed back to stock (and love just the same). Eventually I want to put some Bill Lawrence twin blades (L48T bridge and L45S neck) in it, with a white one in the neck position, but don't have the money for them at the moment. They're not expensive by any means but the paint cost waaaaaaaayyy more than I expected it to - $85 for a litre of SHell Pink

The only custom pickup maker I know of in Australia is Mick Brierley. He does great work, Philby will back that up.

Sirmy - didn't you have that made up months ago? I've been awaiting the final anodized version, I really like the look of it.

Darwin - Thanks again for your advice on the finishing process, it's much appreciated. Ginny obviously has good taste. I'll be shooting the clear coats today once I clean the binding up, I'm anxious about how it will look and how much more work will be needed to get it really smooth and shiny.

Love the shell pink. That is an awesome tele color. I would have thought the black binding would look hokey with the pink, but I really like it. Not everyone can rock a pink guitar!

Funny how some things sound like they'll be crappy but actually work in the flesh. I was at a hot rod show a couple of weeks back and there was an old Cadillac in pink with a black roof. That made my decision right there.

The guitarist in Bassman's band RAGS slings a shell pink Strat. Real Tasmanian Vovo magnet it is! ;+) - ed

PS: Great project you have going there. Sorry I've had such a busy week and haven't participated much. Did manage to drool over the duck, though, and am wondering what kind of tree you've got with the red fruit hanging there in your back yard. Edible?

If the ladies like it then all the better.

That's a nectarine tree in the garden. They're about a week or two off being edible. The thing is COVERED in fruit. Nectarines happen to be my favourite fruit so it shouldn't be a problem eating them all. I'll just have to wash the paint overspray off of them

I am drawn to stuff that you don't see everyday. Somehow the shell pink strikes me as subtly outrageous. I saw a baby-blue, with white binding bluesboy on the bay a couple weeks back. I thought it was kinda spiffy, but not as cool as your pink. Anyway, if you have a liter of pink color, you should be able to shoot a ton of axes!!!!

sirmy - I forgot about the black, I like the subtle texture on anodized stuff, that will be amazing with the orange. I am looking forward to seeing the final product.

Maybe darwin can weigh in on this as well, but how many coats of clear are you going to have to shoot? Or at least, what's the plan? Or maybe, I could just wait and read about it. It looks awesome.

I saw that Bluesboy too - my finger was hovering just over the 'Buy It Now' button, it's a beauty. I'll bet that the finish on that BB is much more professional than mine! I plan to shoot three clear coats, hopefully that is all that will be necessary.

Sirmy - didn't you have that made up months ago? I've been awaiting the final anodized version, I really like the look of it.

Blarg, here is what happened:

Guy sends me the completed guard, exact replica of the stock guard in early december, but UPS bent the upper horn to crap (we won the claim) I got my duty and brokerage/rape fee back (couriers rip you off heavily, I usually use post). I fitted it regardless, and IT DIDN'T FIT. So I tried to fit the stock guard, and well it really didn't fit either. I had to loosen the control panel/etc to get it back on, it had to slide down the sides of the neck pickup (too tight) slid on the sides of the neck/neck pocket area. All this is OK , because the guard is plastic, you can't do that with aluminum though. Then I had a 1.5 week span where I was busy with exams (so was he though). Then we started updating the CAD file and he was emailing me CAD files, which I would print 1:1, cut very carefully with a razor, and fit on the guitar until we were really close. Then he sent me that steel blank, and as you can see very good, some minor tweaks needed and I will be happy.

He is working on a final CAD file now, and will send it to me to print. Then I say go, and we remake the final black aluminum, and it will fit and be overpacked for shipping this time. Great guy to work with, he has seen this through (for no extra pocket) even though it turned out being a lot more work than either of us expected.

wow I'd have never guessed shell pink! I like it, it's a color you don't see often, as a bonus in Japan pink is very masculine

I'd like to see more organs (in bands):lol: very similar to the keyboard, obviously, but the jokes could go on forever. I picked up an organ for free recently, put it in the bed (of my truck), took it home and asked my wife if she'd like to see it, once she saw my organ she couldn't keep her hands off it

Bill Lawrence pickups are a good choice, just make sure you order from the real Bill Lawrence (http://www.wildepickups.com/ ) not the company that bought the name

songs...hmmm sickbutnottired beat me to fat bottom girls

sirmyghin, I can't wait to see the black version of that pickguard, it's going to look sweet on the clear orange. I agree about hanging on to the blank, maybe leave it someplace damp to help it age, you could always polish it back up if you didn't end up liking the aged look

-Dave

Shell Pink!
Hey - We resemble that finish!
Both me and Pat, the guitarist in my band RAGs have Shell Pink Strats which are Japanese reissues of a 1956 Stratocaster.
That is a cool but often mis-understood finish.
As one fan said to our guitar player: " It takes a brave man to play a PINK guitar!"

Here is a picture of my band RAGs taken by Ed Zolt(Zapcosongs) Thanks ED!
Please note the Lynx bass along with the pink Strat:



There is also a blues standard called "Big Fat Woman", that we used to do in my blues band "Heart Of Blue"