Lunch Report, Monday 4 APR 11

Welcome to the first week of April! Where I’m at (Mid-Michigan, just about the middle of the Lower Peninsula) that means snow storms (complete with thunder and lightning), followed by freezing rain and eventually ‘normal’ thunderstorms. And that was just yesterday and last night! There’s an old saying in Michigan, “If you don’t like the weather…wait five minutes.”

Lunch today isn’t exactly gourmet, but I did make it myself. Boar’s Head (man I love their products!) Ovengold turkey sliced ‘falling apart’-thin on 12 Whole Grain bread with light mayonnaise and French’s classic yellow mustard. I also threw on a slice of baby swiss cheese and some leaves of lettuce. Accompanying this culinary masterpiece I have some mini pretzels. Liquid refreshment is in the form of pu-erh tea. Oh, I also have a bunch of fruit…couple oranges and an apple for snacking throughout the day.

I’m supposed to include G&L related content, this being the G&L site after all. I was thinking about it yesterday and, well, what hasn’t been covered? In all the years I’ve been lurking here (I had way more posts on the old, old GBLDP board), I think the Lunch Report has delved into just about every possible nook and cranny of G&L-dom. The most common topic that I recall is something along the lines of “if you could design the next big G&L model…” That one seems to be timeless.

It occurs to me, though, that asking “if you could design the next big G&L model…” is akin to asking everyone to look forward, into the future. What if we could go backward, though, instead? So, here’s the opposite question:

If you could go back in time and spend an hour with Leo and George, what year would you go to, and what would you ask/tell them?

I toyed with the idea of going back to the ‘60s and trying to convince Leo that he wasn’t dying and, in fact, had many great years and innovations ahead of him. But, I’m not sure where that would lead. What about you?

On the non-G&L, yet-still-related front, I’ve started constructing a Telecaster (or, T-style, if you’re scared of lawsuits) guitar with my 17yo son. It’s a nice father/son project and I’ve had the Ron Kirn master templates and instructions, block of alder and various bits laying around for (hold on to your hats) six years. We just started it a couple of weeks ago. So far we have the working templates roughed out. Here are some pics of it in progress:











I don’t think we’ll make any progress this week—at least not before the weekend—but thought I’d share. For starters, we're going to have to build a router table (I have an idea for that; yes I'm a tightwad and don't feel like buying a cheap, Made in China router table. Heh.) I’ve threatened to finish the guitar in bright purple or pink bass-boat flake, but he’s thinking maybe black would work.

hey Dick...

4 scrambled eggs, 5 slices bacon, hash browns, toast&jelly...yeah, i'm off work today...

i'd go back to 1953 and tell them to scrap that Stratocaster idea as it'll never go over....and i'd suggest translucent Olympic white and call it 'Dirty Blonde'...but that's just me...

when that Tele project is ready for paint....think "Dirty Blonde"...

Hey Dick,

I'm in Wisconsin and it was pretty similar. We went from Thunder to Thunderstorm, to small iceball storm, back to rain, and done. Beats the ice storm we had a couple weeks ago though.

Lunch; lean protein, vegetables, and coffee. Repeat the next few days/weeks.

What I'd ask/tell Leo . . . I guess I'd tell him congrats on creating such persistent designs and say thanks for not settling. If I'd ask him anything, it'd be to also create a line of guitars routed from the back without pickguards, maybe with figured tops, and to blend the heels at least slightly on the treble side. Mostly on the Strat-design, but I have really never bonded with the whole plastic pickguard thing. Plus, maybe it's a relative non-factor, but I do like more ergonomic or minimally invasive neck joints.

I might also mention to him how I went back in time, preferably with a Delorian, a radiation suit, and a Walkman.

Non-G&L: I actually have a bit on this. I have two guitar necks that I ordered some time ago and I'm looking to do something with them. I have a 24.75" Bubinga neck w/ Maple stripes, Pau Ferro fretboard, no inlays, SS frets, and 22 frets. I am not sure what to do with it. I also have a 25.5" Bubinga neck with an ebony board, SS frets, Jackson Sharktooth inlays, that I am not quite sure what to do with either, although since I ordered this one w/ the Jackson inlays, I'm PROBABLY going to do a Soloist type body only with a setneck.

I'm not sure what woods to use though. Bubinga is reportedly sorta like Maple, only a bit warmer. As for body ideas . . . Probably a Soloist-type for the long-scale (not sure what else would look alright with the Jackson-style inlays), maybe a Jazz/Rock guitar (Jazz neck pup, something more Rock-capable in the neck) for the short-scale. Any thoughts?

Oh, I also have a nice Mahogany body & neck blank that I need to use too. I'm thinking of doing a long-scale version of a PRS/LP-Doublecut sort of style with that only with an Ebony board, split-block inlays, quilt Maple top, and a nice dark Greenburst. However, since the necks are already carved and assembled I THINK I'm doing something with them first.

These have only been sitting around for three or four years. Still, they are nice necks and I should probably do something fun with them. Ultimately though, I think they will be pretty cool once it's all said & done.

-Cheers

Actually, if I could go back in time and talk to Leo a/o George, I'd ask them to make the Starcaster with the Strat-like deeper treble-side cutout but without the melty asymmetrical body. I'd also mention that the three-bolt neck ended up being much maligned (even if that was largely as a result of shoddy craftsmanship during a certain time of a certain company, it might be good to know).

-Cheers

Hey Dixie!! What, no Bells? Oh, yeah, this is lunch.

Lunch: Cheese Peanut Butter crackers. Yummy! Well, we have enchilada left overs at home. And I plan on there being no left overs after tonite. So it's easy on the luncherons today.

G&L Time Travel: I'd go back to '53 or there abouts. See if I couldn't buy into the company. Something like that.

Non-G&L use of tools: The world is a much safer haven when I am nowhere near tools with sharp edges. I think I missed the family gene for woodworking, as my Dad and all his brothers were quite the craftsmen. But alas, not I.

Had a Portillos cheeseburger for lunch.
Man, was it good. Had my weigh in today so I didn't eat or drink a thing until 2:15 so I splurged. ( and yeah, I know I am a cheater)
Lot better than a protein bar I will tell you that!
Congrats on that tele build. What a fun thing to do with your boy.

If I could ask George and Leo one thing I think I would ask what they thought about Relic'ing guitars.
My guess is they probably thought this was PRETTY silly

It would definitely be interesting to go back and talk to G&L.

Oh and guitaring fingers and band saws don't mix well!!! I stay away from 'projects". Saws make me literally cringe.

Bill

Good to see you Dick. Missed you!

Great project with the boy there. I'm assuming you're going to put some MFDs in that muther!!!

Weather: Typical March here in the Mid-Atlantic. Couldn't sleep last night for the Midnight thunder and lightening show. 80 Degrees F today. Expecting more T-Storms about 4 AM to wake me good and early. Temps tomorrow falling through the 50's. If it weren't so damn windy, I'd be fishing through all of it!!!

Lunch: Today it was peanut butter granola bars and water at 4PM while driving a kid somewhere.
Just picked me up a deep-fried tempura California roll for dinner. Never heard of such a thing before. Looking forward to some mild angina as I face the East....

The Leo/George question: I really want to ask them about that Bassman design whereby they created an exceptional guitar amplifier - but one less often used by bass players. Were they hanging out too long in the paint booth?

Anyhow, nice start. Again, glad to see you around these parts again. - ed

Yeah Dick, MFDs all the way. Best pickup I have ever used.

Lunch today was a grilled salmon with a pesto topping, salad and roasted red peppers.

If I could go back in time, I'd go back to the 1954, hang out with Leo as he prototyped the Strat and play some of those early guitars. Then I'd shake his hand, bid him a happy life and come back to the future. No messing with the timeline that way, and wow... playing one of the first strats when it was brand new. That would be something.

As for that third topic, don't even think of asking me to build a guitar. I can't draw or cut a straight line.