Quilt Maple and Cocobolo Rosewood FPS-002

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 21 Feb 2010 8:28 pm

-----------------------------------------------------
Edit: finally got some good weather so I updated the post with some better pictures.
-----------------------------------------------------

Just got this one finished up and she has a sweet voice. Two pickups and 6 way switching offers lots of tonal possibilities.

Some basic specs
24" scale
one piece quilt maple body
cocobolo rosewood fretboard, control covers, pickup rings, and knobs
mother of pearl markers and logo
string through body cocobolo bridge with a phosphor bronze saddle
custom wound BG-Pups nickel covered humbuckers with 6 way rotary switching
corian nut
vintage style 3 on a plate lollipop tuners

.

Allan Munro · Post by **Allan Munro** » 21 Feb 2010 9:17 pm

Yet another example of first class workmanship. Finishing second to NONE! Tom, what is that nut made from?

Thank you for sharing the pics.
Regards, Allan.....

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 22 Feb 2010 5:55 am

Absolute eye candy, Tom.

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 22 Feb 2010 6:37 am

A Dream Guitar Tom!
Congratulations on a beautiful masterpeice.

Roy

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 22 Feb 2010 8:24 am

Thanks Allan, Rick, and Roy

Allan .. the nut is Corian, its fairly easy to work with and sands and polishes similar to bone.

Here are a couple more detailed shots of the bridge assembly. Its a set / glued bridge much like as done on an acoustic. As you can see in the first pic, I extend the brass tubing liners into the body. This helps with the coupling of the bridge to the body, adds some froward shear strength, and makes it easier to accurately set the bridge once the finish is done.

.

Chad Winn · Post by **Chad Winn** » 22 Feb 2010 8:32 am

That brass tubing idea is great - I really like what you did there.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 22 Feb 2010 8:51 am

Tom, that is absolutely gorgeous, like all of your work. A real stunner. Do ya think you could incorporate the electronics so that a few of those 5 position settings could be 'dobro-simulator'? Now that might actually get me to trade you some money for one... just a notion...

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 22 Feb 2010 9:03 am

Woof Woof, Growl Growl. That's a beauty.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 22 Feb 2010 9:18 am

Thanks Chad, Jim, and Richard

Jim ... I don't see any reason you could not incorporate an on board effects unit. You could take something like the Bobro and build it in. Sounds like a fun project to me

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 22 Feb 2010 11:10 am

Tom Pettingill wrote:Thanks Chad, Jim, and Richard

You could take something like the Bobro and build it in. Sounds like a fun project to me

Tom,
You are having too much fun already.

James.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 22 Feb 2010 12:41 pm

Tom Pettingill wrote:Jim ... I don't see any reason you could not incorporate an on board effects unit.

You don't see any reason why EYE couldn't do that?? Hah! Well, that's just cuz we haven't met yet. I'm a total dunce when it comes to such things, believe me.

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 22 Feb 2010 4:27 pm

SWEET!! I love what you did with the tubes and the bridge area with the cocobolo trim. You are an artiste' sir.

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 22 Feb 2010 5:45 pm

GORGEOUS!
Tom, how many man-hours invested?

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 22 Feb 2010 7:11 pm

Thanks again all

James ... LoL no such thing as too much fun!

Jim ... Let me re phrase that

, I don't see any reason we /I could not incorporate an on board effects unit. The players side blank cover area should be big enough to house an on board effects unit with a battery box in the back. I've not actually used one of the resonator effects unit so I could not comment on how well they do or don't work.

Steve ... your #1's bridge is setup the same way. That whole bridge design has been working out great. It takes more time to do them that way, but I think the payoff is worth it.

Rick ... I did not keep track of the time invested and I'm not sure I want to know, but its a bunch. 100 years from now no one will care how long it took anyways, they will just sit back, smile, and make her sing.

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 22 Feb 2010 8:17 pm

Beautiful Tom! Any chance of some audio samples?

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 23 Feb 2010 9:22 am

Thanks Steve .. unfortunately I don't have any recording gear at the moment. I had / have a Line6 Toneport, but it seems to have given up the ghost.

Gary Stevenson · Post by **Gary Stevenson** » 23 Feb 2010 7:15 pm

Tom you are the Maple Man. your slogan should be "have maple -will build"You have become a standard for excellence in building lap steels.Between yours and the Clinesmiths,the beauty abounds!!! Gary

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 23 Feb 2010 7:23 pm

Thanks Gary

its pretty easy to make nice maple look good. The hard part is paying the price for the fancy stuff.

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 23 Feb 2010 8:43 pm

Great stuff as usual Tom!

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 23 Feb 2010 9:14 pm

Great job Tom.
Very creative and unique stylings.
Todd

Fred Kinbom · Post by **Fred Kinbom** » 24 Feb 2010 3:34 am

Another beauty Tom! I love your designs and extraordinary attention to detail!

Fred

Will Jaffe · Post by **Will Jaffe** » 24 Feb 2010 9:10 am

Wow, that is a piece of artwork. That is a mighty fine and tasty craftsmanship. Any sound clips?

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 24 Feb 2010 11:12 am

Thanks Mike, Todd, Fred, and Will, your kind words are much apreciated

Will, unfortunately I don't have a way to record anything at the moment. Even then, I'm a hack and couldn't do it justice anyways. I've come to the realization that my talents are best suited to creating them and not in playing them. I'm lucky that I'm easily entertained by the simple melody's I can play.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 25 Feb 2010 9:52 pm

Fantastic looking instrument. You are the man for beautiful lap steels Tom

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 26 Feb 2010 10:02 am

Thanks Bill

Wish I had a way to record, she has a sweet voice. I'm quite happy with the phosphor bronze bridge saddle, sweeter and more lively / articulate than brass and a bit warmer than steel.