A Sweet Angel Is Born ... An Art Deco Pettingill 6 String

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 3 Sep 2011 11:36 am

Some of you may have seen the sneak peek pics of Angel before and now here she is all done.
Needles to say I could not be happier with how she came out.

Some basic specs
24.5" scale
Premium quilted maple and pommel Sapele body
Gold mother of pearl inlay
custom matching wood pickup rings, knobs, and control cover
BG-Pups A3 custom wind pickup set
4 way rotary pickup switching
Duesenberg multibender bridge
Hipshot locking tuners
Slipstone nut
3/8" string spacing at the nut
Hand rubbed Tru Oil finish
And a generous amount of love

She also has a new custom case from Kevin Hatton coming and I'll make sure to get some pics of Kevins fine work too.

I need to get some better pics, but here are a couple that are not too bad for now.

.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 3 Sep 2011 12:26 pm

Tom,......you out do yourself with each build......you really have become a master craftsman.......

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 3 Sep 2011 12:45 pm

Yikes, Tom!!!!! A hundred years from now, there'll be Bigsby-esque discussions about Pettingill guitars, and a few lucky owners will be hounded with admirers. I think you'd better get started on your memoirs. Classy choice on the case, too.

Fred Kinbom · Post by **Fred Kinbom** » 3 Sep 2011 12:50 pm

Stunning work Tom! Love the "gold" mother of pearl inlays!

Fred

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 3 Sep 2011 1:07 pm

My name is Ron, and I'm a Pettingill-aholic...

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 3 Sep 2011 1:12 pm

Thanks guys, your kind words are much appreciated

I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to build them and I can only hope that they will bring joy to many over the years.

Alan Michael · Post by **Alan Michael** » 3 Sep 2011 1:50 pm

"Angel"...........I love it.

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 4 Sep 2011 5:19 am

Geez........just gorgeous. The Sapele really "pops" and stands out along with the MOP accents and fret-markers.

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 4 Sep 2011 7:28 am

That Sapele reminds me of burl walnut, just gorgeous, Tom...I hate to gush, but just can't help it.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 4 Sep 2011 9:54 am

Thanks guys

Rick Barnhart wrote:That Sapele reminds me of burl walnut ...

It really is some nice stock but was not cheap. Most of that high end Sapele gets sliced up for veneers or made into back and side sets for very expensive acoustics, but where is the fun in that

Here are a couple more pics that show the grain a little better.

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Peter Lindelauf · Post by **Peter Lindelauf** » 4 Sep 2011 11:14 am

What a beauty.

Ron Yarboro · Post by **Ron Yarboro** » 4 Sep 2011 11:15 am

Very nice craftmanship!

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 4 Sep 2011 4:32 pm

Another work by the master of design and superb looks !

just beautiful.....

William Parsons · Post by **William Parsons** » 5 Sep 2011 6:36 am

What a beautiful work of art! Nice choice of materials...I think they compliment one another very well. Talk about eye candy!

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 5 Sep 2011 7:53 am

Thanks Peter, Ron, Bill, and William

Here are a couple more pics in a brighter light and one closeup

.

Thomas Temple · Post by **Thomas Temple** » 5 Sep 2011 8:36 am

That is as pretty a guitar as I have ever laid eyes on, but I would be a bit afraid that I would be drooling so much it might short out the electronics!!

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 5 Sep 2011 9:21 am

LOVE those Tele pickups! What a thing of beauty.

These guitars of yours remind me of the Joe Maphis Mosrites in a curious way - not that there's any physical similarity - just the sheer beauty and obvious love of detail and devotion to craftsmanship. I am blown away.

Alan Michael · Post by **Alan Michael** » 5 Sep 2011 9:37 am

Being the future owner of "Angel" I feel compelled to make a few comments. First of all I don't have to state the obvious. Your eyes can tell you that Tom is a builder with exceptional skills and an incredible eye for producing not only an instrument that will play beautiful music but one that is very pleasing to look at.
As an avid supporter of the arts I think it is very important to seek out these talented people and keep them working and producing. I can't tell you how excited I am to very soon own and play this one of a kind masterpiece and I know that it will put a grin on my face everyday. So even in these tough economic times when I sometimes feel like the deck is stacked against me I'm going to put my money where I can see some positive results. Please forgive my rambling......I'm just a bit giddy over this.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 5 Sep 2011 10:04 am

Yeah, Tom!

Ronald Smith · Post by **Ronald Smith** » 5 Sep 2011 10:37 am

Tom,

You are getting better all the time. Even this Angel is great to look at I think that I have the best one that you have ever made. Miss "Maple Nut" sure stands out in the croud.

Keep up the great work and making the lap steel people happy. It is easy to see why they are.

Thanks for sharing the pictures and God bless you as always,

Ron

Mark Bracewell · Post by **Mark Bracewell** » 5 Sep 2011 5:50 pm

Swanky Tom! Love that twelfth fret marker.

George Piburn · Post by **George Piburn** » 6 Sep 2011 2:08 am

The Great Aloha Spirit channels through Tom's Artistic Expression. It is always amazing and inspiring when a thought is manifest into a tangible experience.

Ya Just Gotta Love It !!

-- MR.Boards

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 6 Sep 2011 6:47 am

Thanks again all, you are all too kind

Alan ... It was truly my pleasure to work with and build her for you. Per your request, you wanted drop dead gorgeous and gave me a lot of latitude on how to get there. I can't tell you how happy I am that she meets with your approval. Several times along the way I had to pull myself back from the fine line of overdone gaudy and back to the tasteful and elegant side of the fence.

Ronald ... I am thrilled that you are still enjoying Miss Maple, she is a sweet one for sure! Great looks and a sweet voice is always a winning combination!

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 6 Sep 2011 4:17 pm

Tom Pettingill wrote:I had to pull myself back from the fine line of overdone gaudy

As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate overdone gaudy......that's an art in itself (if done right)......kinda like those Nudie Suits that The Flying Burrito Bros used to wear.......

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 6 Sep 2011 4:31 pm

How sweet it is !!!......Jim

The Steel Guitar Forum

A Sweet Angel Is Born ... An Art Deco Pettingill 6 String

A Sweet Angel Is Born ... An Art Deco Pettingill 6 String

Drooling

Angel

Bravo -