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Topic: My Latest Handbuilt |
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 6 May 2007 12:00 pm |
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I'll try and get some better pics up later, but here it is.
Hardrock maple and African mahogany
25" scale
bone nut
GFS Liverpool humbucker, a Filtertron type
Tru-Oil finish
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John Ficken
From:
Sunny Southern California, USA
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Posted 6 May 2007 3:18 pm
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I think I mentioned before that this was just beautiful! Do you still have my address, or should I send it again!
Nice job, Tom! 
_________________
OK...I'm gonna try and tune this thing...again! |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 6 May 2007 3:28 pm
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| BEAUTIFUL!!! |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 6 May 2007 3:40 pm
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Way sweet, Tom. Only bummer is you're trying to sway me from getting a CruzTone, I can tell.
In reference to the tuning key blocks, which seem a bit close to the nut (I tend to hang my fingers over considerably when I'm at the 1st fret), is it possible for future models like these to have a bit more extention in that area? The smartly rounded ends may eliminate that concern, however.
What kind/s of bonding material did you use?
You gonna sell?
8 stringers?
PU or bridge options?
Keep it up! |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 6 May 2007 3:49 pm
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Hey Tom, that is gorgeous!! Very inovative head-stock design too.
Excellent over-all design.
Regards BILL |
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 6 May 2007 5:13 pm
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Another beauty, Tom -- great looking and innovative design, too. Your peghead makes perfect sense. I'm very impressed. So, how's it sound?
Peter |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 6 May 2007 8:53 pm
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Thanks all for the kind words, I was very happy how it turned out.
I forgot to mention, this one is chambered too.
Here are a couple more pics.
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John .. no I do not have your addy
Ron ... maybe the new pic can give you a little better idea of the headstock area. When on the first fret, my pinky just hangs past the nut. The headstock has a bit of back angle, along with the rounded ears, adds a bit of room back there.
I guess at some point I'll have to get rid of some to make room for new builds.
I really enjoy building them and I don't expect to stop anytime soon.
An 8 is on my list for sure.
What would you like to see in a bridge and pickup?
Bill & Peter ... Thanks, I wanted something that was original. It took a bunch of head scratching and then it came to me.
I really like how it sounds. The pickup is Alnico V and has a nice articulate vintage tone to it. It cleans up very nice with a little jangle. It handles gain very well without getting all muddy and has a lot of harmonics.
So ... I was wondering how a mahogany maple version would sound and ... well
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 7 May 2007 3:06 am
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Chambered?!?!? Where... how..huh? I can't see any seams on the sides. What did you chamber?
I love the idea of a "reversed" set of steels -- the mahoghany w/maple one looks great, too! I'm really interested to hear the difference in sound (if any). |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 7 May 2007 12:08 pm
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Peter ... the way I put these together is I do the center wedge first, then build the side wings.
Before I attached the sides, I hogged the bulk of the wood with a forstner bit, then cleaned up with a router and a side mounted edge guide.
These pics should explain it better.
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 7 May 2007 1:33 pm
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Tom, you're a madman! I can't get over your attention to detail, and I'll bet these guitars have the sound to match their looks. Thanks for continuing to show your buidling process -- it's very inspiring (OK, maybe it's a little intimidating).
So now I have to ask -- how do you attach the wings?
Last edited by Peter Jacobs on 7 May 2007 5:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 7 May 2007 2:21 pm
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Those are beautiful.
Sort of reminds me of "National New Yorker goes Calfornian."
Anyone remember the very first cool skateboards in the 60's, after we started out on those cheesy Roller Derby boards that were painted red with the steel wheels?
There were some beautiful wooden skateboards with the first high end wheels from Chicago Fo-Mac (sp?).
They were made by companies like Hobie and Val Surf.
That's the vibe these lap steels have.
_________________
Mark |
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Vince Luke
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 7 May 2007 3:06 pm
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Wow, them's purty. . .
I like the idea of the chambers--do they make a big difference in the sound?
Nice going,
Vince |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 8 May 2007 7:52 am
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Peter ... LoL ... don't know about madman but I've been told I'm a little touched in the head before 
Nothing to be intimidated by, it's just woodworking.
The laminations are typical joinery. Just before glue up I run the pieces over the jointer to assure a fresh and true surface, then join / clamp with Tightbond original.
A properly done joint is stronger than the wood it joins.
Clean, square, strait, and true will give you great results.
Mark ... Thanks, now that you mention it, I totally see the "National New Yorker goes Californian."
Vince ... the chambers do add a bit to the sound, but I would not call it a drastic change.
The first prototype I built is solid and sounds very good too. Thanks |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 19 May 2007 12:31 pm
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Beautiful work! I prefer the darker fretboard, cuz as you can see from your photos of the lighter ones, the shadows can look like the strings themselves and throw one off in the heat of battle. I had some custom blond-wood f'boards made for my pedal steel and had to take them off for that reason.
Sure is gorgeous work, Tom, and sounds fine too! |
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Roman Sonnleitner
From:
Vienna, Austria
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Posted 19 May 2007 1:20 pm
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| Nice athmospheric sound - made me think of that "Paris, Texas" movie.... |
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Randy Reeves
From:
LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 19 May 2007 6:14 pm
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| you really wowed those boys over at Harmony Central!!! |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 21 May 2007 8:36 am
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Jim ... I've never really thought or had a problem with shadows, but it does make sense.
Here are a couple full sized picks of the mahogany one.
I just got the rest of my parts for it and hope to have time today to finish the shielding and get it strung up.
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