Bullet Guitar

[David]

I love it when my hobbies collide:

[Paul]

Great guitar! Is it yours or just one you came across?

I have a good size collection that is always building.

I found this one online... Not quite as cool as yours.

*** Edited to remove dead picture link.

[Stradawhovious]

Welome back David, haven't heard from you in a couple of months!

Is that one that you built, or is it store bought? I'm stealing that Idea for the fret markers on the next one I build. Pretty sweet!

[David]

Nope, saw it online. It's a Benford Bullet. I like Boutique guitars like that but I don't buy them very often. My smallish collection of 18 guitars is all pretty standard, but mostly vintage. Disassembling an old Fender and checking every part for manufacturer and date codes, and looking at the finish, etc., is exactly like collecting old M1 Carbines. Awesome hobby if you've got the time!

Strad, the next time you build a guitar I wouldn't mind leaning over your shoulder.

[Stradawhovious]

I really like that unfinished look. Did it give any specs as to components, wood selection etc. (the photos don't necessarily look like the traditional body wood choices for electrics)? Although I think the burned out "bullet holes" on the headstock are a bit tacky I could probably throw one of those together pretty easily and quickly if I was given a little time in a home shop with the proper tools, mainly a decent router..............

A strat body blank but a Tele would be much cooler, (let's face it, not even Fender makes their own body blanks any more), a plunge router, a radius bit, some 24hr Marine Grade epoxy, a gallon bucket of assorted brass, a band saw (or if you want to make my life really difficult a small pipe cutter), add the electronics of your choice and your favorite neck profile/radius/scale length, a little bit of time on the inlay for the fret markers........

ETA depending on how deep the body is routed to accomodate the brass, and if the body is truly made from what it appears to be made of (Redwood, or another of similar species) this guitar could suffer from terrible tone and complete lack of sustain. But It sure makes up for all (if any) acoustical shortcomings by looking really kick ass.

[David]

It's actually an Alder body, which makes sense for a vaguely Strat-like guitar. I agree though that a Tele is the best choice for something like this. Make it more "western" with some nice revolver cases, add some silver buckle kind of stuff on the strap, maybe an engraved silver ashtray pickup cover, some Texas Specials, and you'd have a pretty awesome axe. Teles are meant to sound a tad "thin" anyway, so I don't think the relief cuts for the brass would even affect it much. I kind of like the choice of Rosewood for the fretboard since I'm into that lately, but Maple might be the way to go for a Tele, hmm?

[Stradawhovious]

Alder? Really? Where the hell do you find nice straight grained, dense, luthier grade alder this day and age? Hmph. You have a link for that one? it would be cool to read up on it.

Thanks.

[David]

You bet!

http://www.benfordguitars.com/impact.html

[Stradawhovious]

Ah, the back SCREAMS Alder. Makes sense now. Thanks for the Link! I think I'm gonna build me one of those.

[princewally]

I found a site of odd guitars.
http://ibored.com/2009/05/coolest-guitars/



My favorite, because steampunk is neat:

[rtk]

OK.... What does everyone out there have for a favorite ax? For me it's a 64 Gibson Melody Maker, it has seen many garage jams.

[Stradawhovious]

OK.... What does everyone out there have for a favorite ax?

Past and present? I sold my collection to get a downpayment on my house.

Acoustic - '42 Martin d-18

Electric - '82 Seafoam Green Stratocaster (Jap)

Neither of which I still own.

I've always loved the Japanese fenders, to this day I believe they are as good as/better than the US made. (not including custom shop)

[pastorpaul]

just a plain, old fender precision bass.

[ex-LT]

Nothing fancy. A Samick Greg Bennet design acoustic, and a Fernandez tele clone.

[AgAuTHORITY]

88' USA Fender Strat with a Warmoth neck(my goto guitar with many prewired pickguards to drop in depending on my mood or experiment), Gibson Historic R7 with a set of WCR Fillmore pickups(sounds absolutely dreamy((Had to have a Les Paul for testing--after playing many over many years it was the only LP I ever liked))), and my baby a really beatup almost trashed 1969 Ampeg Dan Armstrong Lucite(just because).

Actually more of a amp guy, started repairing/building/modding amps for something to do and found I really like the Marshall Plexi design. Got a couple of Reissues I've gutted, replaced all the innards with my custom boards and Output Transformers. Got a bunch of old Fenders in need of restoration/repair. Have this old Blackface Bassman SLEEPER with a hot-rodded high gain Marshall type circuit that roars(was experimenting with this chassis long before they became collectible for you folks ready to bash me over that. ) Bunch of custom half finished stuff laying around that I should finish someday. Only amp I've bought in 10 years that wasn't for a rebuild/mod was a Bruno Underground 30, after hearing all the positive reviews and praise wanted to see what it was all about. Hated the amp, clean sound was awesome but it seemed like a one trick pony till I tried the WCR pickups--WOW!!! Vox AC-30 on steriods--INCREDIBLE! They matched up perfectly at least for my tastes.