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The concensus around here is a mix but I think it will look pretty cool when it is strung up....

I plan on keeping this one. The Top is addy from a factory beam that stood for 75 yrs (I believe....got it from Steve @colonial tonewoods) the backs and sides are Koa from a bar that came from a hotel that was tore down in the 20's in Hawaii and the neck will be from a bar top from a Daryl's resturant that was here in my area for about 23 years.....Hope it sounds good!!

A nice, original touch, I think. Good one, Brian.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Cool!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Hi Brian:

Looks good. Will you be able to see it though, when the strings are on? How about a picture when strung up? I personally like innovations that people use to make their guitars unique. Keep up the forward thinking, Brian.

Brian, is it inlaid?
I like it, I think? Id like to see a view a little further out --

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

   This is a great little guitar. Love the history. A real Toast to your skills.

I like it a lot. I may copy that. I think it would look cool to have Hawkins inlayed into the back of my own guitars.

With all that history I hope the guitar is not haunted.

BTW, VERY nice rosette!!

Thanks....here is a pic from further back. I haven't done the binding yet. Lance, it is not inlaid. It is a very thin (.009 in) abalone...CA'd. If I like the way it looks when it is finished I will go with it inlaid but for this time I would call it a slightly expensive sticker.

Talk about redemption, eh Brian?!

[QUOTE=John Kinnaird] I like it a lot. I may copy that. I think it would look cool to have Hawkins inlayed into the back of my own guitars.

With all that history I hope the guitar is not haunted.

BTW, VERY nice rosette!![/QUOTE]

You are more than welcomed to use my name John.....but it won't increase sales for you .....if that wood could talk imagine the stories it could tell!!

But if it falls out of it's stand in an empty hall, will it make a sound?

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

I like it and think its a very cool idea. With all that history in the wood, I'll bet it sounds great !

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

[QUOTE=L. Presnall] But if it falls out of it's stand in an empty hall, will it make a sound? [/QUOTE]

The answer (as with the tree in the forest) is no. It will create air pressure waves, but these are only converted into sound if intercepted by a pressure sensitive system (Ears).

By the way I like inlay, but would prefer it on the back graft. Much better than a label anyway.

ColinColin S38625.2370833333

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Do you cut yout own inlay for your name?   Nice job. To Colin's point, I wonder how some black shell would work out on the center seam brace. Now you got me thinking - I might try it on the one I am building now.

Hey Brian--I didn't fall of the face of the earth this week. One of my daughter's brought home......STREP THROAT and shared it with me so I've been out of commission since Monday night. I'm better today and should be back in the saddle Monday. Man when it rains it POURS!!!!!!!
Like your guitar. The addy top came out of an old feedmill in upstate New York. The place was built in 1903 and took up and entire city block. I went through 10,000 board feet and took home 4,000. At any rate, nice guitar dude!!

Brian, let us know how that old red spruce top sounds.

I have a few of those old beam tops as well, I like the look of the grain on that.

Matt

I will document the progress here. I have put all of my other builds in progress on hold until I finish this one.

Matt,
so far I will say this about the top; when I put the box together I could immediately tell the difference between it and a newer top. It "humms" when I just slide my fingertips across it and just seems to have a depth to it that I am not use to--- the further along I get with it the more stoked I become! The sound board bracing is from the same stock. Those pics are dry and I can't wait to see it under a finish.

Steve.....You are the man!!! Your tops are consistantly always at the top of my "wood I plan to build with" pile!! Thanks dude and I hope and pray that you and yours get well soon. I am sure I will see you next week.

Hi everybody,

That looks very cool Brian. It's nice to have an extra bit of eye candy on these guitars ... it can add even more personality.

I have been planning a similar thing - only in the form of a label - for my next build. Here's what I hope to do: Because all of this guitar's details & appointments will be based on Art Noveau designs, I want to do a wooden identification label with an Art Noveau "frame" and pearl inlaid lettering.

This thin flat wooden label would be visable from the soundhole like a typical label, but it would be raised up from the guitar back by approx. 1 1/2" so that it appears to float or hover above the surface of the back & back strip. Somewhat 3D in appearance. I'm thinking of a mahogany label with a delicately cut & shaped ebony or walnut 3D Art Noveau frame.

It will be small enough & light enough to not damp back vibrations or resonate much on it's own. This will take a while to realize though, as there's still much to do on my current build. I just thought you might like to hear about it.

Skip

[QUOTE=Brian Hawkins] Thanks....here is a pic from further back. I haven't done the binding yet. Lance, it is not inlaid. It is a very thin (.009 in) abalone...CA'd. [/QUOTE]

Brian,
I, too would like to know just how you managed to cut that ab veneer so well. When I tried, the stuff just fell apart, flakes going every which direction. I was assuming it was just too brittle in that thin dimension. Did you soak it, or what? Cut with an exacto?

Any light you could shed....

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Well,
My secrets are all out now....They are called "Thin Logos" and you can get them HERE for about $14 a name. They are extremely brittle and will break if you just look at them the wrong way. Applying them is somewhat of a trick, use clear scotch tape and CA glue. If I like the way this looks when it is finished I think I will stay with it as a Label (I will inlay it although it is hard to tell that it isn't). I do not know how they cut them being that they are so thin but I am guessing some type of lazer tech.

Brian, I like the idea but might consider putting the logo on the backstrip. Might also be a good place to put your web address as it would be an attention grabber.   

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Hey Don, I have thought about the backstrip......but never thought about putting the web address there though!!

I dunno...I think a website address might be a touch, well, tacky. Besides, the guitar should outlive more or less any website but a good number of decades, one hopes.

It's a classy look, though.

G'day Brian
             I love it ! I wish I had seen it earlier to include on my build

   WAIT!!!! I think I can fit my dremel and S/M base through the soundhole and go for it!!!

   Yep ! she's a beauty!..........OOOPPS!!! #@$!%&{ !!

            KiwiCraig

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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