2 new baritone guitars and quite different from each other

[ssstonelover]

I had a request for a righty and took the opportunity to make a lefty too (since the operations were going to be the same). As it turned out they started diverging with way different electronics, but still the basic body shape remained the same, as did the headstock.

The righty has 2 humbuckers with 3-way switches to get parallel as well as single coil options from the pickups. Structurally it uses oak/poplar/pine and an epoxy resin pour in a carved and painted section I had to dam while it dried. The pickup selector position is also slightly unusual and uses a Las Vegas poker chip for the cover -- all per customer request.

The lefty has 3 GFS 'goldfoil' singlecoils along with the Free-way 10-way switch which I tricked up to produce an 11th pickup combination (all 3 pups in series) along with a wide ranging tone/gain control from GFS which gives boost or reduction in treble/mid/bass. Construction was mahogany complemented with a poplar piece down the middle to give enough depth. The upper neck access is facilitated by a slimming of the body in that area.







A good way to run the heavier baritone strings is with bass tuners, though it is a bit unusual


Showing the poker chip..... routing wires to the 'remote' location took some doing too.


The epoxy pour had to be dammed up while it dried


The caved oak is from a bed frame headboard repurposed....

[newey]

ssstonelover-

Both beauties! What was your (or your customer's) opinion of the GFS Gold Foils? I've had my eye on a set of those, although I don't really have a guitar to put them in at the moment.

The poker chip idea is great, but now that you've posted it, I doubt it stays original for long, guarantee you it'll get copied. I love that it's from some small-town casino, not from some big corporate one on The Strip. Gamble Local!

[cynical1]

Very nice indeed. Epoxy is fun to work with...when it's fun to work with... Nice effect with the carving.

Just because I'm that kind of guy, what is the scale on these two? What string gauges are on there?

Again, very pretty.

HTC1

[ssstonelover]

Hi Newey,

I suggested the poker chip to the buyer (to cover the hole) half flippantly and he acted on it, and he bought and brought it to me. It's from a casino that is being torn down.... but yeah, what stays secret long in the internet world?

I love the GFS lipsticks (awesome) but as I had used them before (twice) it seemed like a good idea to try something new, and I thought the singlecoil goldfoils might be somewhat in that vein. However, actually there never was a singlecoil goldfoil, at least not in a Strat size pickup, and the sound, while fine, is not exceptional (though maybe I just need to find the right settings!).... GFS also offers HB goldfoils, some other sizes, and metal covered goldfoils they claim sound a lot like lipsticks. I passed over those singlecoil versions as they have no RWRP versions, which I thought would be handy when the hum acts up, and got the plastic (silver) covered ones instead. Oh well. Anyway I don't discourage you from trying goldfoils, but maybe not this particular version....

[newey]

Not discouraging me at all, but I appreciate the advice. I'll tread slowly, then. I have a FrankenStrat with a GFS double lipstick-tube HB at the bridge (the only pickup). As those who hang around here know, I'm not a huge HB guy but the dual-lipstick tube ones sound a bit more "chime-ey" (my totally subjective description, natch) than a PAF style HB. I play that one quite a bit, like the sound a lot.

[ssstonelover]

Hi HTC1,

These are the 30" scale like the original Danelectro and Gretch as used famously in lots of old films and records. The New Danelectro and Gretch still use that scale. the strings are D'Addario .013 and a little 'tight'. I recommend the Stringjoy company as they have more baritone gauges. They had recommended a set for the 30" on a previous build that were ever so slightly thicker that seemed to have lower tension and were easy to bend. The set starting with .0135 link
Due to the long neck, a heavy body, or shorter headstock, or long upper horn, or any such combination, are a good thing against possible neck dive.
That was my first time working with epoxy, and it turned out ok, but there are some bubbles that got trapped. Sealing the wood first would have been a good idea.... live and learn...anyway a good experiment and not objectionable, plus this is what the customer requested and he's happy.

[ssstonelover]

Hi Newey,

I have an old Coral Firefly (circa 1968-9) with the original lipsticks (a sub-brand of Danelectro for the dealer market) and it's got the languid sound....chimey I suppose. I'd love to try the HB version in the bridge like you, Stew-Mac and GFS have versions that could be good.
Anyway if you go Goldfoil you might try the matai cover version. I considered taking one apart and doing the RWRP but I don't know if you can (is it wax potted?, etc, etc) so I might have ended up with a dead pickup. Since they are only 30-40 dollars anyway, maybe I should have steeled my nerves for that LOL and bought an extra one just in case I failed in the experiment