Pickups!

Posted on May 2, 2012 by george

I have started winding my own pickups recently, and here is the latest set:

They are basically humbucking pickups, but with Alnico rod magnet polepieces, like in Fender single coils, instead of slugs and screws like in a typical humbucker.
This gives a bit more of a Fenderish tone, but with the hum-cancelling properties of a humbucker; and without the bar magnet underneath, I can run mounting screws through the top, eliminating those annoying mounting tabs on the sides.

Here is the first set I made, using standard humbucker baseplates, installed in a Barnstormer, showing the aforementioned tabs:

Posted in announcements, work in progress | 2 Comments

#1207 and #1208 Two for Rebel Guitars

Posted on April 20, 2012 by george

Rebel Guitars in Alabama is the newest Dismal Ax dealer and has recently ordered a Road Dog and a Privycaster with Alabama “Heart of Dixie” license tags.
In addition to these special editions, they will also be carrying the standard Barnstormer and Muleskinner lines.


The “Dixie Dog” has a 2 piece salvaged oak top on a 3 piece sassafras body with saw marks on the back, an antiqued finish, aged nickel hardware, and a control plate made from an iron strap hinge. Neck pickup is a Gotoh mini humbucker, and the bridge pickup is a hot tele-style wound by yours truly right here in Dismal. One of the first of many to come.


The Dixie Privycaster has a weathered cypress top on a chambered sassafras body with a smooth back, plain clear finish, bright nickel hardware, and a strap hinge tailpiece. Pickups are Lindy Fralin alnico polepiece P90s


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#1206 Barnstormer SC2 Chambered archtop

Posted on April 19, 2012 by george

Arched, salvaged American Chestnut top on chambered beech rafter body.
Walnut and cucumbertree neck with persimmon fretboard.
Seymour Duncan ’59 humbuckers, Sperzel locking tuners, Pigtail wraparound bridge.

The SC2 differs from the standard Barnstormer SC in that it has an arched top, custom control plate details, and a headstock overlay to match the top.

This ax is available at DestroyAllGuitars

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#1203 Barnstormer/Rusticator Hybrid

Posted on March 18, 2012 by george

I have decided I am going to start posting completed axes in this format~
The title will consist of the serial number, model, and any other notable nomenclature.
Also, I have recently changed my numbering system from six digits to four. The first two represent the year, and the second two the sequential number for that year.

The body shape on this one was going to be the new Barnstormer DC shape, but I ended up going with something a bit smaller in the top bout.
I had built one body in that shape a while back, and it was sitting on a shelf until recently, when I decided to finish it up.
This ax was sold through DestroyAllGuitars

The top is 3 pieces of white oak barnwood and arched.

Back is 3 piece sassafras, chambered, and showing sawmarks (from my old Woodmizer.)
Neck is black walnut and beech, with a persimmon fretboard.

Trying out some new hardware ideas here, kinda inspired by vintage european military equipment.
Control plate consists of a brass overlay on a backing made of thin aluminum sheet covered with canvas from an old book cover.

New pickup adjusting “ears” made from brass. Never cared much for standard humbucker mounting rings, but I wanted to have something other than direct mount with open cavities available.

Grover Rotomatic tuners, showing my aged nickel finish.

Matching headstock veneer.

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Manifestation

Posted on January 16, 2012 by george

In a previous post, I showed a photoshop mockup of a guitar design I was working on. Now here is the real thing, with a few minor changes.



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Pretty firewood

Posted on October 8, 2011 by george

It is October now, and starting to get chilly at night; so time once again to get ready for the joys of heating with wood. I buy firewood from a few different local folks, one of whom called this morning and asked if I needed any yet. So I say “Sure, bring it on over” and start clearing the junk out of the firewood rack. A couple hours later he shows up with his little truck loaded up with these lovely chunks of figured maple.

Nice color, with some good spalting, lots of curl and blister figure. I can get some usable pieces out of some of it for random small projects, but most of it will go into the stove as I grit my teeth and close my eyes. Oh well. He says he still has the rest of the tree still in one piece and can load it on my truck when he gets his tractor fixed. This will be interesting….

Posted in dismalia, wood | 2 Comments

First new Redbird!

Posted on August 21, 2011 by george

In a previous post, I discussed the redesign and dedication of the Redbird model.
The new design will have a double-cutaway with two humbucking pickups, but in the midst of the design process, I received an order for a single cutaway Redbird with three single coil pickups. The customer wanted a guitar just like the last Telecaster-shaped Redbird I built, but shaped like a Les Paul.
My friend, Susan Thornton, helped me with the control plate, pickup mounts, and other parts made of copper which we ran through her rolling press with some scraps of old lace, leaving its texture imprinted on the surface.



$340 of my profit from this Ax will be going to the Japanese Red Cross Society to help with relief efforts for the victims of the Earthquake and Tsunami.

Posted in announcements, news and events | 1 Comment

Dismal attire

Posted on August 16, 2011 by george

Dismal Ax t-shirts are here!

Posted in announcements, dismalia | 2 Comments

Visualisation

Posted on August 5, 2011 by george

Here’s the latest project:

The top is beech barnwood, sanded down just below the grey weathering. Fretboard is persimmon.
Haven’t decided on the rest of the woods.
The bridge is made from an antique cast iron drawer pull, and the control plate is a copper doorknob backplate.
They will be arriving in the mail today.

Yes, I have been having a bit of fun with photoshop (well, the Microsoft version thereof, anyway)
This is an image I cobbed together from pictures of other axes, the wood I will be using for the top, and ones from the Ebay listings where I bought the hardware.

Most guitarists can get a pretty good idea of what to expect when they ask for a fiesta red Strat with a Kahler trem and pearloid pickguard, but the stuff I do is often a bit less easy to imagine by way of description.
This provides me with an effective way of presenting ideas to customers interested in commisioning a custom instrument.
Plus it’s a lot of fun.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

The Low Down

Posted on July 31, 2011 by george

Finally a new blog post, and finally a Muleskinner Bass!!



One piece yellow poplar body with a maple neck. The pickguard is L grade micarta, which is a bakelite-like product made from linen and resin under high pressure.

 

 


Had a little fun with the propane torch. I like this effect a lot. It not only blackens the wood, but when the charred areas are rubbed with steel wool, it leaves a very nice texture. The harder rings of winter wood hold up to the burning process better than the summer wood, which is more easily worn away by the steel wool.

The endgrain cracks are nice, too.

 

 

 

 

The fretboard is black locust

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