My new up coming custom build

Rayk

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Hi folks , a long while back going a year or so I guess in the acoustic/electric I mentioned I wanted a custom build .

I ended up with a cheating wife that put the whole journey of gaining knowledge learning what tone woods do what how they interact and complement each other and if course this new guitar so long story short it's build is underway .

Many say I deserve this guitar some said write it off as a loss . I'm at odds as this is a once in a life time build there is no turning back now so all I can hope for is I honar this guitar and it shares my joys and tolerates my playing lol

I've listened to many guitars to help guide me tonally and it's been decided that she'll be African Black Wood back and sides.

In speaking with my Luthier I told my desire for having the now rare and famous Lucky strike Redwood as my top . He kindly said that's it unuptainium and that he has very high grade Redwood in stock . I asked if I could dig around and I found it can I have him check it out .

Well he was not fond or that was my interpretation and I could blame him for being a little put off as it's not wood he knows or from his trusted suppliers and not knowing if it's been properly dried etc .

But he was open to it so off I went not knowing if I could find it but to my luck I did and even though I was a little nervous I snatched it up ( once I set my mind on something it's heck bent for leather lol )

I mailed it to my Luthier he checked it out and I got one big WOW ! As a response so I took that as a thumbs up ! Haha

Ok so ABW back and sides with Lucky Strike Redwood for the top .

I call her my Stealth baby for now .
Her appointments

Cut a way
Arm bevel
Eboney fretboard and bridge
Evo gold frets
Special order top of the line Schaller Grandtune 21:1 from Germany In Stealth of coarse .
Cocobolo binding
Cocobolo top plate on tuning head
Eboney back plate both bound in Ebony I believe .
Forgot the bracing is Redwood as well . Ben informs me that this Redwood though not the LS was a rarity as well .
Seems it's stiffer and lighter then Sitka so he went with it .

There will be no fancy inlays less 3 small dot markers at the 12 fret in the fret board .

She's diffently a special instrument.
The link is to photo album easier to do then loading up all the pics .

My builder is none other then the amazing Ben Wilborn of Wilborn guitars .

http://s775.photobucket.com/user/agradeleous234/library/stealth baby
 
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Westerly Wood

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Ray, love the guitar. That pic of inside of guitar is sweet! Congrats! Looks to be finished soon. Month?
 

Rayk

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Ray, love the guitar. That pic of inside of guitar is sweet! Congrats! Looks to be finished soon. Month?

From his update it could be next week less cure time from the booth but soon . :)
 

Rayk

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Thanks guys . I adjust the post a tad as I added that she'll sport special Redwood bracing which caught my eye not knowing what it was I asked Ben then he told me he had this rare stock of especially stiff Redwood which out does Sitka in stiffness and and it's lighter so since had some left in it went ... Bliss ! Lol

Davisman it be pleasure to post a tune with if excepted not being Guild lol

Neal you never write never say hi boy oh boy lol

Bens Gloria model which this is , is his combo of a Martin orchestra and dread so it's sized inbetween . I can't remember she might be a tad thicker/ deeper
as well .

Go to bens site and look through the vids for Gloria the one I'm referring to is called the Bee .
Listen to it's tone then get back to me :)
 
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bluesypicky

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From his update it could be next week less cure time from the booth but soon . :)

For Tom: The guitar could be done sometimes next week, the variable is how long it will take the finish to fully cure.

Great thread Ray! Can't wait to hear the finished product......
 
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adorshki

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Many say I deserve this guitar some said write it off as a loss .
You mean to tell us that all you're gonna get for the price of that one guitar is that one guitar?



Evo gold frets
Ok I'm stumped what the hell is EVO Gold?

There will be no fancy inlays less 3 small dot markers at the 12 fret in the fret board .
Well if that you hadn't spent all that money on gold frets you could afford something really fancy in there like aces, spades, diamonds and clubs, or my personal favorite, a mudflap girl:

SG002-Silhouette-girl-02.jpg


But I guess it's all too late for that now.
Wish you woulda asked us first, you coulda had some killer bling on that thing.
 

txbumper57

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Ray, That guitar is going to be Drop Dead Gorgeous when it is finished my friend! I can only imagine the tone of that beautiful Redwood top with the ABW back and sides. Well Done man Well Done! Also from what it sounds like you have been through over the past year you do deserve this and don't let anyone ever tell you any different. The ability to make music with an instrument that you truly love and cherish is a Gift and on more than one occasion has saved me from Darker times in my life. If you think about it you can go 10 years without hearing a song but when you do hear it again you can immediately recall where you were, what was going on, and even the smell in the air at the time you first heard it. Nothing else in life can put things into perspective like a good song can. The ability to create those songs and play the way you do is a blessing. Music heals all wounds and crosses all boundaries my friend. That is an Amazing instrument that you will always know is yours and no one else's. I hope you enjoy it for a long time to come and may it allow you to get lost in the moment on more than one occasion. Have a good one man. It is good to hear from you and even better to hear you are getting your guitar finished!

I have to ask for old times sake, Sound Clip?

TX
 

Cougar

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Fortunately I found my Ray-to-English dictionary. That is one downright stunning guitar!
 

Rayk

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Ray, That guitar is going to be Drop Dead Gorgeous when it is finished my friend! I can only imagine the tone of that beautiful Redwood top with the ABW back and sides. Well Done man Well Done! Also from what it sounds like you have been through over the past year you do deserve this and don't let anyone ever tell you any different. The ability to make music with an instrument that you truly love and cherish is a Gift and on more than one occasion has saved me from Darker times in my life. If you think about it you can go 10 years without hearing a song but when you do hear it again you can immediately recall where you were, what was going on, and even the smell in the air at the time you first heard it. Nothing else in life can put things into perspective like a good song can. The ability to create those songs and play the way you do is a blessing. Music heals all wounds and crosses all boundaries my friend. That is an Amazing instrument that you will always know is yours and no one else's. I hope you enjoy it for a long time to come and may it allow you to get lost in the moment on more than one occasion. Have a good one man. It is good to hear from you and even better to hear you are getting your guitar finished!

I have to ask for old times sake, Sound Clip?

TX

Thanks Tx that was nice of you to say .

My mother on the other hand just let me have it about buying it fully bringing the guilt on how I'm depriving my son along saying I'm a lier about not letting it go which I never said I would do I not throwing thousands of dollars away . This was a catch 22 where you danged if you do and danged if you don't .
Good Ol Ma told me two weeks ago to drop 4g on a new truck instead of spending 500 bucks fix the one I got . So it's just matter perspective living in there world .

I'm still fighting the smile with glee or cry with guilt when I get her in my hands .

I just want peace and the ability to find happiness with in my little corner of this earth and share my heart sone which is my music . I know I'm a great player but bet a million bucks if I made money at mom would have a different opinion about it .

It's hard for after this because my budget like so many other folks will be extremely tight . I figured fir me to afford my home proper I'm 15,000 bucks a year underplayed .

So regardless of the money in hand spent now for this guitar of something else once it's gone it's gone .

I think I won't loss any value on this guitar or very little unlike a new over priced ride or other .
 

Westerly Wood

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I just want peace and the ability to find happiness with in my little corner of this earth and share my heart stone which is my music .

So regardless of the money in hand spent now for this guitar of something else once it's gone it's gone .

Right on. I consider all my guitars long gone paid for. Looking forward to the pics and sound clip.
 

Rayk

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Well, like ex-wives and girlfriends.
They all had their cost.
And were hopefully worth every penny even if no longer in our lives.

Bwahahahaha!!!!! ;)

Huh last I thought that was funny now not so much ahhh alcohol that's the reason .
 
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