366/12 IN NEED OF CARE

[squid]

The thing I like about Paul's restorations (and Dale's, too) are the seemingly illogical steps (maybe non-linear is a better term) that seem to move the project backwards so that the guitar is good and ready to take several proper steps forward. In this case, I love the cut that was made to make the crack more uniform and thus repairable. A nice, elegant bit of problem solving there ...

[jingle_jangle]

Latest batch...after letting the clearcoat varnish cure and shrink for about ten days, I got started on the tedious process of flatting (wet-sanding) and hand-buffing the body and neck...here are some photos of the body and fretboard, post-buff:







Assembling the double-line Klusons to the headstock, which in itself takes over an hour, done carefully:





The original guards and comb support block were buffed and re-installed with new screws (stainless, of course), followed by the comb rail with its new hardware and rubber "O" rings for tension:



Then the pickups and output jacks were soldered up. You'll note a new harness on this guitar; the old one's pots were completely shot from years in a tropical climate. The old harness will be returned to the owner in the case compartment, should he decide to re-fit it for history's sake at some time in the future:







Is this a purty sight or what?



So now, I wait for some hardware coming from out of state, and in a few days it gets completed, strung up, and shipped out to its eager owner, who I'm sure will treasure it and play it like a new guitar!

[sloop_john_b]

Beyond gorgeous. What a cool guitar!

[melibreits]

Wow, is that beautiful, Paul..... It's awesome! And so shiny, like new....

Love the Azureglo, too.

[squid]

Holy mackinaw ...

Kudos to the brave soul who committed to rescuing this thing. That took some real guts given its original condition. And, of course, kudos to the man who made the rescue so successful ...

[ozover50]

Gobsmacked here! Looks sensational, Paul!!

[johnallg]

Ah the table-sawn 366! Truly a work of art now Paul.

[henry5]

Good grief (Rickenbacker)!!!!

That is gorgeous!!!! Paul, I'm gobsmacked. Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous job. I am now officially salivating over my impending(-ish) AZ 4001.......ohboyohboyohboy! Cue Wayne & Garth-esque "We are not worthy, we are not worthy...."

[bassduke49]

Today was the first time I looked in on this project, and I gotta say that the photos of the table-saw blade coming through the body of the guitar is about the scariest photo I've seen since driver's education class in high school! Yikes!

Beautiful job, Paul, as ever. Where did you get the comb?

[tennis_nick]

Beautful Job!

love the fretboard! lacquered, but not so much that it accumulates at the frets!

truly a master of his art

[johnallg]

lacquered, but not so much that it accumulates at the frets!

That is one precise, exact, and stunning fret job.

[wmthor]

... I think Paul is the quintessence of an Extreme Artisan, the ultimate blend of art and luthier, concept and execution.

I would have to add Magician to Ely's description.

[johnallg]

I think for Paul it really boils down to being a hyper perfectionist, to our good. He sets his goals very high and when he jumps he clears them with some to spare.

[sharkboy]

In my experience, the "hyper perfectionists" I have known never actually ever finished anything. Paul is in his own category of, say, Super Perfectionist? There may be a cape and tights involved.

In my view there is a strange curve of utility vs. perfectionism, where for most people who display the "perfectionist" approach becomes problematic. There are similar utility vs. creativity curves, etc., that can render the task futile and drive others crazy.

Paul seems to be unique in finding the appropriate level of invention/creativity/perfection to achieve high art, but with enough limitations as to actually finish the job. This all is part of how craft works, but he displays an extra level of art on top of it.

[britye]

My Gawd, What a great thread...Paul your work is truly outstanding... A table saw and a needy rickenbacker in the right hands.. ahh magic