picker

I recall that video, and that guitar. I didn't see anything on Hamburger's page that looked like it. It was a highly figured quilted maple top, stained vivid green, and it had a tremolo bridge, possibly a Floyd. The guy was a really small-timer, seemed like, and he made the guitar specially for George. He had a mutual friend of George show it to him, and George liked it a lot, and agreed to buy it. The guy got to meet George when he took possession.

Hey, I wonder if losing the big box stores could force a restructuring in the pricing of the "prestige" brands? The big boxes stores made it possible for the companies to kick prices up, which put & pop stores out of business. If they go away, won't companies like Gretsch, Gibson, PRS, etc have to lower their prices and bring back mom & pop to stay afloat?

One of the cats, for sure. RIP.

Lazer Wolf The Chicken Fanciers Bub L. And The Bad Wrap

I decided to have it fixed. I sent it to the guy who put the new buttons on my Rickenbacker. It should be finished in another week or so. Pictures to follow when I get it back, and sound files if I can figure out how to make them, and post them.

I second what Caevan said about top wrapping the strings over the top of the tailpiece. I did that to my Flying V, and I've been very happy with the results. Having the tailpiece all the way down seems to seems to increase sustain, and I would think puts less strain on the wood at the tailpiece.

I mostly do use the same strings on electrics, nickel 9-42. I've tried heavier and lighter gauges, but those seem to work best, and I'm trying not to work my finger joints into arthritis any more than I have to. I use a custom set of nickel strings on the lap steel I tune to C6 (C-E-G-A-C-E), because the 6th strings needs to be lighter to tune up to C. I use a 12-56 set of nickel strings for the one I tune like a dobro (G-B-D-G-B-D) or open E. Acoustics need a bit heavier strings to sounds good, and I prefer an mellower sound, so I use bronze mediums or lights. I use steel or nickel on my resonators, because I want a cheaper, trashier sound from them.

How about The Green Monster, name it after Art Arfons Dragster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Monster_(automobile) The guitar looks racy enough....... Or steal a Fleetwood Mac-ism and call it the Green Manalishi...or, just call it Peter Green...

Hey guys, check this oout. It's not my guitar, but it has the same problem with the strinigs falling off the upper side of the fretboard. Must be a very common thing... Misplace bridge...

It sounds really good. I'll probably send it to the guy who replaced the buttons on the Rickenbacker tuners. IF anybody can reposition the bridge without making a hack job of it, it's him.

Gonna call it the Green Weenie?

No, the neck hasn't shifted, and hasn't enough space to shift it into a more playable position. It's a cheap guitar that was put together badly at the factory. Probably, it will work fine as a slide guitar, not so much played in the usual way, unless I relocate the bridge. And relocating the bridge will undoubtedly devalue it on the vintage market.

Kuru, it's an Epiphone Les Paul Special with just the tail piece, no tune-o-matic.THIS guy. It has a set neck, so there is no way to shim between the neck and body. And the tailpiece/bridge is NOT all the way down to the body. THe sitar sound goes away as I go up the neck which makes me think it's grazing a fret, not the bridge. My thought was if the neck is too straight, some relief would remedy the problem. I figured there were folks here who have worked with that sort of guitar who might know. Is there somebody here who knows about old Les Paul Jr.s and/or other Gibson style guitars that had the same sort of set up?

I have one of the Epiphone Les Paul Special reissues, and it sounds amazing. But it has to have high action or the strings string grazing the frets and making that electric sitar sort of sound. It's got the single tailpiece and no Tune-O-Matic. I've got the tailpiece down as far as it will go without touching the frets, and it's still too high. My thought is perhaps the neck is too straight, and maybe a shade more relief would allow me to lower the strings a bit. Any advice, guys?

I had the best local guy put new buttons on it. It's a beautiful thing, being able to tune it.

The picture opens for me. I don't know why it's not opening for you guys.

https://oi162.photobucket.com/albums/t274/picker_album/dano1_zpspw0hfa5i.jpg couldn't get the link to copy, so I tried this...

do these show what I mean?

I'll try. I had one of the reissues, a lavender U1. It wasn't bad. I've always been fascinated with the lipstick tubes. that's the one. They always looked pretty cool. I'm certain it hasn't been modded at all. You gotta remember, they were a cheap-o guitar, and not really made to exacting tolerances. The bridge being badly placed is well within the realm of possibility.

I recently got a fabulous deal on a Silvertone amp-in-case guitar, the one with two pickups(I don't recall the number, 1458 or something). My plan is to play the guitar, mostly for slide, cause they sound so cool for that. The problem is, the bridge is in the wrong place on the body, and the strings slant towards bass side of the neck. They don't quite fall off the neck, but they don't miss it by much. It looks like the body would have to be filled and redrilled to get it in the right place. Can anybody tell me if I'd be shooting myself in the bank account by making the guitar

A friend of mine is having me do a little non-technical tech work on his Les Paul, and asked me if I could tell him the manufacture date. I don't have that kinda info at hand, and I thought maybe somebody here could figure it out. It's Gibson Les Paul Classic, cherry sunburst, with the serial number 004312. He bought it used some years back. It's in a brown case with the pink plush lining and silk "cover blanket", but he says it isn't the original case, his son wanted that one so they paid extra for it. Can anybody decode that serial # for me? Thanx much!

You will be missed. But a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Remember that you are welcome back.

Surfer Girl, have you seen this interview with Alice De Buhr? Tells the whole story of the band...

Switch it around, Buzzard Shadow has a cool, creepy old West kind of ring to it...

My son, there are some things only God can forgive...