My Childrens Children (PIC HEAVY)

[medicbanks]

I have been planning to post this for a very long time. Several years ago I started my first ever build and never posted pics. Now I am working on my second. So i figured now would be a really good time to post pics and make some long overdue thank you notes.

First and foremost I want to think Ron Kirn, Arlo West and all the people who post on this site making it a fantastic resource for builders.

So here is the story of the "MabCaster"

I grew up on a tobacco farm in eastern North Carolina, my family has owned this farm since 1809. At the birth of my first daughter, who is now four I decided that I wanted to build something for her to have after i've moved along to remind her of both me and her heritage, so what better place to start.

I contacted Ron Kirn, and we worked out an agreement which got me a rough cut body, made from 100 plus year old tobacco barn pine.

Once the body came, it was finished with Howards feed 'n' wax, then clear coated with nitrocellulose and polished to a nice semi gloss shine. I didn't want the clear to be to thick so you could really get a feel for the character of the wood.

The neck is a maple "style" with a modified "C" shape and maple fretboard and Sperzel Tuners.

Pickguard is an aged three ply from warmouth.
The humbucker is a Gibson PAF Burstbucker
The bridge single coil is a Fender Hot Rod.

Now the story of the Lil-E-Caster.

The second build is for my second daughter, who is now two.

The first guitar that I purchased with my own earned cash money was a Baja Telecaster, and the first guitar that I ever refinished was the same Telecaster. I figure since my first build was for my first daughter, then my first tele and refinish should belong to my second.

I decided that I wanted a Lake Placid Blue Tele, so I stripped the body (which i do not recommend), and then I stripped the body again. When you look at websites like Guitar ReRanch and they talk about being patient when finishing guitars...LISTEN TO THEM (pics posted).

So the neck is a birdeye maple with maple fretboard, "V" shape with Sperzel Tuners. (pic show a strat neck I threw on to test everything while the headstock cures on the maple).

Waiting on the Paisley Pickguard from MarkSound
Wiring harness is a Tundratone 4 position.
Neck is a GFS Mean 90 Humbucker sized P90
Bridge is GFS Hot Tele
and the Bridge/Tremelo is also from GFS.

So that is the story so far

[medicbanks]

More Pics

[medicbanks]

and the Lil-E-Caster in progress

[Devincaster]

Dude...so awesome. I love the wood grain.

[adkima00]

That Mabcaster is gorgeous.

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[medicbanks]

and a few more

[DABrault]

I love the choice of grain you used!
By the way, what part of eastern N.C. are in in? I've got family in those parts.

[medicbanks]

Having some trouble uploading some of the pics, but so i skipped a few. Pretty sure you get the point though...

[medicbanks]

Glad you guys like.

I live in New Bern, about 30-40 minutes from the coast.

[medicbanks]

I will post some more updates when the pick guard comes in so i can finish this one up

[DABrault]

My inlaws are in hertford just south of Elizabeth city.

[thorton077]

That's awesome!

[medicbanks]

I don't get up to the Elizabeth City or Hertford area very ofter, however I do get up to Williamsburg fairly often. Planning a trip up there first of October....Hall-O-Scream at Busch Gardens is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

BTW guys in case you didn't notice the picture posted just before the second stripping of the Lil-E-Caster...that is what happens when you don't take your time spraying color and clear coat.

[DABrault]

Originally Posted by medicbanks

I don't get up to the Elizabeth City or Hertford area very ofter, however I do get up to Williamsburg fairly often. Planning a trip up there first of October....Hall-O-Scream at Busch Gardens is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

Yeah you and the rest of the east coast. I live literally 5 minutes from Busch Gardens and Water Country, so yeah, we are dodging tourists all summer long!

Sorry man, my intentions weren't to steer your topic astray. Seriously though you got some mad guitar building skills!

[medicbanks]

Dude there is no way I would go to BG this time of year. I've had several friends go up there this summer and they only confirm my suspicion...this time of year at an amusement park, bad idea.

Thank you for your kind words, i'm pretty much an amateur. In fact amateur is being pretty optimistic. Maybe in 40 or 50 more builds i'll get decent at it...if my girlfriend will tolerate my habit.

[studio1087]

All the photos are great but this is my favorite. This is stunning (to me).....



The story behind the wood is great. Your guitars are very special (you know that).

Keep the photos coming.

[medicbanks]

That shot and the one of the grain on the back are my favorites. Ron probably thought I was crazy when he go the wood and saw which pieces I had picked.

Once the pickguard comes in for the Lil-E, I think I'm going to do a telemaster, but I have to say after building these two the idea of another seems a little empty because the first two had so much feeling put into them, sounds a little strange I know, but those two have a lot of "soul" in them.

[medicbanks]

So the silver/black paisley pickguard is on the way, hopefully I'll have some more pics up after the weekend.

On a side note. I have the bridge all the way down and the action is still slightly higher than I would like and I think I'm going to have to shim the neck (although any suggestions are appreciated). What do you guys recommend for shim material?

[medicbanks]

A few more pictures for you guys. Waiting for a response from an eBay auction to get the headstock decals. Once they get here and put on the deed is done.

Sent from my iPhone using TDPRI

[BigD]

Cool story and very super groovy guitars.