Bet you don't have one of THESE!

I took my Evans Pull String prototype - and added an Allparts BARITONE neck (bare maple/rosewood with unfinished fretwork)!

WARNING - DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME - The neck took a *huge* amount of work, so unless you are an experienced tech and finisher or have $700 or so laying around to buy a neck and pay for setup and finish work (AND already have a functional Pull String), seriously - don't even think about it.

The neck edges (and fret ends) had to be completely reshaped, plus it needed far more than the usual "new neck" fret dressing. There was extensive, multiple-pass fretwork: level, crown, polish, ends filed/rounded/reshaped/polished times three...plus custom nut fabrication for the unusual string gages.

To add to the fun, the relief had to be re-set several times as it settled in - which is a pain in the butt, with the truss rod nut at the heel, requiring multiple neck removals and rod adjustments as it "settled in"...*plus* multiple tweaks of the nut slots. I would have charged about $450 for the setup and nut fabrication. PLUS another $125 for the neck finishing. So a $165 neck is only a good deal for idiots like me that do all their own work. They are NOT simple "rub on an oil finish, glue in a pre-cut nut, drill and bolt it on" necks.

It has a 28.78" scale, with 24 medium frets. I finished it in lacquer with a "deglossed" back to avoid stickiness and installed stock Kluson Deluxe nickel tuners. It's tuned B E A D F# B low to high (strings are 62 46 36 26w 17 13). Because of the neck length I set the throw to just a hair over 1/2" at the strap peg, which feels like a 3/4" or so throw on a normal Pull String.

Sound bites will follow, hopefully (I have all kinds of recording gear I don't know how to use. David handled all that for me, so I'll do my best to get something better than an iPhone recording done. If any of you live around West L.A. or the South Bay and have some time - HELP!).

But basically, with the Velvet Hammer pickups (wound by Red) through my '61 Showman with the original 15" Altec it sounds like a Pull String Howitzer! Clarence crossed with Duane Eddy and some Dick Dale thrown in for good measure. It's a bit tougher to play than a normal b-bender (or guitar) - the action has to be a hair higher and, of course, the strings are much heavier.

But - DAMN!

 

Here's a quick, lousy "Just Press Record" iPhone file - you gt the general idea!

 

Nope - never has. Always given it to anyone who asks.