Tattooing Josh's Guitar

I have this friend named Josh.  Josh is a great guy, but he's a little rough on his guitars.  In fact, I've written three blog posts previously about how rough he is on his guitars.  Here they are in order.

Repairing Josh's Guitar, Part 1.

Repairing Josh's Guitar, Part 2 

Repairing Josh's Guitar.... Yet Again 

So after roughing up his Dean acoustic Josh decided to buy one of the newer Martin Guitars that are made in Mexico.  The interesting thing about these guitars, is that, they have a thin, almost hand rubbed finish on them.  It helps in projecting sound, but it so makes them vulnerable to be dinged up.

As I was setting up the Martin, Josh told me how he had all his students sign his guitar.  He wanted me to do so as well.  As I looked over the back and sides there must have been fifty signatures all over it.  So I added my signature as well.

I told Josh if he was writing all over his guitar I could do some wood-burning on the top of it.  I showed him the different tips I had for wood-burning, and what designs I could do.  He agreed to it, but only wanted a few designs.  So this is what we came up with.

I kept trying to add more to the designs, but Josh wanted to keep it minimalist.  A few weeks later I sent him a photo.  It's test piece to show Josh what I could wood-burn into his guitar.  This is the photo I sent him.

He then changed his mind, and said I could burn whatever I wanted into the guitar.  So yesterday I came up with this.

And here it is after being strung up.

The writing underneath the fretboard says, "Linda's Voice."  Linda is Josh's Grandmother.  He named this guitar after his Grandmother, so I suggested we wood-burn her name into the guitar.  I also thought that maybe we should add either "Song" or "Voice" after her name.  Josh thought that was a great idea, and chose "Voice."

So there's still room to add more "tattoos" later on.  I was thinking about something like the tree of life designs that some Ibanez Guitars have on their fretboards.  Except I would have it start at the bottom end of the guitar, and come around past the bridge, and underneath the soundhole.  It's something to think about down the road.  But for now I think it's perfect.