Strange Tradings: New Guitar Day: Gretsch Edition

It all began with a Craigslist ad.  No!  Not that kind of ad you pervert!  I was browsing the musical instruments on Craigslist when I saw an add that interested me.

It said, "Gretsch 135th Anniversary Edition G5420TG FS/FT."  I had to click on it.  I knew I couldn't buy it, but something told me I had to take a peek.  The photos were great.

A two-tone Gretsch in Ruby Red and Gold Sparkle?  That's a pretty kick ass guitar!  I was reading the description when something caught my attention.  It said, "Will consider trades of multiple guitars for this guitar."

So I made a few offers to the seller.  He was receiving multiple offers so he wasn't sure which one to go with.  I made a second offer for three guitars and two cases for his Gretsch and case.  I also agreed to meet him at Guitar Center which was halfway for both of us.  It was also the closest meeting place that someone (me) had offered to me him at.  Everyone else seemed to be fifty miles away from him.

So here's what I offered.

I had just traded a Tele for this 2004 MIM Stratocaster.  I looked the Strat up on the Fender Serial Number Lookup.  It showed it exactly as pictured.  The only difference was someone had added Fender Locking Tuners.  I also traded a generic hardshell case with it.

An Agile 2500 Les Paul style guitar.

And an Epiphone ES-335 Pro with GFS hardshell case.

I realize that some might say that I overpaid/over-traded for the Gretsch, but there is a method to my madness.  90's to 2000's Fender MIM Strats are great guitars.  I've had a few, and I really dig them.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of them on the market, so they don't command high prices.  Well, let me say, sellers ask a good amount for them, but I never see them selling for what they are asking. 

The Agile I managed to snag for a good deal.  It needed one of my fabulous fret-dressings and set-ups, but after that it played well.  I just couldn't bond with it. 

The Epiphone I also received a good deal on.  I did add a lot of things such as new pickups, a bone nut, strap-locks, fancy knobs, and of course the GFS paisley hardshell case.  

The trader brought a family member to check out the guitars.  He was really impressed with how I had them set up.  He gave the gentleman the okay to make the trade.  I glanced over the Gretsch.  It didn't have a mark on it.  The neck wasn't perfectly straight like a Japanese made one would be, but the frets were all even, and all notes were playable.  

So I think it worked out for everyone.  The Orlando Guitar Show is coming up, and everyone is trying to sell gear before the show comes.  So the buying market is terrible right now.  That's one reason I was glad to trade off three guitars.  I didn't have to worry about trying to sell them individually.  

It worked out well for both of us, and in the end, that's what's important.  I hope he had fun with them.  I know I will.  Let's all just keep on rock'in.  

I Am A Terrible Luthier, But I'm Working On It

For quite a while now I have been building a guitar I've called "Project 5."  Here's the original post describing the ideas I had behind it.

http://angjellockheart.blogspot.com/2011/02/not-another-guitar-project.html

Here's a picture of the guitar that I based my design on.

But I wanted it to have that jangle and style of the Gretsch White Penguin.

Here is what I have come up with so far.

Not bad, but I have made a number of mistakes.  I have fixed most of them, but I have two serious ones.

The first big mistake I made was drilling a hole out the back of the body.  You can see the hole in the picture above.  So I decided to plug the hole.  I would like to thank my Dad for woodturning a piece of black walnut so that I could fill the hole.  Here's the piece he did.

With a bit of Titebond 2 glue, and some time, I will be able to fix my screw up.  After the glue dries I will sand down the plug, and cover it with lacquer.

The next mistake was as serious as it gets.  I screwed up royally.  I screwed up so bad that I put this guitar away for over a year and a half.  Simply put, I made the neck too thin.  Then, when I was shaving it into shape, I cut through, so that the truss rod was showing out the back of the neck.  

So, after spending some time away from the project, I had a friend on the net show how to put a patch over a broken neck.  His was way worse, so I figured I could save this guitar since it was not as bad.  This is what I came up with.

It may not be pretty, but it will work.  I tested the movement on the neck, and it seems to be holding.  I have sanded it even, and applied tung oil to fill the grain.  Once I get the hole on the back sanded even, I will start applying polyurethane to both the filled hole and the neck.