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Topic: A Little Mahogany and a Little Quilt Maple |
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 5 Mar 2009 8:43 pm |
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This is an interesting steel hot off the bench. I had a slide player wanting to get into some steel. He picked a few various features and pieces of my other steels and we came up with this.
Its 24.5" scale, mahogany and quilt maple, bone nut and a couple nice hand wound pickups from BG Pups all finished off in hand rubbed Tru Oil.
Its primarily setup as a rock and blues machine, but it also does nice chimey cleans too, a very versatile guitar.
First pic is kinda cool, I guess you would call this a mirror finish 
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Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 5 Mar 2009 9:25 pm
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Very elegant, Tom. Quilted maple is one of my favorites.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Roger Palmer
From:
Rossendale, UK
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Posted 5 Mar 2009 10:55 pm
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| very nice....inspirational! |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 5 Mar 2009 11:50 pm
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Hey Tom, you blew us all away again with your craftsmanship. Very nice as usual  |
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Chris Walke
From:
St Charles, IL
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 7:15 am
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Another beauty from your workbench! I love seeing the guitars you build.
I like the p90/humbucker combo. Looks like a rocker for sure. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 7:36 am
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Nice work, Tom.  |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 10:16 am
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Thanks all, I have a blast building them and am very happy how it turned out.
I too love quilted maple, but I was a little worried it might end up looking a bit to busy so I scrubbed the quilted headstock overlay idea, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
The pickup combo works great for this setup. The humbucker is voiced open and airy and the P90 has a smooth creamy light grit to it. The mid position is a neat sounding blend too, lots of tones for him to play with.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 10:49 am
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| Beautiful guitar, Tom. Does it come with sunglasses? |
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James Kerr
From:
Scotland, UK
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 11:54 am
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I love the sight, texture and feel of natural wood, a thing like this just makes you want to play. Beautiful job Tom.
James. |
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Dave Begalka
From:
Minnesota, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 2:51 pm
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| Well done. It appears your good taste in material selection is exceeded only by your craftsmanship. Bravo. |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 2:56 pm
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| Quote: |
| I too love quilted maple, but I was a little worried it might end up looking a bit to busy so I scrubbed the quilted headstock overlay idea, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. |
Hey, either way. It would have looked killer with the maple but just ask Martin guitars if there's anything unclassy about a simple understated headstock.
Beautiful job. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 5:53 pm Oh no, here we go again...
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| I need to win the powerball lottery, now! |
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Ronald Smith
From:
LA (Lower Alabama), USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2009 5:32 am new un
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Now Tom,
That one is sliker than a greased peanut. Sure like to look but would rather feel! Great job! You are a craftsman first class.
Thanks and keep it up and God bless,
Ron |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 7 Mar 2009 7:37 am Re: new un
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| Ronald Smith wrote: |
Now Tom,
That one is sliker than a greased peanut.
Ron |
 .......love it! |
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Jim Konrad
From:
The Great Black Swamp USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2009 8:31 am
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Tom,
They are just getting better and better.
I do however like the bridge on this one better.....
Beautiful work always!!
Keep em coming!! |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 7 Mar 2009 10:10 am
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Thanks again all, Its been a fun journey and I truly appreciate all of your support.
Jim ... I like that stainless over maple bridge also.
I like that particular chrome hardtail pretty well too. The base has a lot of mass and they have a good sound.
I've been thinking of drilling / tapping a stainless rod saddle piece to replace the individual saddles. Kind of like the adjustable Stringmaster bridge.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
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Gary Stevenson
From:
Northern New York,USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2009 9:08 pm
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| Once again Tom you have created a masterpiece! You continue to inspire those of us who TRY to build nice lap steel. I have built 13 and yours are usually my inspiration.Alas my access to nice wood is limited and its hard to match yours.But as always yours are eye candy!!!! |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 9 Mar 2009 7:09 am
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Thanks Gary ... nothing wrong with the steels you have built.
You don't necessarily need fancy wood to make a great looking guitar. The above deco 8 string is just a nice grade of mahogany and a lightly flamed maple. To pop the flame / grain on the maple a bit, I used a wash coat of some amber / garnet colored shellac.
And this one is just regular old maple and mahogany.
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_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
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James Kerr
From:
Scotland, UK
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Posted 9 Mar 2009 10:57 am
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Tom,
Now you are right in my favorite period, Art Deco. That is one nice looking Instrument too, isn't it great fun to do the things you like.
That's why I'm building the New Yorker Replica.
James. |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 13 Mar 2009 9:08 pm
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Back to the top for a top notch builder. Nice work, Tom, I love the slotted key head.
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Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 15 Mar 2009 7:53 am
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Thanks Rick, you are too kind
And just because pics are always fun, here are a couple more.
In the first, you can see the countersinking of the knobs, a subtle detail, but one I like.
The secound pic shows some more of the mirror finish. Finishing is the most time consuming and my least favorite part of the process, but man do they look great when done.
.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 15 Mar 2009 9:43 am
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The title is wrong. It should be, "A Little Mahogany, a Little Quilt Maple, and a lot of Woodworking Skill."
Without the third item all comes to naught.
You might add a fourth item, "A Good Design Perspective." |
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Jerry Gleason
From:
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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Posted 15 Mar 2009 9:27 pm
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| Your steels are awesome, Tom. The thing I like about Tru-Oil is just the way it feels when it dries. It's just nicer to the touch than any poly finish, or even lacquer. What do you use for a final rub-out? When I finished my Dynalap with Tru-Oil, I used rottenstone, and then some dry cloths to rub it out, but I never quite got that mirror gloss that you have. Really nice work. Good photography, too. |
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