# My first 8 string build



## Elysian (Sep 24, 2008)

body is African Mahogany, the neck blank is gluing up right now, its gonna be a 3 piece neck, birdseye maple and purpleheart. its going to have a 7 degree tilt back headstock, scarf jointed, and a flamed maple cap, half carved. its going to have a 3+5 headstock as well, and a Texas Ebony fretboard. 28" scale, its going to get a nordstrand humbucker for the bridge pup, and nordstrand single for the neck pup. bridge is going to be a hipshot 8 string fixed bridge, 0.175" thick base plate.

heres what texas ebony looks like, i think its friggin beautiful, though very different from macassar ebony. its supposedly just as dense as ebony, but grows in the southwest and parts of california, and is priced a little bit better than Macassar.


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## Justin Bailey (Sep 24, 2008)

looks like it'll be a pretty cool build, good luck with this project, can't wait to see it finished!


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## revclay (Sep 24, 2008)

That fingerboard is going to look awesome, I think. Are you building this for yourself or a client? It looks like it is going to rock.


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## Elysian (Sep 24, 2008)

revclay said:


> That fingerboard is going to look awesome, I think. Are you building this for yourself or a client? It looks like it is going to rock.



myself, i don't want to prototype something for a customer...


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## yevetz (Sep 24, 2008)

Congrats!


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## Mattmc74 (Sep 24, 2008)

That looks like it will be very badass! That grain on the fretboard is really sweet. Can't wait to see it all done! As always - Nice work!


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## arnoroth661 (Sep 24, 2008)

Isnt this the body I picked up while I was there... I was wondering what that was.


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## Variant (Sep 24, 2008)

Lookin' good Adam, are you worried that the Mahog' might be too dark for an eighter?


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## Elysian (Sep 24, 2008)

arnoroth661 said:


> Isnt this the body I picked up while I was there... I was wondering what that was.



no, i just cut this out today, you probably just picked up an RG body.


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## Elysian (Sep 24, 2008)

got the scarf joint done(also my first scarf joint), i've also cut the end off the neck, the fretboard is going to be 21.25" long, basically come just past the 24th fret, and i might have to add wings to the headstock, but i've not tested the design on it yet. need to get the truss rod, and route the truss rod channel next, as well as make my 28" scale fret slot template, and then get the fretboard to shape. its going to be 3" wide at the 24th fret, and its just over 2 1/4" wide at the nut(uses Ibanez string spacing)


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## Stealthdjentstic (Sep 24, 2008)

that fingerboard is nice.


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## Neil (Sep 24, 2008)

Hey just saw this over at PG (didnt realise you were the same person lol) love the design and the headstock!


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## Elysian (Sep 24, 2008)

gluing the top on right now  i also picked up the bit i need to route the truss rod channel.


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## hanachanmaru (Sep 24, 2008)

heres what texas ebony looks like, i think its friggin beautiful, though very different from macassar ebony. its supposedly just as dense as ebony, but grows in the southwest and parts of california, and is priced a little bit better than Macassar.



[/QUOTE]




A really beautiful fretboard !!!! :chris:


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## Shawn (Sep 24, 2008)

Looks great so far. Nice work!


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## djpharoah (Sep 25, 2008)

Pimping with that Texas Ebony.


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## Elysian (Sep 25, 2008)




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## Ramsay777 (Sep 25, 2008)

Nice curves!!


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## Apophis (Sep 25, 2008)

looks awesome so far  congrats


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## Trespass (Sep 25, 2008)

Looks great


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## Elysian (Sep 25, 2008)

routed the neck pocket, finished shaping the body. i also carved the back like a collen arch top


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## eegor (Sep 25, 2008)

That looks really fucking nice so far! I can't wait to see the final product.


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## psychoticsnoman (Sep 25, 2008)

this is


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## theshred201 (Sep 25, 2008)

As I said the other day, that flamed purpleheart is win. Looks great all around. Can't wait to see how this progresses.


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## Elysian (Sep 25, 2008)

thanks. i also slotted the fretboard today, and shaped it all up, its gonna be getting ebony binding(the black stuff, should be a nice touch with the texas ebony and all)... i also have a 20" dual action truss rod on the way.


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## Hcash (Sep 26, 2008)

Glad to see you got started on this...


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## Stealthdjentstic (Sep 26, 2008)

Elysian said:


> routed the neck pocket, finished shaping the body. i also carved the back like a collen arch top



That is one hell of a body.


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## Infused1 (Sep 26, 2008)

Elysian said:


> routed the neck pocket, finished shaping the body. i also carved the back like a collen arch top



About time you did that thing!!


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## Elysian (Sep 26, 2008)

Infused1 said:


> About time you did that thing!!


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## Elysian (Sep 26, 2008)

worked on the control cavities today. this is an idea i had for taking out as little wood as possible, instead of having all the routes of say an Ibanez, it also saves me from having to make 1 more template, and is pretty easy to be honest. anything to make this easier is good with me! if i use mini pots i can make the holes even smaller, if i use a gibson 3 way instead of a blade switch, can make it even less wood taken out, i think the idea is pretty sound overall. i also did a UV style jack today.


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## Ramsay777 (Sep 27, 2008)

Looks awesome so far dude!!

What pickups are going in this beast, Adam?


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## Elysian (Sep 27, 2008)

Ramsay777 said:


> Looks awesome so far dude!!
> 
> What pickups are going in this beast, Adam?



nordstrand, bridge hum, neck single.


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## SnowfaLL (Sep 27, 2008)

Oh you're finally getting this bodyshape started eh? Cool.

Looks good.


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## Ruins (Sep 27, 2008)

looks great so far can't wait to see the neck with binding being done


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## Elysian (Sep 27, 2008)

Ruins said:


> looks great so far can't wait to see the neck with binding being done



i figure i'll get the binding monday, its coming fedex along with a bunch of other things for this build. the truss rod might get here today, its coming USPS, so we'll see.


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## Elysian (Sep 28, 2008)

just a quick mockup, fretboard isn't glued on, just set in place. opinions on the headstock?


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## Qucifer (Sep 28, 2008)

I think it looks great!


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## sakeido (Sep 28, 2008)

Looks like a mix of the Sherman headstock, and the Jackson SLS headstock. Pretty cool.
Actually, it is really, really close to the Jackson SLS headstock except reversed  But that is my favorite headstock of all time, so yeah - good stuff


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## Elysian (Sep 28, 2008)

sakeido said:


> Looks like a mix of the Sherman headstock, and the Jackson SLS headstock. Pretty cool.
> Actually, it is really, really close to the Jackson SLS headstock except reversed  But that is my favorite headstock of all time, so yeah - good stuff



i won't lie, i like the SLS headstock a lot  but i definitely didn't want to exactly copy it either


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## Justin Bailey (Sep 28, 2008)

I was worried about that body for a while, but it looks really, really good. Awesome job, man.


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## wannabguitarist (Sep 28, 2008)

You work fast, looks nice. I love the fretboard and headstock


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## theshred201 (Sep 28, 2008)

There's definitely a face in the top, I'll point it out tomorrow if I can


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## eegor (Sep 28, 2008)

Oh no, I see it.


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## Elysian (Oct 2, 2008)

heres a quick mockup with tuners, put a texas ebony headcap on it, you can also see the ebony binding just a little bit. the binding isn't on the furthest part of the fretboard though, it will be tomorrow. i'm going to modify the headstock slightly, to bring the curved part under the low F# to where its quite a bit closer to the low F#. the tuners being "backwards" on the treble side of the headstock is intentional, i really liked how it looked on my Yamaha build(which is still not completed  ).


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## El Caco (Oct 2, 2008)

Nice Adam.


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## Justin Bailey (Oct 2, 2008)

looks cool, the headstock could use a little work however.


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## JimboTheHobo (Oct 2, 2008)

that's nice Adam


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## psychoticsnoman (Oct 2, 2008)

Justin Bailey said:


> looks cool, the headstock could use a little work however.



Hows that ?


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## GazPots (Oct 2, 2008)

I agree. I don't think it fits the body's shape quite right. 

I think it needs more angles. The body has exagerated lines (wide to thin) and the headstock doesn't seem to continue it.



Still impressive work. Lookin forward to seeing it finished.


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## Elysian (Oct 2, 2008)

GazPots said:


> I agree. I don't think it fits the body's shape quite right.
> 
> I think it needs more angles. The body has exagerated lines (wide to thin) and the headstock doesn't seem to continue it.
> 
> ...



i guess we'll have to agree to disagree  i think the headstock fits the body perfectly, it will have slight changes, but only slight, its going to be the same basic shape as it is now, and i think it really suits the build, its not too big, not too small, and doesn't distract from the body, which i think is the central focus of this guitar. i think the headstock is understated enough that it won't clash, and matches the general style of the build to the degree that it won't distract your eye from the rest of the guitar... just my


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## drawnQ (Oct 2, 2008)

i think the headstock would work better if the general shape was elongated and a 4x4 tuner setup was used instead of 3x5.

it'd give the headstock more form and appearance i think


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## GazPots (Oct 3, 2008)

Elysian said:


> i guess we'll have to agree to disagree  i think the headstock fits the body perfectly, it will have slight changes, but only slight, its going to be the same basic shape as it is now, and i think it really suits the build, its not too big, not too small, and doesn't distract from the body, which i think is the central focus of this guitar. i think the headstock is understated enough that it won't clash, and matches the general style of the build to the degree that it won't distract your eye from the rest of the guitar... just my





Hey man i didnt want to come across harsh or anything. Your guitar, you can do what you want which is the joy of it.  



Impressive work and whether i like the headstock or not i definatly want to see more progress pics. 


Keep the work comin.


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## st2012 (Oct 3, 2008)

Pretty impressive work man, keep the updates coming!


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## Elysian (Oct 3, 2008)

carving the neck today.


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## Elysian (Oct 3, 2008)

carved the neck today





also refined the headstock a bit, i'm really happy with how it looks.









sorry for the blurry pics, photography isn't my thing...

and my hands are dirty cause i've been dealing with stain the last couple of days


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## arnoroth661 (Oct 4, 2008)

Elysian said:


> and my hands are dirty cause i've been dealing with stain the last couple of days



'bout to say Adam I didn't know you also dig graves for a living.


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## Hcash (Oct 5, 2008)

Manliest hands on sevenstring.org award...

Once I start working, we must talk about you building me one of these. Plus or Minus a string...


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## somn (Oct 5, 2008)

????? threds acting up on me swore there were other pics here when i posted this????


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## budda (Oct 5, 2008)

dude, that's a nice lookin 8!

FS at $500 +ship?  i kid, i kid!

and I too see a face in that top! stain that beast with something?


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## Speedy Fingers (Oct 6, 2008)

That thing is really beginning to look incredible.


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## Elysian (Oct 6, 2008)

bolted the neck on today, did the fretwork, dot inlays, shaped the neck heel, did a cooley style mod to the lower horn


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## psychoticsnoman (Oct 6, 2008)

damn this looks good


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## El Caco (Oct 6, 2008)

Looking great Adam.


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## budda (Oct 6, 2008)




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## drawnQ (Oct 6, 2008)

gorgeous
can't wait to see it strung up with some pups in it


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## somn (Oct 6, 2008)

does the neck fit in the pocket snug cus i cant tell if those are small gaps or shadow??? still rocken ax man what bridge did you have in mind?


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## Elysian (Oct 7, 2008)

somn said:


> does the neck fit in the pocket snug cus i cant tell if those are small gaps or shadow??? still rocken ax man what bridge did you have in mind?



gotta leave a gap for finish both on the body and the neck.


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## somn (Oct 7, 2008)

what finish u got in mind?


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## Elysian (Oct 7, 2008)

somn said:


> what finish u got in mind?



purple burst


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## psychoticsnoman (Oct 7, 2008)

Elysian said:


> purple burst


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## TimSE (Oct 7, 2008)

psychoticsnoman said:


>


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## vansinn (Oct 7, 2008)

Looking really nice. Is it just me or lights/shadows, or does the heel extend a bit out over the neck (mount)? -just doesn't look smooth (in the pics at least)..


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## Elysian (Oct 7, 2008)

vansinn said:


> Looking really nice. Is it just me or lights/shadows, or does the heel extend a bit out over the neck (mount)? -just doesn't look smooth (in the pics at least)..



i'm not seeing what you mean, and no, the heel does not extend over the neck.


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## canuck brian (Oct 7, 2008)

MOAR PICS.


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## Hcash (Oct 7, 2008)

Lookin' sexy. Can't wait for the purple...


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## Apophis (Oct 8, 2008)




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## guitarbuilder93 (Oct 13, 2008)

das fuckin' hot! 
sweet work, do you have the pups yet?


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## Fred (Oct 13, 2008)

Looks so damn good man, really looking forward to the finished product.


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## Elysian (Oct 13, 2008)

guitarbuilder93 said:


> das fuckin' hot!
> sweet work, do you have the pups yet?



they are ready, but i don't have the money to pay for them yet, i'm working hard on finishing some things, so hopefully i'll have those soon.


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## Sepultorture (Oct 13, 2008)

damn man that neck looks flat as hell and dead sexy


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## NegaTiveXero (Oct 15, 2008)

Dude, if my RGA7 body turns out half as awesome as this one, I'll be really fucking happy.

Who is this for?


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## Elysian (Oct 15, 2008)

me.

and your name being different on here from mg.org really confused me until i saw the amp


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## NegaTiveXero (Oct 15, 2008)

My bad. Anyway, you're going to have one bad ass looking 8. After I get this RGA body, I may get an 8 from you (when I get the monies, of course).


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## S-O (Oct 15, 2008)

a :fap: emote is needed.


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## eegor (Oct 15, 2008)

S-O said:


> a :fap: emote is needed.



That would be rather disgusting, but so appropriate.


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## awesomeaustin (Oct 21, 2008)

I will be keeping an eye on this thread


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## bulletbass man (Oct 22, 2008)

Make a set neck version and you'll have one of the coolest guitars on the planet.

Seriously that is some really beautiful work. Those carves are killer.


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## Elysian (Oct 22, 2008)

bulletbass man said:


> Make a set neck version and you'll have one of the coolest guitars on the planet.
> 
> Seriously that is some really beautiful work. Those carves are killer.



i only made this one bolt on because i'm trying something new with the neck, so if it backfires i can just as easily build a new neck


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## budda (Oct 22, 2008)

i was gonna say - purple burst? Sell 'er to Edroz!


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## Sepultorture (Oct 22, 2008)

can we see some side profiles of that neck so we can see the true flatness


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## Meldville (Oct 22, 2008)

Niiiice work man!


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## Elysian (Mar 13, 2010)

Wow, I haven't updated this since 2008. I finally pulled the 8 string neck and body out and got some work done. I just finished doing the stain and the vinyl sealant, I decided to go green with black burst and black back. Heres a pic:


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## flo (Mar 13, 2010)

I love the way you carved this top, looks female and very hot 
Too bad all the old pics are gone... but it reads promising


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## Andrew_B (Mar 14, 2010)

finally your back to building!


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## SYLrules88 (Mar 14, 2010)

see if you cant scrounge up some of the old pics? id love to see more of this!


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## Elysian (Mar 14, 2010)




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## El Caco (Mar 14, 2010)

What's the shape called Adam? The green black and weathered edges reminds me of Predator for some reason.


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## Elysian (Mar 14, 2010)

s7eve said:


> What's the shape called Adam? The green black and weathered edges reminds me of Predator for some reason.



I dunno yet, don't have any name for any of my shape


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## splinter8451 (Mar 14, 2010)

s7eve said:


> What's the shape called Adam? *The green black and weathered edges reminds me of Predator for some reason.*



Took the words right outta my mouth


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## Galius (Mar 15, 2010)

s7eve said:


> What's the shape called Adam? The green black and weathered edges reminds me of Predator for some reason.


 
I dont think he can use that name since Peavey already has a "Predator"


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## BrainArt (Mar 15, 2010)

That looks awesome, Adam! I'm stoked to see this finished.


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