# The making of Lilith. A 6 String Dream.



## Whitestrat (Nov 30, 2010)

I ordered a Jason Z Schroeder custom back in Jan 2009. It's been a bit of a wait, but the build has finally begun.

Details:

Shorty Style 22 Stainless Steel Jumbo Frets
Quartersawn Flamed Top
Lightweight 1 piece Honduran Mahogany Body
Honduran Mahogany Neck
Brazilian Rosewood Fretboard
24.75 Scale
2 Humbuckers
2 Volume 2 tone (LP Layout)
3 way switch
Graphtech Resomax NVS Bridge with Aluminium Schroeder Tailpiece
Schaller Locking tuners with pearloid pegs
59' thickness, top carve and neck angle.
Lemon drop burst with cherry back.
Nitro Lacquer Finish
Ivoroid binding all around except headstock.
Custom MOP Inlays
Here are some pics of the initial stages:

Initial Top Layout






Going thru the Thickness Planer





Checking the center fit and alignment:





Gluing the top:





I'm so stoked! It's been a long wait, but now that it's begun, I've forgotten the agony! Knowing this is in the near future, it's sort of killed my GAS for a while until I get this... Nothing else is going to sate my appetite until I get this!!!

Gluing Body to Top:





Preparing to cut: (wonder what all those guys standing there are doing... Hahaha...)





Cutting the body shape:





The rough cut body:





Cutting the neck pocket:





The routing jig for pickup cavities:





Pickup cavities and neck pocket routed:





I was thinking of a name for the guitar.
Athena's (Jason's KILLER Inlay Artist!) inlay design has given me the perfect name for it.





This is the confirmed inlay I will be using for the guitar. For some reason, when I look at it, the name "Lillith" comes to mind.
So "Lillith" it will be! It will be a mixture of Shells and Petrified wood.

Jason carving the top









Belly carve









Binding









Check out Home | Jason Z. Schroeder Guitars to see what the shorty design is like!


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## Customisbetter (Nov 30, 2010)

Sexy.


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## ILuvPillows (Nov 30, 2010)

Just as i was starting to look at double cuts again... very nice looking guitar


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## synrgy (Nov 30, 2010)

Reminds me of my Hamer in all the right ways. Love the inlay design, and looking forward to seeing this finished.


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## Elijah (Nov 30, 2010)

Can't wait to see the finished product on this one. Congrats man!


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## Whitestrat (Dec 1, 2010)

He just bound the body. I'll upload pics when my Internet is up. Doing this through an iPhone now. A little challenging. Hahaha...


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## Whitestrat (Dec 2, 2010)

More pics!


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## TimSE (Dec 2, 2010)

niiiice


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## ev1ltwin (Dec 2, 2010)

lemon drop burst


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## shadowsea (Dec 5, 2010)

this guitar is soooo sweet. i cannot wait to see the finished product.


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## Whitestrat (Dec 17, 2010)

The inlay has begun!


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## ev1ltwin (Dec 17, 2010)

jesus christ that inlay


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## technomancer (Dec 17, 2010)

Looking good


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## airpanos (Dec 18, 2010)

http://1.1.1.5/bmi/www.mylespaul.co...tom-build-picture28018-lionel-flower-plus.jpg


Man that inlay is really cool!!
Is from ancient greek-godess athena.

Looks very royal to me,keep up the good work!

I will like to hear the inlay cost.


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## theo (Dec 18, 2010)

oh wow, that looks stunning! like!!!!


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## Whitestrat (Dec 18, 2010)

airpanos said:


> Man that inlay is really cool!!
> Is from ancient greek-godess athena.


 
No, it's got nothing to do with the greek goddess. Though the coincidence is that the inlay artist doing this IS named Athena.

As for the cost, you'll have to contact her at www.athenainlay.com.


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## JamesM (Dec 20, 2010)

^I dunno dude, it might just be me but I wouldn't argue with the dude from Greece over it not being from Athena. 

Looks good!


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## a1a2a3a4 (Dec 20, 2010)

Whitestrat said:


> More pics!



I don't get what he's doing in these last 3 pictures. Anyone care to explain?


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## elq (Dec 20, 2010)

gluing the binding.


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## metallidude3 (Dec 20, 2010)

That inlay =


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## Whitestrat (Jan 20, 2011)

Oh My GAWD!!!!!!!!






BRW board with neck:


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## xCaptainx (Jan 20, 2011)

my cats name is lillith, so this automatically gets a thumbs up from me, haha. Nice looking inlay man!


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## scherzo1928 (Jan 20, 2011)

that is most impressive.


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## BlackMastodon (Jan 21, 2011)

Absolutely amazing inlay. But that body is hella thick, any more carving gonna happen on the backside of it? Looks to be on the heavier side.


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## Whitestrat (Jan 21, 2011)

Not really. That's the standard Les Paul thickness.


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## Asrial (Jan 21, 2011)

That...
Inlay...


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## rob_707 (Jan 21, 2011)

if you don't mind me asking, but what kind of disk is on that grinder that your using to carve the top of the body??


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## Sebastian (Jan 21, 2011)

Looks great so far, and the inlay


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## Xaios (Jan 21, 2011)

That inlay is just gorgeous. Well done!


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## Whitestrat (Jan 22, 2011)

rob_707 said:


> if you don't mind me asking, but what kind of disk is on that grinder that your using to carve the top of the body??



I have no clue. I think Jason uses a sanding disk.


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## Whitestrat (Jan 27, 2011)

Gluing the fretboard to the neck:


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## technomancer (Jan 27, 2011)

The inlay looks cool, but what is it with guys using colored filler instead of doing actual inlay work recently? I mean the guy clearly has the talent to cut the pieces given the leaves etc


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## Whitestrat (Jan 28, 2011)

technomancer said:


> The inlay looks cool, but what is it with guys using colored filler instead of doing actual inlay work recently? I mean the guy clearly has the talent to cut the pieces given the leaves etc


 
Coloured filler? Where'd you get that from?  The green leaves, blue flowers and light brown branches are made of stained pertified wood. Not filler material.


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## Whitestrat (Jan 28, 2011)

Binding the fretboard!


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## Andromalia (Jan 28, 2011)

That inlay is very nice, indeed.


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## Alberto7 (Jan 28, 2011)

That inlay is very sexy, and the name Lilith is just badass. It's looking really good so far, so I definitely want to keep track of this build!


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## technomancer (Jan 28, 2011)

Whitestrat said:


> Coloured filler? Where'd you get that from?  The green leaves, blue flowers and light brown branches are made of stained pertified wood. Not filler material.



Yeah the plants look like they're all cut and pieced. The big metallic looking part of the inlay looks like it was done with colored filler (the reason you can see it squished into the fret slots). If I'm wrong it's cool, but it looks like brass putty


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## Corpsegrinder88 (Jan 28, 2011)

Where has Athena been hiding at? I throughly enjoy talking inlay techniques with her..


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## Manticore (Jan 28, 2011)

love the inlay
inlay always makes the guitar


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## Whitestrat (Jan 28, 2011)

technomancer said:


> The big metallic looking part of the inlay looks like it was done with colored filler (the reason you can see it squished into the fret slots). If I'm wrong it's cool, but it looks like brass putty


 
Uh... dude, that's MOP. Not filler.

It looks like that because it was originally laid in as a whole piece, then slowly reslotted for the frets. And that fretboard wasn't radiused yet either, so the inlay is pretty thick.

Athena is an artist. She not only embellished my original inlay design, I also left the specs of the inlay entirely to her, with the exception that the main figure MUST be MOP. She then chose to design the colours and leaves, flowers etc around the look of my general guitar. Meaning it's designed with the whole guitar's look in mind. Not just for it to stick out like a sore thumb.

She's awesome man!


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## Whitestrat (Jan 28, 2011)

Another example done by Athena:


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## 777 (Jan 28, 2011)

Thick guitar is thick. That thing must weigh a tonne!! the tone will be immense though :|

nom nom nom


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## Whitestrat (Jan 29, 2011)

Fretted!!! Stainless Steel Frets.


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## Whitestrat (Jan 29, 2011)

777 said:


> Thick guitar is thick. That thing must weigh a tonne!! the tone will be immense though :|


 
Well, Jason Schroeder estimates this one to be a low 8 pounder. I seriously hope that's so.


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## scherzo1928 (Jan 29, 2011)

Whitestrat said:


> Another example done by Athena:


 
 I thought I had seen it all inlay-wise.
That's the best inlay I have ever seen. When inlays start getting really complex they tend to look like cheesy crap, but that is absolutely beautiful.


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## SirMyghin (Jan 29, 2011)

scherzo1928 said:


> I thought I had seen it all inlay-wise.
> That's the best inlay I have ever seen. When inlays start getting really complex they tend to look like cheesy crap, but that is absolutely beautiful.



Naw your were right the first time, that one looks cheesy. 

The one on that guitar however, stunning.


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## Whitestrat (Jan 29, 2011)

The finished top carve. That top is really popping out!


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## Whitestrat (Feb 4, 2011)

Working on the headstock! (Courtesy of Mrs Schroeder!)


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## technomancer (Feb 4, 2011)

Whitestrat said:


> Uh... dude, that's MOP. Not filler.
> 
> It looks like that because it was originally laid in as a whole piece, then slowly reslotted for the frets. And that fretboard wasn't radiused yet either, so the inlay is pretty thick.



That makes MUCH more sense. That's looking awesome


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## Xaios (Feb 4, 2011)

Whitestrat said:


>



I see a woman there. Not only that, but a woman working on a guitar.

More pics of that.


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## joaocunha (Feb 5, 2011)

Xaios said:


> I see a woman there. Not only that, but a woman working on a guitar.
> 
> More pics of that.



Not only that, a beautiful woman working on a guitar. I bet she isn't Maricela Juarez


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## joaocunha (Feb 5, 2011)

I demand you guys to see this thread: Merkley #2 - Schroeder Guitar Forums

That's her job.


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## Durero (Feb 5, 2011)

^ Just checked out that thread and


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## elq (Feb 5, 2011)

The woman in the picture is the luthiers wife, Elizabeth... the amazing inlay is done by Athena Inlay


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## Whitestrat (Feb 5, 2011)

Have you guys seen the 7 string baritone he's built? Killer neck!!!


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## The Reverend (Feb 5, 2011)

I WANT FINISHED LILITH PICS. I know building customs takes some time, but damn, the anticipation is killing me! Whitestrat, I don't know how you're dealing with it


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## vansinn (Feb 5, 2011)

I too made it through all pages, and I say made it, 'cause I had to take breaks due to the amount of info and cool details. I've never before seen such attention to detail.
Stunning artworks, pure art. I lack better words..
I knew of Athena, have checked the site, but this!!!


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## vampiregenocide (Feb 5, 2011)

Whitestrat said:


>


 
She needs to be my wife like now.


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## Whitestrat (Feb 5, 2011)

The Reverend said:


> I WANT FINISHED LILITH PICS. I know building customs takes some time, but damn, the anticipation is killing me! Whitestrat, I don't know how you're dealing with it



Yeah. The wait is agony! But at least I get to share the anxiety with you guys! Hahaha!!!


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## Whitestrat (Feb 5, 2011)

vampiregenocide said:


> She needs to be my wife like now.



Im sure Jason and their 3 kids would disagree with you. Heh...


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## Whitestrat (Feb 26, 2011)

Note: In these last 2 pics, bear in mind that the neck isn't glued into the body yet. This shows how TIGHT the neck joint is, and how precise Jason is in his work.


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## Alberto7 (Feb 26, 2011)

Holy guacamole! That is looking beautiful  mewants!


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## TimSE (Feb 26, 2011)

Some excellent progress right there!


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## Whitestrat (Feb 26, 2011)

Yeah... I THINK the staining process comes next.


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## scherzo1928 (Feb 26, 2011)

Soooo, lemonburst?


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## Whitestrat (Feb 27, 2011)

Yup... But odd that the body doesn't look as thick as it was initially. I guess the rolling of the edges takes away some girth visually.


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## Whitestrat (Mar 4, 2011)

Colour Stain Test





Actual Staining begins!




















I love how much the flame pops out at the end! It's looking great! The colour was meant to be a lemon drop at first, but I realised that all the lemon drops in BOTB had aged lacquer which made them more amber than anything else. So Jason tried to recreate that vintage appeal in the colour. I think he did it well. What' even more amazing, is that there's a very subtle burst to be added. So subtle that it's almost imperceptible in normal light conditions. Can't wait to see how he does that!


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## Corpsegrinder88 (Mar 4, 2011)

That is looking good. Outta curiosity what book is that on the table?


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## littlephil (Mar 4, 2011)

That looks great!


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## Whitestrat (Mar 4, 2011)

Corpsegrinder88 said:


> That is looking good. Outta curiosity what book is that on the table?


 
The Beauty Of The Burst by Yasuhiko Iwanade.


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## Whitestrat (Mar 5, 2011)

The burst is done!













That is seriously a really nice burst. This is turning out nicer than I expected!


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## Alberto7 (Mar 5, 2011)

Wow . This build is turning out great! I saw the guitar with the stain, and I felt jealous. I saw it with the burst, and I freaked out. It's a beautiful color, and it makes the flame pop so much!


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## scherzo1928 (Mar 5, 2011)

Oh wow. That flame REEEAALLY popped out nicely.


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## themike (Mar 7, 2011)

Wow, I love the flame - the top looks UNREAL.

Actually the photo is of Jason's wife, Elizabeth I believe? She handles some minimal inlay work but the woman who does the crazy inlay work is Athena.


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## faceforward_007 (Mar 7, 2011)

not a fan of bursts, but its so subtle! really well done man!


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## SirMyghin (Mar 7, 2011)

I am going to need to go,... over there for a few moments...


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## Whitestrat (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm so stoked. Jason went off the colour I initially asked for for the top and the back, but the concepts were preserved. Looking at the results, I'm actually quite glad he did. heheh...

I guess trusting the guy who builds your guitar is a good thing!


























And finally:





I think that smokeburst back turned out GREAT! nicer than I expected! Thanks Jason!


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## Devotion (Mar 24, 2011)

Stunning colour!! Really, front AND back, juste love the orange-ishy


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## Whitestrat (Mar 24, 2011)

Yeah... I didn't realise the bursts were the same colour for front and back until Jason told me. That's way cool. But because the woods are different, the colours show up differently.


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## Alberto7 (Mar 24, 2011)

Wow  That color suits both the back and the top perfectly!! I love it, man!


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## Whitestrat (Apr 15, 2011)

Jason uploaded this to Facebook today.

"Here's the guitar, ready for hardware."






Then he uploaded this shot, which made me do a double take:





The reason this caught me, is something pretty odd. Let me tell you a little story.

When I was younger, around 13 to 14 years old, (abt 1988? 89?) I had just started guitar. The main brands around then were Fender, Aria Pro, Yamaha, Jackson, Gibson (though less prominent), and of course, Ibanez. Back then, we ALL began on Ibanezes, and those of us who couldn't afford it, like me, dreamed about owning one. Fender was for old country farts. Gibson was relatively unknown in this part of the world. No. It was Ibanez for us.

Yet, while my friends went nuts over the RGs and the Sabres, I went off on a tangent, and really liked the Radius Series, and the Artist Series. I remember taking the bus to school, sitting with friends, drooling over the free Ibanez catalogues. There was one particular model that had always caught my attention. This was before I had even seen a Les Paul Custom, much less know what it was. That LPC was another dream I had, which I eventually realised. It was a matter of those "when I grow up, and can afford it..." scenarios. I also got the Radius Series in the end, but I never owned an Artist.

This was what was yanking my chain all those times:





Especially this old old model (though this one's a reissue):





I fell in love with that look, that design, the symmetry, etc etc. There wals a Japanese Guitarist in the old catalogue (can't recall his name), bare-chested, slung super low (mind you, this was before Slash even appeared!), slinging one of these, and that was the epitome of cool for me.

Thing is, I had forgotten how much I liked those models. Even today, when I walk into a guitar shop, be it in Japan, Thailand, or Singapore, and I see one, I will always pick it up, play it a bit, fail to bond with it, and end up putting it down. ALWAYS. That's why I've never owned one, and why I never hunt for one either. I simply gave up in time.

And yet, when I saw how Jason had done up the guitar, That same old model immediately spring to mind. The paintwork and the hardware installed had this really old 70's Ibanez Artist vibe. I love it!!! I can't wait to get this one. It's almost done, and should be here in acouple of weeks time!

It's funny how the subconscious creeps up on you sometimes though...


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## Jontain (Apr 15, 2011)

Absolutly stunning man


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## Whitestrat (Apr 16, 2011)

Strings!!!


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## CrushingAnvil (Apr 17, 2011)

One of the coolest build threads ever.


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## iacovetti (Apr 17, 2011)

looks really professional, awesome job


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## Alberto7 (Apr 17, 2011)

Beautiful! I love how the inlay blends so beautifully with the rest of the guitar


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## Whitestrat (Apr 26, 2011)

Ok... FINAL stretch!
Some pics of the man himself buffing it away!




See the difference bwetten the buffed (body) and unbuffed (neck) bits?




The back of the headstock:




The rear shot!




The key shot for me: (showing not only the beautiful inlay, but the nice CLEAN neck joint!)




The body closeup! Lookit that flame! There was supposed to be a neat little pickguard made for this, but I thought it looked GREAT without. So, I changed the order. Heh...




Here's the money shot!




This baby is now on it's way HOME to me!!! I should receive it next Tuesday at the latest!
I really can't wait!!!!


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## Sebastian (Apr 26, 2011)

The guitar looks really amazing!


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## missingastring (Apr 26, 2011)

Dude, that is beautiful! 

Congrats!


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## ryantheyetti (Apr 27, 2011)

sound clips as soon as you get it pleaseeeeeeee i need to know if it sounds as beautiful as it looks!


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## CD1221 (Apr 27, 2011)

That is beautiful. congrats.


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## b7string (Apr 27, 2011)

Unbelievably awesome! I'm happy it turned out so well for you


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## cwhitey2 (Apr 27, 2011)

Love the zebra pup's in her


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## Jontain (Apr 27, 2011)

Wow that came out soo nice man, inlay is top and I really love the way the pick-ups set off the finish!


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## Alberto7 (Apr 27, 2011)

Congratulations, man! That is one beautiful guitar! Definitely post an NGD once you get it... I want more pictures


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## Whitestrat (Apr 27, 2011)




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## Whitestrat (Apr 28, 2011)

More pics!


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## Dead Undead (Apr 28, 2011)

^ One of the nicest guitars I've ever seen.
That Jack plate is awesome.


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## scherzo1928 (Apr 28, 2011)

Nothing like seeing a guitar finished after following the build for a while. Plugging it in for the first time is almoast magical.

Enjoy the fudge out of it


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## BlackMastodon (Apr 28, 2011)

I still can't get over that inlay. Scratch that, I can't get over that guitar, it's just too damn pretty.


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## Erick Kroenen (Apr 28, 2011)

i have always liked this shape its cool

congratsss!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## ShadyDavey (Apr 28, 2011)

Also reminds me of an old Yamaha SG model, as well as the Artist- what a tongue-droopingly fantastic guitar!

Congratulations


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