garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Sept 2, 2022 15:49:00 GMT
With the woodwork on my LG50 replica completed, it’s time to do some metalwork! In this latest video, I make the tailpiece: as always things are more involved than you’d first think! Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 31, 2022 14:21:43 GMT
You should be pleased, it looks so much better. Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 28, 2022 15:59:05 GMT
Thanks everyone. The guitar photo is on Twitter @fowlerguitar. Martin Simpson got in touch. Gary, did Jon continue to make guitars for many years? Thanks for posting. Hi Mike, I imagine that if Jon had continued making for long, after he left the LCF, there would be more on-line references (I have tried other the years). It was tough to get established back then: if he didn’t go on to make guitars, it wouldn’t have been a reflection on the quality of his work. What did Mr Simpson say? Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 28, 2022 15:54:57 GMT
Well done, that’s a great improvement! I too am surprised by the quality of the ash: in fact, I’m surprised that it’s even ash at all. I would have expected “paint grade” popular. You’ve had a result there! Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 25, 2022 8:27:58 GMT
Jon and I were in the same year together at the London College of Furniture studying Modern Fretted Instruments. This was the late 1970's so the guitar was probably made during our third there. Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 16, 2022 15:05:37 GMT
As I think you said in an earlier video, Gary... good luck trying to price this one up! I think that my hourly rate has diminished with this project! Also, I’ve spent far more than I’d thought I would: for example, I've probably spent about twenty quid on period correct screws! That said, I’m happy that I’ve saved the Guyatone and it will be playable hopefully for the next 60 years. And based on past clients, I’m sure that whoever buys the Navatone will appreciate my efforts. Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 15, 2022 15:44:36 GMT
Throughout the building of my LG50 replica, there’s been a real tension between my desire to make a faithful copy of the original and the need to keep true to my ideals as a luthier. This has resulted in some tweaks and sensible modifications, such as using a two-way adjustable truss rod or binding the fragile edge of the back. I like to feel that any changes that I’ve made would have been approved of by Mr. Matsuki! When it came to carving the neck, after much thought, I decided that I had to give it a “vintage” profile in keeping with the original Guyatone; essentially a deep vee shape. And that’s what I do in the latest video. Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 11, 2022 15:43:50 GMT
Another excellent video, Gary - thanks! if you made a bass version 9was there ever one) you could have a band playing all three. And you'd have to call the band The Navatones as well. All of which is a long-winded way of saying it might not be long before we get to hear these lovely (re)creations - exciting! Keith Thanks Keith, Kinda thought of an electric mandolin with a pearloid pick-guard! Love the name Navatones for a band: would it a 60's tribute pop band? Or surf like the Ventures!!! Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 11, 2022 8:01:16 GMT
I’m starting to feel like I’m on the home straight now. Some real progress has been made on the “Navatone”. The neck has been fitted and glued on, the two-way truss rod fitted and the fretboard glued on, the pearloid position markers made and inlaid and last but not least fretted. And all that is condensed into this 10 minutes of video! Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 6, 2022 8:15:51 GMT
Thanks Brian, glad you liked the video. A motorcycle build! Now there’s an unfulfilled dream of mine! Cheers Gary It would have to be a Vincent Black Shadow ! Hi Andrew, Now you're in lottery winner territory! Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 5, 2022 15:24:38 GMT
Fascinating and ingenious. Thanks. Noting your posters and t-shirt, any chance of a motorcycle build next? Brian Thanks Brian, glad you liked the video. A motorcycle build! Now there’s an unfulfilled dream of mine! Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 5, 2022 15:22:22 GMT
Who'd'a thunk it? A Sharpie! Brilliant solution. Another ace vid - thanks Gary. Keith Thanks for the comment, Keith. I must admit, I’ve been surprised by how much time and effort it’s taken to get these details right! You google “best paint for plastic”, buy it, test it and then discard it a number of times before stumbling over the correct solution! Also, I’ve always been fussy about fixings and I noted how these early guitars mostly used slotted head screws which, turn out to be hard to find, especially if you want them nickel plated. The list goes on! However, as it happens that’s half the fun too. I’m only glad the I’m not restoring the Guyatone for a customer- how on Earth would you price it up? Thanks for your continued interest and support. Cheers Gary.
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Aug 4, 2022 16:05:56 GMT
In this instalment, I make and modify the various plastic plates for both guitars. I have the original pickguard for the Guyatone which I was keen to use, but as its matching volume and tone control panel was missing, I’ve had to make a replacement.
Obviously, I’ve had to make both pieces from scratch for my replica. The choice of plastic is very important; although they may all look similar their properties can be quite different. Back in the day (out of ignorance) I would have used acrylic but really it’s far too brittle. The pick guard with its large holes for the pick-ups, rectangular holes for slide switches and many holes close to the edge for fixing screws would be prone to cracking as you work. Also you can easily crack it around the fixing holes if you overtighten the screws. Therefore, I chose PVC for mine, which is much more forgiving! Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Jul 26, 2022 15:48:11 GMT
To be honest, when I first saw the Guyatone up for auction, I thought it would be a quick flip, but as time has gone by, it has become more of a passion project. At the start of 2022, I thought that I’d be making some more mandolins and had in mind designing an oval hole archtop, never never never would I have imagined that I would be restoring an old Japanese electric guitar let alone be building a replica of it! As it happens, I’m really enjoying the work: the challenges it has thrown up, new techniques that I’ve had to learn, researching an aspect of guitar history previously unknown to me and in the process making some great new contacts. So, in this latest video, I’m working on the neck of my “LG50”. One of the challenges was always going to be binding the head: watch the video and see how I tackled it. Cheers Gary
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garynava
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 454
My main instrument is: Stanley No.5
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Post by garynava on Jul 8, 2022 14:39:23 GMT
I wonder if the categorisation is too broad, there's a lot of 'types' of slide playing I think. Back in the early 70's when pub rock was a thing I used to go to the Kensington Pub in Holland Park to listen to Bees Make Honey - the music was a sort of early country rock with Blues, Soul, Saxes, and Honky Tonk piano - Dire Straights were doing the rounds then as well. I also used to go and see a group called the Stranglers at the Red Cow in Hammersmith Road on Thursday nights. Bees Make Honey were good: one of the singers could do Ray Charles like Ray Charles, the lead guitarist was an Irishman called Ed Dean. During a slow blues at one point he played three notes that were perfect in context - it sort of went through you, I can still remember the experience. I remember noticing other players in the band looking and smiling - the world was all right. They were good, Frankie Miller sat in for 3 songs once and did Walking the Dog. So for me, it's Ed Dean, on certain Sunday dinner time, during a split second of time, playing a slow blues. I like Mike Dowling's playing as well, and that's often in Open D which is different. If you want calm then there's Furry Lewis and his penknife. If you want angry and terrifying there's always Son House. That's my two penceworth. Oh my! Our paths must have crossed! I grew up in Chelsea- a 31 bus ride from the Kensington and went there practically every Friday and Saturday. Did you ever see The Dogs with the fantastic Sammy Mitchell on guitar? He played a good slide! Cheers Gary
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