diablo175

I dunno. McChris has pointed out a shift in the music landscape that would have considerable impact on any plan for revamping a guitar brand/line- namely, the guitar's reduced prominence in modern music. Investing in capturing market shares of a dwindling market sounds dicey to me. I have faith that the guitar will eventually regain some of it's glory as all things musical tend to enjoy revivals/resurgences. But right now? Money would be better spent trying to reignite the guitar-dominated music scene.

You know, those Hamer luthiers are awesome builders. If Fender is hundred of orders behind schedule with Charvels and stuff, they better put their workforce in the right place, or else they will have to cope with many angry customers and lower incomes. So, it makes sense putting Hamer on pause until better times, and making the builders (and the tools) to focus on unblocking the production line that is a bigger source of income. I'd be f-ing thrilled to have the Hamer luthiers take on some of the Charvel and Jackson custom orders. I have a custom shop Charvel Star that really is the tits and can only imagine how it be if the Hamer crew had their hand in it. For that matter, I'd welcome their assistance on my Jackson custom order, especially if it speeds up the 24 month delivery and ensures Hamer USA quality.

Probably not a good thing but I'm more bummed about this bit of news than I was at my mum-in-law's funeral today. Fuck.

Well, it went from "...hand off to my local tech wizard..." to "Hmm. This needs new frets and I want the neck to be satin-ized." So I handed it off to my fave refin and repair guru, Uncle Greg. Yup our own beloved bcrgreg will be working his mojo on the Python of Love Cali. F*cking head's about to explode from waiting to be able to play that beauty. I mean, I have only so much patience.

I like it.

The (Monty) Python Cali will arrive tomorrow from the painters. Plan to install all the hardware myself and then hand it off to my local tech wizard for some quality soldering and set up. (Yeah, I'm lazy and impatient) Pics to follow. Next up: diablo-izing the Fung Cali.

Yes, more pics please. The initial ones are no longer available.

Mine has 2 sources- 1) Diablo175 is the name of parachute I used to jump- Aerodyne Diablo175, as in, 175 square feet of canopy 2) Obvious reference to my then fave Hamer guitar- Diablo

Great idea. Hadn't considered a matching truss cover. Hmm... I'm sure I could still send it out to him but frankly, I could live without it, as well. The black cover will blend in nicely with the paint anyway. Maybe I'll get one etched to say "Monty Python Cali"

And unlike my Godzilla Cali, where I was not able to keep the trademark logo, this go 'round I am able to have the logo. Too f-ing cool!

WOW! Nice work Jay!

@Vic- it's like Christmas when I were a kid. Couldn't wait for the day to get there. Then spent my every waking moment after wards (mostly in school) wishing I was playing with the coveted toy.

I couldn't even sleep last night I was so torqued over this. It's got me thinking non-stop about what I can/will do with Peter's custom I just bought...

My heart exploded and I got an instant chubster when I saw these photos of the revised Cali paint job. Aww jeez, now I'm gonna die in anticipation... gotta wait another week to get my hands on it and then another week to put in all the new goodies in.

Somebody call the veterinarian, because that python is SICK! Thanks RobB. I'm pretty fookin' excited about it, too. Believe it or not, I'm almost as excited about this Cali project as I am for my set neck custom due any time in November. Right, BCR Greg? Right? Right?

Thanks, Rodan. I'm always my harshest critic and thus always very judgmental and skeptical about my creative impulses.

D # for me. It's a nice compromise...until the next singer comes along and his range limitations dictate otherwise...

Brooks, that's true, with the greater size of the block, there's less room in the cavity for movement. It does depend on the guitar, as my Charvel Star has a big block in it and the range is pretty copious. My Cali's all have big blocks in them and I haven't noticed any restriction on the range of the pull ups. To be fair, I haven't pulled the bar up past one step on the Cali's. I was wondering about this. If I get into it with my Diablo's or my Chap' I'll have to take a few measurements, to make sure I've got leeway for at least a whole step sharp... Rodan, I've heard plenty of pro's doing the whole step bar pull up but I'd love to hear any recordings you have of this. I tend to be a bit tentative (perhaps out of fear for breaking a few strings) so I rarely do this far a pull up. Most of my pull ups tend to be on pinched or natural (open string) harmonics, about a half step. Or if a whole step, they're a very sudden rise and then return to pitch.

They were having some special deal and if I recall correctly I think I got it for under $100. I see they are going for $159 now! For those of you not wanting to mess with a Floyd, I get it....they can be a real PIA sometimes. I just can't see myself ever NOT having at least one floyded guitar. Currently I have 5. Could be an influence thing. Growing up, heavy hair metal was my main influence. A guitar without a Floyd just did not look right to me for a very long time. A few of the players listed on FU are Warren DeMartini, CC Deville, George Lynch, Mick Mars, Scotti Hill, Dave Sabo....all main influences. Ditto. Except I can't see myself ever owning a hardtail- lol! And yeah, I was weened on both trem-ed (floyd-ed and traditional's) as well as hardtailed players but really gravitated to EVH, Vai, Satch, Stevens, Gillis, Dime etc. for their dynamic use of the bar. Funny thing is, out of the host of shredders that sledhead44 listed, not one of them would I have cited as particularly innovative or adventurous with the Floyd. Loved most of their playing to be sure but just wasn't wow-ed by their whammy bar use.

Brooks, that's true, with the greater size of the block, there's less room in the cavity for movement. It does depend on the guitar, as my Charvel Star has a big block in it and the range is pretty copious. My Cali's all have big blocks in them and I haven't noticed any restriction on the range of the pull ups. To be fair, I haven't pulled the bar up past one step on the Cali's.

Chris- I made a few minor alterations to the design to accommodate my aesthetic tastes. I wanted him to push the yellow-oranges in the center of the yellow fields a bit more.

It's actually from the Python (no, NOT Monty) family... a Congo Pastel Python to be exact. "beautiful plumage, those Congo Pastels... "

Ah. Cultural contextual conundrum - here in the 'States, "yikes" takes on a slightly different meaning. As in that is scary, frighteningly ugly... .

Says the man who's SS looks like a counter top...

Here's the prelim design-