The Shark

My guess is that they know a fluted body has a much different midrange "hump" than a heavier solid body. I prefer darker pickups like the Rio Grandes I have in my "weight relieved" Standard. I'm guessing Mike had a hand in it's creation...

I've really been considering selling all my vinyl. I keep promising myself that I'll bring a box home and start playing them. Kind of like promising myself I'd start reading my Guitar Player/Guitar World magazines. Those wound up in a construction dumpster behind my local Office Depot. It took two trips.

I'd bet you can get any configuration you want. Covers or no covers. Zebra, double white or double black. Some examples will, however, be much cooler! It's in the eye of the beholder.

Happy Birthday, Michael. Many more.

I think Bubs is on to something. I've been imagining about four different guitars for my second Shishkov. Maybe I'd be better off to get in on the ground floor with one of Mike's original creations. In fact, that's what I will do. I'll wait until Mike offers up the "models".

I really buy into a craftsman's vision, when he understands all the variables. I think the pick you use defines your tone as much as anything. If wood and hardware is the heart of the instrument, the pickups and the strings and the pick are the soul. This is just getting better all the time. Thanks, Josh. You're one of these "Zen" guys. Have at it.

If Mike wants to have a little fun, he should randomly pick one build in the "First 48" and make it serial #0000. It might not be the first one done, but it would be "special". Kind of like a lottery that doesn't end with stoning!

I never think of the Improv when I think of Hamer. Probably one of the reasons Hamer's not around anymore.

Our drummer finally met Charlie Huhn in the Walgreen's liquor store the other day. He told Charlie about the guitar, but couldn't remember the name "Hamer"! Charlie told him, "If it's the one I think it is, I sold it for three times what I bought it for!" He's bringing a six-pack over next Wednesday night, if he sees our cars in the cul de sac. Vince told him we're mostly working on Steely Dan, Foreigner and Yes stuff right now. He said, "Really?" I'll get pics. I'm thinkin' the Huhn Standard otherwise known as the "BubsBurst" is worthy of mention in the second book. Bubs can tell the history of when he secured it.

Cool, Mike. Can you give us a little insight into your vision for the Ultimate neck carve? I'm guessing from Chris' comments that they'll all be similar in the first two batches. Thanks for your time.

Kinda' nice in here...

Taking into account the guitars wanted above the 10.5K, I'd say the price is 14K to 15K. I know I wouldn't part with my '81 Koa Mock for less than 4K. Worth every penny, IMHO. This is like the Brock Burst.

Don't do it.

Recording practices is invaluable. Tell him the truth. Let him hear it. If he's mostly the rhythm player, he has to understand that clarity and crunch are his best friends. Tell him the challenge for him is to become the best rhythm player he can. As a former bass player, he should understand over-playing crowds the mix. Good luck.

This is what we do sans the hair and tight clothes! Seventies and eighties stuff mostly. We played the songs when they were new. They're "Classic Rock" now. Soon to be oldies. Anything "new" we learn is from the same era.

What's a four digit worth these days? That would be mine.

I stopped listening to music on the radio long ago. If I didn't have children (daughter 23 and son 18), I'd never hear anything new. Being 52, I mostly just buy new stuff from bands and guitar players I've been listening to since the early nineties. Anything new I can steal from the kids!

I'll advise Brent again. Keep it, dude. Nobody else has one, so far.

I'm for the vintage bell cover too. I've also contacted Mike about using vintage style aged single-ring Klusons.

If you ever get over to Orlando, go to Skycraft. It's a surplus store and they have chicken-heads in black, white and creme by the thousands! Good prices too. Is Skycraft near Disney World? Skycraft is about twenty minutes from Disney. It's on the northeast side of town. About a quarter of a mile off Interstate 4. Real easy to find.

Did you know Bruce Marshall? He worked at Full Sail back when they first opened.

If you ever get over to Orlando, go to Skycraft. It's a surplus store and they have chicken-heads in black, white and creme by the thousands! Good prices too.

Veneer over chambering? The veneer on my old Special appeared too delicate to cover chambers. I'd envisioned the chambering would require a thicker top. I believe the tops over chambered bodies are, most likely, thicker than 4-Digit tops. I have one... It has original GregWinds now.

I've purchased a couple of sets of Cream Tone knobs. One set will get mailed to Mike for my Ultimate.

They look great on amps!