tobereeno Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 if we weren't unreasonably OCD people, we wouldn't be musicians
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 I only met Peter once and he was the nicest, mellowest guy. I'd buy from him in a heartbeat. Nothing like that rabble-rousing cmatthes... That's quite normal for mapled Calis not to be bookmatched. I have 2QMs and 3FMs ( one with the setneck) and none of them are bookmatched, except for the setneck. Merchants usually sell maple slabs in specific sizes, that's only enough for half of the guitar's body width and in thickness ( about 3in) that's only enough to cut it and bookmatch it making the top about 1-1.5in thick. To make a full bookmatched body the slab should be about 4.5+in thick ( rather than about 3in generally used), and that's more expensive. So I guess they just used random pieces with more less close pattern. Doesn't bother me. Not to derail this PSA, but they come in quilt? *thud* *thud*? More like, *schwing*!
cmatthes Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 ^^This, also not a book-matched top, because Californians didn't have maple tops/caps. They were SOLID MAPLE.
JustKid Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 What you should keep in mind, is that one half is from the front of the blank, and the other half is from the rear of the blank. Sounds like face-to-ass matched. Bookmatched means exactly what it means - blank is cut thru the middle and opened like a book. And when the blank is thick enough it goes for one perfect body. Sometimes, and that's very rare, when the flame is stable and goes thru the whole thickness without noticeable distortion, they might twist and turn it to find the best combination, but that's very rare. Cali Setneck
Bennyboy-UK Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 It is very difficult to find a solid maple slab/billet that's big enough to do a body as a one piece and have consistent flame/figure throughout. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a 2 piece maple body v. a one piece, and many people prefer the aesthetic. It has nothing to do with the trem routing.I'd have to disagree Chris, there's plenty of broad leaf maple around wide enough to do one piece body's, and with fairly consistent figure but, it IS expensive, and we have to also take in mind that sawmill's and merchants can make much more profit by chopping things up than selling it whole. On the subject of this guitar though, i thought by '91 they'd stopped gluing random pieces together and bookmatched everything, most of the 'seasick' one's (Benner knows what I mean) I've seen were of the '88 and early '89 vintage and all the one's I've seen or owned from '90 onwards have all been bookmatched.I'm not saying there's anything wrong with using non matched halves, I just thought they'd grown out of it by then, perhaps these were just some billet ends left after cutting stock. Yeah my 88 is well figured but not book matched in the accepted fashion. I actually really really like the contrast of differing figuring. It draws the eye accross it, and makes a Cali like this look unique. Sadly, I couldn't justify going for this one, this time... As the look of the thing, and the neck profile description... More 90-92 than 88-89 (one for Jem...) would make it maybe just the Cali for me
Jason01 Posted February 8, 2015 Posted February 8, 2015 can we see the rest of the set neck flame maple cali? I dont know if I've ever seen that one!
LexxLecter Posted February 9, 2015 Posted February 9, 2015 Thats quite typical. Have a Cali standard that is not bookmatched. So no criminal and that one looks nice for me.
mirrorimij Posted February 9, 2015 Posted February 9, 2015 I started in 1991 so I can speak about the process from that time on. The solid flame maple body blanks were never bookmatched because the billets weren't large enough. Maybe a few were built that way, maybe not. Two "halves" were matched up. Sometimes natural defects in the wood dictated how the body was cut. Frank U paid a premium to get the best flame/quilt available for guitar tops. The billets used on the 2 pc bodies were actually purchased to be tops. Yeah, he could have bought larger billets, but the flame wouldn't have been as good, would have been additional inventory, etc. I'm a wood guy and I freakin' love the way those 2 pc bodies look. Too bad John Mayer didn't play one of those last night instead of the pink Jackson.........that $2750 would seem like a bargain.Good luck with the sale Peter. That guitar is worth it as it would cost way more to build another one with a different name on the headstock.
cmatthes Posted February 9, 2015 Posted February 9, 2015 ^^ ^^ Exactly what Bob said! He would know best.
Caddie Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 So purty. So simple. One knob, one switch, one Floyd, 27 frets. Guitars like this almost wanna me try out shredding.....nah. If you can't do it on this axe you must have been sucked thru the Big Black Hole into a parallel universe. E.T. phone home or should that be Jimi phone home.Cheers!caddie
Caddie Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 That guitar is worth it as it would cost way more to build another one with a different name on the headstock.Any guitar is what someone will give you for it on a given day. Sucky market, you get sucky cash. You need to move it you drop the price low enough that someone springs with the cash. Or someone has such a woody for that guitar and they pay over market price "before it slips away like the last one".I had a bandmate who just lusted after my Warmoth Thinline Tele. Tom played it so much, I'd bring an extra guitar to gigs & rehearsal cuz I couldn't get it out of his hands. When I had to give up playing he was all over it. Paid a couple hundred over my costs. I was stunned he was willing to hand over that much $$$$. No negotiation, he named his price, I accepted. We had fun with it. After our last gig he took it home with him. Every few weeks Tom would call,"I'm holding your Green Monster for ransom", he'd send me a set of strings clipped off at both ends and photos. It finally came down to"caddie, I want her, how much you want?" How much you wanna give me. "$1400?" are you ok with with that"?Done Tom. I'll bring you some green picks.Tom had a woody for that guitar. Warmoth guitars rarely recoup the cost off components. Not that their not great great guitars, as good or better than anything you can buy off the rack, but it doesn't say Fender or Gibson or Jackson or PRS on the headstock. Any guitar is what someone will give you for it on a given day.Cheers!caddie
mirrorimij Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 That guitar is worth it as it would cost way more to build another one with a different name on the headstock.Any guitar is what someone will give you for it on a given day. Sucky market, you get sucky cash. You need to move it you drop the price low enough that someone springs with the cash.You are correct in the strict economic sense but I stand by my statement. Your last sentence is the reason why. I doubt the seller of that instrument needs to move it.In a few years that price will seem like a bargain.
JustKid Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 can we see the rest of the set neck flame maple cali? I dont know if I've ever seen that one! I do not see why not
Bennyboy-UK Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 Thats quite typical. Have a Cali standard that is not bookmatched. So no criminal and that one looks nice for me. Oh bloody hell, just look at that!
ARM OF HAMER Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 can we see the rest of the set neck flame maple cali? I dont know if I've ever seen that one! I do not see why not WoW! That is nice!
Caddie Posted February 11, 2015 Posted February 11, 2015 More guitars that are too purty for me to play. I'd be afraid I'd put a pick swirl or shirt button impression on it. Sigh....Cheers!caddie
proxmax Posted February 11, 2015 Posted February 11, 2015 my old but not forgotten natural from 1989...
Sugartune Posted February 11, 2015 Posted February 11, 2015 More guitars that are too purty for me to play. I'd be afraid I'd put a pick swirl or shirt button impression on it. Sigh....Cheers!caddieIf it were mine, I would do both of those fore sure. Wouldn't stop me from playing it though. The "mismatched" body figuring does seem strange to me. Symmetry is important for the ocd crowd. The wood is absolutely beautiful, but that centre line will stop me every time, and has on any other examples I've seen. I get past it, but it always sets my ocd alarms off.
devrock Posted February 11, 2015 Author Posted February 11, 2015 can we see the rest of the set neck flame maple cali? I dont know if I've ever seen that one! I do not see why not Urgh. Just messed my pants!
HamStd Posted February 11, 2015 Posted February 11, 2015 That guitar is worth it as it would cost way more to build another one with a different name on the headstock.Any guitar is what someone will give you for it on a given day. Sucky market, you get sucky cash. You need to move it you drop the price low enough that someone springs with the cash.You are correct in the strict economic sense but I stand by my statement. Your last sentence is the reason why. I doubt the seller of that instrument needs to move it.In a few years that price will seem like a bargain. Hi Bob, Thanks for your posts and the notes of clarity!!! Much appreciated and the check is in the mail. Now if someone would buy it, I could get me one of dem "heritage" guitars that I luvs so much. Peter
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