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Sharing my Story


kjq69

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 Let me first start off by saying thank you for all the kind words about my guitar I posted about “Hamer’s Influence on my Guitar Building”……….I thought I would share a short story on how it all started!!!

To make a long story short, in 2000 I found myself taking a job after being self-employed for 16 years. I was a field guy, but I ended up behind a desk as an estimator / project manager.....I HATED IT!!!.....at that time I had a nice collection of guitars. I had 8 beautiful Hamers.  Several Gibsons, a Strat and a BlackYamaha SGB 2000. I had done a couple of "One Offs",……one was a Chambered Korina Artist  with a Bound Fret Board, P90’s and a wrap tail……Someone on the board here has it J…..and I was able to get Kim on the phone and asked him about doing a 25th LE in Salmon Blush.......He did it for me. I SHOULD HAVE KEPT THAT GUITAR…someone on this board his it J……….

I asked Kim about doing a Robben Ford Model......Black Limba, F hole, Seth Lovers...........Kim responded with, If Mr Ford is interested in a guitar, he should contact us. That response was resonating in the back of my mind from that day forward......

Sitting behind a desk was not working for me. I had always loved working with wood so I said to myself that I should build a guitar. I spent hours looking at my Hamers and Gibsons......McNaught was just arriving on the scene, so was Ron Thorn for that matter.

I made 3 full size drawings. A guitar based off a Yamaha SG 2000, A Single Cut and a Double Cut with an "F" hole. This was great, but I still needed some direction on how to proceed. One day I just picked up the phone and called Taku Sakashta,  (amazing luthier building a guitar for Robben Ford....My Hero!!)......he picked up the phone. We talked for 30 minutes or so. Told him about my drawings, my Hamer one offs and how I wanted to start building.  He graciously said, grab your drawings and your Hamer and come up.....I was floored!!!!......I had the pleasure of spending a little more than a half day with this amazing kind soul. He went through how you need to be "Organized".....Templates are so important. Make them, store them and have them ready when you need them!!!!........what a day......As i was leaving, he gave me a little drawing of a neck angle. He said as long as all of them have this neck angle, they will all be players no matter what wood you use.........

I came home, Bought Melvin Hiscock's book on "Making an Electric Guitar" and I was off running...........

I wish I still had that piece of paper that Taku shared with me. He was such a sweet soul. A tragedy that he was killed by a “Drug Addict” out on parole…….I did have the pleasure of hanging with him at Yoshi’s one night. Robben actually played and desired my #3 (that’s a whole other story in its self, I let my Ego get in the way)……….

Anyway, I would like to post some pics of my builds. Any objections?.......1337614600_3SignatureB.jpg.989cbc46f6cc96f369d3272de9d2204f.jpg

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Well thank you.......

So like I said, In the back of my mind was Kim's response about "If Mr Ford wants a guitar, he should call me"...........So my #3 was all about finding my style and "Robben's" energy channeling my build. 

Black Limba, Striped MAcassar Binding, Board and Cover Plates, Taku Sakashta "Vintage Tribute PU's", Green Abalone Thumb Nails, Net and Buttons :)

Overhead Body II.jpg

Overhead Body III.jpg

HS Green Ab Buttons & Nut.jpg

Macassar Binding.jpg

Binding.jpg

Fret Board Thumb nails.jpg

Macassar Control Plate B.jpg

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51 minutes ago, kjq69 said:

Well thank you.......

So like I said, In the back of my mind was Kim's response about "If Mr Ford wants a guitar, he should call me"...........So my #3 was all about finding my style and "Robben's" energy channeling my build. 

Black Limba, Striped MAcassar Binding, Board and Cover Plates, Taku Sakashta "Vintage Tribute PU's", Green Abalone Thumb Nails, Net and Buttons :)

Overhead Body II.jpg

Overhead Body III.jpg

HS Green Ab Buttons & Nut.jpg

Macassar Binding.jpg

Binding.jpg

Fret Board Thumb nails.jpg

Macassar Control Plate B.jpg

Looks amazing!  Very well done, sir!

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3 minutes ago, scottcald said:

Wow, those look great, thanks for sharing.  

Questions:  How many do you have under your belt now?    Picture Gallery?  Specs?  

And BTW, as important, a good looking headstock! 

Thanks you.........I have built 25 to date........I have a drawer full of "Head Stock" designs.........The first 6 were all "Set neck".....Then I built a TV Yellow Mahogany Tele....Sold it to a camera man in Hollywood. Just heard it burned up in one of the fires we had here in California :(.....Ihad a website 6-7 years ago and just life got too busy with "Life"......I takes so much time. I do the finishing and that is the most difficult when you a re a perfectionist.........I stripped a guitar 3 times once....."Sick in the Head" :-0

This is #24.......all mahogany DOg Hair, P90's, Jason Schroder Bridge .........

 

 

 

#24 Dog hair.jpg

#24 front.jpg

#24 back.jpg

#24 Signature.jpg

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36 minutes ago, killerteddybear said:

Great story!
Taku sounds like a class act.
That black limba guitar - holy shit!

Ok, I have to run out and wont be back till later.....but here is #25.......I gave it to my son for his 25th Birthday..........Absolutely BItch'n Ride!!!!!.......all mahogany, TV White, Harmonic Design Dog Ear............enjoy 

#25 body.jpg

head stock.jpg

Signature.jpg

Overhead.jpg

back.jpg

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26 minutes ago, kjq69 said:

 

Ok, I have to run out and wont be back till later.....but here is #25.......I gave it to my son for his 25th Birthday..........Absolutely BItch'n Ride!!!!!.......all mahogany, TV White, Harmonic Design Dog Ear............enjoy 

#25 body.jpg

head stock.jpg

Signature.jpg

Overhead.jpg

back.jpg

LOVE it!,  my favorite so far. Love the contrast between the clear on the neck and the finish on the body. 

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5 hours ago, kjq69 said:

Well thank you.......

So like I said, In the back of my mind was Kim's response about "If Mr Ford wants a guitar, he should call me"...........So my #3 was all about finding my style and "Robben's" energy channeling my build. 

Black Limba, Striped MAcassar Binding, Board and Cover Plates, Taku Sakashta "Vintage Tribute PU's", Green Abalone Thumb Nails, Net and Buttons :)

Overhead Body II.jpg

Overhead Body III.jpg

HS Green Ab Buttons & Nut.jpg

Macassar Binding.jpg

Binding.jpg

Fret Board Thumb nails.jpg

Macassar Control Plate B.jpg

Just beautiful work! The wood choices you make are stellar!

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So overwhelmingly impressed!!! Beautiful guitars!!

Now for the rest of the story! 

Who has his one off Hamer's here at the HFC???

Pictures please!!!

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2 hours ago, Dutchman said:

So overwhelmingly impressed!!! Beautiful guitars!!

Now for the rest of the story! 

Who has his one off Hamer's here at the HFC???

Pictures please!!!

Yea, who has them???............

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