You Can't Always Get What You Want...So Build It Yourself

I suppose this was bound to happen.  Eventually I'd build my own instrument to go along with the new live rig.  It's not that I really want to, but as a "cursed" left handed guitarist, my options are limited to start with.  Add in the fact that the needs I have from an instrument are, let's say a bit unique, coupled with my personal aesthetic tastes, and there really was no other option.

I've commented before on how the new live rig - despite all the technology it incorporates - actually is rooted in very acoustic sounds.  But because of how I need to modify the string tunings so much as I'm playing it means that the VG99 Guitar Synth is pretty much essential.  And while putting a synth pick up on an acoustic is certainly an option, the body is so resonant that the tone I need to make the rig work is likely to be overshadowed by the sound of all that actual guitar, which means we'd have to find a way to make an acoustic chamber totally mute.  Not easy. I played with the idea of filling the guitar with foam and such, but did not really like the results.

If course the simple solution is to put the pickup on an electric, but that seemed to create a false sense of timbre with the audience.  It looks electric but sounds acoustic - not unheard of, in fact somewhat common - but in the cotext of what I do that was an issue. So...

I found a great guitar body maker named Eric Gangluff and asked him to create for me what would essentially have the look of an acoustic but functionally be an electric.  Turned out it was quite a simple design.  Basically a Les Paul with no cutaway.  Then add a neck from Carin and we are off and running.   Here's a shot of both before I started to do the finishing:



And here is the stain applied last night:

Building my guitar, step 1: stain the neck's headstock. Check! pic.twitter.com/hi3QB2D3u0
— Richard Maxwell (@RchrdMxwll) June 22, 2013

Building my guitar, step 2: stain the body. Check! pic.twitter.com/2JMj8hcoFS
— Richard Maxwell (@RchrdMxwll) June 22, 2013

I'll post more as I go further through the process.

Other than the GK3 pickup this guitar will have no electronics so the more sparse look should also help to keep the aesthetics matching the sound.  We'll see.  I'm thinking about putting in a Lute Hole cover - similar to what Dave Wendler (another AMAZING guitar maker) did for me a few years back, but have not decided.

This a new experience for me.  It's exciting to know that I'll have the instrument I want, but more that I will have actually had a role, with my own hands, to create it.  I'm very curious to see if this far more reaching organic musical experience will impact how I write and play.  That alone is making this all worth while.