from offset: the jazzstang

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Sat May 07, 2011 1:29 am

He post a few times at JS board.

What? SS board got a bad rep?

Just read something about someone wanting to post a pic of a dog's dick

mtotallywired · Post by **mtotallywired** » Sat May 07, 2011 4:07 am

Bad rap? But it's got a RADIO! I just think he's become somewhat of a resident personality over at OSG, and rightfully so. He shares his ideas on the fly, and it's really fun to see them come to fruition.

andrewdoeshair · Post by **andrewdoeshair** » Mon May 09, 2011 1:25 am

Hi.

Thanks for the kind words

I wanted to buy a Jazzmaster about 2 years ago, and as I was saving funds for it, I did the same thing we all do with GAS, and I googled "Jazzmaster" repeatedly. I'd watch them on teh ebayz, and on craig's list, and I'd just obsess over the guitar. One google search brought me to a website where a guy actually built one totally from scratch, using many narrow strips of wood joined to make the body. He made it look so easy! "Screw saving the $1,200+ for a Jazzmaster, I'll just make one!" so I spent $60 on a cheap router, $19 on a Central Machinery drill press, and $15 on some poplar, to build my first guitar... Which SUCKED. But I ended up putting the wonky body on eBay and got $75 for it, so I then used that money to buy some walnut, and I made my second guitar (which also sucked).

But I had a great time making it, and I was convinced I could do better! I didn't want to start buying $65+ "guitar body blanks" until I knew I could cut a body well and shape it properly (and consistently), so I'd buy cheap pine and poplar, and make bodies with crappy wood (apparently pretty quickly). With only the internet, as an absent teacher, I made about 30 bodies, each one a little cleaner than the one before.

Eventually I started building necks, specifically because I wanted to try unique scale lengths, and unusual woods.

So, I spent a long time using the cheapest materials I could, because I knew I wouldn't be making top quality guitars for a while, and I would rather ruin a $40 acrylic lacquer finish than a $100 Reranch finish. I'm still very far from where I'd like to be. But I'm finding myself at a point where I don't want to use cheap wood, I want to stick with the good stuff, and I don't want to use budget pickups or parts, either. I need to either step it up, or stop, because even though I asked $500 for that guitar, I sold it for what it cost me to make it ($150). And until I am making top of the line guitars, using only top of the line materials, I don't intend to make a profit doing this- it's all for fun

PS: regarding "Why does he still do hair?"

I recently started doing haircuts for a long time employee in the custom shop of a well known musical instrument corporation located in my town, and have been rubbing elbows with everyone I can over there, so I can quit cutting hair some day...

Pacafeliz · Post by **Pacafeliz** » Mon May 09, 2011 2:14 am

welcome aboard, over here, too!

we need your guitars and good haircuts... so let's get it ON!

Pat.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Mon May 09, 2011 8:45 am

Been a fan of your work (and your outlook on guitars) for some time now - really good to have you posting here. And hairdresser is one of the jobs I'd go for if I didn't do what I do: one of the few jobs which will never be replaced by a robot, donchaknow. Or if it was to be replaced by a robot, it'd be a scary robot.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon May 09, 2011 8:58 am

Likewise good to see you here, always been a fan of your innovative approaches. Love to see experimentation on the fly!

benecol if I had hair I'd let you cut it.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Mon May 09, 2011 10:17 pm

Big fan since a few builds back. We have had a few talented builders, but always welcome teh quality. I bounce over to OSG on occasion but I sold off my Js.

I have only fixed up guitars, not built them (including a headless XII and neckless Gretsch--still WIP). I have tried all brands of nitro and a few acrylics. I lack tools and engineering brain. I only love it for the looks. Acrylic cures faster and shines brilliantly, but only if you get it right the first time. I had a few snags on one and the lacquer doesn't melt together like nitro. Plus I miss the banana smell. Montana graffiti paint stinks like a meth lab (just guessing).

61fury · Post by **61fury** » Mon May 09, 2011 11:55 pm

like a gentleman in tux and tails, very elegant and I don't even like black guitars.

sholkham · Post by **sholkham** » Tue May 10, 2011 10:23 pm

awesome looking guitars, way better than i could do

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Tue May 10, 2011 10:43 pm

Hey, Andrew, nice to see you here. I think your work is fantastic and you should take custom orders.

andrewdoeshair · Post by **andrewdoeshair** » Wed May 11, 2011 3:19 am

honeyiscool wrote:Hey, Andrew, nice to see you here. I think your work is fantastic and you should take custom orders.

Thank you. Thank you all.

I used to take custom orders, but since I started this hobby I became engaged, picked up extra hours in the salon to accommodate a growing clientele, paid off 100% of my debt (and my fiancÃ©e's), took finance classes, pre-marriage counseling classes (to learn how to communicate effectively- which was very helpful even after the 9 years we've dated previously), and dance classes, then have began looking for a new place to live (while recently dealing with a wrongful lawsuit regarding mistaken identity and unpaid rent)... So, I can't build guitars nearly as often as I'd like to anymore

I keep imagining that after I get my own place with my new wife, I'll have free time again. But who knows...

andrewdoeshair · Post by **andrewdoeshair** » Wed May 11, 2011 7:42 am

Hey, look what I just found... I'm not gonna lie, I feel ripped off... Not that I invented anything with this guitar...

Check it out

Post by **Mike** » Wed May 11, 2011 8:54 am

You're a legend.

And I misread "finance classes" as "fiance classes", which made me chuckle.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Wed May 11, 2011 9:10 am

andrewdoeshair wrote:dance classes

You have just become my favourite poster: what sort of dance are you learning?

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Wed May 11, 2011 9:40 am

wow impressive work and attitude Andrew, love it and look forward to seeing a lot more of you on here

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Wed May 11, 2011 3:00 pm

You need to offer the guy that does the hiring at the Fender factory a free haircut. Sit him in the chair, grab him by the hair & put a pair of scissors to his throat... start acting crazy and demanding a job or you'll give him a really bad hair cut & a bald spot.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Wed May 11, 2011 8:10 pm

Mike wrote:And I misread "finance classes" as "fiance classes", which made me chuckle.

ha, me as well.

i immediately thought, "man, that could've been helpful."

andrew, you're the king of taste, and i really love your projects. almost ingenious.

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Wed May 11, 2011 8:29 pm

andrewdoeshair wrote:Check it out

Wow these guys have built some kickass guitars. I'd like to see a Mustang body shape, though.

Addam · Post by **Addam** » Wed May 11, 2011 8:57 pm

Andrew, I have to admit to taking inspiration from your posts on OSG.

I think I might have my first build before you started posting your builds; Link to thread
I made the red one.

But, I've been spurred on to make better templates, get (slightly) better tools, get my ass down to the lumber yard, make my own body blanks and get stuck in making unique musical intruments.

Speaking of hybrid guitars, I really like this pic that I stole from somewhere on the internet. Might copy it one day?

Incidentally, I did start posting pics of my second build (which was a copy of a Squier Venus) on offset, the only reply I got was to burn it.
I've never posted since, though I regularly read the 'mods and projects' section.

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Wed May 11, 2011 10:05 pm

AddamInsane wrote:Incidentally, I did start posting pics of my second build (which was a copy of a Squier Venus) on offset, the only reply I got was to burn it.

Tough crowd