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They Might Be Giants "Chessmaster" replica

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 6:34 pm
by westtexasred
Check out this video made by a guy who built a replica of John Flansburg's Chessmaster guitar (Link)

John playing the original Chessmaster circa 1992

[youtube][/youtube]
reverse engineering the body from a photograph.

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Finished "Chessmaster II"

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John Flansburg autographs "Chessmaster II"

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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 7:19 pm
by dezb1
this was one of the first songs that got me interested in the guitar, they put the chords on the screen (A7, C#m7, Bm7, E7) in the video... which I thought was unbelievably cool at the time. song sounds like summit that should have been in sesame street... one of these kids is doing his own thing ...etc

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 8:21 pm
by DanHeron
UGLY guitar. But great video and story.

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 9:39 pm
by speedfish
Wow! Very cool.

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:13 am
by jcyphe
The thing that makes it ugly is the telecaster neck. Put another neck and headstock that fits that type of design and it could be ok.

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:27 pm
by paul_
dezb1 wrote:they put the chords on the screen (A7, C#m7, Bm7, E7) in the video... which I thought was unbelievably cool at the time. sounds like summit that should have been in sesame street
Always loved as a kid how Blur's tape/CD liner notes where they put the lyrics would have the chords over them like a songbook.

Code: Select all

A
He thinks he's educated, airs those family shares

C#m7   Bm7           C#m7    Bm7
Will protect him that we'll respect him

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 8:42 am
by Rox
That's frickin trippy.. :shock:

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 8:55 am
by UlricvonCatalyst
Hard to imagine anyone obsessing over such an ugly guitar. No accounting for taste.

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:11 pm
by Bacchus
Maybe I'm thick, but why is it called Chessmaster? Doesn't look very chessey to me.

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:14 pm
by westtexasred
BacchusPaul wrote:Maybe I'm thick, but why is it called Chessmaster? Doesn't look very chessey to me.

From the TMBG website:

"Chessmaster is the name of the guitar. It's because it looks like a rook, according to Flansburgh."

[youtube][/youtube]
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:27 pm
by stewart
SO CRAZY

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 7:50 pm
by MrJamesBrown
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Hurts my eyes.