OffsetGuitars.com

ThePearDream wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 30, 2018 4:35 pm

Looking good, that grain is really nice. What are you doing for pickups?

Thanks, I'm really pleased with the grain pattern in it. I'm going to use Bill Lawrence pickups. Bridge: L290TL, neck: L500C.

Roundover and comfort contours are done. I stayed with just the belly and forearm contours. I still may do the heel yet but am undecided about that. The fret access contour would get really close to the control cavity so it won't happen. As is, it weighs 4 lbs 12 oz.

I pre-assembled it with a pickguard made from a linoleum tile to make sure holes are in the right place and all. Just a few minor adjustments to make there. Now it comes apart again and I start preparing the body for the finish.

The finish is done. I put a final clear coat on yesterday and now it all has to cure before buffing/polishing. I stopped short of the red I was going for because the body looked so great already and I didn't want to go past that point of maximum chatoyance. It looks different depending on the angle you look at it. I'm really pleased.





It will get to live in the back room inside while it cures because we have rain on the way. Once it is buffed out, I'll start putting things on again. I still need to cut the pickguard for it. The wiring is still a little up in the air as yet but I also routed a little more room in the upper cavity for a push/push switch in case I want to install one. I also deepened that cavity to the same depth as the pickup cavity.

That grain looks amazing.

Thanks, BP. And photos tend to flatten it. The grain is even more impressive in person.

Man that grain is phenomenal! Can't wait to see this thing put together. I love Bill's pickups, I love hybrid designs, I love marauders...I really dig what you're doing here!!

mbene085 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 24, 2018 7:09 am

Man that grain is phenomenal! Can't wait to see this thing put together. I love Bill's pickups, I love hybrid designs, I love marauders...I really dig what you're doing here!!

Thanks. I'm with you, there. I have an old Fujigen-made Tele I got new many years ago and put first run Bill Lawrence pickups in it (L-250 & L-500). Becky doesn't offer the L-250 any more and I wanted to go for a similar sound. Also I wanted the more comfortable shape of the Marauder and a wiggle stick.

Before applying the finish it weighed in at 4 lbs 9 oz. I didn't expect to shave that much off in the prep. Some of that is the mods to the upper cavity, of course.

Cold weather has delayed the final clear coats. I need a better workbench and a sled to shave down body blanks so those are going to be the current focus. Will get back with more on the Roadhouse when the finishing is done.

All right, then! I messed up both shoulders and will need some surgery on at least one. That has held up the show somewhat because I can't hand sand or polish. I want to do as much as I can before the doc gets going and I have to run around in a sling for a while. Soooo....

The finish has cured now so I polished it with a palm polisher. It came out fine. Then I put the bridge on so I can check the fit of the pickguard when I cut it out. Although this looks much like a Telerauder, it is a little smaller version.

I'm so sorry for your shoulders, I hope you get all sorted as soon as possible... because, you know... I mean, this is not a guitar: it's a sculpure!
Lovely design, stunning grain on that mahogany and absolutely cool finish, seriously a work of art.
Get better asap, finish your masterpiece and rock the hell out of it!

Amon 7.L wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:49 am

I'm so sorry for your shoulders, I hope you get all sorted as soon as possible... because, you know... I mean, this is not a guitar: it's a sculpure!
Lovely design, stunning grain on that mahogany and absolutely cool finish, seriously a work of art.
Get better asap, finish your masterpiece and rock the hell out of it!

Thanks, that's quite a compliment! I can hardly wait to get it done. I was going to put a different neck on than originally planned but it's not ready to go.


This one is ready to go except for filing the slots in the nut. It has threaded inserts installed and the headstock shaped. It was the first plan anyway.

Really beautiful. I hope your recovery goes well so you can play that soon.

marqueemoon wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 26, 2019 4:17 pm

Really beautiful. I hope your recovery goes well so you can play that soon.

Thank you.

I'm sure it will go quite well once the Dr. figures out what needs to be done to which side.

The pickguard is made. Everything fits except that the pickup opening is still a bit tight. I'll relieve that a bit and it'll be fine. The pickguard screw holes are located with a pilot hole. Those will get transferred once everything fits properly.