# Frank Brothers Guitar Company - Custom Build



## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

I'm excited to announce an extraordinary instrument that is being built for me by some good friends of mine. Since 2013, Tim and Nick Frank, of Frank Brothers Guitar Company, have been producing some of the most extraordinary guitars in the world. I've been fortunate to witness the progression of their business, and the transformation of their 'Signature Model' to the point at which it is now. I'm even more fortunate to be waiting on my very own FGBC guitar.

As put by Westwood Music, the FBGC Signature Model "captures the quality and playability of the electric guitar era’s most venerable instruments with an original design distinctive of Frank Brothers." In essence, the brothers combine the best of old and new to create a masterclass instrument that pays homage to the classics of the 50s and 60s.

Up until this point, the FBGC Sig Model was available in one basic form; though the future owner did have the ability to chose top and back woods, as well as the guitar's finish. Now available, and you heard it here first, is a variation to the original concept. The boys will be producing the same basic guitar but with P90s, a plain maple top, satin finished back and sides, unbound fretboard/headstock, Gotoh mini tuners, and brushed nickel hardware. The idea was to offer potential buyers a new guitar (that is still quintessential Frank Bros.), plus pass along a substantial cost savings. Features such as top and back woods, finish, electronics, etc... are still customizable. This will allow the lines between the original Sig Model, and the new model to be blurred. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to own the very first one.

Included are some photos of the original design. If you're interested, stay tuned for updates on my guitar.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

More pics..


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

I've been watching hem for about 1-2 years now. I like them. Can't wait to try one one day. Congrats.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

I'd play that!


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

i have a friend who works there. I watch his instagram videos of him building guitars and i am full of envy


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

RBlakeney said:


> i have a friend who works there. I watch his instagram videos of him building guitars and i am full of envy


Your friend must be Simon... I'm a little envious of him as well. He won the job lottery. That said, he does great work!


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

That looks very well made. The body style isn't for me, but I appreciate their take on the instrument.


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

fogdart said:


> Your friend must be Simon... I'm a little envious of him as well. He won the job lottery. That said, he does great work!


that would be correct


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 1:

I went and visited the shop last week where the boys took me through their large stash of wood. We strategically picked each piece of wood needed to make this guitar with tone in mind. 

FBGC guitar bodies start with a 2 piece Honduran Mahogany blank. The wood that is being used in my guitar came out of a barn in Southern Ontario. Tim and Nick have direct contact with their sawyers, and as such get specific details on the origin of the woods that they use. The owner of the barn bought the Honduran Hog at an auction more than 20 years ago. The boys milled it in Aug 2016, and it has been tucked away since. When I requested light weight body wood, they brought me directly to these boards. We spent more time than I care to admit tapping on each board to find the most resonant pieces.











Next stop was the hoard of neck blanks. My goal was to find a tight grained, very dense piece of perfectly quarter sawn Honduran Mahogany. The guys only use quarter sawn wood, so that made things pretty easy. Again, we spent far too long tapping on the wood trying to find a dense neck blank that resonated nicely. Mission accomplished. 

I'm of the opinion that the fretboard is nearly as important to tone as the body wood. We must have gone through hundreds of Macassar Ebony fretboard blanks in an effort to find the most resonant, longest sustaining piece of dark Macassar Ebony. Yeah it had to be dark.



















As I mentioned in my first post, the FBGC Signature Model is usually equipped with a figured maple top and back, but this more economical version will utilize plain maple. Seeing as I plan on having the guitar finished in a solid colour, I decided to go for a Mahogany top and back. Quartersawn Honduran of course. This was thanks in part to Johan Segeborn's recent YouTube video comparing maple and mahogany as tonewoods in electric guitars. Again, lots of tapping to find a nice sounding bookmatched top and back.

Last step was to find a nice looking headstock overlay. I let Nick use his judgment as this is his specialty. He picked a bookmatched piece of Macassar Ebony with a gorgeous grain pattern to contrast with the dark fretboard.


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

Wowee, and this is a Canadian company? Even better!


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Lord-Humongous said:


> Wowee, and this is a Canadian company? Even better!


Yes sir, located in Toronto's studio district. They're always happy to have visitors - just call in advance.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 2:


These boys work quickly! When they first started producing the Sig Model, a little more of the process was done by hand. Bodies and necks were cut on a bandsaw. Now, they use a CNC to rough cut the bodies and necks. Final shaping is still done by hand. I remember Tim explaining to me how they can't argue with the consistency of the results of the CNC. The boys are obsessive when it comes to the details. They're proud of their product, and refuse to let an instrument leave the shop with even the tiniest (completely unnoticeable to everyone else) imperfection.


The renowned Canadian luthier and inlay artist, Mark Kett, assisted FBGC in dialling in the CNC machine. They wouldn't settle on just any machinist to program the machine. Someone who understands the importance of accuracy when it comes to building a fine instrument was needed. Mark was a good fit.


...On that note, the body of my guitar hit the CNC yesterday!












As you can see from the pictures, the Sig Model is technically a semi-hollow guitar. But unlike your typical semi-hollow, FGBC starts with a solid body and strategically routes cavities into the wood. Certainly not the most cost efficient way of going about it, but you end up with a body that rings and sustains like nothing else.


The treble side of the body is completely hollow, while the bass side gets angled routes about the size of a finger. The routes run in opposite directions on the top and back sides, crisscrossing each other, to avoid creating weak points. In effect, the bass side is left mostly solid to reduce boominess often associated with a traditional semi hollow design. Being mostly a blues and rock player, this is my favourite feature of the guitar.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 3:


Things are starting to take shape.


Neck construction has started. This has got to be the most complex component of the guitar. I attempted to type up an explanation, but ended up texting Tim and asking for the official mumbo jumbo. In Tim's words:

"We use a curved single action compression truss rod that we make in house (inspired by the Loyd Loar design). The curve in the rod allows us to embed the rod at the headstock much shallower than a Gibson compression rod. On top of that, the volute adds mass behind the truss rod where the grain is shortest and most prone to breaking. We also add headstock "ears" on the edges of the material that makes up the headstock. These ears are selected for a good colour match from quartersawn genuine mahogany, which adds strength to the entire headstock. All those elements sit under a quartersawn headstock overlay. In short, we've taken the vintage lightweight compression rod that we feel adds to the sound of the guitar, and addressed every structural issue that is present on traditional applications of that truss rod.


The truss rod curve also allows us to pinpoint the apex of the compression, making the rod very reactive with a very smooth relief or dial in dead flat straightness.


The neck, inherent to its design, ends up so stiff that we have to build the relief into the neck when we machine the parts. String tension does not add significant relief. We build in this excess relief so that we can add tension to the truss rod which in turn adds more stiffness to the neck. This means that you can "loosen" the truss rod nut to the desired relief while still having tension on the rod essentially making a single action truss rod into a double action true rod"


Next level stuff right there!






























You may have noticed from the above pictures that some progress has been made with the body. The quartersawn Honduran Hog top and back have been added, as well as the binding. The blank is routed for the binding which ensures a perfect fit with no gaps.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

This is the epitome of a great post for this forum. Exactly one of the things I was hoping for when I joined.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Oops! Just checked the website. $5000? I haven't played a guitar yet that I would pay that much for. 

I am not trying to be insulting -- just saying -- there is no way any guitar can add that much value to my playing. I have been offered more for less and declined. And I have two "world-class" "custom-made" guitars from the late Glenn McDougall. About $1400 each. Wonderful to play. No effort spared in the build. 

Of course, I would never pay for an expensive vehicle either...

"Your mileage may vary." 

Still a great post and I wish the brothers the best! I personally love the shape. And I am sure that they need that kind of money to make it worth their while.


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## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

Interesting design. Too rich for my blood though


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

KapnKrunch said:


> Oops! Just checked the website. $5000? I haven't played a guitar yet that I would pay that much for.
> 
> I am not trying to be insulting -- just saying -- there is no way any guitar can add that much value to my playing. I have been offered more for less and declined. And I have two "world-class" "custom-made" guitars from the late Glenn McDougall. About $1400 each. Wonderful to play. No effort spared in the build.
> 
> ...


Its actually 5K US. Not out of line for a high quality boutique build IMO but there is a lot of competition at that price point.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

I like the design. But then I like this too-


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

KapnKrunch said:


> Oops! Just checked the website. $5000? I haven't played a guitar yet that I would pay that much for.
> 
> I am not trying to be insulting -- just saying -- there is no way any guitar can add that much value to my playing. I have been offered more for less and declined. And I have two "world-class" "custom-made" guitars from the late Glenn McDougall. About $1400 each. Wonderful to play. No effort spared in the build.
> 
> ...


It's a lot of dough, no doubt. I can understand it being an unjustifiable amount for most people. When you take into account the unparalleled workmanship, and amount of time in each guitar, you can see where the money is going. Might not make it justifiable, but understandable.

When compared to a Fender Custom Shop guitar, or even a Gibson Custom Shop guitar - this thing is a bargain, and much easier to see where your money is going.

Stay tuned to the thread and you'll get an idea of the level of design and craftsmanship that goes into each guitar.

PS. On the topic of money, the revised Signature Model (like the one that I'm having made) will be significantly less expensive than the current model. I'm not in the position to disclose exact pricing at this point, as it's still in the works, but I will say that the Frank Bros are looking at targeting a completely different market segment with this one.


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## Doug B (Jun 19, 2017)

fogdart said:


> Yes sir, located in Toronto's studio district. They're always happy to have visitors - just call in advance.


The Guitar Magazine has a rave review of their guitars in this month's magazine.


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## Guest (Oct 6, 2017)

LanceT said:


> I like the design. But then I like this too-


Hmm .. do you think PRS would file a lawsuit?


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

fogdart said:


> It's a lot of dough, no doubt. I can understand it being an unjustifiable amount for most people. When you take into account the unparalleled workmanship, and amount of time in each guitar, you can see where the money is going. Might not make it justifiable, but understandable.
> 
> When compared to a Fender Custom Shop guitar, or even a Gibson Custom Shop guitar - this thing is a bargain, and much easier to see where your money is going.
> 
> ...



I think you have to be careful with the marketing-speak like "unparalleled workmanship". There are fair number of companies out there building near flawless builds these days...a common example would be Collings. These look like well made guitars with nice materials but using pretty standard build techniques based on your pics.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

fogdart said:


> It's a lot of dough, no doubt. I can understand it being an unjustifiable amount for most people. When you take into account the unparalleled workmanship, and amount of time in each guitar, you can see where the money is going. Might not make it justifiable, but understandable.
> 
> When compared to a Fender Custom Shop guitar, or even a Gibson Custom Shop guitar - this thing is a bargain, and much easier to see where your money is going.
> 
> ...


Yeah, dogfart, please don't think I am dissing your buddies. I, too, have friends who make multi-thousand dollar guitars. I don't buy them. Those guitars are for someone else.

I just want to note that when I say "no effort spared" about Glenn McDougall's guitars (all sold at my price range), that I mean "*nobody makes a better guitar*" at any price. 

His genius went into equipment that he designed to improve output and *lower* *costs*. "I am a manufacturer. I could be happy making other things, I just happen to make guitars." 

And he made everything, except the tuning pegs. Over 200 guitars per year for fifty+ years. Alone. 

"You can only make a guitar so good. After that you're just paying for fancy wood and decoration."


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Scottone said:


> I think you have to be careful with the marketing-speak like "unparalleled workmanship". There are fair number of companies out there building near flawless builds these days...a common example would be Collings. These look like well made guitars with nice materials but using pretty standard build techniques based on your pics.


I suppose you're right. Maybe, "as good as it gets" would be a more accurate description. There are other builders building to this quality, but there aren't many. Maybe a handful of boutique builders in North America. 

Re: Collings. I've owned 2 Collings guitars over the last few years, and the Frank Bros work is just that tiny bit better. The FBGC product would be more in line with what I've seen from Joe Yanuziello, or Taku Sakashta. 

To address your comment re: "pretty standard building techniques". Did you have a chance to read the description of the truss rod and how it is set into the neck? Wait until you hear about the fretboard. Your assessment of "pretty standard" might change.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

KapnKrunch said:


> Yeah, dogfart, please don't think I am dissing your buddies. I, too, have friends who make multi-thousand dollar guitars. I don't buy them. Those guitars are for someone else.
> 
> I just want to note that when I say "no effort spared" about Glenn McDougall's guitars (all sold at my price range), that I mean "*nobody makes a better guitar*" at any price.
> 
> ...


He sounds like an incredible character. I'll have to do a little research on him!


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

fogdart said:


> Yes sir, located in Toronto's studio district. They're always happy to have visitors - just call in advance.


Interesting. I'm visiting a family member this weekend and stay over in the beaches. I'm a short walk from this area (studio district). Wonder if they are working today? Maybe I'll try looking them up.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

KapnKrunch said:


> Yeah, *dogfart.....*


@fogdart Did you miss this?

I had a bit of a laugh when I saw it.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

It was auto correction. Surely.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

greco said:


> @fogdart Did you miss this?
> 
> I had a bit of a laugh when I saw it.


Nope, I caught it. I was wondering when someone would figure out my forum name lol


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

fogdart said:


> Nope, I caught it. I was wondering when someone would figure out my forum name lol


My maturity never got out of highschool, so I saw it right away. Of course, the photo is a giveaway too...

Although, the Frank Bros. Sig is out of my budget, they may want to send me one so I can endorse it. I am a big name out here in rural Saskatchewan. (Lol. )


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

KapnKrunch said:


> I am a big name out here in rural Saskatchewan. (Lol. )


I can confirm this. As an ex-stubblejumper I can admit to the fact that we ate his cereal all the time. The whistle he supplied with that cereal is also famous in the original hacking club, 2600.

This would be a very prestigious alignment for the Franks. They should jump all over this. Imagine looking at that guitar on the front of the cereal box and reading the specs on the back. In French and English, no less.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Haha, hiDeaf. Seriously, dogFart, This is one of the coolest looks ever on a guitar, and I have no doubt the build would be divine! Can't wait for the "consumer" version.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

fogdart said:


> I suppose you're right. Maybe, "as good as it gets" would be a more accurate description. There are other builders building to this quality, but there aren't many. Maybe a handful of boutique builders in North America.
> 
> Re: Collings. I've owned 2 Collings guitars over the last few years, and the Frank Bros work is just that tiny bit better. The FBGC product would be more in line with what I've seen from Joe Yanuziello, or Taku Sakashta.
> 
> To address your comment re: "pretty standard building techniques". Did you have a chance to read the description of the truss rod and how it is set into the neck? Wait until you hear about the fretboard. Your assessment of "pretty standard" might change.


When you get up to the higher levels of workmanship, the differences are pretty minor. And of course a flawless looking build does not always guarantee the best tone  How is the Frank Bros. guitar better than a Collings? Just curious


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

fogdart said:


> Nope, I caught it. I was wondering when someone would figure out my forum name lol


I just thought you were a heavy smoker from St. John's....

P.S. Must be a French bulldog.


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## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

laristotle said:


> Hmm .. do you think PRS would file a lawsuit?


why? that's a old gibson design from a guitar called the Miii


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2017)

Well, I'll be dipped .. 
I just googled. Never heard of that one.
Tnx dj.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Scottone said:


> When you get up to the higher levels of workmanship, the differences are pretty minor. And of course a flawless looking build does not always guarantee the best tone  How is the Frank Bros. guitar better than a Collings? Just curious


You're right about the idea of workmanship after a certain cost, and I especially agree with your notion of a gorgeous build not necessarily equating to gorgeous tone. My February 1964 Strat has some pretty shoddy workmanship, but is an incredible sounding instrument. On that note, I think that by selecting each piece of wood for tone and stability, boutique guitar makers can almost guarantee a great sounding instrument. Larger companies who just order wood, and select pieces at random from their stock don't always end up with outstanding sounding instruments. Take my Strat for example, that's just a bunch of stuff slapped together. It worked out nicely with this particular guitar, but others end up being mediocre.

I think what appeals to me most about the FBGC guitar is the amount of R&D that went into the design. Just think about all of the details in that neck/truss design. The body routing, while simple, is also a great idea. Wait until you hear about the fret slots. These are details that you won't see in a lot of other boutique instruments. You might see comparable workmanship, but this level of design is not often seen. Tim told me it takes nearly 70 hours to make one of their guitars even with the use of a CNC.

Re: Collings. I had an i35 Deluxe that had a minor binding issue, but more importantly, I found myself adjusting the truss rod on a seasonal basis. Full disclosure, I had purchased it as a used instrument. I also had a new 290 that had finish inconsistencies. This was a truly incredible playing and sounding instrument, but it looked like the spray gun kind of farted and splattered in a couple spots. While the finish issues were minor, and really didn't bother me, it is still an imperfection worth noting.

Hope my ramblings are coherent.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

KapnKrunch said:


> Haha, hiDeaf. Seriously, dogFart, This is one of the coolest looks ever on a guitar, and I have no doubt the build would be divine! Can't wait for the "consumer" version.


Thanks brother!



Roryfan said:


> I just thought you were a heavy smoker from St. John's....
> 
> P.S. Must be a French bulldog.


It's pretty foggy in my neck of the woods as well. Cigars are my vice, not cigarettes. But you were close.

Yup, 30lbs of French joy.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 4:


Production has come to a halt, and it's my doing. I asked the boys if they could source a Brazilian Rosewood fretboard. They were able to call up a favour from a local Ontario luthier friend, and secure some documented Braz!

















I was picking Tim's brain on the truss rod details a little more, so he sent me these images and an explanation to go along with them...



















"The slot is routed with a ball end cutter that is the same radius as the rod so that the fit is snug. We also use a quartersawn mahogany filler strip that matches the curve of the rod and channel. We prefer mahogany as the filler strip rather than maple because the filler strip and the neck can react to humidity and temperature changes equally."


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## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

That's cool, keep the updates coming!

Nathan


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

fogdart said:


> You're right about the idea of workmanship after a certain cost, and I especially agree with your notion of a gorgeous build not necessarily equating to gorgeous tone. My February 1964 Strat has some pretty shoddy workmanship, but is an incredible sounding instrument. On that note, I think that by selecting each piece of wood for tone and stability, boutique guitar makers can almost guarantee a great sounding instrument. Larger companies who just order wood, and select pieces at random from their stock don't always end up with outstanding sounding instruments. Take my Strat for example, that's just a bunch of stuff slapped together. It worked out nicely with this particular guitar, but others end up being mediocre.
> 
> I think what appeals to me most about the FBGC guitar is the amount of R&D that went into the design. Just think about all of the details in that neck/truss design. The body routing, while simple, is also a great idea. Wait until you hear about the fret slots. These are details that you won't see in a lot of other boutique instruments. You might see comparable workmanship, but this level of design is not often seen. Tim told me it takes nearly 70 hours to make one of their guitars even with the use of a CNC.
> 
> ...


I think where some boutiques go off track is in the use of fancy woods that look great but don't sound like the vintage guitars we are used to hearing. You see these being flipped on TGP fairly regularly....sometimes the same one several times. I like that the Frank Bros. are using the traditional formula (mahogany and maple). As you said, with careful selection of material and meticulous build techniques, there is a high probability of it sounding great.

Like your Strat, I have an Echopark guitar that doesn't have the sharpest build quality but does play and sound great. I just wish it were lighter


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Great build - @fogdart why are you holding up for BRAZ on the fingerboard?


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Alex said:


> Great build - @fogdart why are you holding up for BRAZ on the fingerboard?


Thanks Alex!

The answer to your question... Tone, tone, and tone.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

I will respectfully disagree to the fb being a noticeable tone difference from other RW boards and Braz board. 

But ....

That is another trilogy. Lol 

I will one day go check out their shop. 

Cheers and keep the updates coming along.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

sambonee said:


> I will respectfully disagree to the fb being a noticeable tone difference from other RW boards and Braz board.
> 
> But ....
> 
> ...


Hey sambonee, it's definitely difficult to prove. To do it effectively you'd need to record a guitar with an Indian Rosewood board. Then after some major surgery, and with a new Braz board on the same guitar, record the same passage with the same variables. Maybe Johan Segeborn can do it for us. All I know is that, to my ears, IR has a softer attack with scooped mids. Braz has a faster attack more like maple or ebony, a longer decay, and pronounced mids. The most noticeable aspects to me are the attack and decay - the minor differences in tone can be compensated for with other bits of the signal chain. I don't like the soft saggy attack of IR. For that reason, it seems the only guitars that I keep either have a maple or Braz board.

My father is a very talented professional saxophone player. He, like most other professional musicians, is obsessed with tone to a degree that hobbyists like myself will never truly understand. Tone to a pro musician like my father, is their signature. He can immediately identify other sax players by hearing just one or two notes over the radio. "Oh that's Alex Dean" or "Oh that's John Johnson". He has continued to work for almost 6 decades to nail his tone. I grew up listening to him tirelessly A/Bing mouthpieces, ligatures, and reeds. He still does this on a daily basis at nearly 70 years old. He'd always quiz me "what do you think of this one?" "Which one do you like better?" Or, "how would you describe the differences between these two." I think due to a combination of being aware of tone from a young age, and being exposed to many different types of music I have a more keen ear than most. Now, if only I'd been as talented of a player.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Sax I can understand more. Few variables before sound emission. 

With ele. Guitar there are so many pieces in the chain before emitting the sound that it's hard to pinpoint imo.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

sambonee said:


> Sax I can understand more. Few variables before sound emission.
> 
> With ele. Guitar there are so many pieces in the chain before emitting the sound that it's hard to pinpoint imo.


You're right about that!


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 5:

The Brazilian Rosewood has landed. Tim went and hand picked two boards of Braz yesterday. He chose these two out of about 15 pieces. We decided to use the board on the left for my guitar. I'm partial to the tight grain and darker colour.










Significant care in the design of the fret slots adds to the precision and adjustability of the neck. The fretslot depths match the radius of the fretboard so that any excessive "curfing" effect is avoided, greatly increasing the stiffness of the board. By pocketing the frets, the slots don't go the full width of the board. This also adds to strength and stability.

On your average fretboard, once the fret tang is embedded into the board, it takes the place of the wood that was removed. This does eliminate the majority of the weakness taken out... but only in the relief direction. Radiusing the fret slots, and pocketing the frets makes the FBGC fretboard stiffer in both directions.

Fret slots are also machined at varying degrees of size in order to precisely predict fret compression.





































Taking into account the features involved in the neck, truss rod, volute, and body design; have you ever seen this level of engineering in another electric guitar?! Boutique or not. I'm interested to know if anyone else is at this level.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 5.1:

More progress on the fretboard, and headstock overlay. I was given the choice of real mother of pearl, or celluloid nitrate dots. I went with the latter.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Super exciting. Just install a webcam already!


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

fogdart said:


> Update 5:
> 
> The Brazilian Rosewood has landed. Tim went and hand picked two boards of Braz yesterday. He chose these two out of about 15 pieces. We decided to use the board on the left for my guitar. I'm partial to the tight grain and darker colour.
> 
> ...


If anyone wonders why someone would pay $5K+ for a guitar, this is the level of attention to detail that justifies it for those who fork out that kind of dough.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Roryfan said:


> If anyone wonders why someone would pay $5K+ for a guitar, this is the level of attention to detail that justifies it for those who fork out that kind of dough.


Completely agree. This is more than twice as much as I've ever payed for a new guitar. It's a crazy amount of dough, but not for a second do I feel like I'm overpaying.

Oh, and more importantly, this new variation from FBGC starts at $3100!!!


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 6:

The frets have been pressed into the fretboard - this is done before the board is glued to the neck. FBGC uses a two ton arbor press, checking tightness with a 0.001" feeler gauge, to ensure a very close and uniform fit. This allows them to omit the normal fret levelling step; leaving the buyer with longer fret life.




















Tim and Nick were explaining to me that going forward they plan on rolling the fretboard edges more than they were previously. The chamfered edge in the picture below will be the starting point for the roll.












Oh, and here's a little teaser shot of the headstock.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Not an update, but a little teaser post. Here are a couple pictures of the FBGC proprietary tail piece, which in my opinion is an important ingredient in the FBGC sound and feel. If you look at pictures of the guitar you'll notice two things in particular about the tailpiece. One, the design of the tailpiece makes for a very shallow break angle of the strings over the bridge. Two, the tailpiece floats. Both of these details help to make the strings feel very slinky - similar to tuning down a semi tone. It might be just me, but the tension also feels incredibly balanced from one string to the next. The tailpiece is an original Frank Bros. design, and is made locally by renowned luthier and inlay artist Mark Kett.


















I stopped by the FBGC workshop yesterday to take a look at my guitar. I walked out with the off cut from my Braz fretboard. I've decided to do something that I've always wanted - test different fretboard oils on a piece of rosewood. Right now I'm observing how the oils react, taking photos, and documenting. I'll make a detailed post tomorrow after 24 hours of absorption. But, just to tease, here's a photo of the 4 oils on the piece of Brazilian Rosewood. The oils used are: mineral oil (suitable substitute lemon oil), woodwind bore oil, boiled linseed oil, raw linseed oil.











After 10 minutes of absorption. Can you guess which oil is which?:


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 7:

She's starting to look like a guitar. Yesterday the neck was glued to the body. FBGC has used hide glue successfully in the past, but ultimately decided to use Titebond wood glue in this application. It was explained to me by Tim that they prefer not to have to heat the neck joint prior to applying the glue - which is a necessary step with hide glue. Tim and Nick chose differently glues for different applications. For the fretboard they use marine grade epoxy so as not to introduce any water into the bond. In the case of the neck/body joint, the water in the glue helps to swell the joint and make a tighter fit.

In the photos you will notice how substantial the neck tenon is. It's about as long as Gibson's famed "long tenon" neck joint, but substantial wider and deeper. The idea is to cerate the most stable, strongest, and best sustaining joint possible.




























The boys also had some time to glue the binding into the back of the body. Here you will see Simon, the only person that Tim and Nick trust to work on their guitars aside from themselves.


















Getting very excited!


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I missed or misunderstand something. If the fret slots aren’t cut all the way across, do they trim the tangs before pressing?


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

keto said:


> I missed or misunderstand something. If the fret slots aren’t cut all the way across, do they trim the tangs before pressing?


They trim the tang of the fret so that the crown can over hang.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Better to trim right through and slightly deeper like Glenn MacDougall. Less chance for any possible reaction in the wood to affect the frets. Don't mind me, DogFart: always a trouble maker.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Tim sent me these photos late in the day Thursday, but I've had a busy weekend. 

I'm pretty sure these pics explain themselves. Oh, and she's only 5.12lbs at the moment. Should put her right around 7.00lbs when done.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)




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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

KapnKrunch said:


> Better to trim right through and slightly deeper like Glenn MacDougall. Less chance for any possible reaction in the wood to affect the frets. Don't mind me, DogFart: always a trouble maker.


I'm not sure that makes much sense. I wonder what his reasoning was??

By pocketing the frets you essentially have a stability bar on each side of the fretboard. By cutting right to the edge you've kerfed the fretboard. Kerfing is great if you want wood to bend, not so great if you want it to be stiff.

Re: the idea of the reaction in the wood... FBGC cuts their fret slots at varying sizes which allows them the control the compression of the fretboard when they install the frets. Essentially eliminating any possibility of movement down the road.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

fogdart said:


> I'm not sure that makes much sense. I wonder what his reasoning was??
> 
> By pocketing the frets you essentially have a stability bar on each side of the fretboard. By cutting right to the edge you've kerfed the fretboard. Kerfing is great if you want wood to bend, not so great if you want it to be stiff.
> 
> Re: the idea of the reaction in the wood... FBGC cuts their fret slots at varying sizes which allows them the control the compression of the fretboard when they install the frets. Essentially eliminating any possibility of movement down the road.


Never question his wisdom. One man, ten thousand guitars. I'll let it go this time... lol.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 9:

Lots of progress has been made since my last post. The guitar has been sanded, sealed, grain filled, and had the first couple base coats sprayed.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

After sanding the boys use a thinned nitro lacquer as the sealer coat. No sanding sealer here. 


















I requested a black grain fill. Tim explained to me that they use Carbon Black (a.k.a. lampblack) pigment to dye the grain-fill jet black. Historically, lampblack was soot collected after the burning of oil or pine wood. Methods have changed, but the idea is still the same.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 9 continued:

And here's a photo of the back of the guitar after the grain fill and the first couple of base coats.


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## bigboki (Apr 16, 2015)

fogdart said:


> I'm not sure that makes much sense. I wonder what his reasoning was??
> 
> By pocketing the frets you essentially have a stability bar on each side of the fretboard. By cutting right to the edge you've kerfed the fretboard. Kerfing is great if you want wood to bend, not so great if you want it to be stiff.
> 
> Re: the idea of the reaction in the wood... FBGC cuts their fret slots at varying sizes which allows them the control the compression of the fretboard when they install the frets. Essentially eliminating any possibility of movement down the road.


If you want to have stiffness in the wood, then just glue the frets (without tangs) onto the board instead of using fret slots. That's how Parker did it on his carbon fibre fretboard.
Just an idea.

Thank you for this thread, it is really interesting.


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## bigboki (Apr 16, 2015)

Can you please explain me how it went from last photo from update 9 to the first photo in update 9 continued?
So it was "colored" fully with the "grain fill" color, and then pended away, so only grain is "filled" with the "grain fill" color?
thank you in advance


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

bigboki said:


> Can you please explain me how it went from last photo from update 9 to the first photo in update 9 continued?
> So it was "colored" fully with the "grain fill" color, and then pended away, so only grain is "filled" with the "grain fill" color?
> thank you in advance


Incandescent vs Fluorescent lights. The true colour is probably somewhere between the two.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Great thread, thanks for sharing!


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 10:


We're getting really close. Tim sprayed the colour coats on my guitar and here's what he had to say: "We mix our own white lacquer with yellow oxide pigment to create a really beautiful off white. After that we’ll shoot an amber over the whole guitar to dial the colour in a bit further and to also tint the binding a bit. For your guitar, we used a blend of nitrocellulose lacquers to get a finish that is hard and durable but also capable of weathering, checking and aging with time and use. Basically, it’ll hold up to buffing so we get a really nice gloss but it’s not so precious that it won’t start to age."


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Pretty stunning.


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## sillyak (Oct 22, 2016)

Really nice looking. They did a great job making a new, very unique design that doesn't look tacky. Build quality looks absolutely top notch!


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## Zifnab (Dec 1, 2017)

Thank you for posting this. It is very cool to be able to see how much time and effort these guys are putting into a beautiful looking (and hopefully playing  ) guitar.


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## imyourmutter (Nov 16, 2017)

@fogdart , any updates to share? I'd guess you should have the guitar by now right?


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

imyourmutter said:


> @fogdart , any updates to share? I'd guess you should have the guitar by now right?


Not yet. Bit of a hiccup with the pickups that I'd chosen for the guitar. Long story short, they are not being produced anymore. I'll be using a Wolfetone Mean/Meaner set that I'm having slightly underwound. 

Also, Tim sanded and re-sprayed the white lacquer. It went on a little thicker than he would have liked so he mixed a new batch. (That was before my last update, so what you see in the pics is the proper white.)

Last time I went to check up on the guitar, the clear coat had been sprayed and it was curing for a few weeks before it could be buffed. Maybe I'll bother the brothers for some pics.


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## Zifnab (Dec 1, 2017)

@fogdart what is the purpose of having a pickup under wound? What does it do sound wise?


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Zifnab said:


> @fogdart what is the purpose of having a pickup under wound? What does it do sound wise?


The more output a pickup has, the darker sounding it is. The same pickup wound to a lower output will be slightly brighter, and let more nuances of the instrument shine thru. A similar effect can be had by raising and lowering a pickup in relation to the strings. More output will also drive the amp into overdrive quicker.

The Wolfetone pickups are wound slightly hotter than I typically like. Winding them down about 5%-10% will get them right where I want them. I don't need to worry about them becoming too bright because he uses A2 magnets which are fairly subdued in the treble frequencies.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 11:

Guitar has been polished, pickups have arrived from Wolfetone, we're getting real real close now. I'm thinking black covers and black knobs - what's the consensus?

Here are some teaser pics from Tim and Nick. Look at the depth of the polish on the quartersawn Hog back! Oh, and our first peek at the Braz board - should be nice and dark after some fretboard oil.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

fogdart said:


> I'm thinking black covers and black knobs


Yes.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 12:

The holes for the pots & switch were drilled earlier this week. Tim filed the fret ends today, and will be assembling the guitar over the next couple days.

Notice the before and after oil shot of the fretboard. Man, that's some dark Brazilian Rosewood.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

She's a beauty!


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

I have been watching videos of these guitars being made on instagram over the past while and it makes me wish i still was in Toronto so I could check it out.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 12.1:

Check out the threaded inserts where the truss rod cover screws go. FBGC also uses these in the body for the pickup and pickguard screws. Just another obsessive detail that makes a guitar junky tweak.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

KapnKrunch said:


> She's a beauty!


Thanks pal!



RBlakeney said:


> I have been watching videos of these guitars being made on instagram over the past while and it makes me wish i still was in Toronto so I could check it out.


If you're ever in TO, give the boys a ring and have them take you on a tour of the shop.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 12.2:

Tim is finishing the assembly today. She'll be set up on D'Addario NYXL 11-49. We'll start with the standard 500k pots, and .022uf PIO tone cap pre wired harness that Emerson sells for vintage Les Paul JR and Special type guitars. I have a feeling that I'll end up with a .047 cap and 250k tone pot, but we'll see. Anyway, here are some more teasers...


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 12.3:

Well, apparently the guitar is done!! The boys are holding back the pics, and will leave it up to my imagination until tomorrow. These teaser shots will have to do for now:


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Update 13:

Well... it's better than I could have ever imagined! Flawless build, tons of mojo, killer tone, and an incredibly fun experience from start to finish. I own some special guitars, but this is something else.

Thanks to @DeeBeeUs (instagram) for showing up to take some pics. If you haven't checked him out already, he's got a great instagram page full of gear.










































This isn't the last update. I'll be messing around with cap values, and might try some other pickups (simply to get an idea of what the Wolftones offer vs others). I'll keep you guys posted.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

fogdart said:


> Update 12.1:
> 
> Check out the threaded inserts where the truss rod cover screws go. FBGC also uses these in the body for the pickup and pickguard screws. Just another obsessive detail that makes a guitar junky tweak.


This thing is stunning! The brass inserts are a nice touch. I'd prefer those over wood screws also


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Seems like a *perfect* guitar to me! A lifetime possesion. Any kids to inherit it?


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

That last pic you’ve gotta be taking a whiff of the guitar it seems. Funny I do that too. 

Now To start rocking on it. LMK when’s the jam. I’m in (hint hint). I even have a big jam space waiting for a new hand built guitar to grace its doors!!! 

And you’d be putting it thru some sweet amps too. (Not like you’re missing any haha ). 

Congratulations.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Scotty said:


> This thing is stunning! The brass inserts are a nice touch. I'd prefer those over wood screws also


Thanks Scotty!




KapnKrunch said:


> Seems like a *perfect* guitar to me! A lifetime possesion. Any kids to inherit it?


It is perfect in every way, I'm floored by it. No kids yet, but it won't be too long.




sambonee said:


> That last pic you’ve gotta be taking a whiff of the guitar it seems. Funny I do that too.
> 
> Now To start rocking on it. LMK when’s the jam. I’m in (hint hint). I even have a big jam space waiting for a new hand built guitar to grace its doors!!!
> 
> ...


Thanks Sean. I think I was checking out the Brazilian board at that point, but my wife took a candid video of me and at one point I take a big whiff of the nitro lacquer.

We'll have to get together soon. I'd like for anyone that is interested in the guitar to have the chance of playing it!


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Very generous and gentlemanly if you. 

It’s a rocker.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

I took a few more close up shots. My photography skills / the iPhone 6 I'm using don't do it justice, but here ya go...


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Looks better everytime I see it. Keep it away from the tele's -- they look cheap. Lol.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Quick and dirty tone demo thru my @Morattoampshop Tweed Deluxe with a HOF Reverb pedal. Recorded with my iPhone.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Sounds great !! 
Congratulations!

Can I assume from this pic that you are a firefighter? 
If so, a HUGE thanks for all you folks do as first responders and in general.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

greco said:


> Sounds great !!
> Congratulations!
> 
> Can I assume from this pic that you are a firefighter?
> If so, a HUGE thanks for all you folks do as first responders and in general.


Thanks for the kind words.

Yes, I'm a firefighter in the great city of Toronto. I'll speak for all of the men and women of the department when I say that there is no need to thank us. There is nothing more gratifying than helping others.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

fogdart said:


> Thanks for the kind words.
> 
> Yes, I'm a firefighter in the great city of Toronto. I'll speak for all of the men and women of the department when I say that there is no need to thank us. There is nothing more gratifying than helping others.


Classy words man. And taken with great joy to know that there are still people who see service towards others as something fulfilling. 

I appreciate all that the emergency workers do. Lives would be lost without your efforts. Cheers.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Nice thick sound. Will it do treble too? How are the pickups wired for the centre position?

I like your playing!


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

KapnKrunch said:


> Nice thick sound. Will it do treble too? How are the pickups wired for the centre position?
> 
> I like your playing!


Thanks!

Yeah it'll do the treble thing if you want. I'm going thru the normal channel of a Tweed Deluxe with the tone rolled off on the guitar. Makes for a pretty fat sound. That's the way I like it.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

I had the pleasure of filming a demo for the Frank Brothers Guitar Company a couple of weeks ago. They're still putting together the full length clip, but here is a little teaser:






While I was there Nick snapped some pics of my guitar.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

That’s sharp man. Now you need a suit!!


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## Jimi D (Oct 27, 2008)

That's a beautiful instrument! Elegant and visceral; like Angelina Jolie on Oscars night... Wow!


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