Italy - Rome and Tuscany

Dad and Ross in Florence

The Central Hole

Brooks, Mom and Ross

Classic Tourist Image

Inside the Coliseum

Rome

Study of man in study

Chianti

Badia a Coltibouno - where we rested

The Cellar and some nice old Chianti Classico

Brooks in his element

Inside the dining area of Badia a Coltibuouo

Florence

Inside one of the many walled cities

Cooking lessons with a wonderful family in their cucina

Florence

Dave

The Boys

A Very Nice Guitar for Bob

Well, I have finally gathered up the courage to start the Very Nice Guitar for Bob.  Bob is Bob Drake, my oldest best friend, and a brilliant and courageous musician.  See http://www.bdrak.com/ 

Here is the neck for the Very Nice Guitar, which is not yet officially named.  I invite your input in this regard.  The neck is mahogany with a curly maple center lamination and ebony pins.  The mahogany is so lovely and dark and fine grained that it looks like old cherry.  Just magnificent.  It makes me excited about what is next.  The guitar body will be made of Lutz Spruce, a hybrid of White and Sitka Spruce, which seems to be the rage right now, from Shane Neifer at High Mountain Tonewood Co., in Terrance B.C. (Canada).  The stuff I have is quirky in appearance, but rings like a bell, and that is no exaggeration.  The back and sides will be some nice Indian Rosewood I have from the Zootman, Bob Cefalu, at RC Tonewoods in New York.  No other decisions have been made as of yet. 

Archtop Progress

The archtop is finally getting close to completion.  Here she is in the white.  The body is complete, and the neck is almost finished.  A few tweaks and she goes to finish.  Spruce top, curly maple back and sides.  The neck is curly maple with a 1/4" center lamination of indian rosewood with pins.  Fretboard is ebony with EVO frets.  Must make headplate and truss rod cover, heel cap, which will be made of wenge.  Finish will be a satin tobacco sunburst.  One volume control only for the single Classic 57 Gibson humbucking pickup.