40th birthday surprises...

[slowlearner]

I turned 40 yesterday. I also have an identical twin brother, Andy. With our birthday coming up, last year I harvested the parts from a broken-necked Ibanez LP copy I'd been given to build him a surprise custom guitar. After fishing for all sorts of info, I ended up building what I'd call a semi-baritone. The guitar is tuned in standard intervals, but with the lowest string being D (DGCFAD). It's built on a 718mm scale. Like a tele scale but 70mm longer for the 2 extra fret lengths to get it to D comfortably. It could easily cop heavier strings and go down to B but D is what he wanted so that is what I built. I've had a build thread on TB luthiers forum. The build thread is here in case you're interested...

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/build ... ne-939428/



It is by far the best thing I've build so far. My mentor gushed over it the other night when we cut the nut for it. I got it all finished the day before and tried it out... and nearly kept it! But it was time to hand it over at my bro's party...

I told him, "Got something to show you", and handed him the bass case it was in. He opened the case, pulled the guitar out and saw the ribbon...


Then he said, "your kidding..."

And was dumbstruck for some time.

Then as I was trying to explain the guitar, he brought something in wrapped in a towel...


Turns out, he had one of his mates (Lindsay) build me this 5 watt hand-built valve amp in purple tolex for my slide and lapsteel playing... And then I was dumbstruck. My Sister in law (flowerbass girl) was in on both of them without either of us and knowing and laughing her head off the whole time. So Lindsay and my bro Andy even got the whole pastor theme going on the controls (I'm a church pastor). You might also appreciate the serial no.





Spent the arvo jamming with him and his mates and the new guitar is awesome in his hands. I mean I knew it was good, but in his hands so much better. And that is the pleasure of building. Watching something you built sing in the hands of another player even better than yourself. So you could say I've had a pretty good birthday... and my party isn't even til next week! :hyper:

P.s. thanks to all the help you guys gave me re neck joints and super thin guitars.

[Clancy]

Next time you have a party like that I want an invite!

[Nick]

You guys don't do wrapping paper obviously!
Nice presents to give each other, I especially like the "Fire & Brimstone" toggle switch

[slowlearner]

Next time you have a party like that I want an invite!

and you're gonna spew when you realise it was only in Goulburn...

[martintaylor]

Great story Pete. I have identical twin daughters (22). Both artists. Both end up giving each other related gifts at Christmas and birthdays. Now you'll just have to get your preaching up to match your tone switch!

Martin

[Clancy]

and you're gonna spew when you realise it was only in Goulburn...

Yep.

[slowlearner]

Great story Pete. I have identical twin daughters (22). Both artists. Both end up giving each other related gifts at Christmas and birthdays. Now you'll just have to get your preaching up to match your tone switch!

Martin

Well your welcome any Sunday morning at Ropes Crossing Public School Hall (10:30) to come compare the two.

[Allen]

Both those gifts are priceless. Great style on both, and the controls on that amp just kill me. Would fit right in a southern Baptist revival meeting.

[Kamusur]

Its my birthday in June

Steve

[68matts]

Yeah the guitar's nice and the amps a cracker but more importantly, who owns the bug in the background of the first pic and can we have some more shots of that?

[slowlearner]

It's mine. A 1956 oval window beetle with a Judson supercharged 40hp 1200.

http://s279.beta.photobucket.com/user/s ... w%20beetle

[Crafty Fox]

Happy birthday. You guys have got class; fantastic pressies.
So that's the Lion Of Judah on bass in your avatar?

[martintaylor]

Well your welcome any Sunday morning at Ropes Crossing Public School Hall (10:30) to come compare the two.

I think you guys are about 1.5-2 hours from where i live. I'm up on the Central Coast. I'll have to see when I'm not rostered on at our church!

[slowlearner]

Where do you go to church? EV?

[martintaylor]

No, we are at Elim. Although we know plenty of people at EV. We originally went to St Matthias in Paddington when Philip Jensen was there. We then found a small church in Hardy's Bay, on the Central Coast, (about 35 people) which ended up growing to about 900 over 20 years. We are now back into a smaller church (about 100) which is involved with the very broken. Lots of addiction/mental health/homeless issues. It's been an amazing journey. I was a worship leader (singing) in our last church for 19 years. And at our new smaller church am now on singing, guitar, drums and the sound desk! Thankfully not all at once. If you are ever up this way, feel free to drop in to see the workshop etc.

[DarwinStrings]

Happy birthday Pete, great looking amp. I recently had a bash at a 1 Watt valve amp (can't remember the brand) and the story I was told that goes with it was that it was designed by Marshall employees that could not convince Marshall to build it so they went with it themselves. It had a lovely sound and a lot more than I would have expected from 1 Watt. Viva la small things.

Jim

[slowlearner]

No, we are at Elim. Although we know plenty of people at EV. We originally went to St Matthias in Paddington when Philip Jensen was there. We then found a small church in Hardy's Bay, on the Central Coast, (about 35 people) which ended up growing to about 900 over 20 years. We are now back into a smaller church (about 100) which is involved with the very broken. Lots of addiction/mental health/homeless issues. It's been an amazing journey. I was a worship leader (singing) in our last church for 19 years. And at our new smaller church am now on singing, guitar, drums and the sound desk! Thankfully not all at once. If you are ever up this way, feel free to drop in to see the workshop etc.

This is us... https://www.facebook.com/RopesCrossingChurch?fref=ts

Love to see your workshop... as long as it doesn't lead to envy.

[68matts]

Thanks for the link Pete, that's one very cool car. I take it by your brothers t-shirt that he's a VW man as well.
Cheers

[Kim]

A belated happy birthday and what a cool pair of prezies they are. Certainly one to remember for you both.

Cheers

Kim

[slowlearner]

Thanks for the link Pete, that's one very cool car. I take it by your brothers t-shirt that he's a VW man as well.
Cheers

Yeah, he owns three different buses and a 63 beetle.

[charangohabsburg]

Wow, that must have been a really great day for you two. Close to unsurpassable!