The Chill Out Zone

[Gate Keeper]

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

Morning everyone from sunny but chilly land of the pasty.

Taxi services this morning to help a good friend out to collect there car.

Good morning Bob, how kind and thoughtful of you to help somebody out.

How are you?

[stevestrat]

Morning. Pee'd off! It was dry yesterday, no rain forecast on the east coast of Scotland at all today, everything will be dried out so I'll get (at least) the holly trimmed. Had a heavy rain shower this morning

[stevestrat]

Originally Posted by roverbarmy

Got the "Frankenstrat" all back together. Plays very well now.
Well, better than I can play it!!!





New bridge:-





new tuners:-

This is my "baby"! Clone of Ritchie Blackmore's Strat from the '70s including the same wiring and "magical" tone box inside built by John (Dawk) Stillwell, the guy who built Blackmore's Strats. While researching Blackmore I got in touch with Dawk (based in New York) and he became a close friend. I met up with Dawk a few years ago when he was in the UK with another band, sadly he has since passed away. He was so impressed with my work he encouraged me to make money from it, which I did until my health took a nose dive. Did general guitar work as well as copies of artist's guitars on commission.

Although it looked like Blackmore's Strat I wracked my brains trying to work out the wiring, Dawk wouldn't just come out and tell me (always said, work it out!) then one day I had a lightbulb moment. Blackmore didn't use the middle pickup and everybody said it was a dummy . . . . I realised it wasn't and worked out how it was wired. When I said that to Dawk his simple response was "you've got it". When I met Dawk in Glasgow (he was in the UK with ManOWar) he gave me one of Blackmore's tortoiseshell picks, tortoiseshell doesn't click on the strings. I treasure that pick, for two reasons, Blackmore (possibly) had his hands on it and Dawk gave it to me.

Its wearing a plain rosewood neck in the photo but I also have a "Blackmore scalloped" neck which I did myself. Took a lot of courage to start the first scallop

[Georgies Dad]

Another beautiful sunny day here in Norfolk

[trikey]

Originally Posted by stevestrat

This is my "baby"! Clone of Ritchie Blackmore's Strat from the '70s including the same wiring and "magical" tone box inside built by John (Dawk) Stillwell, the guy who built Blackmore's Strats. While researching Blackmore I got in touch with Dawk (based in New York) and he became a close friend. I met up with Dawk a few years ago when he was in the UK with another band, sadly he has since passed away. He was so impressed with my work he encouraged me to make money from it, which I did until my health took a nose dive. Did general guitar work as well as copies of artist's guitars on commission.



Although it looked like Blackmore's Strat I wracked my brains trying to work out the wiring, Dawk wouldn't just come out and tell me (always said, work it out!) then one day I had a lightbulb moment. Blackmore didn't use the middle pickup and everybody said it was a dummy . . . . I realised it wasn't and worked out how it was wired. When I said that to Dawk his simple response was "you've got it". When I met Dawk in Glasgow (he was in the UK with ManOWar) he gave me one of Blackmore's tortoiseshell picks, tortoiseshell doesn't click on the strings. I treasure that pick, for two reasons, Blackmore (possibly) had his hands on it and Dawk gave it to me.



Its wearing a plain rosewood neck in the photo but I also have a "Blackmore scalloped" neck which I did myself. Took a lot of courage to start the first scallop

A great story, some good memories there Steve.

Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk

[Lancpudn]

Great pair of strats chaps I've never played a scalloped neck. I'm using one of my strats for another purpose at present!
I stubbed my foot & the toe part of the slipper came away from the sole so I've glued it 7 using the strat as a weight

[stevestrat]

Originally Posted by trikey

A great story, some good memories there Steve.

It was sad when I heard he'd passed away. He didn't respond to my emails, not like him then I found out he'd left us. We had a good, if distant, friendship and I was delighted when he said he was coming to Glasgow so I arranged to meet him at his hotel. Couldn't believe it when I saw him, about 6'5" and hands like a farmer yet he did such delicate work on guitars and amps. Spent a good couple of hours with him before he had to head to the venue to check the gear, fascinating, took me a couple of days to recall what he's said. He did work for Blackmore, Iommi, Springsteen, guitars and amps to name a few as well as their bands, ended up more or less full time with ManOWar.

I was speaking to him on the phone one night when he said "I need to go take a p*ss, have a word with Joe" . . . . "Err, Joe who?" "Joe Bonamassa" . . . . WTF! Found myself talking to Joe Bonamassa.

One memory I'll never forget. I watched "Spinal Tap" one night, next time I spoke to Dawk I asked how close to the truth it was . . . . "Closer than you will ever know" was his reply

[Lancpudn]

Bowl of veggie soup wi suet dumplings & a rack of BBQ ribs & some jockeys whips later for tea.

[roverbarmy]

Originally Posted by trikey

A great story, some good memories there Steve.

Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk

+1 from me too on that. It's great to meet our "heroes". It's just unfortunate that some of them fall short of our expectations. My childhood heroes were Bobby and Jack Charlton (dad was from the North East) and imagine my delight, when Jack Charlton asked if he could share my table at a crowded service station! He was brilliant to chat to. Down to earth chap, despite his height! I took great pleasure in shaking his hand before I left to get back in my truck, smiling all the way home!

[roverbarmy]

Originally Posted by Lancpudn

Great pair of strats chaps I've never played a scalloped neck. I'm using one of my strats for another purpose at present!
I stubbed my foot & the toe part of the slipper came away from the sole so I've glued it 7 using the strat as a weight

................. and my Mrs said that they were a waste of money! You're never alone with a Strat! ( or was it a Strand? ). Nice foot pedals too! Maybe that's how your slipper got broke?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjBHUQEiTPw