Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar

So over the years I used to get these catalogs from Carvin, a guitar maker out of California, who advertised these build your own kits.  You would get the unfinished wood and all the hardware and electronics of your choosing and you could assemble and finish it yourself. 

I thought to myself - how cool would that be - to build my own guitar?  And then I remembered that I have absolutely no proficiency with woodworking and would likely end up with an unplayable mess.

But I got the catalogs, read about the company, prowled the message boards, and decided I really wanted - no needed a new guitar - one designed by and built just for me.

So I spent hours, days, weeks, then months picking it out.  Thousands of combinations of body styles, wood types, hardware, pickups, finishes, just an overwhelming number of choices really.  Friends and family tired of me talking about it, asking opinions about color combinations etc..  until I finally made my last decision and was ready to place my order.  The great folks at Carvin helped me out, answered all my questions, took my order, and then proceeded to get to work building my own custom designed guitar.

So it takes weeks for them to build this thing, almost as long as it took me to pick it out.  I watch my email for shipping announcements, eagerly awaiting the new addition to our family.  During the interim, I found a real guitar instructor and started taking some lessons.

And then it happens, first the shipping notification and then delivery.  I rush home!!

Isn't she a beauty?  My wife calls it the other lady in my life. 

The tung oiled one piece neck is mahogany and extends through the whole body of the guitar.  Smooth...

The top is quilted maple with a red and black burst finish.  The frets are stainless steel and the inlays are mother of pear.  The action is perfect.

The body is solid Mahogany - I had them leave the back unfinished so I could see the natural wood.

The pictures don't really do that finish justice, in person it looks like you can drown in that pillowy flowing top.

It looks great, and it sounds great.  I wish I could have someone who could really put it through it's paces play it to hear how good it could sound.  I am so not worthy of an instrument of this quality but I try to do it justice.  

I had to discontinue my lessons with Sam when I stopped working downtown, and I don't play as often as I would like, but I still experience that same wonderful sense of excitement when I open the case and plug it in to my small practice amp. 

I know I'll never play like Warren Haynes or Derek Trucks, but playing guitar is one of my life's truest pleasures and that is why my guitar joins my NaBloPoMo list of things for which I am thankful.

SB