Frankencaster
Smith’s Ranch Boy’s ’94 or ’95
I was recently asked about a guitar I used to call the Frankencaster and thought I’d post some pictures and tell its story. Mainly as a brain exercise to see if I could remember.
The guitar started out as an early eighties ’52 reissue, one with the super thick urethane finishes that I couldn’t stand. I bought it used around 1990 and shortly after, I striped the paint off the body and re-sprayed it copper with a spray can. I used the guitar that way until I left the Fly Rite Trio in ’92.
Work in progress 1993
The body was one of the heavy ones and I was always thinking about chambering it to make lighter. Plus, I had been thinking about putting a guitar together that matched the Summertone amp I had built a few years earlier. So at that point, I took the guitar apart. I started by milling 5/16’’ off the top of the body and then cut four chambers to shave off a few ounces. For the top I used a piece of knotty pine because I loved the look of Gretsch Roundups and added a piece of 1/4’’ rope for binding which seemed like a good idea at the time, hahaha. I finished the body and the neck with shellac. I later found out that shellac wasn’t the best finish for necks because I wore through it in less than a year.
1993
For pickups I used a set of old Carvins that I had and made some Bigsby looking covers for them. That’s when I discovered that the cover has more to do with a pickup than just appearance. I used a B-5 for the vibrato. I ended up cutting the tension bar off shortly after I put it together and went with the neck shim angle/ bridge height that I still use today for my tele conversions. I played it for number of years with my band Smiths Ranch Boys during the mid nineties. I was constantly changing pickups and experimenting with pickup covers.
Temple City 2000
In 2004 I needed something to test out an original Charlie Christian pickup that I had so I took the guitar apart again, planed the pine top off, made the chambers larger and glued a new top on. I got a lot of play out of that guitar. Below is a photo of the remaining parts and a video of one of the first Smith’s Ranch Boys shows at Linda’s Doll Hut (it looks like a DeArmond for the bridge pickup). Who knows, maybe some day it will get put back together for the next phase of its evolution. On second thought probably not.
What’s left of it 2014
Guitarist Smokey Hormel
Smokey Hormel at Coachella 2014. Photo by Andy Wolf
Nothing makes me happier, or do I find more inspiring, than seeing friends kick ass doing something they love to do. I first met Smokey Hormel back in the 80’s, going to watch bands around the LA area. He played in a western swing band called the Radio Ranch Straight Shooters and a few other blues bands at that time. I later took his place in the Radio Ranch Straight Shooters after Smokey left to pursue other projects.
I clearly remember one time in particular seeing Smokey play at the Shamrock Club. He was with a small combo and played Benny Goodman’s Till Tom Special. It was the first time I had seen someone play a Charlie Christian solo note for note. Seeing Smokey play like that was super inspiring to me. I later learned that he had studied with the great swing guitarist Jimmy Wyble. Since then, Smokey has continued to have a successful career as a musician and recording artist.
A few months back Smokey emailed and asked if I’d put a tele together for him with one of my CC pickups at the neck position. I was thrilled! I put together a guitar with a Marc Rutters body and neck, my CCesque pickup in the neck position, my tele bridge pickup, wound by Curtis Novak, and I inlayed Smokey’s name on the pick guard.
Smith Equipped Guitar for Smokey
Smokey has played and recorded with everyone from Beck to Johnny Cash to Adele, as well as many other talented musicians. Last night I got a text from him saying he just used the guitar I made for him with Beck on the Colbert Report. Here it is…
Check out all the incredible projects Smokey’s worked on, and is involved with now on his website here. Thanks for the continuing inspiration Smokey.
Monthly Motivation-Lenny Breau
I’ve been on a Lenny Breau kick lately, listening to his 1961 Hallmark sessions (which he recorded when he was only 20) at least once daily for the last couple of years, and more recently, the 1956 Boy Wonder compilation which he recorded when he was unbelievably only 15! I don’t like to think about his age at the time of these two sessions because it makes me think I should have taken up something other than guitar playing as a hobby, haha. But, if you can get past that, both CD’s are full of great ideas.
Here’s my favorite off Boy Wonder… Side by Side
And off the Hallmark sessions… Oscar’s Blues
Modified Rocket
I just finished up with the modifications on this Harmony Rocket. In the past I haven’t given these guitars much thought but I’m really happy with the way this one turned out, both in playability and in the way it sounds. I probably won’t pass the next time one of these comes my way at a good price. Here’s a list of what’s been done: custom neck, C.A.R. pickups, custom pickguard, cast bridge with wood base, Bigsby B-6, flatwounds and wiring, which includes a three-way toggle switch and an out of phase switch.
Here’s a quick demo
Meanwhile, In The Netherlands
Now that Rolf Hartogs and his Smith Special are back home in the Netherlands, he’s had some time to sit down and play it with his own amp. You make the guitar sound great Rolf! Thanks for the note and the clips.
Saturday Night Shuffle
Hi TK,
Here are two video’s I’ve put on Youtube.
I really like the sound of the pickups, very, very clear!!!! And I really like the way all three settings sound different, but the volumes are still in balance with each other.
The neck pickup has less output than your rail pickup on my telecaster but I set the rail pickup also a lot closer to the strings. But the CAR pickup is a lot clearer. I can’t compare the pickups to anything else, I just think they really sound fabulous very dynamic and great response.
I can’t tell you how happy I am with the guitar, I’m playing every day again, the fun in playing has returned, thanks for that!
Cheers and say hi to Jill!
Rolf
Reedology
