New horn (Wright Quad)

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 22 Sep 2012 5:20 am

Man. What have I gotten myself into now?...

More later...

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 22 Sep 2012 7:57 am

Come on man! Open the box ! You can do it !

Here is one of my favorite Grimm fairy tales.

"The Golden Key"

In the winter time, when deep snow lay on the ground, a poor boy was forced to go out on a sledge to fetch wood. When he had gathered it together, and packed it, he wished, as he was so frozen with cold, not to go home at once, but to light a fire and warm himself a little. So he scraped away the snow, and as he was thus clearing the ground, he found a tiny golden key. Hereupon he thought that where the key was, the lock must be also, and dug in the ground and found an iron chest. If the key does but fit it! thought he; no doubt there are precious things in that little box. He searched, but no keyhole was there. At last he discovered one, but so small that it was hardly visible. He tried it, and the key fitted it exactly. Then he turned it once round, and now we must wait until he has quite unlocked it and opened the lid, and then we shall learn what wonderful things were lying in that box.

--The End--

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 22 Sep 2012 9:17 am

A package from my man Chris is always full of wonderful surprises.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 22 Sep 2012 9:46 am

Indeed, Mr. Steiner, indeed:

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 22 Sep 2012 12:51 pm

He sent you a raggedy old un-finished guitar?

Did the cat come with it?

Please, go put that "adjustable" wrench away, before you ruin something with it!

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 22 Sep 2012 1:11 pm

Lee Baucum wrote:He sent you a raggedy old un-finished guitar?

Did the cat come with it?

Please, go put that "adjustable" wrench away, before you ruin something with it!

Yep. Made me give him money for it, too. Told me it was a mighty fine player, just needed a good scrubbin'

Cat was already here, although it probably would've survived as Chris packed this thing like it was a priceless heirloom. No lie. That guy is awesome!

As far as the left-handed monkey wrench, I have an impressive collection of tools, but it was handy and I needed it to hold the attachment nuts so I could slap the end plates and body slabs together to snap this pic. Worry not, I'm going to do this'un proper.

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 22 Sep 2012 5:31 pm

The mouthpiece is missing.

Daniel Policarpo · Post by **Daniel Policarpo** » 23 Sep 2012 1:48 am

oh yeah!

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 23 Sep 2012 7:04 am

Is that third neck all wood, even the key head?

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 23 Sep 2012 7:45 am

Yes. Chris told me that's how it was when he got it. He found another metal neck for it, but it's a different scale.

I'm pretty sure this early quad started out non-pedal and then was converted to a five-pedal job.

Chris also included a later Sierra pedal rack that I didn't photograph.

I'm mulling over my options. The metal necks are quite stout. If I build it up as a pedal quad it's going to be a heavy beast.

I think I may have triple end plates made up and build it into a triple with two pedal necks. That front apron looks like crap, but there's some nice burl under the weathering. Hopefully I can get the finish back.

Perhaps I'll use the mahogany for a pattern to cut some nice curly maple I have and use the original endplates to build a wood-necked quad.

Time will tell all that.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 23 Sep 2012 11:35 pm

Or you could veneer the original wood. The guitar looked like it washed up on the beach.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 23 Sep 2012 11:36 pm

The mahogany neck is #3.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 24 Sep 2012 2:42 am

Chris Lucker wrote:Or you could veneer the original wood. The guitar looked like it washed up on the beach.

Yeah, it really does look like it sat front-side down in water. The front apron has ~ 1/8" of material that protrudes past the end plates , so I have just a bit I can shave off to see if I get to good wood. If I can't get a good finish there, then I'll either veneer or replace.

Chris Lucker wrote:The mahogany neck is #3.

I realized that later, but everything's just propped in place for the photo-op! Thanks again Chris for your advice and for the guitar!

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 24 Sep 2012 6:03 pm

Chuck Wright mentioned that some of the triple and quads were made with one wood neck and keyplate from the factory. There was the option of wood, and a few had one wood neck on a multi-neck guitar, the rest being metal.

Don't hesitate to show pictures along the way.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 24 Sep 2012 6:25 pm

Rick Abbott wrote:Chuck Wright mentioned that some of the triple and quads were made with one wood neck and keyplate from the factory. There was the option of wood, and a few had one wood neck on a multi-neck guitar, the rest being metal.

Don't hesitate to show pictures along the way.

Huh. So this thing might have been factory with the wooden neck. "That's weird" is my first thought, but now that I think about it, perhaps a player would order that for the tonal differences between the two materials.

Regardless, I think it looks like poop, so the mahogany neck's going!

Yes, pictures.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 24 Sep 2012 6:31 pm

By the way, I started shaving a bit of meat off the front apron and have gotten to some good-looking wood. Not sure how much total thickness I took off. I'll refit one of the end plates soon to see if I took off too much.

Pics tomorrow if I can get to it.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 24 Sep 2012 6:38 pm

That wood neck is made better than the cast necks. The only thing I thought was odd about the wood beck is the cut outs for two pickups.

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 24 Sep 2012 7:39 pm

Original post deleted. Having a messed-up left eye from retina surgery made me miss some critical data here. Damn cool instrument!!!

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 25 Sep 2012 5:59 am

See - some good wood under there!

Daniel McKee · Post by **Daniel McKee** » 25 Sep 2012 1:22 pm

interesting looking steel.I hope it turns out good for you it will be a nice steel when its cleaned up

Roger Guyett · Post by **Roger Guyett** » 25 Sep 2012 2:33 pm

Awesome ! What a great project. That single wood neck is a great curiosity.
Please keep us posted as you work on it.

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 27 Sep 2012 4:08 am

I had asked my Dad about the metal and woods necks on the same guitar, he told me it was what the customer wanted...so he did it...it did come from factory like that...

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 27 Sep 2012 4:50 am

Very cool David, thank you.

Do you know what woods he used for his necks? This one looks like mahogany, but did he ever use maple?

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 27 Sep 2012 5:58 am

yes he did use Maple , there again, customers choice...

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 27 Sep 2012 12:53 pm

Thanks David.

Metal parts being readied for the polisher's shop.

Fretboard at shop being scanned for duplicates.

Moving along, moving along.