Cyclonic Guitars (pic heavy)

cyclonic

I am in a peculiar position.First of all,....when i decided to build my \"home studio on a budget\",I thought about having certain guitars .at the time i already had

6 string Alvarez accoustic
12 string Alvarez accoustic
1994 Gibson Les Paul studio
1985 SG custom with bigsby
Fender Mexican strat(89?)
Fender USA strat(91?)
Fender usa Jazz bass(92?)
BCRich NJ Warlock(90)
Bcrich plat Warlock Bass(91)
Dean MIJ Hollywood Z guitar(86)
Yamaha fretless bass(93)

at the time,i had painted guitars for folks since i could pick-up a paint gun in 1985.In 2004,when i started the studio,i had a custom painter friend(idid his top chops and metal work)who spent $1500 on 6 used harley tanks that he would custom paint and stick in a display case as examples.I said \"to heck with that\" and went out and bought 2 squier strats,a bronze bcrich mockingbird and beast and a book called \"Guitar player repair guide\"by Dan Erlewine.This almost changed my life.i memorized the book,talked to alot of techs,and joined a few forums and asked multitudes of questions.After learning how to do everything to guitars,I've pretty much come to the conclusion that guitars are nothing but fretwire,wood,and electronics......its how and who puts it all together that makes it a guitar ,or a \"PLAYER\" guitar.Soon,the bronze $150 bcriches were playing better than my gibbo's and fenders so basically i ditched them all so i could get more imports or \"guitars in need of love\".Now i have a \"few\" more guitars than i use to and now i do all kinds of guitar work for differant people/luthiers and i do custom painting for Moser Custom Shop...plus i take trade ins so that boosted the quantity while I improved their quality.

I have certain demands on my guitars like

1-all guitars must have quality electronics(i gut most everything)
2-plastic nuts are tone robbers.Bone or \"Tusq\" are the only ones i find acceptable
3-all basses must have a string highth of .070-.080 at the 24th fret or less w/no buzzes
4-all guitars must pass the same test at .050-.065 string highth even if it involves a fret level/re-crown/polish.

these are the guitars that have passed........(desribed left to right)


this is a squier strat i painted,installed a tusq nut and an EMG DG-20 drop in system
and a \"black and chrome\" edition squier Tele with a real chrome pickguard,tusq nut,and fender custom shop 56 re-issue p'ups.

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2005 Jackson DK2 with SD JB bridge pup and the single coils are Fender customshop SRV's
2005 Jackson RR3 with X2N bridge and OBL neck
1998 Jackson Kelly pro with Dimebucker bridge,OBL neck,and custom electronics
1987 Charvel Model 2 with JB model pup

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2006 Rogue 8 string bass w/tusq nut and .070 string highth...amazed even me!
M16 novelty guitar that well....makes me snicker everytime i play it
2005 Kramer LA Pro w/ JB bridge and Pearly gates neck with push/pull coil tap
1989 Kramer Beretta \"American\" with OFR and JB model pup

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these are all Moser customshop handmade neckthough imports so far ,the electronics are killer and come with grover tuners,bone nuts,insane action,and the best liscenced floyds i have ever used.the pups are modeled after the X2n and PAF
Genesis hardtail prototype
Bastard V
Faststar bass Prototype
Faststar

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now I have had great luck with BC Rich so heres a few.........


2004 BCR ASM \"body art\"
2004 BCR Ironbird \"body art\"
2005 BCR Eagle archtop neckthrough with SD 59 model pups
2004 BCR EM1 set neck

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heres some projects in the mix
2004 BCR Wave
2004 BCR wave altered.Soon to be a set neck trans candy blue flame top.USA Kahler,grover tuners,tusq nut
2005 BCR Dagger semi-hollow body w/set neck,soon to be a black/blue burst flame top
2005 BCR Dagger SHB,Set neck,wilkinson roller bridge,real bigsby,grover tuners,tusq nut,gibson 490's

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Bolt on neck Mockingbirds
198? Wulffson-Koa/maple warmouth body and birdseye neck,sperzel tuners,Bill Lawrence xl500 pups
1999 BCR Mockingbird P7 7 string with Kahler hybrid 7,dimarzio pups,tuned to b standard
2004 BCR Mockingbird BS with Duncan designed detonators,tusq nut, and custom paint by me

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neckthrough BC Rich Mockingbirds........
1986 Custom shop handmade with dimarzio SuperDistortion and PAF
2007 Heritage classic bass w/active electronics
1983 Nagoya with usa kahler studmount,Dimarzio superd and paf,and tusq nut

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Warlock basses............
2007 Savage neckthrough \"prototype\"
2004 NJ 5 string w/active electronics
1985 Nagoya NJ
1991 Plat with tusq nut and SD quarter pounder pups and custom paint by me

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Some crackle Warlocks
2006 Plat series & string with sduncan customdist bridge/jazz neck and custom paint by me,tuned to a standard
1992 Rare \"War-slinger\" with dimarzio \"fred\" and OFR and rare maple board
1991 NJ (my first BCR) with EMG 81/85
1993 Plat series with nj trem
1993 Plat series with jackson FR,tusq nut and vintage gotoh pups

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even more bcr warlocks
1993 thinline with pearl paint by me
2005 NJ speedloader usa floyd rose
project with usa kahler and sDuncan DDL
project with EMG 85/81 tuned to C standard

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BC Rich Biches
2005 NJ Megadrive bridge pup/paf neck,grover tuners,moser liscenced fr
2005 nj classic neckthrough with EMG 81/85,USA Kahler,grovers
2005 NJ classic Neckthrough i turned into a 10 string

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more BC Rich Biches
1983 Nagoya (non nj script bolt on,really rare) original except paint by me
1993 NJ with emg 81/85....i custom painted and veneered it with flame maple and Koa

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1999 BCR USA Customshop handmade Beast
2004 BCR son of a beast w/dimarzio fred bridge and paf pro neck and custom paint by me

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1999 BCR acrylic with Duncan designed detonators and custom led system(great in the dark!!!)

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2003 BCR Virgin i customized heavilly.its now a set neck with neckthrough heal(it was a bolt on) Dimarzio Super distortion bridgepup,duncan designed neck pup.Kahler hybrid trem,and custom electronics.I vennered the center with african burl kevazinga,the stringers are flame maple,and the wings are australian lacewood....even the headstock was customized.

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heres a bolt on SX 59 flying v copy that i customized heavilly and yes....its real aluminum diamond plate

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oh yeah.........and some accoustics.........


Now WAKE UP!!!!............SHOWS OVER!!!

Rawb

Is that all? The way you were talking , I thought you had something to show off.

No.. Seriously! You owe me a new keyboard! I drooled all over mine!

Awsome collection you have! And it's personal to boot, doing all the mods and such yourself 8)
Hats off to you brother! You deserve your soap box

Thanks for sharing your collection. I enjoyed veiwing it, and the detailed commentary too.
And just to save time and space part 2 is awsome also, nice home studio.

You all gonna laugh real hard when I get my piddly set up pics up!
Still looking for that beginner section. Has anyone seen my self esteem?
Between the pics and the music sections. I am not worthy to be here.....

partch

That's Awsome!! Cyclonic 8) It's not hard to count your blessings is it? Or well maybe it is You have alot!! Certainly a sweet colection! Thanks again for sharing!!

cyclonic

\partch\ wrote:

That's Awsome!! Cyclonic 8) It's not hard to count your blessings is it? Or well maybe it is You have alot!! Certainly a sweet colection! Thanks again for sharing!!

Thanks! and to answer your question...........I thank my wife for understanding what recording my music means to me and God for blessing me with the ability to learn things quickly 8)

\Rawb\ wrote:

Awsome collection you have! And it's personal to boot, doing all the mods and such yourself 8)
Hats off to you brother! You deserve your soap box
Thanks for sharing your collection. I enjoyed veiwing it, and the detailed commentary too.
And just to save time and space part 2 is awsome also, nice home studio......

Thanks! it just goes to show that patience pays off.I waited 15 years till the time was right and the Kids moved out :P

\Rawb\ wrote:

You all gonna laugh real hard when I get my piddly set up pics up!
Still looking for that beginner section. Has anyone seen my self esteem?
Between the pics and the music sections. I am not worthy to be here.....

i spent the first 35 years of my life 2 tracking between double cassette players :shock: It doesn't matter what the set-up is as long as its enjoyed

I sold a 1968 chevelle drag car,a 67 plymouth belvedere,1974 Barracuda,and 4 other cars to come up with $10k to build the studio.I believe i spent around $17 :? (i try not to think about it

tucopeat

What a dazzling array of instruments you have there.... and you modded EVERY one... I admire your dedication, being a fellow luthier and all around \"modifier\" myself. But what does it say for the average factory built instrument today? I understand exactly why you do what you do... Dont get me wrong , i think that you can buy a \"decent\" guitar today cheaper then at any time in history, but there is a trade off for the cheap price, with everything being made on a CNC machine today. :x when you pick up a new axe off the rack at your local music shop you can almost feel the \"a robot made this\" vibe. I guess attention to detail comes at a very steep price these days. Kudos to you for taking some diamonds in the rough and giving them a little spit and polish. i just hope its profitable for you...and not all profit is monetary... Keep up the great work, what you do is a service to the music community...unless your hoarding them all for yourself...

Loved the studio pics as well...great to see where others get the muse on...

cyclonic

\tucopeat\ wrote:

What a dazzling array of instruments you have there.... and you modded EVERY one... I admire your dedication, being a fellow luthier and all around \"modifier\" myself.

8) 8) 8)

\tucopeat\ wrote:

But what does it say for the average factory built instrument today?

your about to sum it up REAL well......

\tucopeat\ wrote:

I understand exactly why you do what you do... Dont get me wrong , i think that you can buy a \"decent\" guitar today cheaper then at any time in history, but there is a trade off for the cheap price, with everything being made on a CNC machine today. :x when you pick up a new axe off the rack at your local music shop you can almost feel the \"a robot made this\" vibe.

in the good ol' days :P even Japan put out amazing handmade instruments(ie motsumoku,the \"Terada\" nagoya japan bc rich's)But when the Korean Samick plant took the world over in 86' everything went to hell and a handbasket for \"entry level\" guitarists.The labor was normal and the materials went to junk.Nowadays the labor is low due to CNC's and the quality for $300 is astronomical compared to 20 years ago.I'll take it !!! The problem is ,as you said,you can feel the total lack of \"mojo\" in these new instruments and thats half the reason why i modify them and \"give a little\"

\tucopeat\ wrote:

I guess attention to detail comes at a very steep price these days.

ESP-$1700 and up
Gibson,fender,Jackson,BC Rich,start at $2500
MCS bolt on templar handmades are $1700^ and neckthroughs are $3000(mine is $4800)

and if you want Mike Learn or Pamelina to adorn some graphics then $3000 more will be added
Not to mention that the \"Boutique\" handmade bass and accoustic guitar market can get you quickly into the 5 figure area :shock:

nothing done good is cheap :twisted:

\tucopeat\ wrote:

Kudos to you for taking some diamonds in the rough and giving them a little spit and polish. i just hope its profitable for you...and not all profit is monetary... Keep up the great work, what you do is a service to the music community...unless your hoarding them all for yourself...

Loved the studio pics as well...great to see where others get the muse on...

thank you VERY much!! 8)

my deal was everyone has a \"first guitar\" and unfortunately they get sold or trashed because they don't \"add up\" to what the newest aquisition might play like I like to save those for the folk that just simply can't let go.I will never win a popularity contest for this sentence but.....\"A guitar is wood,metal,hardware,and electronics.......its who and how those things come together that make it a great guitar\"

as far as my collection is concerned....yes there a few that will NEVER leave,but if someone wants one more than me($$$$) than who am i to refuse their passion.Until then...its not like i have to feed them much

tucopeat

I totally agree with everything you say...
the japanese made some exquisite instruments...acoustic and electric.. almost all of yamahas early instruments were handmade...

the sterile feel of the modern electric and the price of a vintage axe is what pushed me over the edge to build my first guitar a few years back. I'm fortunate that i have a shop full of woodworking tools at my disposal( I own a small cabinet shop) and it's been something I've wanted to do for years anyway, just to see what i could create. I have four complete in my personal collection as well as a 3/4 scale that I made for my son. I'm very pleased with the way they all turned out. Don't even ask me how many hours i have in them...i lost count 1/3 of the way into the first one. At a jam with some friends recently, one guy who was playing one gave me a great compliment, he said \"this guitar feels like its been played for years\", although i finished it just last year. Thats what Im going for when I make a guitar, something new that feels broken in, right out of the box

cyclonic

^^^^EXACTLY!!! 8)

I have built one off show cars for over 20 years and when i played Guitar in my spare time....i played a BC Rich warlock the most.I like uncommon things Well after getting into guitar painting,I met Neal Moser.He designed the \"Bich\" and Virgin shapes plus the ornate electronics that custom shop BC Rich's can get.He has \"Mentored\" me through the ins and outs of \"what IS a guitar\" 8) Having a friend like him is invaluable and has opened a passion for guitars in me that i never knew i could have 8) 8)

antiflag22skate

wow

BlackIbanezRG270DX

that really is some fine work. im almost out of high school and have really considered doing guitar work as a career. is that book and a little time and money all i need to get started? if even as a hobby? and again that is great craftmanship and a good set of standards.

cyclonic

\BlackIbanezRG270DX\ wrote:

that really is some fine work. im almost out of high school and have really considered doing guitar work as a career. is that book and a little time and money all i need to get started? if even as a hobby? and again that is great craftmanship and a good set of standards.

wow! :shock: i forgot about this thread :oops:

for the Black Ibanez dude.........yes,the book is a great help.Go to www.stewmac.com for everything you'll need to get start AND finished.get parts from them,ebay,and WD.its a great hobby but a dismal occupation.Unless your the best in the country,you'll never make what you deserve because if you have picked over every detail and made it even close to perfect,then you have already spent any profit you could of ever made :roll:

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as an update.......

10 guitars have been sold
2 guitars became templates
10 guitars were broke down for customizing/refurb
5 got scrapped for parts

did get a couple new ones though

gibson sg special and a Moser custom shop neckthru V

i have started making super strats based off of the ibanez prestige&Jackson soloist .Plus i have a 24 fret neck thru tele in the works. 8)

cyclonic

well.................a half dozen more are gone and a dozen went on the chopping block

trimming the heard :roll:

Rawb

\cyclonic\ wrote:

well.................trimming the heard :roll:

Culling the herd...... nothing wrong with that ... keeps it healthy :P

cyclonic

\Rawb\ wrote:

\cyclonic\ wrote:

well.................trimming the heard :roll:

Culling the herd...... nothing wrong with that ... keeps it healthy :P

i cut the end of my finger off and the hospital bills are eating me a new one so i had no other choice :evil: ...........and no more guitar playing either :x

Rawb

i cut the end of my finger off and the hospital bills are eating me a new one so i had no other choice :evil: ...........and no more guitar playing either :x[/quote]

Aw man.... I didn't know! It wasn't a big end I hope. Iommi came back from such an injury. And Django did some fine licks with only two! And, and, and I know you probably thought all that already. Stay positive mate and don't try to let it get you down ( to much ).

Rob

partch

\cyclonic\ wrote:

\Rawb\ wrote:

\cyclonic\ wrote:

well.................trimming the heard :roll:

Culling the herd...... nothing wrong with that ... keeps it healthy :P

i cut the end of my finger off and the hospital bills are eating me a new one so i had no other choice :evil: ...........and no more guitar playing either :x

Amen Don't let that get you down! Keep positive! You can do all things thru Christ. Don't give up something you love. Adapt & overcome! 8)

cyclonic

thanks guys 8)

I thank god that it wasn't worse.I refuse to stop playing but its hard not to use the middle finger on my left hand.I have adapted to being \"inventive\" with the index and ring finger but full blues runs are darn near impossible I'll play for about 45 minute-get disgusted-and quit :x .........I'm hard headed so who knows in time what I'll be able to do :?

I'm back in the shop working at least.I have gotten high praise on my fretwork this year ,which makes me real happy.Now I'm back on my handmades and all i can say is WOW! I'm real excited!!I have 14 protos to build and 10 of them are already in process.

UltimateGuitarSoul

Man....

That is an absolutely mega super cool awesome incredible extremely fine supersonic collection I have ever seen :shock: :shock: :shock:

Totally impressive!
No comments! Dunno what else to say!

Thanks for sharing, I have some friends that are going to check it with pleasure (and a little bit of envy of course)

j/k

Regards,
-Mike