Black Napkins for Black Dog

[Tonar8352]

This guitar has been a long time in the works. I know I should not be naming other peoples guitars but I'm calling this one Black Napkins in honor of my all time favorite Frank Zappa song. Bart sent me a picture of this beautiful piece of walnut several years back and asked what I thought about using it for a Les Paul. When I saw it I immediately thought it would look great done up like Zappa's SG and after some discussion Bart agreed. I just got news that it is almost finished and ready to ship from the builder to the finisher; ME! I'm so excited.

 

[Glimmer]

Beautiful top!

How was Zappa's SG finished (i.e., what you gonna do with it?)?

 

[amigarobbo]

 

[ByteFrenzy]

Daphne Blue ?

 

[Great Ape]

WOW! That is a GEM, ain't it?!? Nobody better to finish it than you, Greg...

 

[treyhaislip]

This guitar has been a long time in the works. I know I should not be naming other peoples guitars but I'm calling this one Black Napkins in honor of my all time favorite Frank Zappa song. Bart sent me a picture of this beautiful piece of walnut several years back and asked what I thought about using it for a Les Paul. When I saw it I immediately thought it would look great done up like Zappa's SG and after some discussion Bart agreed. I just got news that it is almost finished and ready to ship from the builder to the finisher; ME! I'm so excited.

That is one gorgeous piece of wood! Looking forward to the progress!

 

[Tonar8352]

This guitar is getting special treatment for finish. It is not going to get any hard finish at all. I'm going to hand polish it like I do with necks which around this forum has become know as burnishing raw necks. I'll post progress pictures as I go along.

Here is Frank playing the SG known as "Baby Snakes" which is the guitar I had in mind when Bart and I first started discussing the wood for this build. You gotta love the massive amp he is using here also,  :laughing7: :laughing7: :laughing7: :laughing7:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q0nImsfMvE
Here is the original studio recording of Black Napkins. The Wah section that starts at around 2:08 in still raises the hair on my arms after all these years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNkl1avYXRM

 

[bagman67]

That's gonna be a lovely piece of work, Greg.  The selfsame Zappa SG is still in service with Dweezil's Zappa Plays Zappa touring outfit, and it provides a wonderful connection to FZ's live work.  That axe will be a fine tribute to a great musician.

 

[GilgaFrank]

 

[Tonar8352]

I finally got my hands on this baby after years of waiting and is so so so so so  :hello2: :hello2:.
Here are some dry/wet shots to give you an idea of the beauty that this wood is waiting to be brought out.

 

[Timmsie95]

Wow, that is beautiful... 

 

[Cagey]

That is one fine piece of work! What is that body wood?

 

[bbl4ck]

Hey Tonar,

So happy to see the SG arrived safely!  I have been building anticipation for this SG for many a moon and I am stoked to finally see her coming together.  I would trust her to nobody but you  :icon_thumright:
Keep the pics a rolling...
Oh yea Cagey, the main body of the SG is Redwood.

:kewlpics: :rock-on:

~bart

 

[Cagey]

Redwood!? Hmm. I would never have guessed that. Very unusual and attractive piece.

 

[Glimmer]

Agreed – that is a beauty!

Love the Zappa inlay.

 

[bagman67]

Is that redwood?  Tremendous piece of work there.

 

[Tonar8352]

Cagey, Redwood did not cross my mind, I guessed cedar but now that Bart told me it was Redwood I have been out in the back yard ripping out fencing looking to build a new guitar.  :laughing7: All joking aside when I first saw pictures of the guitar I was wondering why they did not use Mahogany on the back. Even when I pulled the guitar from the case my first impression was I wish they had used mahogany but I did notice the slight flame. When I wiped the wood down with Naphtha and saw the grain of the wood I was totally blown away.

This is going to be a total polish and hand rubbed boiled oil linseed oil finish so I'll post progress steps so those that do not want to use hard finish can use this as a reference in the future.

 

[Cagey]

This is certainly going to be interesting.

I'm wondering how well that Redwood will polish. It's a fairly soft wood.

 

[Logrinn]

The Zappa inlay in the headstock is awesome. It's going to be very exciting seeing this when it's done.
You absolutely have to make Dweezil aware of this guitar when it's ready.

 

[stratamania]

It looks really pretty so far.  :glasses9: