Ebony/ Wenge Neck: I dropped it on Tile

[Conquistador]

Got this beauty of a neck today from Musikraft. I spoke about finishing it the other day and got pummeled by some in the community. They are correct though. It feels best raw. Anyway, Minutes after opening the box and looking at the neck, I dropped it on tile and wow.... devastating! As far as I can tell, it is okay, minus the bruise incurred by falling right at the corner of the heel where the notch is... on the ebony fretboard. I did, however, paint the headstock. I am going to put this neck on my Fender Jim Root Signature Stratocaster. Pics below, but the details are:

• Jazzmaster Reverse (For Right-Hand) Headstock
• Quartersawn Wenge Shaft: Wizard (D) Neck Profile
• Ebony Fretboard: 16" Radius
• 22 Stainless Steel Jumbo Frets
• No Inlays; Moonglow (Blue) Side Marker Dots
• Wheel Truss Rod Adjustment @ Heel w/ Charvel Style Notch

 

[NedRyerson]

I wouldn't call that other thread a "pummeling"

This isn't TGP.

 

[Conquistador]

I wouldn't call that other thread a "pummeling"

This isn't TGP.

Lmao. What would you call it?

 

[ruscio]

That's a gorgeous neck! Looks like you got off light in terms of damage from the drop. Really nice job on the painted headstock, I like that the pores in the grain show through.

I think the other thread never went beyond friendly advice, albeit repeated much more than necessary!

 

[Conquistador]

That's a gorgeous neck! Looks like you got off light in terms of damage from the drop. Really nice job on the painted headstock, I like that the pores in the grain show through.

I think the other thread never went beyond friendly advice, albeit repeated much more than necessary!

Haha, oh don’t I know it! I was incredible advice and I’m glad I listened too! You’re right that I got off light… my heart skipped a beat when it slipped out of my hands. Thank you too! I just put a thin coat of primer followed by a thin coat of rattle can Montana satin black.

 

[stratamania]

I think you have a nice looking neck though...

No Inlays; Moonglow (Blue) Top Marker Dots

Should it not say...

No Inlays; Moonglow (Blue) Side Marker Dots

 

[Conquistador]

I think you have a nice looking neck though...

Should it not say...

Oops, yeah

 

[ragamuffin]

Lovely!

 

[mayfly]

That's a really nice neck. I'm reminded of the Navajo practice of intentionally putting defects into otherwise perfect objects. The idea is that if you have, or make, something that is perfect, then you're always worried about it. In extreme cases, you can obsess about keeping it perfect to the point where it captures your 'soul' (for lack of a better word. You could substitute 'spirit', or 'essence', or 'self' here). But if that object has a small defect in it, then you can relax about it and it no longer captures you. I don't speak Navajo, but I once heard this defect being called a spirit pathway.

I think you put a fine example of a spirit pathway in that otherwise perfect neck

 

[NedRyerson]

Japanese artisans have the same concept, called wabisabi. The flaws are often accentuated to make it part of the art piece rather than a detraction.

I bought a B-stock acoustic kit to build for my sister that has a crack in the side. I plan to finish the back & sides with black lacquer then fill that crack with gold leaf. Since we're of Japanese descent, I think she'll understand and appreciate it!

 

[Rick]

Actually, I've seen that with gold leaf repair in Japan with pottery. It's really elegant. Hope you can post pics.

 

[electric__steve]

And that art form, repairing pottery with gold leaf, is called kintsugi.

My first guitar is a 90-something Torino Red MIM Strat. And lord help me, I dropped that thing hard in the first couple weeks, right on the bottom edge near the strap button. And on tile. It shattered that thick plastic poly finish like nobody's business. Huge chunks fell off. Anyways, I'd actually been thinking about "repairing" it. Not refinishing, mind you, but something in a kintsugi-esque way. I'm not sure that gold would be my first choice, but I was considering drop-filling with either black CA or maybe paint in... some color.

 

[aarontunes]

The Japanese culture of turning everything, no matter how mundane, into art is one of my favorite things ever.

Writing = art
Folding paper = art
Making tea = art
Preparing fish = art
Building guitars, or swords, or pretty much anything = art

The search to find the beauty in every little thing, or the drive to commit oneself wholly to the mastery of something is a trait I wish other cultures would adopt. I also like that they don't litter. Japan is a clean place, from what I've observed and been told.

I was at Treasure Island in Las Vegas probably ten years ago and on display was an ivory elephant tusk about four feet long, ornately carved with scenes of soldiers marching and fighting. The plaque said it took a single family four hundred years to carve it, passing the task (tusk? tusk-task?) down through multiple generations. As you looked down the length of the carving you could see the evolution of military uniforms and weaponry over that time. It was amazing and fascinating.

 

[mayfly]

The search to find the beauty in every little thing, or the drive to commit oneself wholly to the mastery of something is a trait I wish other cultures would adopt. I also like that they don't litter. Japan is a clean place, from what I've observed and been told.

Last time I was in Japan (about 3 years ago) I made the following observations:
1 - there were vending machines everywhere.
2 - people on the go used those machines all the time.
3 - there were no garbage cans.
4 - there was no litter.

I can only guess that they just stuffed the wrappers in their pockets until they got to home/work/school.

 

[Rick]

I was going to the Sensoji temple in Tokyo and I saw a group of college students going home. On of them was really blotto, puking and in bad shape. His friends were very tender with him, patting him on the back, telling him they would take care of him, get him home safe. 50 / 50 the friends would behave the same way in the USA.

As for the reason for making things art, to me, it's because in their history, the average japanese had so little, had so little food, (think about it, why are the soups clear, because in an American Clam Chowder there's waste that's left behind stuck to the bowl, not so in japanese soup) had a small house, one step away from poverty, oppressive government, at least in the pre-Meji times) so in response, pride in presentation and work developed. I got the best shave ever from a barber in Okayama and I wanted to give him a tip, and he refused. The dignity of work is very important in Japan. At least with the people I've met, I'm sure like every place you can find stinkers. I didn't though.

 

[Conquistador]

Looks like it's time for a field trip to Japan. Who's going to be in charge of head count?

 

[aarontunes]

Looks like it's time for a field trip to Japan. Who's going to be in charge of head count?

I have tried so many times to go but was stymied every time. Last time it was covid. Had the trip planned, the money saved, and then....nope. Now I live on the other side of the US so it would be a LOOONG trip. Paris is closer.

Still....if you plan it, I will go.

 

[Conquistador]

I have tried so many times to go but was stymied every time. Last time it was covid. Had the trip planned, the money saved, and then....nope. Now I live on the other side of the US so it would be a LOOONG trip. Paris is closer.

Still....if you plan it, I will go.

If you plan it, they will come, or something. Planning is problematic because I can barely plan to get out of bed when my alarm goes off. I don't even think I am good at that.

 

[NedRyerson]

I can only guess that they just stuffed the wrappers in their pockets until they got to home/work/school.

That's accurate. My father instilled that in me from an early age (and never, EVER cross Dad....!).

There is littering in Japan. Just not nearly as much as here in the US. And probably also, these guys:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=289014849341453

 

[mattlikespizza]

Congrats on the authentic relic'ing. No playability affected, and you're getting the look that youtube content creators have poured time into creating videos on.

(kidding, but in all seriousness.. you've added to the story of a beautiful guitar neck. Play that thing and love it!)
edit: p.s. thanks for making my wait for my warmoth wenge neck feel that much longer. You've stoked that fire with these photos.