Hey all..new here

[platosan]

Hey everyone. Nice to find this site.

Just to give a little background on this axe, I ordered the body & neck from Warmoths showcase, and received it in June of 2008. Before I got a chance to work on it, I had a pretty serious work accident in which my right arm was broken in 3 different place. Additionally, my bicep was stripped completely off, along with 30% of my tricep, and about 30% of my forearm muscles. Needless to say, I was in pretty rough shape-there was debate on amputation by my doctor, and after numerous surgeries over the course of 18 hours in 3 days, my arm was able to be saved. However, my doctor did inform me that my arm would more than likely be useful only for aesthetics- physically it would be there, but it would be useless.

  Extensive physical therapy followed, and slowly but surely my arm got stronger little by little, and I started working on sanding, then staining & oiling, and finally assembling that unfinished project. It was great physical and mental therapy, and this is the only guitar I'll ever truly bond with because the connection is so strong. There are small imperfections due to the limited use of my right hand and arm, but those are just marks to make me realize how far I've come. I'll get buried with this one....

By enricopolazzo at 2011-02-07

By enricopolazzo at 2011-02-07

By enricopolazzo at 2011-02-07

By enricopolazzo at 2011-02-07

 

[kboman]

Wow, that's quite a story for a guitar build! Lovely looking too, even though it's a str*t. What are the specs, and how is it to play?

 

[Watershed]

Fantastic therapy!

 

[Paul-less]

I had a pretty serious work accident in which my right arm was broken in 3 different place. Additionally, my bicep was stripped completely off, along with 30% of my tricep, and about 30% of my forearm muscles. Needless to say, I was in pretty rough shape

Now that I've finally got the vomit taste out of my mouth... Also, "pretty rough shape" sounds like understatement of the year... Good to hear that you're doing better!

Also, great looking guitar. You said there are a couple of imperfections, but IMO, I find that the only way to play the guitar. I'm afraid of wrecking perfect guitars.  :laughing7: Can't wait to hear more from you

 

[stubhead]

It's always inspiring to hear what people can get through with music. It's not all Hallmark channel stuff either- both Carl Perkins and no less than Les Paul had car accidents where the doctors told them "you'll never be able to play again, of course" - so they had their right arm set at an angle to hold a pick with! There are a lot of people on the steel guitar forum who had to drop standard guitar, but are still playing up a storm. I had to switch to a slide-and-steel-only menu for a while before and after carpal tunnel surgery, and I got to talking with Ian McWee of Diamond Bottlenecks about favorite slide players.

http://www.diamondbottlenecks.com/DB08/index.asp

Sonny Landreth has an endorsement deal with Dunlop, but uses Diamond Bottlenecks crystal slides for some things. Landreth has an early-onset arthritis that left him unable to play standard guitar, so he came up with his style out of necessity - he doesn't talk it up, but wow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oNFRWXDSA8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9yXgjcqH2E

http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/SonnyLandreth2010-07-11LaFeteDeMarquetteMadisonWI.asx

The 2007-11-09 and 2009-07-03 Landreth shows on sugarmegs,org are transcendent, also. To know that that music came out of pain.... There's been a whole new PILE of Allmans w/Duane added to sugarmegs lately too. :icon_biggrin:

 

[elfro89]

Welcome!  :headbang:

What a guitar!  :guitaristgif:

 

[Kublai]

Good job. That is a beautiful guitar.

 

[ledzepplin6914]

welcome aboard, loving that axe  :rock-on:

 

[OzziePete]

Wow, great story behind this project.

Glad to read the unfinished project was there to help with the rehabilitation, and that you have been able to regain some use of your arm and hand.

I cannot imagine how painful the injuries and then the physical therapy was.

Are you back to doing some playing?

Inspirational.  :headbang:  :headbang:

 

[NonsenseTele]

Hey! Welcome to the forum, platosan!!

I just love the finish! Great to hear that beside the whole problem you're start to be able to use it!! That is really awesome!!!

 

[nexrex]

Thank you for sharing this with us. Its alway nice to hear that something like a guitar has contributed to your physical therapy. What are the spec? Pickups? Wood? Neck Profile? etc

 

[platosan]

Hey, thanks for the responses guys!

I've been playing guitar for 25 years, and honestly it's the one thing I can point to that was a goal when I got hurt-not much else mattered. I figured If I was able to play again, everything else (writing, other fine motor skills) would just come naturally. Can I play like I did pre-accident? No...I don't use a pick anymore-my wrist and elbow have about 25% of the flexibility that I had before, so I just use my fingers now - no more fully-picked scalar runs for me. My playing has been 'slowed down' quite a bit, and its been to my benefit. Most importantly, it's still a lot of fun.

Specs are Maple neck (24 3/4 " scale)
Semi-hollow Alder body w/flamed maple cap
GFS Dream 180 in the Bridge
Kent Armstrong mini HB in the neck
Wilkinson Bridge
GFS Locking tuners

 

[Paul-less]

You know, it's great to hear that you're bouncing back. How long has it been since your accident? I would assume late 2008, but I know I had my W stuff laying around for a year before I could touch it....

 

[platosan]

July 11th 2008

 

[Firebird211]

That is a sweet guitar, and it has a certain quality about it.  I couldn't imagine going through what you have, and I have sustained some temporary and permanent injuries that slowed me down.  It takes nuts of steel to pick up the guitar and play again and get better at it all over again, and shrug off the frustration of it all. ccasion14:

 

[Paul-less]

I actually broke my wrist twice way back when I was a pianist. I bounced back alright from the first break, but the second break messed something up. Its still somewhat painful to have my wrist in a typing/piano position. I suppose it worked out for the better, I probably would have never picked up guitar if I hadn't quit piano. Obviously that isn't as serious an injury as what you went through, but I understand the desire to quit what you love after an injury. I quit, but it's great that you didn't. More power to ya.

And once again, beautiful guitar. How do you like that Wilky?

 

[Strat Avenger]

'Gorgeous guitar. I especially like the color and wood grain.  It took both my hands and arms to put my Warmoth together, so I am very impressed by your accomplishment.

 

[rapfohl09]

I'm glad that you could make it back to the guitar. That is really a beautiful guitar, you did a great job, even in spite of everything. I love the color.

 

[m4rk0]

Very nice, great color stain too!!