Nuvola: the copper-leaf, custom "offset telecaster"

[rikroker66]

Hi all,
this is my first post, but it is a while that I hang out on these pages looking for inspiration and technical information. In the end I did it: I built my own partscaster.

This project was a real challenge. I wanted to build a guitar, with a unique shape, an unusual finish and a great look and feel. And this is how Nuvola came about. Nuvola means cloud, a name inspired by the blue quilted maple top.

The keywords here are: blue, copper and raw wood.

All the efforts we put in this project are summarized in the video below, which shows how we built and finished the guitar body. Detailed photos of the complete guitar will follow! Little disclaimer: I know close to nothing about woodworking, but I was lucky enough to have some more knowledgeable friends, who gave me access to a small but nice wood workshop.

And for the guys who like specs, here they are:
- Roasted alder body
- Flame maple top (not a unique choice)
- Originally was a telecaster body with LP controls
What you don't see in the video and will come next:
- Roasted maple neck
- Schaller locking tuners
- p90 bareknuckle pickups
- Gotoh 510 bridge
Both body and neck came from Warmoth, which was kind enough to include an extra piece of quilted maple, that I used for the back-plates for the control cavity.

I hope you like it!

Ps. The song in the background is an original called "Un'altra idea".

 

[mayfly]

well, I must say that that was pretty cool.

 

[stratamania]

Welcome to the forum @rikroker66. A very good first post and build from what I can see.

Look forward to seeing more.

 

[Kostas]

Congratulations on making a different guitar.

 

[bagman67]

That is a tremendously cool idea and beautiful execution. Nice work, and may that axe bring you many years of happiness.

Also: I dig the background music! Kind of a Daikaiju vibe, but mellower. Thanks for sharing that, too.

 

[Rick]

Looks good. And a helper too!

 

[bagman67]

I just showed my wife this video and she, too, gives your work very high marks. She particularly liked the assymmetric bevel you made on the lower bout.

 

[Spud]

Very niiiiiice!

 

[rikroker66]

Thank you, guys, for the nice comments! I am happy you enjoyed the video. The guitar is now finished and below you can find a few nice photos!

I am really impressed by the woods that Warmoth sent me. Both the body and the neck were not unique choices and they look both extraordinary to me.

The neck was not playable out of the box, though. The frets and the nut needed quite some work and I had to bring the guitar to a technician for fret levelling, fret edge sanding and setup. I guess I was a bit unlucky.

But now the guitar plays and sounds great (some audio samples might follow). It was a little gamble for me to order a p90 routed body, because I had never played p90 before, but I like it!

Here the photos.
The body:

A detail of the copper reflecting sunlight:

The back, with the flame maple neck and the maple back plates:

 

[teleme01]

which p90s did you choose?

 

[rikroker66]

which p90s did you choose?

That was an interesting little journey. In Europe, there are not so many after-market pickup options and the price of the usual suspects (Seymour Duncan, Lollar, ...) is seriously marked up. At first, I went for Bare Knuckles "True Grit", but they turned out to be unexpectedly aggressive: a lot of output and the sound was very humbucker-like. A cool sound, but not my thing. I replaced them with the "Old Guard" from the same brand, which are more vintage voiced and I must say I really enjoy them.

 

[teleme01]

i started the journey a year ago, still havent decided, i have not been experienced with p90s

 

[rikroker66]

Hi guys,
here is a little sound sample of the guitar, with some "in the mix" sounds and a short solo. I hope you like it as much as I do!

 

[stratamania]

What is the glove for on the bass?

 

[TBurst Std]

I’d be interested too to know. I know Scott Devine wears one to help with Focal Dystonia, which I have. Wish a glove helped me.

 

[Spud]

Smell the Glove

 

[Rick]

Finger tip pain?

 

[rikroker66]

What is the glove for on the bass?

I’d be interested too to know. I know Scott Devine wears one to help with Focal Dystonia, which I have. Wish a glove helped me.

Sorry for my late reply. After playing for more than a decade without any problem, a few years ago the fingernails of my left hand decided that they do not like to remain attached to the rest of the finger (medical term: onycholysis). At the beginning the problem was serious and it made very painful to play. I consulted a specialist, which said this thing can happen and there is no much to do. I admit that I almost stopped playing for this reason, however after some time things are going better. While on guitar I learn to deal with it by changing my technique (no bendings, etc.), but on bass it is a bit harder. For this reason I often use these gloves, which very much reduce the friction between the string and the finger.

 

[stratamania]

Sorry for my late reply. After playing for more than a decade without any problem, a few years ago the fingernails of my left hand decided that they do not like to remain attached to the rest of the finger (medical term: onycholysis). At the beginning the problem was serious and it made very painful to play. I consulted a specialist, which said this thing can happen and there is no much to do. I admit that I almost stopped playing for this reason, however after some time things are going better. While on guitar I learn to deal with it by changing my technique (no bendings, etc.), but on bass it is a bit harder. For this reason I often use these gloves, which very much reduce the friction between the string and the finger.

Kudos to you for finding a way to keep playing, and good to hear it is better than it was.

 

[Spud]

Have you ever smelled the glove?