Thanks Bitcoin!

[Verne Bunsen]

So, a couple of years ago I bought 10 Bitcoin(s?) when they were valued at about $250 USD each. Today they are worth about $1200 USD each. If my math is right, that's like almost 400%. Not bad. This was going to be a "No New Guitars" year, but I think the notion of financing a guitar with a Bitcoin is pretty rad. So that's what I'm a-gonna do. Thanks, Bitcoin!

I've got a pretty clear concept of what it's going to be but I'm still working out the details, exchanging e-mails with Warmoth, making the tough decisions, so no spoilers yet. Ok, one spoiler, it's a Tele. A Candy Apple Red Tele. I guess that's two spoilers. Does "double bound" count as one spoiler or two? Admittedly it's probably quite premature for a "Just Out Of The Box" thread as there are no boxes to open just yet, but what can I say, it's exciting  :toothy10:  Let's just consider it a place holder for now.  Soon enough it will start filling up with pictures. Pictures of things that previously were in boxes.

Edit 10/24/2017: This project continues here:
Pickup Winding:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=28702.msg407318#msg407318
Build Thread:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=28703.msg407323#msg407323

 

[mayfly]

That's pretty cool!  Double bound will be very cool.  If I may make one suggestion, but a b-bender in it rather than the bigsby 

 

[ghotiphry]

This is sooo funny.  I'm a small time alt coin miner, and I transfer everything to bitcoin.  It's what's financing my builds...

 

[Verne Bunsen]

That's pretty cool!  Double bound will be very cool.  If I may make one suggestion, but a b-bender in it rather than the bigsby 

Yes, not to wear my excitement on my sleeve but a double bound CAR Tele has been dancing around my dreams for as long as I can remember. It's time... Very cool indeed! I'm going to go outside my Tele comfort zone with it, but not so far outside as a b-bender, haha! I believe I'm going to have it routed for a Strat trem and I'm looking very hard at a Super-Vee Blade Runner. And not just because of the reference to the cinematic masterpiece...

This is sooo funny.  I'm a small time alt coin miner, and I transfer everything to bitcoin.  It's what's financing my builds...

My man!  ccasion14:  I've used Bitcoin to buy gift cards for spending at Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, even Whole Foods, but this is the first time I've cashed some out for a large-ish expense. And frankly it's awesome. I love living in the future! I do look forward to being able to spend it directly with more vendors....

 

[Great Ape]

I have BladeRunner trems on several guitars and I like them alot. They're very solid but still no heavier than a vintage type unit. The fact remains, however, that the effectiveness of any trem unit
has just as much to do with what's going on at the headstock end of the system, so the BladeRunner alone is not some kinda magic-bullet. BTW-double bound CAR sounds GREAT! Do it!   

 

[T89Rex]

Candy apple red has had a special place in my heart since I first saw Bilinda Butcher's Jazzmaster. Looking forward to following this one.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I have BladeRunner trems on several guitars and I like them alot. They're very solid but still no heavier than a vintage type unit. The fact remains, however, that the effectiveness of any trem unit
has just as much to do with what's going on at the headstock end of the system, so the BladeRunner alone is not some kinda magic-bullet. BTW-double bound CAR sounds GREAT! Do it! 

Thanks for that! Despite the impressive promotional material Super Vee has out I've encountered enough instances of people griping about the Blade Runner on forums and such to make me waffle a bit. Out of curiosity as you say you have a few of them, have you tried the different blocks? I'm leaning toward the brass block. It'll be a two humbucker configuration.

As for the neck side of tuning stability, I've learned that lesson well. Locking tuners and a black Tusq nut  :icon_thumright:

Candy apple red has had a special place in my heart since I first saw Bilinda Butcher's Jazzmaster. Looking forward to following this one.

That is a pretty guitar! Not sure if it's a red pearly guard or a red-heavy tortoise but it's a cool look.

 

[Great Ape]

Nope, I haven't tried anything other than the 'standard' block it comes with...I can't imagine how anyone could gripe too seriously about the unit unless they were expecting it to be a magic problem solver...Best of luck!

 

[Verne Bunsen]

The Warmoth order is in! To quote the unofficial motto of the Unofficial Forum, "Now the waiting begins...."

The body is alder and will go a little something like this:

I hemmed and hawed terribly over whether or not to bind the neck. I ultimately decided against it. For me it would have just been too much on this one. My ES-137 is double bound with a bound neck and I love it in that application, but that's a very different guitar with very different aesthetics. I did, however, stumble across a beautiful UC Macassar Ebony fingerboard that I think will tie things together nicely:

Inlays will be pearloid diamonds. The neck is going to be a Flame Maple CBS Strat finished in Vintage Tint Gloss with the headstock face painted CAR to match the body. Hoo-wee!

The Blade Runner trem is also ordered. I went with their stock "Sustainium" block and rolled the funds I had considered spending on the brass block over to the Callaham vintage style saddles, which I like much more than the modern style.

:toothy10:

 

[Cagey]

She's gonna be a beauty!

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I gotta agree! I'm pretty psyched about this one, it's been in the wings for a long time.

 

[Fat Pete]

Oh yes.

 

[Logrinn]

Super nice, Verne! :icon_thumright:

Have you decided on pickups yet?

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Oh yes.

It had occurred to me that you might like this one  :toothy12:

Super nice, Verne! :icon_thumright:

Have you decided on pickups yet?

I've got pickup parts on the way, I'm going to wind a set for it. An A2 bridge and an A5 neck. Hopefully I can do this guitar justice!

 

[Logrinn]

I've got pickup parts on the way, I'm going to wind a set for it. An A2 bridge and an A5 neck. Hopefully I can do this guitar justice!

Awesome! Judging by your other builds I'm sure you'll do it justice :icon_thumright:

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Thanks for the vote of confidence  ccasion14:

 

[fdesalvo]

:bananaguitar:

Subscribed

 

[rgand]

That's going to be beautiful, Verne.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Alright, I'm taking things out of boxes now so I think this thread is officially legit. Semi-officially at least. Or maybe it's semi-legit. Semi-officially semi-legit? Sounds thin.....

For starters, the Blade Runner is here. Callaham saddles and "Sustainium" block. I'm not sure what isotope of Sustanium they use or where it is on the Periodic Table... This thing is cool! The ultimate in "Why didn't I think of this?!" I'm very excited about putting this guy through the paces.

I'm wanting to put a black tip on the arm, but this tip is a press-fit rather than threaded like the ones I've got. I'll have to see where I can round one up...

Also the pickups are here (some assembly required...). A2 in the bridge and A5 in the neck. It's not something I've ever bothered with in the past, but since I'm tinkering and since I'm doing it myself I ordered everything for the bridge pickup spaced 53mm (vs 50mm for the neck). The Blade Runner specs show a 2.1" string spacing at the bridge which is about 53.3mm, so in theory it should be a perfect fit.

 

[Logrinn]

I seem to remember that I once took a threaded tip and pressed it on a trem arm that were supposed to accept the press-on version, ie a blank non-threaded arm. Because of the threads inside the plastic tip it fit perfectly. Never came off.

Could be worth a try.