When not riding or reading about Spyders...

[bjt]

I like to mess around with guitars, either trying to play them or trying to assemble or refinish them. This is my latest kit build and I'm so happy with how it turned out that I decided I would share a pic or two with my fellow SpyderLovers. No future Spyder mods were harmed or lost in completion of this project.

 

[ataDude]

Cool. Where are the welds?

.

 

[Roaddog2]

:2thumbs: Looks great and sure it sounds great and you probaly don't have to season it :2thumbs:

 

[jarhd3]

manual trunk opening idea

With the cold weather setting in here in NJ,some of the i spend not riding the spyder I spend tinkering w/some ideas i have to some minor inconvientcies the factory has left out.Example:just after i get the spyder warmed up and ready to go,the Ol lady gets on and decides she has to put something in the trunk.Have to turn off the engine and turn the key to open the trunk.NO MORE! Here's an idea.The good old manual carb choke/throttle adjuster.I used the same spring on the spyder trunk latch,made a retaining clip and cut the assembly to the right length and disconnected the oem cablefrom the spyder andconnected the throttle assembly/choke to the trunk latch,routed the cable and pullout knob back to the dash panel,drilled the appropriate size hole and attached the pullout knob and tightened it all down.Lubed the slider and pulled the knob back and forth and checked for any binding.WORKS GREAT!!Trunk can now be opened w/engine running,no shut off.Put a fancy knob on the choke pullout to dressit up a little.Simple to do.Any manual auto choke assembly for early carbs fm auto store or JC whitney ok.:2thumbs:

 

[frleo]

Very cool hobby, Brian.
Before arthritis hit my hands, I was a Classical Guitarist. I have a hand made Spanish Classical guitar and a very early Gibson and they are a joy to play.

We all have interesting hobbies and avocations, I'm sure.

---leo---

 

[tatt2r]

cool....

:2thumbs::2thumbs::2thumbs:

 

[Smylinacha]

Whoa! Very cool!:2thumbs::2thumbs::2thumbs: My son is now 18. He's been playing since he was 7. He play out on gigs. He has quite a few real nice ones. Do you do any customization for people?

 

[bjt]

Whoa! Very cool!:2thumbs::2thumbs::2thumbs: My son is now 18. He's been playing since he was 7. He play out on gigs. He has quite a few real nice ones. Do you do any customization for people?

I probably wouldn't do any customizing of someone elses guitar. I am not a professional, I just do this as a hobby and mostly its just refinishing an old beat up guitar or buying a raw wood kit from Carvin, applying a finish and assembling the electronics. If all the guitar needed was a new finish or new parts installed, I might be able to do it but fretwork, neck replacement, etc. might be out of the question as I don't have the tools or experience to do a lot of that work.

I like taking this...

and turning it into this...

or this...

 

[pauly1]

This is my down time from riding. No kit, all wood pieces made from scratch. Hardware was purchased.

 

[bjt]

Looks good pauly1. What is it? pps: Eight strings and looks to be shorter than a standard guitar. Is it an eight string uke?

 

[retread]

I think it's a mandolin. Think Bill Monroe.
Really like the looks of your work.
Your guitars remind me of when I was playing, had a '59 Strat, a '59 Jazzmaster and a '59 Gretsch 400, renamed the Country Gentleman later. Had to quit playing in 1968, accident to left wrist, sold the guitars in the late eightys. Still mess around on my Martins, but I'll never be able to play like I used to.

 

[pauly1]

An F-5 style mandolin. Bill Monroe played a similar model but I believe he had one of the Lloyd Loar/Gibson mandolins. Anyway, keeps me off the bar stool. If anyone is interested, PM and I'll give you more detail.

The quilted maple(?) on the black guitar is absolutely gorgeous!

 

[Spyderman62]

What else is there.........In reality, I have my time for the Lord, and for my family, a little to create stained glass art, but the other 23 hours,59 minutes....just kidding. It is an addictive machine I will say that. Thanks for sharing

 

[Smylinacha]

I probably wouldn't do any customizing of someone elses guitar. I am not a professional, I just do this as a hobby and mostly its just refinishing an old beat up guitar or buying a raw wood kit from Carvin, applying a finish and assembling the electronics. If all the guitar needed was a new finish or new parts installed, I might be able to do it but fretwork, neck replacement, etc. might be out of the question as I don't have the tools or experience to do a lot of that work.

I like taking this...

and turning it into this...

or this...

Well you do some beautiful work! I'll show my kid - he'll be over on Wednesday - very cool!