do it Mick, you wont be sorry. Mine is a Korean made Electromatic. Love it. Going to try to swing a factory tour in Japan in Sept,pretty sure the Custom shop is in Japan. (trying for ESP tour too )
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do it Mick, you wont be sorry. Mine is a Korean made Electromatic. Love it. Going to try to swing a factory tour in Japan in Sept,pretty sure the Custom shop is in Japan. (trying for ESP tour too )
Gretsch Streamliner range. That one's £388 at Andertons which is currently around A$675. Unfortunately you end up paying a lot more than that.
The pickups benefit from an upgrade as they are more of a generic humbucker style with an average output than a sparkly Gretsch type, though there's nothing to stop you liking the guitar as it is. But otherwise, the Streamliner range are built well. This particular model, being semi-acoustic with the large Gretsch headstock, is rather neck heavy, so you'd need a wide grippy strap to help compensate for that.
I promised to share some photos of this new Olive wood build from Mark Hatcher, so here are some progress shots.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5474/3...bec1797e_c.jpg
Italian Spruce top
https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1638/2...5fb2dbf2_c.jpg
Rear internal graft in place, and an Olive Wood logo chip glued in place
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8645/3...b34c830c_c.jpg
What the hell??
https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3853/3...cf9b9c67_c.jpg
Still don't understand? You soon will!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2821/3...632ec953_c.jpg
Using sand in a frypan over a low heat, Mark is able to roast the pieces used in rosette to give them a 3D effect. Using this technique, the coloration goes all the way through the wood, so it can be sanded without losing the shading effect.https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2808/3...eb166bf9_c.jpg
There are 93 individual pieces in this rosette. The job was so hard, that Mark actually destroyed two tops doing this!https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3929/3...91f3c7a6_c.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2924/3...2b2b7d81_c.jpg
I suspect that is to insure that the moisture content for the chip is low? Either that or an ageing or colouring method?
Edit: should have held off just a wee bit longer.
Top and bottom meet each other!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2890/3...e4424572_b.jpg
Marking out the sides.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4190/3...2769c8ca_c.jpg
Cut, steamed and placed in the jig ready for mounting the top and bottom
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4194/3...705d94c1_c.jpg
The more eagle eyed amongst you may have noticed with the picture of the top and bottom together, that the back piece has not been cut for the cutaway, so this will be a different style of cutaway.
Internal braceshttps://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4182/3...64a25538_c.jpg
Installing the Kerfling
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4175/3...c39b7359_c.jpg
I love these detailed photos
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4158/3...4bff04b8_b.jpg
Cleaning up the edges
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4159/3...e41e9784_c.jpg
Attaching the back
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4183/3...5a05752b_c.jpg
Showing off the internal bracing and you can also see the scooped cutaway taking shape
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4158/3...41db6d27_b.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4155/3...a08cb2a0_c.jpg
The top has been "Voiced" and is now glued and clamped into place.https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4160/3...3473769f_c.jpg
And now we have the completed box!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4192/3...3ec3fa48_c.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4166/3...cbf05bfe_c.jpg
Working out the layout of the cross grained purfling
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4196/3...37e48d19_c.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4227/3...ecb7ec05_c.jpg
Shaping the veneer for the cutaway
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4176/3...f4599cf1_c.jpg
That didn't take long!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4248/3...f80124a5_b.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4247/3...15a29f6c_c.jpg
Rear binding in place
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4249/3...20602678_c.jpg
Sculpted End Graft
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4275/3...605a9f3e_c.jpg