The hits just keep on coming...

the end is near! (for now) I've got 5 more to do then we're taking a break until the new year.
 

Attachments

  • finished zombies2.jpg
    finished zombies2.jpg
    481.5 KB · Views: 71
Getting Kinky...

Yes! Take a break. You've been pumping out the good stuff for a while...:D
I was in a band in Chicago in the late 60's and into the 70's and the Kinks was one of the bands that we covered at that time along with some original stuff..:p

The Zombies... She's Not There, Tell Her No, The Time of the Season...
Rod Argent, great guitar player.;)
 
Last edited:
some really cool laser cut lettering and fancy-pants gold shadowbox sides on this one. When I think "Fleetwood Mac" I don't typically think "red suede and gold foil" but I think it works here.
 

Attachments

  • finished fleeetwood mac.jpg
    finished fleeetwood mac.jpg
    431.2 KB · Views: 72
That lettering is incredible. A laser cut it in red suede? Tell us more.
 
That lettering is incredible. A laser cut it in red suede? Tell us more.

Not too much to tell really - we have a local vendor from whom we purchase our acrylic glazing and display boxes who also happens to have a nice big laser cutter. I provided him with a vector file of the logo and the red suede matboard and he did the rest. The core gets a little scorched so I wouldn't do it with anything too light-colored but darker colors work fine. I'm able to get much finer detail than I ever would with my CMC.

I'd like to see the wall he is putting these all on.

Several walls, actually. Several very large walls. That just happen to surround his collection of a few dozen classic American muscle cars. He told me his kids call it the "Garage Mahal".
 
The name is cut vinyl which I had intended to mount directly to the poster background. I discovered (much to my dismay) though, that the carrier paper for the vinyl leaves an adhesive residue on the poster after it is removed. I ended up mounting the lettering to 3/8" acrylic which I then mounted to the background image. Turns out this is better anyway, because it gives the name more dimension and provides a nice drop shadow.
 

Attachments

  • finished alice cooper2.jpg
    finished alice cooper2.jpg
    501.4 KB · Views: 75
Animal Crackers!
 

Attachments

  • finished animals.jpg
    finished animals.jpg
    509.8 KB · Views: 67
Almost done (for now). I'll wrap up the Beatles later today or tomorrow and that'll be the end for a while. The client wants to do the rest (another 30) next year.

More laser cutting on this one to show the Crescent BrightCore yellow mat behind the blue suede top mat. plain black fc sides on this one. I was tempted to use more of the yellow for the sides, but i was tired and my back hurt and I wanted to be done so I went the easy route. Besides, yellow sides would have been a bit over the top, right?
 

Attachments

  • FINISHED LOVIN SPOONFUL.jpg
    FINISHED LOVIN SPOONFUL.jpg
    490.5 KB · Views: 63
Thanks for sharing these fun projects with us. Sounds like you are due for a well-deserved break for the holidays. It's great that you have more of these to look forward to in the new year.

Your customer certainly has quite a collection. Where and how did they acquire all these items?

:cool: Rick
 
Thanks for sharing these fun projects with us. Sounds like you are due for a well-deserved break for the holidays. It's great that you have more of these to look forward to in the new year.

Your customer certainly has quite a collection. Where and how did they acquire all these items?

:cool: Rick

I've really enjoyed working on these, and I'm looking forward to round 2 next year! I'm not sure how long he's been collecting, but I know that most of these items were purchased from various memorabilia dealers. Some of the posters were from shows he attended.
 
Crazy collection, I'd like to see the cars in the garage as well. Great job on every one, I've enjoyed watching the process.
 
These are absolutely amazing. I strive to do work as awesome as this some day. Alas, until I leave WI, I'll be hard pressed to move on.
 
You can't always get what you want...
finished rolling stones.jpg

I'm kicking myself for not taking a "before" photo of this one. The "certified framers" at the big box discount frame shop did such an amateur job designing and assembling it, i can't even bring myself to go into detail. When he brought it in, it hurt so much to look at that I completely disassembled it before it did any more psychological damage here. Luckily I was able to remove everything without damage (it was practically falling apart anyway). I think he'll be much happier with the new design. The background is just a printed poster; the lettering is laser cut from 1/2" thick black acrylic; and of course everything is fully reversible. I forgot to readjust the white balance on my camera so forgive the poor photo quality. The thin white line around the perimeter was covered up after I installed acrylic glazing and black fc spacers. Stay tuned for more!
 
here's the biggest one yet - 48" x 55"! I snapped this pic before I put the plex box on it; the box was nearly 7" deep to accommodate the guitar.
small finished zz top.jpg
 
here's the biggest one yet - 48" x 55"! I snapped this pic before I put the plex box on it; the box was nearly 7" deep to accommodate the guitar.
View attachment 26466

Excellent! One of my favorite bands.
I like it but where are the fuzzy guitars?..:p (it would be hard to sign them..:D).
It's funny that the drummer's name is Frank Beard and he's the only one without a beard.o_O
7617920390_4f42a41436_z.jpg
zz-top.jpg
 
Last edited:
That thing was a static nightmare already - I don't even want to think of trying to deal with a shag guitar inside a plex box!
 
That thing was a static nightmare already - I don't even want to think of trying to deal with a shag guitar inside a plex box!
Their beards might have been a static nightmare as well....:eek::D
 
Very cool.
How are the guitars attached?
Most of them are attached using the 4 screws that join the neck to the body. Take them out and drive them through the backing (gator) and it's plenty sturdy. Some of the others (acoustics, hollow body electrics) are attached with custom acrylic brackets attached @ the strap knobs.
 
Most of them are attached using the 4 screws that join the neck to the body. Take them out and drive them through the backing (gator) and it's plenty sturdy. Some of the others (acoustics, hollow body electrics) are attached with custom acrylic brackets attached @ the strap knobs.
I agree and I do almost the same thing to attach the Fender and Squire guitars.
I only use 2 of the 4 screws on the neck bracket diagonally and I use large fender washers on the back to spread the load.
I go to Ace Hardware and get stainless steel screws that are slightly longer than the factory neck screws.
For Gibsons, I use the strap knobs and the headstock tuning pegs.
We also make our own acrylic brackets for some.

It's interesting that the guitar in your latest design is a real Fender Strat, no "whammy bar" though.
It's a real Strat, not a Squire or cheap knockoff. The guitar is probably worth over $500 even without the signatures.
There are some Strats that are selling for over $15,000 for a 1964 model.

I once framed a Strat in a plexi box and when it was finished I looked inside of the soft case that it came in and I found the whammy bar loose inside of a pocket in the case.
I opened up the plexi box and installed the whammy bar just because it was there.

Continued good luck with your projects.
You are the King of guitar shadowboxes.;)
 
Yeah, most of the electrics have been Squire, not Fender. Quite a few of them are just inexpensive guitars that the memorabilia dealer has attached a signed pick guard to, rather than an actual "signed guitar". There have been a few really nice instruments in the collection though. The shadowbox molding we're using is just barely deep enough to hold the guitar; the whammy bar sticks out just a little too much so we haven't been including them.
 
Yeah, most of the electrics have been Squire, not Fender. Quite a few of them are just inexpensive guitars that the memorabilia dealer has attached a signed pick guard to, rather than an actual "signed guitar". There have been a few really nice instruments in the collection though. The shadowbox molding we're using is just barely deep enough to hold the guitar; the whammy bar sticks out just a little too much so we haven't been including them.

Great work!
The Plex box that I framed the Strat in was just barely deep enough to include the whammy bar.
I thought "well if I can get it in there then I will".

I understand completely that the bar sticks out quite a bit and it's better to leave it out rather than have it crammed against the glass.
Not every guitar player even uses the whammy bar.
Some use it a ton and others just play without it depending on their style.;)

This is my guitar, a Gibson Spirit from 1986.
It's like a double cutaway Les Paul and it was only made for a few years.
No whammy bar.
The case was called the "chainsaw case" because when it's closed it looks like it has a chainsaw inside.
P5020160_zpse1d417a5.jpg
View attachment 26589
P1010667.JPG
 
Last edited:
Suitable for framing, Neil!

But then, you'd have to ask Mathew what he'd charge. Not everyone can have a Mathew Hale frame job. Are you frameworthy?
 
I'll leave you all to your 'gear' talk'. All I need is my Danelectro amp-in-case ;-p .
 
Suitable for framing, Neil!

But then, you'd have to ask Mathew what he'd charge. Not everyone can have a Mathew Hale frame job. Are you frameworthy?
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.


I used to own a mint condition Cherry 1959 Gibson Les Paul Jr. double cutaway just like this one.
yp865armnz3bygeqdvw9.jpg


I bought it in Chicago in the 70's from a guitar shop for $325.
I had it until 1987 when I moved to Florida and lived near Ft. Lauderdale for 6 months.

One weekend I went to the Florida Keys and while I was away a roommate had a party.
When I returned my roommate told me, "Hey, you better check out your guitar, someone was in your room and was looking at it"
While I was working one day, 2 days later, "someone" broke into the house and stole it.:mad:

I bought the Gibson Spirit guitar that I have now as a replacement for the '59 Junior.
I left Florida a short time later and moved to Phoenix AZ.
Too many bugs and too many drugs in South Florida.

If I had that '59 Gibson guitar today that I paid $325 for in the 70's, it would be worth $6,000-$10,000..:cool:
 
Last edited:
Hey Neil: sad story. No insurance?
 
Hey Neil: sad story. No insurance?
Well, what the guitar might have been worth in 1987 versus what it would be worth today and what any insurance company would have paid at that time is a question.
They probably would have given me the original $325 and not the $6,000-$10,000 that it's worth today.

I had something similar happen many years ago with a classic car that was damaged in an accident that was not my fault.
The insurance company wanted to give me $500 and total the car.:mad:
I fought this and proved that the value of the car was much above the $500 (and they would get the car) and they paid to fix the car and I sold it for $9000 a few years later.;)

I still have the original sales receipt for that guitar with the serial number when I bought it in the 70's and if we had computers back then I might have been able to track it and find out where it went after it was stolen.:cool:
I have even checked over the years with the Gibson factory custom shop to see if that serial number has ever shown up.
 
Enough about you guys - let's talk about me. :D Here's the latest installment. Sorry about the crappy picture- I was not on the top of my game and forgot to shoot it w/out plex.
FINISHED.jpg
 
Yet another masterpiece. Is the lettering cut from matboard? If yes, how many attempts did it take?
 
Yet another masterpiece. Is the lettering cut from matboard? If yes, how many attempts did it take?
Thanks! The lettering is just printed as part of the background image. Cutting it out of mat board would have been sweet but i'm not sure my Wizard skills are up to that kind of challenge and getting it laser cut would have stretched our budget kind of thin. We've laser cut a few now (Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stones)and it looks pretty awesome. I'll probably try that on a few more before we're done.
 
...and another one. I purposely photographed this one after fitting the glazing so you could see the snazzy red suede spacers.
smaillfinishedikeandtina.jpg
 
These are so awesome. You're an inspiration. Now if only I could get some customers in my door like that guy! Simply awesome.
 
These are so awesome. You're an inspiration. Now if only I could get some customers in my door like that guy! Simply awesome.
Thanks! We really lucked out getting this client. When he decided to start framing his collection he called the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and they actually recommended us! I didn't think they even knew who we were; I wish i knew who he talked to up there so I could give them a big thank you.
 
Delivered a handful of these to the client yesterday and had my first look at the finished product hanging in it's new home...
Excellent!
That is one "Helluva job" well done.;)
Love the cars, too.

We just got in a full sized Captain America shield to frame today.
I just want to take pictures with me holding it....:eek:
I could use it to bang away the customers who want the "least expensive, cheapest way" to frame their pictures.:p
Most of our customers are very nice and are easy to work with and price is not an issue, they keep coming back for the service and the quality and it's a pleasure to work with them.:D
images-4.jpeg
 
Last edited:
it's been awhile, but here's' the latest installment. Grand Funk Railroad is on deck, with The Byrds waiting in the wings (see what I did there?). I've got some cool acrylic tricks up my sleeve for Journey (coming in a few weeks) so stay tuned!
finished chuck berry2.jpg
 
I'm too lazy to go back and see if this was answered: who picks the background art? The b&w of Chuck Berry is perfect for that collection.

I read a story of how he used to do a gig: he asked for $10K in cash when he arrived, and a strat, plus a band that knew his music. No rehearsals, he ran through his sets, then grabbed a ride to the airport. In and out, cash money.

Did I read that here?
 
I'm too lazy to go back and see if this was answered: who picks the background art? The b&w of Chuck Berry is perfect for that collection.
I collaborate with the client. He gives me a pile of stuff; i come up with some ideas; sometimes he'll tweak the layout or colors a bit; i build it. early on, we tried a few designs with some fancy mat cutting but he seems to prefer interesting images as backgrounds.
 
Back
Top