Daily Deadly Axe "MY ESP Cavalera

Yes! It's home and it plays freaking awesome and it's MINE!

Today's the big day!

Well, it's out for delivery! At some point today the long wait should be over and my new ESP AX Cavalera should be coming home! To say I'm excited right now is an under statement!

Daily Deadly Axe "Vigier Marilyn"

I WANT! Unfortunately they don't make them any more but the "Marilyn" from Vigier Guitars is a great example of a radical shape that could still feel at home on the lap of a Les Paul fanatic. It has great lines and really looks like it would balance nicely. If you ever come across one of these in excellent shape for sale, drop me a message!

Daily Deadly Axe "Crossley"

Here is another great DDA from down under! Crossly Guitars has a unique style to their guitars that looks extra curvy. I love the F-Hole styling of this axe. I wouldn't say there is anything overly extreme or innovative about this axe. It's just a great well made looking axe.

It's on it's way!

Well I was right in not trusting my dealer to be right! They were wrong. When he told me it was on it's way it was still sitting in the ESP factory waiting to be set up. ESP builds their guitars overseas but actually sets them up in the states. It doesn't really matter because I always change the set up once it acclimates to my climate.

Well anyways, I called the regional rep and he clued me in on the fact that it was still sitting in the factory. He then promised it would be shipped that day (which it was.) He then offered me the UPS tracking number to prove it was shipped. This was something my dealer said wasn't possible since they weren't provided with tracking information from ESP. I guess he was too busy to call.

As you can see, my guitar should be here on Tuesday!

On a side note, I asked the regional rep about getting a custom axe built in the future and where he would suggest I go. He told me to go to Drum City, Guitar Land as they do a ton of business with ESP and they welcome long distance customers.

DailyDeadly Axe "TTM Supershop"

Every once in a while a cool shop comes around and offers a pretty cool deal on guitars. TTM Supershop has a deal on Ebay right now where you can get a custom graphic Strat style axe for under $800.00. As you can see from the pictures I listed you can get some pretty cool graphics. I know a lot of bands like to do the ol' "album covered" axe and for the money this wouldn't be a bad deal for you.

Odessa Guitars

This guitar holds a special place in my collection. Right now it's the only Odessa electric guitar that I've ever been able to find. I've found a few low end acoustics but never any electrics. It's a bolt on guitar made in China and I'm guessing it was late 70's but that's a pure guess.

This guitar was a pawn shop rescue that cost me $150.00 and inside the case was a brand new Boss Heavy Metal pedal that had never been used. I sold it for $100.00! I used that money to make this guitar what I wanted! It was pure stock garbage hardware when I got it and I was just getting into modding guitars.

First I added the genuine Gibson tuners. Then, I replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan Distortions. Once that was done, I wrapped them in Genuine Gibson pickup covers. Soon came the WD chrome pickguard and StewMac Chrome covers. When I started this build the aftermarket market wasn't what it is today so I had to compromise a lot. I couldn't find LP chrome rings so I had to stack rings to get the right height. It's still like that today! I finally went crazy and swapped those bulky black knobs with Fender Dome knobs, got rid of the plastic jack plate and got a metal one and then got the Les Trem tremolo and a schallar roller bridge. To stop tuning issues I got a graphite nut for it.

One day when playing it one of the plastic MOP inlays popped out. So, I had a buddy cut me new ones out of aluminum and I replaced all of the inlays and filed them to match the radius with a flat file and buffed them with a Dremil.

The last part was ordering the chrome tip for the switch. That proved harder then expected but not as hard as it was to replace that plastic bass/treble washer under the switch. I ended up going to a Harley shop and got a chrome fender washer which fit the bill nicely.

The guitar was finally done and I played it exclusively for years. This is just one of the few guitars that I would never sell. I'd still love to find out more about the company that built it and if anyone has another one out there is good shape I'd love to mod another one in gold and black, just for laughs!

Daily Deadly Axe "So-Cal"

First off, I'm sorry that the DDA hasn't been so daily lately. Being ill has really kicked my ass and frankly getting better took the front seat for a while. I'm starting to feel better so I thought I'd post a DDA!

To show just how sick I've been I'm posting a Fender! Yes, I've been that sick! Actually, this is a pretty cool Fender and it's more my speed when it comes to guitars. It's a fixed bridge, one pickup (humbucker) and one knob. I like simple and with this 50's style paint job this Fender is actually ready to rock!

Daily Deadly Axe "Daemoness Guitars"

Today's DDA from Daemoness Guitars goes in the interesting category. It's a pretty standard off set V shape but what is interesting is the finish on te guitar. It's much more elaborate than you would see on most other custom finished guitars and it makes this axe look more like wall art then stage slinger.

Good news and bad news

The bad: I’ve been sick over the last few days and really haven’t felt like posting much. I’m sorry for the lack of DDA but I just haven’t even felt like looking at guitar porn! Anyone who lives on the East Coast I’m sure you’ll agree with me when I say warmer days can’t get here quick enough.

The Good: My ESP Signature guitar is supposed to be delivered this week so says Dave Phillips. They said they got an E-Mail from ESP last week stating that it was shipped out. We’ll see, I’m not getting my hopes up so easily. This has been a long process and I’m pretty much at my breaking point with this guitar.

Daily Deadly Axe "It's all mine!"

Sometimes in life good fortune smiles upon you and something good comes your way. Every since I was a wee lad I have been obsessed with obtaining one guitar...one guitar that I thought I would never own. That guitar? It's an Ibanez Jem Steve Vai model with the cloth flower finish. The first guitar magazine I ever got (1985) had Steve Vai on it holding that guitar and since that day, I've wanted one.

Now, they've reissued it a few times but it wasn't the same. The finish was just paint and it lacked that vintage Vai vibe. Well, almost 7 years ago I got a new job and my trainer and I hit it off. We were both big guitar guys and it quickly became clear that he had one of these guitars. I immediately asked to buy it and got an immediate no! For almost 7 years we have carried on this routine with the same results.

Two days ago I got a message on my phone, "how much will you give me for the guitar, I really need some cash." It was on! Today, I brought home my childhood dream guitar and what's even better... this guitar was only played a handful of times and has spent its life in a case. It was made in 1990 and there are NO scratches or dents on this guitar. It's as if it just came out of the factory. If I had to rate it, it would have to be a 10 out of 10. No finish fading, no swirl marks and no dents. Hell, I don't think the tremolo arm has ever been put into the guitar.

Dail Deadly Axe "Iron Cross"

As much as I love ESP guitars I have to say that a gentlemen on EBay has turned their replica of the James Hatfield Iron Cross into a giant FAIL. With the ESP model coming in around a hefty 9 grand for the limited quantity axe the fact that several items (such as the brass nut) are missing from the relic, the one I'm listing as today's DDA is a real deal Gibson Iron Cross that has been relic'd to look just like the one James plays. If you have the cash this axe can be yours as it's up for auction right now! This one serious guitar and unfortunately it blows the ESP model away

Daily Deadly Axe "From Russia with love"

I found this on the Russian website for Edwards guitars. It's one of the most 80's extreme shapes that you can find on the market today. It's deadly pointy, has direct mounted pickups, a metal face plate, a wicked headstock and just looks like it's ready to kill someone. You won't be using this bad boy for weddings! Unfortunately you'll play hell getting on in the US but if you've got a friend in Russia you'll be able to tame this monster axe!

Daily Deadly Axe "Iron Maiden"

As this auction comes to a close with no bidder I have to admit my GAS for this axe! A vintage custom shop ESP Firebird made for Iron Maiden. If it was located in the US I would have been more apt to hit the BIN on the auction but alas, this GAS has gone unchecked! Oh well, at least we can revel in the greatness of the legendary Iron Maiden...and hope they relist it at a more reasonable price! ;)

Come Fly With Us!- ESP contest

Reposted from the ESP website:

Come Fly With Us!

Enter the ESP/Metal Mulisha Sweepstakes for a chance to win a custom motorcycle, a limited edition ESP/LTD guitar, a trip to the Summer X-Games and more!

At the NAMM Show, we announced a contest thatʼs so cool, even we could hardly believe it. Weʼre proud to be partnering with the worldʼs premiere freestyle motocross team, Metal Mulisha, on a six-month sweepstakes that will allow one lucky person to win the following...

• A custom ESP/Metal Mulisha Honda CR250 Motorcycle
• A limited edition ESP/LTD Viper-MM Guitar
• A trip to the Summer X-Games in Los Angeles with a guest, complete with hotel and air accommodations
• Swag packs from Metal Mulisha and ESP
• A Brian Deegan/Metal Mulisha logo replica Helmet
• $500.00 spending cash
• Meet and Greet with Brian Deegan and the Metal Mulisha team
• (See Official Rules for odds of winning Grand Prize)

In case youʼve been living on a remote island for the last decade, Metal Mulisha was founded in the late ʻ90s by professional motocross riders Brian Deegan and Larry Linkogle. Since then, the team has grown to be the most successful freestyle motocross team on the planet, and also expanded into the world of clothing design and merchandising.

The LTD Viper-MM takes one of ESPʼs most awesome guitar shapes and outfits it with a custom graphic featuring the well-known Metal Mulisha logo and helmeted skull graphic. Weʼre only making 300 of these guitars, so winning one of them is a big deal... can you say “instant collectorʼs item”? The Viper-MM features bolt-on construction at 24.75” scale, a basswood body, a maple neck w/ rosewood fingerboard, 24 XJ frets, black nickel hardware, ESP tuners and pickups.

The ESP/Metal Mulisha Sweepstakes will be open to US residents aged 18 and over, running from January 26 through June 30, 2009. Are there more rules and regulations? You bet. Click here for more info.

To enter, please visit our online ESP/Metal Mulisha Sweepstakes entry form here. No purchase necessary.

Daily Deadly Axe "Schecter 2009"

Schecter has just sent out word about their limited edition 2009 models. I like the Avenger Apocalypse and the V1 Apocalypse guitars. There isn't anything revolutionary about these guitars but they are very well crafted and easy to play. Anything "limited edition" will appreciate (at least a little) in value if taken care of. Now that I think about it the C1 Propaganda and the C1 Camo aren't bad either :)

Daily Deadly Axe "Liekki"

Composite guitars or guitars made from wood particles are not a new concept but they are not a common concept either. Danelectro used to make guitars out of the same stuff your grandma's counter tops were made from and they sounded great. The old school thought is that solid "tone woods" are the only thing a guitar should be made from but in my opinion a guitar should be made from anything that produces a pleasing tone. Flaxwood Guitars make their guitars out of...you guessed it; flaxwood!

This guitar has a lot of innovation in it. The slimline F hold gives it a classic look and those P90 pickups surely gives it a beefy tone all its own but that bridge is quite unique and the back has a built in resonating cone similar to a national dobro acoustic guitar. They have a few sound samples loaded on thier page and this guitar truly has a tone of its own!

Job Opportunity- guitar painter

This is reposted from an E-Mail received from the PYOG website.

While at NAMM this past January, I had a chance to go see my old friend, Paul Unkert - of UNK Guitars. If you've been on my newsletter list since 2008, you'll remember that Paul was the young kid who painted EVH's original striped guitars for him while he worked for Kramer.

Paul and I had a long discussion about paints and finishes - discussing the PROS and CONS about lacquers, urethanes, polyesters, etc. We were both pretty much on the same page with a lot of what we've learned in the 20+ years that we've both been painting. If only lacquers cured faster... :)

Our discussion turned to how he's looking for an apprentice/painter - someone in the NJ area - that would possibly be interested in working for him at UNK Guitars. I told him that there are a lot of people who've bought my books who have done incredible finishes on their very first attempts, so I told him I would send an email to my list and see if anyone in the area was interested.

For those of you in the NJ area, if you're interested in speaking to Paul about possibly being an apprentice, send them an email at this email address: sales@unkguitars.com - and, let him know John @ PaintYourOwnGuitar.com sent ya.

Bon Voyage

One thing most people know about me is that I'm impatient. It's even worse when it comes to having G.A.S. Well, my G.A.S. for this ESP guitar is reaching a fever pitch at this point so I called the territory rep for ESP to find out where the hell my ESP Cavalera Signature guitar is. After an E-mail was sent to ESP Japan the territory rep let me know that y guitar was put on a boat last week! Right now my guitar is in the belly of a ship making it's way to the States. Once it gets there it will sit in customs (for how long no one know.) Once it's released from customs it will go to the ESP warehouse and then it will be shipped to my store. I was promptly told I should have my guitar the last week of March to first week of April depending on how long customs detains the shippment. In all honesty the initial time frame I was quoted is still holding accurate but man, the wait is killing me at this point!

Daily Deadly Axe "referb"

Today's daily deadly axe is a resurrection job that I came across on the Internet this morning. The gentleman who brought this axe back from the dead goes by the name of Valhall Guitar painting and does these refinish jobs for cash! Go figure. With the work he did on this I can see myself asking for a quote in the near future.

Here are a few things to look for when checking out a custom paint job. How well does the paint fit with the binding on the body? Does it look sloppy? In this case, the paint looks "factory" when looking at where the paint and binding is feathered. Also, look for "orange peel" on the finish. It will look bumpy and distorted under the hard coat. I don't see anything like that in these pictures.

Also, look for heavy swirl marks. If you see a lot of these it could be the guitar was buffed before it was cured or the painter took short cuts and didn't buff out the sanding marks enough. This guitar has no visible marks like that. This is clearly a clean axe that's been carefully brought back to life.

So, this is what the guitar looked like before it was refinished. Notice the crack by the soundboard opening. That's a nasty looking crack.

This is what it looked like after it was completed. It has a few hardware modifications like pickup rings, new pickups and new knobs but that racing stripe is very cool and it even extends into the headstock.

Daily Deadly Axe "Bluestone"

Today's DDA is all about class! Sometimes you'll get a gig where the "deadly Axe" just won't fit in. Something off higher elegance is needed. This guitar from Bluestone has just enough metal appointments to keep a metal head happy and enough flamed top to maintain a high level of class. It could fit in on the metal stage as well as the jazz stage.