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NBBD Pittman !

fretno

fretno

May 10, 2009
7,252
17,163
Nashville
#1
Build underway and racing along...Shes almost done , Paul thinks just a few more weeks ! Paul Slagle owner of Pittman guitars is also a pro bassist and fine and outstanding member of the TB community :D aka paulslagle

Soon as shes done I'll get some pics but here is where we are so far
the original specs / request was for a "'60's P "
Light Alder body
Maple neck "soft V" profile w/ Jescar frets
Cocobolo fingerboard / no face dots / custom side dots
Dakota red
PNW pickup
Old school bridge w/ ashtrays
Spitfire mint p/g
Hipshot tuners
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:D

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Paul is also a master finisher and does nitro here for a whos who in the biz that uses nitro , he will finish or refin anything you toss at him . He is a master of the burst ! Here is my warmoth sc he did last year
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you can see more of his stuff here and if you need a Pittman or Nitro finish hit him up ! , stay tuned for more Dakota P \m/

Pittman Guitars (@pittmanguitars) • Instagram photos and videos
 
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#4
Yep, I made up those side dots, which Keith installed in the neck, which he made for Paul. I've got my greasy fingers in all kinds of cool instrument projects around here. I supply parts and custom machining services to about ten Luthiers around the LA area.

That style of dots are called Ring Dots. I even make some 3-circle versions called Target Dots. I make them in various sizes and materials. I think the biggest I've made are 3/8" diameter 3-ring Target Dots for the fingerboard surface. Most of Mike Lipe's guitars use aluminum Ring Dots on the surface and side. He puts glow-in-the-dark Lumilay in his side dots. You can see the big Target Dots on some of Bill Asher's beautiful lapsteel guitars.

These little side Ring Dots aren't a big deal to make....if you have the right machine. I cut off short lengths of 1/8" dia 6061 aluminum rod stock and pop them into the collet of my trusty Logan turret lathe. I spot drill the end, and drill a #43 hole about 1/2" deep in the end. Then I stand the lengths up vertically in holes in a block of wood, so I can fill them with the secret red material. Which is CA glue with a dab of Mixol Red pigment. I saw off short slices with a fine Zona saw, put them in a plastic baggie and hand them to Keith.

On the neck, Keith marks and drills a 1/8" hole and sets in the little slice with a drop of CA glue. Then he gently files them smooth with the surface. That's how it's done. It ain't rocket science.

They are a classy looking little detail. I've made them in aluminum and brass; black and red, and I think I made a silver/blue set once. The big Target Dots for Bill Asher are made by a similar process, with a few more steps. Drill the holes in lengths of aluminum rod stock in the turret lathe; stand them up vertically and pour them full of black epoxy. Then back in the lathe and drill the smaller center hole. Slice them off into little disks in my Barker mill. Then Bill installs them in the fingerboard, putting a little pearl dot in the middle.
 
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#5
Thanks for the mention, guys.

Yeah, this piece is progressing nicely after a couple of hiccups, but smooth sailing now. Neck goes into the paint booth either over the weekend or first of next week. I've already started sanding the body for the polishing/ageing process. It's looking good so far! But, as we like to say around here, "There's still plenty of time for things to go sideways!" :D
 
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#6
Bruce Johnson said:
Yep, I made up those side dots, which Keith installed in the neck, which he made for Paul. I've got my greasy fingers in all kinds of cool instrument projects around here. I supply parts and custom machining services to about ten Luthiers around the LA area.

That style of dots are called Ring Dots. I even make some 3-circle versions called Target Dots. I make them in various sizes and materials. I think the biggest I've made are 3/8" diameter 3-ring Target Dots for the fingerboard surface. Most of Mike Lipe's guitars use aluminum Ring Dots on the surface and side. He puts glow-in-the-dark Lumilay in his side dots. You can see the big Target Dots on some of Bill Asher's beautiful lapsteel guitars.

These little side Ring Dots aren't a big deal to make....if you have the right machine. I cut off short lengths of 1/8" dia 6061 aluminum rod stock and pop them into the collet of my trusty Logan turret lathe. I spot drill the end, and drill a #43 hole about 1/2" deep in the end. Then I stand the lengths up vertically in holes in a block of wood, so I can fill them with the secret red material. Which is CA glue with a dab of Mixol Red pigment. I saw off short slices with a fine Zona saw, put them in a plastic baggie and hand them to Keith.

On the neck, Keith marks and drills a 1/8" hole and sets in the little slice with a drop of CA glue. Then he gently files them smooth with the surface. That's how it's done. It ain't rocket science.

They are a classy looking little detail. I've made them in aluminum and brass; black and red, and I think I made a silver/blue set once. The big Target Dots for Bill Asher are made by a similar process, with a few more steps. Drill the holes in lengths of aluminum rod stock in the turret lathe; stand them up vertically and pour them full of black epoxy. Then back in the lathe and drill the smaller center hole. Slice them off into little disks in my Barker mill. Then Bill installs them in the fingerboard, putting a little pearl dot in the middle.
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Wow that is impressive though , and the end result is super cool ! I feel incredibly honored to have such skilled craftsmen and artisans working together on this instrument . Thank you Gentlemen !
 
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#7
fretno said:
Wow that is impressive though , and the end result is super cool ! I feel incredibly honored to have such skilled craftsmen and artisans working together on this instrument . Thank you Gentlemen !
Click to expand...

Hey Fretno

Can't wait to see this progress. Paul, Keith and Bruce have all done work for me - and I couldn't be more delighted with the results. All three incredible craftsmen in their own right - among the best around for sure and for certain.
 
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#8
BassHappy said:
Hey Fretno

Can't wait to see this progress. Paul, Keith and Bruce have all done work for me - and I couldn't be more delighted with t the results. All three incredible craftsmen in their own right - among the best around for sure and for certain.
Click to expand...
Thank you Sir ! No doubt ! I was actually saying to Paul the other day a writer should do a story on them. It’s a lost art and a dying breed this day in age. And a rarity to have such a group of friends working as they do together. Thanks again !
 
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#9
fretno said:
Thank you Sir ! No doubt ! I was actually saying to Paul the other day a writer should do a story on them. It’s a lost art and a dying breed this day in age. And a rarity to have such a group of friends working as they do together. Thanks again !
Click to expand...

Wait...

Who said we were friends?
3I9I5qh.gif
 
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#10
Bruce Johnson said:
These little side Ring Dots aren't a big deal to make....if you have the right machine. I cut off short lengths of 1/8" dia 6061 aluminum rod stock and pop them into the collet of my trusty Logan turret lathe. I spot drill the end, and drill a #43 hole about 1/2" deep in the end. Then I stand the lengths up vertically in holes in a block of wood, so I can fill them with the secret red material. Which is CA glue with a dab of Mixol Red pigment. I saw off short slices with a fine Zona saw, put them in a plastic baggie and hand them to Keith.
Click to expand...
I have made a bunch of white in black ring dots. I found that regular dots on a maple neck with rosewood board didn't show up too well on stage. If the dots were white, you couldn't see them on the maple. If they were black, you couldn't see them on the rosewood. And the dots were usually placed right along the neck/fingerboard joint. So regardless black or white, only half the dot was visible. Bigger dots may have helped but it occurred to me that a white dot inside a black ring would always be visible. Started doing that on a regular basis about 6 or 7 years ago. I'll have to get back to doing that again.
 
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#11
paulslagle said:
Wait...

Who said we were friends? View attachment 2982106
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Yeah, it's only business. We need each other's services and can't find anyone else. Personally, we get on each others' nerves....:D Especially that Paul guy. He's so fussy about every little detail.
 
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