MY D'Aquisto Centura

[mrmudcat]

: Wow!!!

[luvmyshiner]

Thanks for sharing the pics...
Looks like it was worth waiting for. Nice catch!
Interesting bridge. I assume it's original but did not notice it on the first one...

Yeah, it's a floating bridge Spt. And it incorporates the original "accutone" bridge designed by Jimmy D'Aquisto. I'm not sure how it works just yet, but as I understand it, by moving the actual saddle in or out, you can "in theory" create near perfect intonation at any point on the fretboard. I'm sure I'll have to play around with it awhile to figure it out.

[Katastrophe]

*gulp*

Stunning guitfiddle, Shiner! Looks like the second time was the charm!

[luvmyshiner]

Ok, here's a quick picture of repairs in progress. I think my digital camera is finally biting the dust so I apologize for the quality. And Kazz, sorry for desecrating the pool table, but it makes such a great workbench.

[duhvoodooman***]

That's a stunning looking instrument, Shiner! Can't wait to see more pix....

[Simon]

That's good to see - happy for you, Shiner!!

[evenkeel]

Wowie, Zowie!!! That's a beauty. Congrats

[sunvalleylaw]

Nice Shiner! What a beautiful guitar! Glad UPS didn't muck it up too badly. i didn't know they bunged stuff up so much until reading here how people have been getting so much damaged stuff.

[just strum]

I'm surprised at what I've read here about UPS. I know when I have something shipped I request UPS. Sweetwater uses FedEx and they have a note on my account that states "must ship UPS, will not accept FedEx". My issue with FedEx is everything that comes from them is late or they claim they were here and no one was home. I later find out they went to the wrong house and left the notice several houses down the street. As for USPS, it seems that they take two weeks.

Everyone seems to have their preferred carrier.

[warren0728]

there's a guitar shop here in orlando that sells only used, vintage gear that has a statement on their homepage that they refuse to ship any items via ups....



guess that sums it up....

ww

[Childbride]

shiner found a grounding wire that had come loose while doing his repairs... he went to radio shack today to get a soldering iron for that and his amph project...

i hear tuning and strumming in the other room... [oooohhh she sounds like butter]

i see more pics in the near future... and a VERY relieved and happy husband! :

o... now she's playing plugged... happy shiner house!

[just strum]

shiner found a grounding wire that had come loose while doing his repairs... he went to radio shack today to get a soldering iron for that and his amph project...

i hear tuning and strumming in the other room... [oooohhh she sounds like butter]

i see more pics in the near future... and a VERY relieved and happy husband! :

o... now she's playing plugged... happy shiner house!

And the Tele?

[street music]

Shiner, one of my co-workers plays mandolin, Gibson, with the moveable bridge. He had me take it to a local luthier to have the intonation set for a show he was playing in. That was the first time that I ever got to see anyone work with setting the intonation on such a instrument. He even went tothe point of marking a line with lead pencil on it just incase the bridge moved from some ruff pickin. I never dreamed there was so much to one little bridge but I bet that Centurion sounds great when you get it correct.

[luvmyshiner]

Well, got the pick guard brace glued back on, fixed the broken solder on the grounding wire, and she's up and running. So now for my friends on the fret, a little guitar porn.

[luvmyshiner]

Now, for a few initial observations.

She sounds unbelievable. Very thick and husky, yet mellow and powerful. Like a beautiful woman who smokes too much. She's almost as loud unplugged as she is plugged in. I've got some new flat wound medium gauge jazz strings I'll put on her this weekend.

The problems are all related to the modifications made by the previous owner. First, the volume knobs extend above the strings, and are placed right where I like to play the strings, which means my fingers keep running into them.



Second, the owner originally installed the pickup with just a volume knob, but then later decided he need both volume and tone. So he had a larger pick guard made and installed the tone pot. He was kind enough to send the original pick guard and you can see the difference.



The problem is the new pick guard is thicker than the original, and since it extends farther, it rises to the point that the pick guard is almost parallel to the strings. Hopefully you can see it in this picture.



I appreciate the fact that he had enough sense not to start drilling holes in this beautiful guitar. But I can't help but feel there is a better solution. In a worst case scenario I could just take her back to a straight acoustic, or go back to the original pick guard and just leave out the volume and tone pot. No more then I play amped, it really wouldn't be a problem. Or I could try to figure out a creative way to move the controls without doing anything stupid like drilling holes in her.

I figure I need to just play her and get a feel for her before making any decisions, but if any of my fellow fretters have a few ideas, I'd love to here them.

Bottom line, she is worth every penny I paid for her AND I may still get to do a few mods.

[warren0728]

man that is a beautiful guitar....is there anyway to use the original pickguard and keep the tone and volume knobs.....maybe make a new pickguard with shorter shaft pots to lower there "presence" "

anyway you look at it it is a beautiful instrument!!

ww

[strumsalot]

Looking good Shiner! : Can't wait to see it!

[luvmyshiner]

Interesting thought Warren. I would actually prefer to have the controls closer to the neck, maybe even on the other side of the pickup. One problem is they would have to be very thin. I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but the pots actually have felt on the bottom to keep them from scratching the guitar top.

Chad, she'll be coming with us to Pearl in a couple of weeks.

[Dreadman]

Nice ride man!

If you wouldn't mind a wider pickguard or one with a unique shape you could always make a new one that holds the pots over (into) the soundhole. You can get it pretty low that way.