Here's a few photo clues ...

Some of you will have recognised a few clues already ...

And, finally, some of my own pics, rather than the build-diary pics above ...

Excellent Tony. I don't imagine my first build will be as good but I can but aspire........

🙏🎶🎸🙂

And the story behind it all ...

Way back in 2007, I attended my first Bailey BYOG course.

In the evenings, we'd sit around in the cottage, talking, drinking (tea, obvs), and playing the odd guitar that was left around the place.  Strangely, there seemed to be a few guitars.  But there was one that was different.  They were all good, but one just felt completely right.

Anyway, I did tentatively suggest to my wife that perhaps I could come home from the course with *2* guitars, and she tentatively suggested that I didn't.  So, naturally, I didn't. 

No, really, I didn't.

But I remembered that guitar.

Scroll forward a few years, and I was enrolled on another BYOG course, but had to cancel for a reason that I don't remember, fairly close to course date.  Carol resold the place (long waiting lists even back then), but rather than returning my course deposit, I asked if they could put that towards building a guitar, just like that one that I remembered.

I sent up some hardware and electrics (yes, its PRS pickups and rotary control) and Mark did what Mark does best.

He remembered the same guitar that I remembered.  And he remembered how he'd made it.  And he made another one, just like it.

It's perfect.  The neck is, err, perfect.  Body weight is, err, perfect.  I love the sounds it produces (OK, Mr P R Smith maybe has something to do with some of that).  I love the way it looks.  

So, yes, Mr Bailey does run some incredible courses that prove that even idiots like me can build guitars if they follow his methods.

But he also builds some incredible instruments too ...

My #1, thanks @markbailey.

Excellent Tony. I don't imagine my first build will be as good but I can but aspire........

The name on the headstock should have given it away @russ - this wasn't one of *my* builds, this one was built by a master.

@tv101

It does look stunning Tony, I'm guessing it was your first Bailey build.

It does look stunning Tony, I'm guessing it was your first Bailey build.

Sort of @robin, but not in the way you meant.  Only one man can put this logo on a headstock ..

@tv101 Yes I thought it looked like our Guitar Jedi Master’s workshop! It is an outstanding guitar and I am very pleased that you love it so much. It does inspire me to continue on this guitar building journey and to develop my skills further. I don’t know if I will ever reach that level of mastery but I’ll give it a shot. I know everything will end up being burned out ash one day, floating in the infinite void but at least I had fun whilst I was here, learning and doing something I love. I kind of makes it all worth while really doesn’t it? 

kind of makes it all worth while really doesn’t it? 

I don't think there's much other reason for us being here* @boo ... enjoy our allowed time as best we can, without causing others harm ... 

😀 

* the other possibility is that the 7bn of us on this planet are actually the result of a particularly clever (open to debate) ET child, playing with the toy planet that they were bought as a present by their old granny after they got bored of the goldfish they had previously.

@tv101 Yes I often consider that we a play thing do the gods (aliens). We are merely a creation made in their image, we are an experiment. They engineer our dna from time to time, that’s what abductions are. They are creators just like us. And, I agree, so long as we don’t start killing each other and try to get past the “war era”, humanity might just make it out into the cosmos to find new friends and even our makers. How good would it be if we did all of that and the gods spoke to us and said, “Well done, you have successfully passed level one, now you graduate to level two. Don’t forget to bring your guitar making tools.” 🤣

@tv101 I should have paid closer attention Tony. Have I seen some pictures of your first build somewhere on this forum? Something in the back of my mind tells me that I have. 🤔

🙂🎸🎶🙏

I based my Bandsman build because of this particular guitar. Did not know it is your Bailey.

I should have paid closer attention Tony. Have I seen some pictures of your first build somewhere on this forum?

Indeed you have @russ

here

https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/showcase-electric/my-life-changed-in-2007/#post-2280

I think it’s fair to said that my first build left room for improvement compared to the standard set my Mark’s build for me!

I based my Bandsman build because of this particular guitar.

Wow @clinton and really pleased that it inspired you, particularly now that we’ve all seen the quality of your designs and builds

👍

@tv101 Now I remember. Still looks great. Quality is very good for your first build.

🎶🙂🎸🙏