Branding Your Guitar - Ask Zac 118
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- Опубліковано 18 кві 2022
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Guitarists have been personalizing or branding their guitars for many years. Some simply used their guitars as portable billboards, like a young BB King, who had his name along with the radio station he played at emblazoned on the top of his guitar. Others just wanted to make sure the audience knew who the hot cat was on guitar. While this has come and gone as far as being the in-style thing to do for the average player, it has always been a part of the showmanship of guitarists. Look at guitar heroes, Stevie Ray Vaughan or Eddie Van Halen. We rarely saw either of them without a guitar branded with "SRV" or "5150" in plain view. In this episode, I give the inspiration behind my personalized pickguard, and how I got help from some artist friends in creating it. The wonderful thing about doing this is that it is fun, and if you grow tired of it, you can easily remove it, and go back to the plain old plastic pickguard you had before.
Gear Used:
1957 Fender Esquire with an added vintage neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Rewind of bridge pickup by Ron Ellis.
Strings:
D'Addario NYXL 10-46 Amazon affiliate link amzn.to/3uD1WnZ
Pick:
D'Andrea Medium-Heavy
Amp:
2021 Fender Vibro Champ Reverb
Effects used:
amp verb
#askzac #guitartech #telecaster
I grew up on 80s hard rock. So bear with me. My first real “expensive” guitar was a 87’ Ibanez RG550 when I was 12 years old. It was pink. Very pink. I cut the pickguard down and hard mounted the pickups like EVH. Had a family friend that painted cars put blue tiger stripes on the body. It was glorious. But by 90’ it was very uncool. So I gave it to my younger cousin who promptly destroyed it.
As a kid in the 90’s that was obsessed with korn, those ibanez guitars from the 80s were great. Its the stripes that sucked
@@Ottophil no. The stripes didn’t suck. Post grunge downtuned nu metal came many years later.
Great story.
Saw a 'crackle' finish guitar for sale used in the late '90s,,,,a Washburn, i think.
All i could think was poor guitar.
Man, some 'Tuber demoed a guitar recently with a crackle finish. Cool again ? hmmm....
@@glenkepic3208 all of that is cool again. Bright colors, graphics, crackles, giant metallic sparkles 👍🤘🏻
I play blues and country and doom and I want a green and pink Ibanez Jem for some odd reason. Lol. I get it.
The clear pick guard with whatever you want underneath is a great idea! And it’s easily changed back to stock!
Thanks for this one Zac. Interesting and entertaining as always. My oldest son has Down syndrome, so my main tele has a sticker of the blue and yellow Down syndrome awareness ribbon on the lower horn. That's as far as I've ever gone with personalizing one, and I don't think I could make myself put anything directly to the finish on mine, just the pick guard. But that's the great thing about a tele with a body-mounted neck pickup, you can remove and swap pick guards without even loosening the strings!
I like your idea, and that you are supporting your son. Yes, the Tele with body mounted pickups works well for this.
Good stuff! Digging the cactus caster! Looks good Zac!
I just bought several telecaster bass pickguards from the 70s. One was personalized by a previous owner. He used a jewelers saw to cut out his name on the area of the bottom cutaway. 'Matt' did a great job.
My wife made a beautiful Cherokee inspired piece for my tele. Made a clear pickguard out of acrylic. Looks amazing!
That is awesome!
Tom Bukovac has a Roadrunner decal on his Tele, so I put the Coyote on mine. Maybe it will help me.
I have had my first guitar for six weeks, and have already painted on it, swapped pickguards & knobs, and affixed a cabochon of lapis to the headstock. Never occurred to me not to.
Please keep doing what you are doing sir 🤘
Thanks for that A9 voicing, I'm gonna steal it fair and square. The Robben Ford thing might take a couple more views, but it's worth the trouble!
I inherited my grandfather's 1947 d18 Martin acoustic where he carved his social security number into the back of the headstock. So there's no way I'm selling it but definitely a little cool family heirloom.
I have a little personal logo sticker that I've put on my guitars. I usually put it on the neck plate (on bolt-neck guitars), or on the plastic control cavity covers. I have a decal on the upper pickguard of my Rickenbacker 620, where it could be washed off, if necessary.
In addition to custom parts, neck shaping, I Relic’d my Partscaster Strat, inlaid some jewelry on the headstock, added an extra screw on the pick guard, and a Tele barrel knob on the master volume. I love it!
The Cactus and Signature logo would look great on one of those proper Texas sized truck stop coffee mugs in your store!
Great idea
I had not thought about what could be done with a clear guard. Thanks for that and also for the very expensive sounding chords.
Haven't got the video even started yet but I am so happy to have a new ask zac to watch. Thanks buddy I love this channel and all you do. Keep it up.!!
My Tele pickguard has Merle Haggard's autograph on it.
I recall at 13 putting my initials on the guard of my MIM Squier strat, but EHB didn’t look as cool as SRV so I promptly removed them after a couple days. 🤣 Loved the Robben Ford reference as well, and the chords.
Great episode, Zac! Just when I think I've seen everything that guitar UA-cam channels have to offer, you come out with another creative idea. As a lefty, I had to "personalize" my guitars as a necessity, as it was nearly impossible to find left handed guitars beyond the standard black Stratocaster when I started playing in the early 90s. I wanted a guitar with P90s, so I had to cobble together a P90 Strat from parts over time. Not exactly personalized in the same way you're talking about, but I have yet to see another "Strat" quite like it.
P90s Rule ! Never seen a Strat with these.
Love the song at the beginning. Well played!
Nicely designed branding on your Telecaster, Zac. 👍 On my first Telecaster (a Squier Affinity in butterscotch blonde) I put black colored morse code decals of my three-letter first name on the surface area between the bridge and the rear strap peg. That way, my name was on the guitar to people who knew morse code (not many) while to others (many) it was a design of dots and dashes.
Thanks Zac. I do enjoy your bite-sized playing examples.
My first real guitar was a fender jazzmaster hh everyone told me don't put stickers on it but I did. Growing up I was really into punk and it just seemed the cool thing to do. It probably weighs a couple extra pounds now with the amount of stickers on it, but I don't regret it. It's a part of me in away and I'll never sale it anyways. I have other guitars if painted on and drew on I just like to make them my own.
nice chords and brisket, what more could I want !
Great content, Zac. Love seeing photos of those Paul Bigsby guitars.
Think we need more lessons on those not ordinary chord shapes, and more gear reviews.
Jimmie Rodgers the Singing Brakeman, Jimmie Dickens, Ernst Tubb....I would put "Who is Mark Easter" on mine.....LOL
Awesome Zac🎸《☆》I've a cheap black Indio Tele that could use sprucing up⛾The Fabric idea is Brilliant🖖😎☮
That's some cool pickin' son!!! When I lived in Austin I smoked many a brisquet and I always smoked some Elgin sausages with it. Greasy!!!
Elgin!!!!
Great ideas zack thanks 👍
That’s a cool pickguard graphic Zac. Really love the font.
How about personalizing your car to look like your guitar. Jimmy Bryant's Vox wagon being the ultimate example. Zak if you can have a 'Caster wagon built you'd be the King of Nashville!!!
I bought a band saw a while back. To practice with it, I cut out some Tele pickguards and painted them up. I hadn’t thought of clear pickguards before. That opens up whole new avenues.
I like how many of those personalized guitars were Bigsby guitars. Super cool
Thanks Zak another great one
Glad you enjoyed it
Yes. Nice work in that! I was inspired a little while ago by your mention of the clear guard on previous show. I’m doing my initials based upon my Lindy Fralin split blades but getting done as vinyl sticker on parchment guard.
Go for it!
I had a Cort s type that I put in a Duncan Distortion and covered it in Garbage Pail Kids stickers.
Great Video as always Zac! My dad crafted stainglass years ago. I ended up with a few rolls of the Copper Foil Tape after he passed away. All my guitars have a wrap of DON RON´S copper tape like a Pancake Body on the electrics or some extra binding on the acoustics. I also have my name around the side of my acoustic for Gigs!! Cheers from Madrid...
robben is the one i always come back to.
he is my favorite guitar player. and, to be honest, there are many greats.
i disvovered him very late in 2ß13.
I had a 58 American vintage reissue telecaster and I got mailbox letters to put on the guard since I named the guitar "Tex". It was a mighty fine guitar.
Great idea! Good stuff Zac!!
Thanks!
The 59 telecaster that I purchased from the original owner, had his first name on the pickguard in water slide decals. Eddie, in black and gold letters. Today's cool find at a thrift store was a Crystal Laboratories tube driven Metronoma.
Did you photo the guitar with the letters on it?
@@AskZacI did not. That was 1985.
Great episode. I love custom pic guards. I got a very personal one made by indra guitars for my tele project
Nice Speedy West/Jimmy Bryant 10 inch in the background... great record!
You know it!
@@AskZac I own a record store in Berkeley Ca. and have only seen that record once and it was hammered. I assume you have heard the recordings that were done in Brisbane at Demarco's? Anyway, I just bought an immense collection of records. Tons of killer old country. I am enjoying going through it. Love the early records that country artists put out. Some are very different than what they put out the rest of their careers. Willie is one example. Great videos Zac. New subscriber and musician. I am a blackface freak and the only amp I don't have is a Deluxe. Always on the hunt.
Bruce Springsteen's "man under the streetlight" leather pickguard on his esquire as seen on the Born To Run album cover will always be one of the best personalized pickguards I've ever seen.
I cover my guitars with bugerz
I have that issue of Country Guitar mag- I never saw another- I seem to recall that it featured John Jorgenson- my copy is stashed somewhere. I just lost an auction for an old Harmony H75 and that had the initials of its former owner on the pickguard. I imagine he may have owned it since new in 1964 as it was well looked after judging by the photos. I own a very rare guitar- it is the 1941 Louise Massey sold for a few months before Pearl Harbor ended mail order guitars in the main. It was probably the first guitar endorsed by a woman and was I assume an idea hatched in Montgomery Ward's marketing department to try and create a new market. It was sold as a 1950s Kay but I knew it was older and finally spotted it in Cowboy Guitars written by Steve Evans. Originally, the guitar had her signature sprayed on it but I assume some guy used an automotive cutting agent to remove that! I love "My Adobe Hacienda" which she wrote so to have her guitar is great! Mind you, I have never seen a photo of her with any guitar let alone this Wards model!
Looks good Zac, I think about ways to personalize my guitar all the time, just never have any good ideas. 👍
Made me think of Terry Katy’s “pignose” guitar. Not just the stinkers but the rings around them too.
Love this video! I have always wondered about why guys put stuff on their guitars.
Crazy Texans!
Great episode Zac, I like the pick guard ( I guess what’s under it) it tells a story, I’d keep it.
Cactus Zac drinks his coffee black.
I actually may try clear pickguard on my next build, i put a nice flamed maple top on most of my builds, it always chokes me putting a piece of plastic over a very nice top.
Nice!
I have been building a 24 3/4 Warmoth Tele for the last 3 years. I could not get paint from Reranch during the Pandemic. It's turning out nice and I'm going to put JTK on the head stock which I painted black to match the pick guard. It's not a Fender but a Fender style guitar so I want to set it apart. Many country artists love the term "Hillbilly" Examples, Hillbilly Deluxe,(Dwight Yokum) Hillbilly Rock (Marty Stuart).
Love the design! What you call a prickly pear we call nopales in Spanish. If you peel them and fry them, they’re good eating! I like mine with refried beans. I need to redo the pick guard on my G&L Bluesboy, so I might give this a try.
They are great fried
I had that same magazine , I think I learned " peaceful easy feeling " from that one lol
I tried to fix a ding on my Les Paul, but used a little too much acetone to dilute the nail polish, so it ate through the finish at that spot. It only got worse from there. I got fed up, wrote "Out Damn Spot" in dark red nail polish, and then splattered the body with the rest of the bottle of nail polish. In both cases, I bought the nail polish for guitar touch-up, not to wear.
"In both cases, I bought the nail polish for guitar touch-up, not to wear." 🤣
As a lefty, most people do not understand how much you have to look to find a lefty or a guitar u can use upsidedown. Once I got sick of upsidedown guitars I used parts of parts from various makers and knock off Chinese makers. I had the world's greatest Luther, Eric in van nuys to build them
I’ve built a few left handed guitars for people, its actually even a bit harder building everything “backwards”
Hey Lee..I know you didn't ask but New Jersey Guitar and Bass usually has a really nice selection of lefties. Jay is the owner. Good guy..knows his stuff.
Fun video! I still decorate my guitars!
YES
I bought a Telecaster from interest in your playing and commentary. Was forced to make it into Jeff Beck style Tele-Paul with humbuckers though. =]
That's perfectly fine
You could be starting something, or reviving something with the clear pick guards.
No Elvis Martin with metal mail box letters?
Where did you get the image of Tommy' Magness' guitar at the beginning? I can't seem to find it online.
You smoked a brisket, Texan Willie Nelson smoked a doobie 😄
I'd love to build my own Pine-Caster out of some old floor joist from an old house or Church...it would be a great way to keep life into the building..
✌🌎👍
That would be cool!
@@AskZac this is where I got the idea... Rick Kelly's all pine Telecaster with no trussrod... pretty cool
ua-cam.com/video/jrTtM7aWqwg/v-deo.html
I always thought there's an element of pragmatic self promotion in personalizing guitars with your name, especially back in the day
Agreed
I put a BvS sticker on my old strat(that a traided), really thinking about put one on my semi hollow
Zac, it'd be cool if you took a page from the Jimmy O book and put a black and white photo under a clear guard. Maybe a pic of Reggie?
Branding Your Guitar, or Tell Us You're From Texas Without Telling Us You're From Texas
You got me
@@AskZac meh, I shouldn't talk. I have a Waylon clone.
there's something about being from Texas that other parts of the country can't really seem to grasp. I'm from Katy originally, so AllParts is great by me! you're a texan before you're any other earthly nationality. Decoboom is fantastic, have a few of their guards myself. love that tele, great video!
Thank you!
I'm thinking of putting the phrase "No, we don't play the Rodeo Song" on my pickguard for the 9 people left on Earth that remember what that whole thing was about.
Hi Zac,
In one Video you mentioned the fact you cut off the treble pot of the neck pup from a telecaster immediately. Which makes sence to me.
Is there any possibility to provide me with a wiring schedule how you do this?
Much obliged!
www.askzac.com/post/no-tone-on-neck-telecaster-wiring
Hi Zac,
Got it, thanx a lot!!
Regards from Europe
Pretty cool history but i'd never consider this. Maybe if i played out more,,,,nope ;)
Liked the slide show, tho, especially the black Strat with the HAR on it.
Blue Caps Howard A Reed, said to be the first custom color black Strat. Joe B saw it in GW like i did in the '80s.
He owns the dang thing but y'all knew that already :)
Shame you didn’t put Hank Garland's iconic "Sugarfoot" in the opening.
I didn't like the photo I had of it.
In highschool I stickered my guitars up like all the pop punk kids. Or like Rivers from Weezer. Learned to regret that. Now, I'm not in to it. I try to be unique more through color choice and spec. I build partscasters in that way
I’ve inlaid fingerboards with the artist’s name in the fingerboard including on the guitar I built for Justin Townes Earle.
That is ridiculously cool. Certainly loved Justin.
@@AskZac Me too, he was a very sad loss.
Zac, you need to be careful about the paper sticking or bonding to the finish on the guitar. Not sure how to stop this from happening, you might try some wax or mold release on the finish before putting the paper down.
Or perhaps sandwiching the paper between two pieces of plastic, with the clear one on top. If everything's thin enough it should work, like a multiple-ply pickguard.
The more I watch these videos... the more i notice, I have a lot in common. Love all things WW2, love smoking meat for 10+ hours with oak wood.. and of course telecasters.
When I was 12 or A friend
Did You use the old salt &pepper for the Bark ? I used 2o % salt 80% pepper for brisket . Befor I had this stroke .
Good recipe. I went 50/50, but will add pepper to my mix on Sunday
@@AskZac another good recipe is. Use 3 package of f zesty Italian dressing Black Pepper 20 % salt and then onion powder garlic papricka . And ( dry powder parsley .)
Little bit verry over powering. The Zesty italian alone will open a party in Your mouth. . For Ribs .
Skirt steak is goodc slow sm9ked andcckuck roast as well break all that colengen down lamd is another . Herec isca channels for You chuddsc
Smoking meatsvand mad sceince smoking meats
You will love these two channels .g8ve them a shot .. take care Zak .
IMHO y'all should color thet-thar cacti (?) like green (?) or do a
'photo-real' thing with the shading and stuff (?) (Got a close friend movin' to
Tennessee and with all the back 'n forth ah'm pickin' up the accent (?)
Know what ah mean?)
Cool subject. And on a side note, what kind of guitar is George Jones playing ?
It is a guitar made by Frank Gay. No joke
@@AskZac I had not heard of Frank Gay guitars . Turns out he built guitars for other prominent artists too - Johnny Cash, Hank Snow. I guess you can't get much more of a personalized guitar than having one built for you.
Remember Woody Guthrie's brand: “This Machine Kills Fascists.”
That and the Jimmie Rodgers Martin with his name inlaid on the neck were the first 2 that came to mind for me.
What about billy gibbons and the sword two Texas people
Those "Robben Ford chords" are very T-bone Walker-ish.
Yes
Has anyone done that to a real burst?
Good question
Funny how customizing your guitar was cool until these things became collectibles with resale value lol.