RUINED? 1937 GIBSON CUSTOMIZED. Custom Vintage Electric Guitar. (SPANISH CONVERSION)

Oh Deary me, I know.
How could he?!
Why would he?!
This Shouldn't BE!
On deck today I have a Spanish Conversion of a very early (c.1937) version of what would become the model AB-104 Lap steel. This early rendition has a unique headstock shape with no branding whatsoever. It is in quite nice shape and includes its original case.
A spanish conversion can be a very intrusive procedure and, to avoid bastardizing a piece of history, this commissioned work will be completed with a bare minimum of modifications so that it could reasonably be returned to stock condition, if desired.
With the exception of a single hole, this guitar remains unaltered and yet is now able to be played in a fretted position instead of a Hawaiian slide guitar! Most excellent and fun! The guitar has a lively tone from the Charlie Christian pickup and suits itself well to many genres. It has a punch that will assuredly cut through in the mix,
This was a joy to convert, and I sure hope you enjoyed watching the process! please like, subscribe, and comment below the video with your thoughts!
If you'd like to see additional content, or see videos before release, or chat with other bizarre guitar enthusiasts, please join my Patreon or become a member of the KZbin channel!
Patreon:
/ notaluthier
check out my old-ass album:
hymm.bandcamp....
#guitarrepair #vintageguitar #prewar #prewargibson #antiqueguitar #charliechristian #electricguitar #gibson #spanishconversion #lapsteel #hawaiianguitar #recordingking #customguitar #restoration #guitar #hollowbody #notaluthier

[@sbrown1953]

Nobody expects the Spanish Conversion.

[@Notaluthier]

I’m having Deja vu all over again.

[@KathyScott-mp2wj]

Nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition either.

[@thaliahelene]

Or the Spinach one.

[@_-_Michael_-_]

I am. 😂

[@celestinocamicia]

This is an ex-Hawaiian Guitar

[@scottbubb2946]

When I was but a lad, My dear father, whom I'll call "dad," repaired and refinished antique furniture for a living. By the time i was sixteen, I had had enough sanding to last me my whole life and beyond. But, for some odd reason, I find it incredibly relaxing to watch other people sanding and woodworking. Since I have also been a musician for 35 years, or so, this kind of content is right up my alley, so to speak. I really enjoy your channel; it's interesting, educational, funny, and relaxing. I can't even imagine what you could do if you were a luthier.

[@Notaluthier]

Ya know, I’ve sanded and painted houses and cars before and hoo-boy I don’t really have an interest in sanding in general…but can stomache it in fits and starts for the right cause

[@carmencampbellnd6895]

Fret trimming looks so satisfying

[@matthewmccomis6128]

please continue to make these longer videos, its such a great pace

[@Notaluthier]

Will do!

[@garrettmancuso4417]

You should do a Spanish conversion Q&A, and title it 'The Spanish Inquisition'. No one will expect it!

[@simonzowie]

As someone who loves playing steel guitar, I can safely say a Spanish Conversion is not in my future. The fact that it is reversible does my heart good. I love watching you work on these vibe-y instruments!

[@asmnstn]

The best yet! Looks awesome, sounds great

[@Notaluthier]

Wow, thanks!

[@rasputinvlad]

Love this concept of the Spanish conversion. Just cool to see inside this old thing too

[@gartherino]

Wonderful, I wish I had your level of skill and patience. I also loved the Weird Al Like A Surgeon reference and tried to answer as many of those crossword clues as I could while they scrolled by :)

[@tonyhunt4250]

Production on your videos are fantastic and relaxing. Love it.

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks so much!

[@xsjetworf]

Another great video, its also cool you are reviving these instruments and showing they still have value.

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks!

[@josephzummo9685]

Never paid any mind to those old designs, but you definitely open my eyes. Fantastic work

[@Notaluthier]

Yay!

[@keestoft250]

I think it's testament to your skills that you can do all this great work with limited workshop facilities. I hope one day you are able to have a dedicated space. I also enjoyed the plectrum shaped ray of sunlight on your knee at around 37.20. 👍

[@Notaluthier]

You should see what I built in my last, MUCH SMALLER shop (it was the second (small) bedroom in my previous basement apt)! Happy to have what I have! Not saying I wouldn’t want a “real” shop, but it’s nice to be able to work out of my home.

[@9jmorrison]

Invented in 1932, the electric guitar was adopted by jazz guitar players, who wanted to play single-note guitar solos in large big band ensembles. Early proponents of the electric guitar on record include Les Paul, Eddie Durham, George Barnes, Lonnie Johnson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, T-Bone

[@MatthewRMacKinnon]

Love the vid Levon! And it sounds awesome!!!

[@Notaluthier]

Thank you!

[@tomahawkhead]

Another background bass hypnosis. Love it. You should play in King Crimson. Go back in time, I'm sure you could figure something out. Cheers!

[@luserdroog]

The ruiner's got a lot to prove. He's got nothin' to lose.

[@harmlesscreationsofthegree1248]

Bless those wonderful people over at the bleep dispensary

[@johnathanschaaf8731]

That “complementary poop bag” song was pure gold :) Great vid as always

[@Notaluthier]

Hahahah, sometimes inspiration strikes 😂

[@christhesnaildriver]

Thankfully I've Elled and I'd already Essed, so hopefully you'll spare my face. To further placate you, this was a tremendously enjoyable video to watch, and what a lovely result! Nice work dude 🤘

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks so much!

[@Jean-Chri.Brixhe]

Your clearance issues and reversability option gave me the idea of a removable fretboard that would stand over the actual one 🙃! There is room for it, and it would solve the pickup clearance problem... Isn't that silly enough for you?!? 😁

[@Notaluthier]

I’ve done this before! My first build was a convertible. This one had a neck that was already massive tho

[@tonylewis1803]

Nice amber shades….Clint would be proud……

[@chrisva4268]

Instinctively started rolling up a dollar bill at 21:35

[@stevenedwards4470]

That item is really clean for it's age. Old stuff has the coolest knobs. Do you take impressions of singular knobs so you can reproduce them? The extra effort you put into these videos comes thru and makes them especially entertaining as well as informative. Your dog sometimes looks like it's having an existential crisis.

[@Notaluthier]

I have a decent collection of silicon knob molds! But I could certainly use more

[@rogertinker1813]

Great video thank you, I just started the search for the right lap steel, but not to convert I'm looking for one to play

[@Notaluthier]

Great! Lap steel is a ton of fun. Any idea what kind you’re looking for?

[@lbleekemolen]

Awesome as usual!

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks again!

[@9jmorrison]

that is a nice looking fret board, enjoyed the lesson

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks!

[@bengordon2330]

" Honey !...Did you pick up some more Lloyd's today ? "

[@Notaluthier]

🫠🫠🫠

[@VonRock]

awesome as usual 💥

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks!

[@jafo1970]

What a cool, lo-fi sound those "Charlie Christian" pickups have. Great project!

[@Notaluthier]

They are unique for sure!

[@chrisva4268]

They call him the lap steel conquistador!

[@Notaluthier]

Ole

[@r0flgal0re]

Great, you made me want to move to Canada.... Stupid beautiful nature.

[@darlacurrey-colter3844]

we had to wait a few xtra days, but it was worth it. your show is like a drink of th best water when ur thirsty! we always referred to packing peanuts as “ghost poop”!

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks so much! GHOST related video coming out tomorrow…I say hopefully…having literally JUST started

[@bree1563]

It would be really neat to see one of these converted into an electric lute. The body shape and proportions are already close, all you would really need is a couple of extra strings.

[@Notaluthier]

I almost made a mando cello out of a national Waikiki one time, but ended up passing the project on

[@martinhiggs7027]

Again my friend your back wall is freaking incredible ! I have some experience with lap steels and own a few , I was given a 1940's Gibson lap steel for parts, [the instrument was in a bag] !!!! I installed the pickup + all electric parts ! on a awesome Gibson J-45 all I can say the pickup was 17K and rocked the J-45 . a great sound with the volume on about 3. keep up the great work !

[@Notaluthier]

Sounds rippin!

[@martinhiggs7027]

@Notaluthier Thank's for your reply ! the pickup did not have as much electrical baggage as your "Recording king" a cross between a Chuck-C and a P-90 , (the magnet was directly under the bobbin) the pots were 283K- V and 291K-T . they were probably intended to be linear but had a slight dip in the curve ! I mounted everything on a spruce plate. that would go through the sound hole ! A lot of work but a killer electrical J-45 with vintage parts !

[@brettbunke9096]

Awesome work as always man it sound great 😊

[@Notaluthier]

Appreciate it!

[@costasarantidis4499]

Beauty!

[@Zen_Not_Zen]

Best one so far ! ...well , apart from the last one ,...oh, and the one before that

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks!

[@66Gollum]

Like! It would have been interesting to know some more about the pickup ! How many Ohms? How strong are the Magnets? 2.5K for the potis seem to be way to less!? Maybe try without them...

[@Notaluthier]

Nope. That’s the reading for the pickup…they used 38awg wire. Resistance and output have almost ZERO correlation. My 1935 ricky pickup is 1.3k ohms

[@ed022859]

Well played sir! Well played!!! Sir.:)

[@Notaluthier]

Merci bien!

[@Spike42069]

babe wake up, not a luthier uploaded again.

[@slinkytreekreeper]

I love how you marked out the bridge placement and bridge intonation. How would this be done if there was no tailpiece and just the saddle piece so strings cant be put under tension?

[@Notaluthier]

This is a tool I’ve been meaning to invent! A modular tailpiece that can be attached to any instrument for just such purpose.

[@LightBranches]

Sweet. For the back, I thought you were going to create a spacer ring, like a wooden gasket, for the clearance and still allowing you to use the original back (with longer screws, natch). But your solution is cool.

[@Notaluthier]

That was the plan, but I didn’t like the sandwich look!

[@LightBranches]

@ ah, yeah, that may have looked a bit odd. Anyway, keep ‘em coming!

[@kmani69]

I love it ♥ Hi from Iceland

[@Notaluthier]

Hey!

[@codygranrud6212]

That's rad.

[@parkeranderson7086]

nice old Dexter box opener....

[@1-eye-willy]

those are my favorite packing penuts they taste good and they desolve on contact with water, super eco friendly

[@Notaluthier]

I did not taste them! But yes, I hate all packing peanuts, but I’ll take these over styrofoam all day long

[@ChristofferNelsonG]

Was this a personal project, or for a customer? Awesome to have two NuttyLuthier vids in one day. This was a good 40 minute watch.

[@Notaluthier]

This one is a commission

[@blodpudding]

Great work! That conversion could easily have gone pear-shaped

[@Notaluthier]

🍐

[@lukespread]

yes!

[@betterl8thannvr]

I'm in this video

[@YellowJello57]

Comment for the algo, oh yeah and because I loved the video.

[@Notaluthier]

🥳

[@ml.2770]

2 grams of rosewood dust! You're rich!

[@Notaluthier]

My stocks are up!

[@kevjones5047]

FYI: In the Fraser Valley, we measure the passage of time in Canada geese, not cormorants, although there are always a few double-cresteds along the river.

[@Notaluthier]

Back in Nova Scotia time was measured in k-cars in the 80s but shifted to bald eagles by the end of the 90s

[@parengstrand3101]

I thought they are called Canada gooses...? 🤷‍♂️

[@chazstewart4865]

Almost my birthday and still no sign of a tenor guitar from my wife.... I would love to come and be your assistant for a couple of weeks..... I don't eat much but I'm quite annoying.

[@Notaluthier]

Maybe for your birthday you should get a new wife 😂hey-yo! If I wasn’t a broke single dad I might send you one, but these guitars are my daughter’s inheritance! I’m happy to send links to good deals tho.

[@chazstewart4865]

@@Notaluthier Thank you kind sir, you have a very lucky daughter..... hope she appreciates her future inheritance. I am more than happy to be tenorless as it is something I may try to construct from old typewriters and sewage pipes at some point. Looking forward to your next project.

[@zeusapollo8688]

Nice b roll

[@whittaboi]

What sort of wood was the back made of? So so good again love these vids

[@Notaluthier]

Cambodian rosewood

[@parengstrand3101]

Great video again! So I'm wondering, did you ever consider shimming the back instead of making a new one? Not that the new back looks great!

[@Notaluthier]

Yes! That was originally going to be a spacer/shim. But I realized that it looked kind of doofy and made it too think to fit in the case!

[@barfthebarf]

I thought it would be cool to pull up with "square necks fit my square hands, and no mention of this is a disservice to my fellow square handed folk", but naw we aren't going to go there today...

[@Notaluthier]

Hahahah! Next time

[@jonathanmartin3375]

I'm guessing the tab on the bridge is to hold it into place using the downward pressure of the tailpiece?

[@Notaluthier]

That is very nearly correct! And the first guess! It’s actually just to prevent the tailpiece from hitting the top when there is no string tension. I have a screw through the bottom of the bridge to keep it from falling off.

[@jonathanmartin3375]

@@Notaluthier Great, simple solution!

[@FrogCabin-in5wd]

Circuit City popped up in a conversation just the other day. I remember driving over to their going-out-of-business sale, hoping to snag a nice Proton receiver or NAD amp at a good markdown price. Nope, whichever company was handling the divestiture trucked in the most gawdaful, worthless electronics that CC had never even sold during their existence. RadioShack was a funny place. Last time I was in, the cashier gave me a really aggressive pitch to buy a one-year warranty for the stupid RCA cable I came for.

[@Notaluthier]

Hahahah! A warranty for an RCA cable 😂 although I have seen $1k RCA cables for audiophiles….they aren’t at radio shack tho

[@pasteye1671]

Fascinante! (that's "fascinating" converted to Spanish). Didn't expect that, did ya?

[@Notaluthier]

No habla

[@codelicious6590]

Im lookin to score man, how much that rosewood dust go for per gram? Hey! Ive been a FTSD since my daughter was almost 2 now she will be 18 in less than two weeks! Yes, Im having existential crises out the wazoo!! A wonderful ride though, I feel very fortunate.

[@Notaluthier]

I feel fortunate too! My daughter is now 10, and growing up SO FAST

[@jonah_hosea]

would make a great lefty too with that input jack

[@Notaluthier]

Indeed! For some reason a lot of the early lap steels have their backs on the bass side

[@jerryleemiller1130]

But did you? Did you, reaaallly?:)

[@herrfilm]

Kool

[@DaHill1998]

Amazing detail work on that rosewood board, wow! Cool project, has a little Black Keys tone thing. Well done, btw, did you eat a lot of paint chips as a kid?...

[@Notaluthier]

We couldn’t afford paint chips, we had to dig through dumpsters for the lowly paint crumbs

[@parkeranderson7086]

Did you consider just making a rim as a spacer and keeping the original back?

[@Notaluthier]

Absolutely. That was the original plan with the rosewood, but then I realized it would be slightly unsightly, heavy, and possibly too deep to fit in the case.

[@SixSixthSix]

I love me some Blasphemy, count me in! (Hope you're still not using that rosewood dust! ( I'm watching you👉🏻🧿👁️ 👇🏻) 😉🤣

[@Notaluthier]

Don’t get high on your own supply!

[@1980JPA]

I heard that you have to keep de-tanged frets in the house from then on because they can't defend themselves outside anymore.

[@Notaluthier]

😅

[@edwardpetersen4309]

What is the scale length on that one? And why the new back? sounds great as usual. You are the undisputed lap steel conversion king.

[@Notaluthier]

The back needed to be routed for the electronics. I made the rosewood one as a spacer but then realized it would be better as a back of its own.

[@Notaluthier]

And considering I’ve never seen another electric Spanish conversion…I do be having the at crown 👑

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

Hey N.A.L. The link to your album isn't working. I know how much work it takes to be a FTSD, so if you get a moment between school drop off and brushing teeth, could you have a look. I'd like to hear your music. Another great Spanish conversion. That pick up is like ice!

[@Notaluthier]

Oooh will do!

[@Notaluthier]

Fixed!

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

@@Notaluthier Great, I'll give it a listen. Thanks

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

@@Notaluthier I listened to the album this morning. Really really good. Passing the link on to friends. What's the deal with the rest of the band...do you still play with them? What was your role...I looked at the band camp image and is that you on piano? Very cool to have recorded such a nice sounding album..I felt the spirit of Harry Nilsson lurking around the edges. Well done.

[@Notaluthier]

@ hell yeah I love Nilsson! I wrote the songs, and played keys mainly but also some guitar etc. we all live in different cities from one another now!

[@zxspectr195]

job well done 💯

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks

[@ManuelKellermann]

200 years ago they cut up all Stradivari violins to get a steeper neck angle and longer neck. And taller bridges. Did they ruin them? The guitar sounds great! Looks cool!

[@Notaluthier]

I just heard about a 1920s Lyon & Healy catalogue in which they claimed to have 25 Stradivarius violins that they had IMPROVED by thinning them excessively!

[@ManuelKellermann]

@@Notaluthier On the inside, I hope! 😬

[@Notaluthier]

@@ManuelKellermann yes!

[@ManuelKellermann]

@@Notaluthier How did they get 25 of them? I'm still struggling to get a 5th!

[@ManuelKellermann]

@@Notaluthier I just read up on the Lyon & Healy company history. Fascinating! Even Steinway got involved.

[@destroyerofcitysduck5937]

Is that Beacon Hill Park?

[@Notaluthier]

Hell yeah

[@SeamusJohnsonMusic]

🔥🤘🎸

[@TheGorillafoot]

I really hate those damn peanuts.

[@zezzy3]

Just a random peacock at the park no big deal lol

[@Notaluthier]

Ya know they are genuinely all over my hood, but I never tire of seeing them.

[@forresta65]

you have been excommunicated from the square neck church!!!Blasphemy!!!!! na just joking!

[@9jmorrison]

(Spanish Inquisition) ?

[@robertcarltoniii]

the feather 21:12

[@megusultracool]

If i ever find a beat up lap steel that i like and is cheap i know who to send it to! You could not PAY me to do all this😅

[@Notaluthier]

And this was an EASY one!

[@jamesonpace726]

Why would anybody want an ancient, antique, weirdo, guitar thing when they could have instant, intense, insane, Innovation from Fender's newOldest, (Player II too) oldNewest Strat thingy....

[@Notaluthier]

Beats me!

[@TheVirakahScale]

To bad you're not a luthier,. You'd do such a good job with this conversion if you were. But you're not, so this video isn't real. :P

[@laurencehastings7473]

I can't see the point of creating an instrument that is difficult to play and has abysmal acoustic tone. Maybe if you had deepened the sides and used longer screws the sound might have been better and you wouldn't have had to do the routing.

[@Notaluthier]

This is a crazy, newfangled instrument called an “electric guitar”

[@thetimberowlsband]

​@@Notaluthierpsh, that'll never take off. I bet there's not a single piece of music composed on one of these newfangled things that people will remember. I'll stick to my mandolin thank you very much.