Shopping for Less

No, this is not a commercial for TJ Maxx...My newest project was going to need some special consideration for certain of its needs.

I needed one of these:Why, you ask?

I'll tell you later.

The two biggest (or most difficult, I should say) issues/needs were the strap and the case.

After all, one of my major motivations was to build a guitar I could carry with me. Hence, I needed something to carry it in.

Obviously, a regular guitar case would be too big. But I had options.

I thought maybe a violin case would work.

Too small.

Maybe a case for pedalboards.

Okay, first I need to acknowledge the big mistake I made: I went to Tom Lee.

It's the only place I've ever been where the sales staff openly act as if you're inconveniencing them .

Or interrupting their guitar practice, which they are somehow allowed to do at work, with store gear.

Well, as I always end up saying, f@#$ Tom Lee.

I went to Parson's at Grand Century (Mongkok KCR mall). I found this saxophone case:

With real fake sheepskin lining!

Best of all, it works:

Second best of all, it was HK$125!

I also knew that for this guitar I would need a strap that was a little smaller than usual. I don't normally use narrow straps because they can be uncomfortable with a heavy guitar.

Since this guitar will be so light, it won't be a problem. I found this at Parson's too:Ssssssssssssssss!!!HK$240.

Twicewhat the case cost.

So what? It works:

This guitar has nicer accessories (and is better accessorized) than its owner. As long as I'm on this accessorizing joke, let me show you what I did with the guitar...For reasons that will become clear soon enough, I needed to put a thick base coat of clear lacquer on most of the guitar.At first I was only doing the maple on the sides. I used a small brush to hand-lacquer just the maple. It wasn't too much work.

Then I decided/realized I needed to do the mahogany part of the sides and the back too: Not all of it, just mostof it.It made the mahogany a very rich brown, and on the sides it made the maple very deep, meaning you can see the flame better.Here's a shot of the difference between lacquered and plain mahogany: I didn't put any lacquer on the top, and you will see why later.