NYNGD: New Year's New Guitar Days! NYNGD #2017-17

OK, guys. We have come to the end of 2017 (and well into 2018 now) and also to the end of the 2017 edition of my New Years New Guitar Days (NYNGD). I have done this now for 6 years and I really enjoy recapping my GAS and sharing with my fellow Knuckleheads. As I’ve said in my manifesto, (and I quote myself):

Well, I didn’t get this together in time to launch the final guitar on New year’s Eve which is supposed to be the plan… work was just too busy in December and I got started late, and I’ve been slammed in January too (total repeat of last year… ugh. Need to start in November next year!). And this takes quite a bit of time — I spend about 45 minutes to an hour photographing each guitar (because I am not a pro photographer, I take each shot/angle with six different white-balance settings, and for each WB setting I then take 7 different exposures — this year, this yielded 4,284 photos in total just to produce the roughly 170 photos for 17 guitars), and then for each guitar I spend another another three hours sorting through the photos to find the best color accuracy and angles, cutting the images, cleaning the images, etc. I love every minute of it, and it’s an OCD freak’s dream, but it takes time. I’ll try to start sooner for next year’s run, because I really enjoy launching the final guitar on New Year’s Eve instead of (yawn) January 14th.

I’ve enjoyed reading your feedback and thoughts and POV’s. And I’ve enjoyed feeling like it’s maybe a little bit of a smaller world by being able to “hang” and shoot the sh!t about the guitars we love with you guys from around the world:

• Australia (Ishmun, Stevie)
• Belgium (Magic Jason)
• Canada (beej, CHill)
• France (DrKev, threeminutesboy)
• Germany (banjoplayer, Dead-Eye, Mick)
• Ireland (ErnieJohn)
• Italy (Cordarino)
• Netherlands (jzeijen, rampage)
• Poland (look_at_her)
• Sweden (Keno)
• UK (Jamie M, Smellybum, TrapperJ)
• US – Alabama (GoKart Mozart, Razzle)
• US – Arizona (kbaim)
• US – California (agt, xjbebop)
• US – Connecticut (PeteDuBaldo)
• US – Hawaii (kimonostereo)
• US – Illinois (edhalen, Flash Gordon, kestrou)
• US – Louisiana (spychocyco)
• US – Maine (FantasyMetal)
• US – Massachusetts (GWDavis28)
• US – Minnesota (Norrin Radd, RobW)
• US – Nevada (Stratty316)
• US – New Mexico (radrock)
• US – Ohio (mikeller)
• US – Oklahoma (jlbasscatcher)
• US – Pennsylvania (Dr.Strangenote, phillybri)
• US – Rhode Island (gforce013, Tollie)
• US – Tennessee (jones4tone)
• US – Texas (ScottO, Sweat)
• US – Utah (BrickGlass, Warg Master)
• US – Washington, DC (Wahoonc)
• Unknown (click track, JasonT, jimw427, johnnyboogie, LesPaul, Samoht, tbonesullivan)

Finally, thanks to BP, Brian, Scotty, Derek, Tomas, Teri, Drew, Dudley, A.J., Joel and the rest of the good folks at EBMM who continue to dedicate themselves to creating the tools that we enjoy — that help us make our music, help us aggravate our spouses, and bring us together as fellow Knuckleheads!

OK Jeff, enough of your babble. Let’s get to the final NYNGD of 2017: NYNGD #2017-17!

This one is really special. A stunning one-off Axis with a Roasted Maple quilt top, black body binding, a basswood back that’s finished clear instead of opaque black, a roasted maple neck with black binding, and chrome DiMarizo Axis pickups. Utterly stunning. I am in LOVE with the black binding on the body and the fretboard. And of course the roasted maple neck is a masterpiece.

The story on this guitar is fun: So, I knew what Derek was bringing to the Philly Guitar Show and I came with a pocket full of cash ready to buy. And when I got there I saw the guitars I was planning to buy — the EBMM JP13 with Floyd Rose (#2017-10), EBMM JP6 Stratus Blue Sparkle (#2017-12), and the EBMM Luke III Burl Maple (#2017-16) — but there was another special one-off, which was this Axis.

Apparently Tomas found this “laying around the factory” and decided to send it along to Philly… Oh, just laying around the factory, you say, huh? IT’S STUNNING! WHAT WAS IT LAYING AROUND FOR?!?

So I had to scramble to get more money to buy this beauty, but the Philly Show was on a holiday weekend (Bank of America closed) and I was almost sunk. We worked it out, but it was a scramble.

So, how does she sound and play? Actually, different than any of my other Axis guitars! The bridge pickup mostly sounds like classic Axis, maybe a little hotter/brighter. But on the neck pickup setting, this Axis is unique. It almost sounds like a P90. Less gain, less Sweet Child O’ Mine, more… I don’t know how to explain it. Sounds awesome. Not sure if it’s the pickup, the wiring, or the guitar, but it sounds great!

So… that’s it for NYNGD 2017! Onto another year of GAS!

Thanks for looking everyone!

Past Days:

(The back story in case you’re new to my NYNGD: For the past couple of years I’ve done a fun thing that most of you I think enjoyed, and I thought I would do it again this year. Every year, I am a slacker about keeping my Guitar Gallery up to date… So, as a fun holiday thing, let’s launch a guitar in the Guitar Gallery each day leading up to New Years Eve! In the past I’ve received PM’s about my collection and whether I play all of these guitars. 🙂 The same question came up during my NYNGD posts a few years ago and my answer was pretty detailed and well thought-out, so please check it out here!)

(Also, in case anybody gets any funny ideas — these guitars are not at my house. They are all in my very secure and alarmed studio facility. I usually only have two guitars floating around the house…)