Saturday, August 23, 2025

Doubleneck 2025

Doubleneck 2025

 I got fired up about doubleneck guitar/bass and bought a Chinese kit. The kit isn't perfect, I'd prefer the bass on the bottom but the headless design appeals. My first plan was to swap out both necks: Ibanez 5-string (fan-frets) for the bass and a wide-neck for the 6-string. It would take some fussing but I thought I could do it. 

Then I got interested in playing with a pick, something the long-scale basses don't suit me for. I found the little Fender bass ukulele was pick-friendly. Hmm. Then the Kala U-Bass came along with a bolt-on neck (i.e. removeable) and slightly longer scale but still small enough to rest my hand on the bridge.


U-Bass neck screwed on, bridge taped in place.The neck bolt-holes lined up perfectly, what are the chances?!

Now I need to block up the bridge pickup hole because that's where the new bridge needs to be. A luthier suggested maple but I had some padauk scrap. What a lovely wood.
The Safe-T-Planer came in handy for trimming the plug.

The Safe-T-Planer came in handy for trimming the plug.

It's by no means a perfect fit but it's pretty snug. So much so that I'd have trouble removing it without the counter-sunk holes being tapped. Haven't tried yet but I'll need to take it out again for wiring. 

Aug 23
The CFG strap I want to use won't go quite short enough without kluging.
Aug 24
Two pickups wired in. No tone/volume yet but it works.
Aug 25

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Friday, August 1, 2025

August

July   August 2025  September

With talk of solar activity and possible upcoming aurora action I thought I'd check in on sunspots.
The luminous Saam Cabot, at Cafe 14 where I was able to catch a few tunes today. I liked the way the light was playing on her mighty low A Cannonball baritone sax and had to snap a picture. Aug 31
Days with no sightings then 3 this morning on 3 separate plants. I like to think my missing small cat managed to find a nearby plant. This is a combined image with no attempt to match scale. Aug 30
Not a FB memory, it's a MySpace memory!!!
Maybe 20 years ago. The song I was suited up for? U.S. Blues no doubt.
Aug 28

Juvenile Red-headed woodpecker, starting to get a hint of red.
Aug 27
A memory from a friend, long long ago. 
Aug 25

Another FB memory, my only Giant Swallowtail in living memory, five years ago today.
Aug 24
Together again. For a moment when the big one was munching on that slim part I thought for sure the little one was going to get excommunicated.
I thought I might spook it when I opened the window.
I think it heard the camera shutter but showed no sign of alarm.
Aug 23
Double-neck fever strikes again. (Continued on it's own blog page.)

Short-scale U-Bass might be perfect for the project.

U-Bass neck screwed on, bridge taped in place.
I'm amazed that the neck's bolt-holes lined up.

Once again the big one reappears to surprise me. First time in bright sunlight. Who knows, in a few weeks maybe a thousand miles away.
Aug 22
Seen in the yard today.
Fully loaded horn tree (adjusted and upgraded ).
Here's an unusual Downy woodpecker. *His red patch is bisected with black, I've never seen that with a young one like this (the patch being forward to the crown rather than back-of-head like an adult).
*I used to think the red crown patch was specific to young males but at least one person said young females could have it too.
Aug 20

Zoom call with brothers Nick & Edwin.
9mm. Yes, still getting stoned.
Aug 19
This morning there were two cats! First I'd seen of the little one. This evening they have their invisibility cloaks on.
Trying to catch the last of the splintered sunlight to break through the trees into my yard and onto the Goldenrod.
Aug 18
Stabilizer added to Horn Tree.
Another FB memory, 6 years ago, Akron's PorchROKR with Any Road band.
Aug 17
Possibly the last time I tried to take Nancy anywhere without a wheelchair. McConnell's Mill with Dad and brother Nick in 2019. When we were kids we used to go there for an Easter picnic.
Aug 16
When I couldn't get the bat shot I turned the camera around for this Ironweed.
A different spider. "Online" like the Assassin bug.

Aug 15
Symmetry doesn't usually happen in my driveway. 
First picture of current lineup.
This is a combined image, one shot had a better face and one had better tentacles.

Note: this was shot in portrait mode, up is to the right. This amused me because the Monarch cat appears to be alerted when bombarded by own poop ... what the heck was that?!!! ... near the 7 second mark. This is on my patio but it is a wild cat I've been watching since it was an egg.
August 14
63336!
"Woodstock night" at Venice open mic. Steve's birthday too (center). Video exists but it's really not worth sharing! Ginny on left (seated), Joe Martin, Steve Baggett, me, DJ (banjo). 
Check out this lovely tune on Joe's Youtube channel. 


I was hoping the red-heads would bring their kid(s) around (and that I'd get a shot).
I found him again. Now an inch and a half.
August 13

11:16pm My lucky "Perseid Firefly" barely made it into the frame.
Obviously not a meteor but I did see a very bright one before I got the camera rolling.
Kent Lanes Open Mic
Jupiter and Venus, before sunrise. So glad I didn't have to drive anywhere for this, photographed from my patio. Decades back when something like this happened (likely the same planets) I drove for a long time hoping to get out from under the cloud-cover. In vain, made me late for work too. 
Interesting insect on clothes line, he's online! 
I'm told it's an Assassin Bug nymph.

August 12

I gave up looking for this Monarch "cat" a few days ago, then tried again today and there he is. About an inch long I'd say, almost there. Hoping he avoided the invisible perils. Would have liked a better picture but it was early evening. I checked the next day in sunlight but again he was hiding. Not that I know if it's a he or she. Can't tell until they pupate.
Male Ruby-throated hummingbird

My method for storing unused avocado is to 'embed' it in refried beans (or broc/cheese soup). I imagine most folks make guacamole or some other preserving mix but I prefer to keep it as unadulterated as possible.
Not that any sane person would want to follow me for kitchen tips!

August 11


A fun afternoon of music with friends.
Can't You See, with Saam Cabot
Proud Mary, with Saam & Xavier
Kodachrome

If I Fell
August 10

Grand Theft Pye Weed
Joe Pye just moved into my butterfly garden courtesy of a roadside in the next township.​ Yay!
August 8

August 7

63036

Butterfly Weed

I'm not seeing huge growth but my milkweed seedlings at least look healthy.
August 6


Open mic at Kent Lanes, warts and all. Fun also sitting in with The Wayback Duo. Thanks to host Jesse Carter-Acoustic for the share. 
August 5
Two images combined for depth-of-field.
Lovely Zabulon skipper stayed put while I got within inches.
More macro stuff, on Cone flower.

Speaking of pollinators, this bee looks like its been around.


A Coyote just ran through my yard! (10:30am phone pics through screened window)
August 3

Fixing a garbage can lid with reduced styrofoam goo. Whether it works or not, "melting it down" (with acetone) kept a big pile of styrofoam out of the landfill.
Top view
Inner view
I didn't have to look very hard to find a Catalpa Sphinx caterpillar. It's hard to find a spot in my driveway where they don't rain their 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒔 (poop) on my car. There was a day last year you could actually hear it dropping. Shown here with the moth I posted a few weeks ago (no attempt made for relative size but the cat is quite large).
This rapidly growing Monarch caterpillar is now about 5/16".
The Milkweed Tussock moth cat also feeds on milkweed. Surprise! This one is about 7/16", another phone-with-macro-lens shot. I admit I'd never seen one quite this way before.
August 1


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