So Anyway...

^^^ I'm sure I've seen Mad Max killing people with stuff that looks very similar to that...



Did you literally make them out of slabs of wood? If so, great work.

What your last thread on the two bodies you bought showed was that you are at the level to make complete guitars better than buying parts from other folks, imho. Your road from a novice (a complete novice just 18 months to 2 years ago) to a skilled gent, and soon to become a craftsman has been enjoyable to watch. I may have been a tad harsh in that thread, but that wasn't the intention, but rather to see the first set of prototypes for RVA guitars - can't be long now.
Thank you for the nice compliment. Let's see how these 2 turn out! As for the necks, I got unfinished ones from China. The first 2 were used for my various experiments, but it seemed a shame to let them die on the table, so I gave them some wood back.
 
So any way . . . . I haven't been around much the past week or so because of ALL the drama and politics at work, that some how managed to follow me home. I got caught in the middle of a boss and a co-worker. Since I am the Dept. Lead they both came to me . . . different times of course. Tempers and Egos, a bad combination. Its over now . . . I think. It was a crappy week for sure.

Sounds like a pain in the arse, Chas. You appear to be in a role I can relate to where you support many co-workers, but can't control some of the big decisions coming down from above - trying to remain professional and support everyone in these situations is difficult to say the least (sometimes, simply impossible). Because you simply cannot control all the parametres it doesn't make sense to beat yourself up over it, taking issues seriously but not personally is the way forward - though that's easier said than done. Hope next week is a better one for you.
 
Sounds like a pain in the arse, Chas. You appear to be in a role I can relate to where you support many co-workers, but can't control some of the big decisions coming down from above - trying to remain professional and support everyone in these situations is difficult to say the least (sometimes, simply impossible). Because you simply cannot control all the parametres it doesn't make sense to beat yourself up over it, taking issues seriously but not personally is the way forward - though that's easier said than done. Hope next week is a better one for you.

Thanks Grumpy, you do indeed have insight to the situation. I will take your advice to heart for sure.
 
So anyway...
The Volvo is gone as of yesterday.
She finally decided, after eight months, that there would be no convertible withdrawal after buying her other car.
The Volvo still had the same gas in it from last September, the last time we took it on a trip.
It just sat in the garage covered and unloved.
We did some research & determined the wholesale & retail values based on comparable C70's with similar mileage.

She had a price in her head now, so she took it to a high end luxury / sports car dealer in Sarasota that she had sold 2 convertibles to in the past. They came in at 2k less than she wanted, so they met in the middle.
They were happy, they got a clean retractable C70 with 14k miles .
She was happy, she got a nice fat check.
I'm happy, less sh!t in the garage now.

Life is good.
 
So, anyways, after a lifetime of playing by ear exclusively, I have become literally obsessed with learning everything I can about the guitar as it relates to music. I been doing scale drills every morning, learning the names of all the things I routinely play and just trying to expand my knowledge in general.

My Les Paul 50's Tribute stays in the living room and I put in a couple hours every morning unplugged while everyone else is asleep.

It's addictive!
 
So, built on a hillside, our backyard had a very steep gradient and wasnt at all useable. Our neighbor's pad is 20 feet above us.

Once we found the location we wanted, the plan was to make things the way we wanted.

IMG_20180517_38673.jpg

We flattened the area a full 25 feet away from the house and moved earth as needed.

IMG_20180517_12914.jpg A retaining wall was built for support and a second decorative wall was built above it with a structural footing and
both sections have a drainage system that exhaust into the front yard for irrigation.

IMG_20180517_52164.jpg

The lemon tree (center) was fitted with bird feeders and birdhouses. The area around and above it is being planted with multi-colored ground cover and various plants.

This Friday, we begin the next phase of pouring cement across the entire expanse of the lower level. All expansion joints will be curved and there will be live grass rolled into specific sections. This will provide a base for the gazebo and hot tub, as well as anchor points for the proposed, elevated patio.
 
So, built on a hillside, our backyard had a very steep gradient and wasnt at all useable. Our neighbor's pad is 20 feet above us.

Once we found the location we wanted, the plan was to make things the way we wanted.

View attachment 15070

We flattened the area a full 25 feet away from the house and moved earth as needed.

View attachment 15071 A retaining wall was built for support and a second decorative wall was built above it with a structural footing and
both sections have a drainage system that exhaust into the front yard for irrigation.

View attachment 15072

The lemon tree (center) was fitted with bird feeders and birdhouses. The area around and above it is being planted with multi-colored ground cover and various plants.

This Friday, we begin the next phase of pouring cement across the entire expanse of the lower level. All expansion joints will be curved and there will be live grass rolled into specific sections. This will provide a base for the gazebo and hot tub, as well as anchor points for the proposed, elevated patio.
WOW!!! That looks just like my backyard and what I did at my old house. The neighbor at the top of the hill thought that the fence was gonna fall and called the city in to stop me. The city made me buy a permit to make a retaining wall and have an inspector make sure that the soil was packed hard enough. What a bitch she was!!! Cost me a bunch of extra $$$ to do the same exact job.
 
So, built on a hillside, our backyard had a very steep gradient and wasnt at all useable. Our neighbor's pad is 20 feet above us.

Once we found the location we wanted, the plan was to make things the way we wanted.

View attachment 15070

We flattened the area a full 25 feet away from the house and moved earth as needed.

View attachment 15071 A retaining wall was built for support and a second decorative wall was built above it with a structural footing and
both sections have a drainage system that exhaust into the front yard for irrigation.

View attachment 15072

The lemon tree (center) was fitted with bird feeders and birdhouses. The area around and above it is being planted with multi-colored ground cover and various plants.

This Friday, we begin the next phase of pouring cement across the entire expanse of the lower level. All expansion joints will be curved and there will be live grass rolled into specific sections. This will provide a base for the gazebo and hot tub, as well as anchor points for the proposed, elevated patio.
Beautiful! Go play outside and annoy the neighbors!
 
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