OGD McSoapy refresh edition

[Eseffinga]

I have mentioned this guitar in a couple of recent posts, but here it is as it currently sits.
It's a 2001 McSoapy, though as with pretty much every other guitar I own, it's been tinkered with.

Currently has a set of Wolfetone P90s and a set of 550K pots in it. The bridge and studs were replaced as you see, and the tuners have had a little refresh as well. The hardware is a mix of Nickel and Gold to my liking. Just to give little pops of gold color around. But I have always loved the PRS body shape. I love seeing it in rough cut form on tours. I Love seeing the solid colors. The Metallics. All a favorite of mine. And as much as I love a good flame, I never seem to keep any guitars with flamey tops. But this one. This one just screams of a form of delicate classiness. One of these days I'll take some proper pics. For now you get the phone quickies.

To me this is the epitome of gorgeous to look at, and lovely to play.

I realized the first couple photos make this one kind of look jet white, when in fact its a really really pale shade of a vintage white type color. Like a super light ivory or bone, for lack of a better name for it. I can't find any of my old 2001 catalogs to see what was offered back then. But you can see the color better in front of the Very white Rocca...

And it's not 100% done for sure! I go back and forth on the truss rod cover and back plate being the usual PRS black. So I have ordered a few sheets of materials to see what looks good with it. Trying to find something that matches the body as well as the pickup covers do (they are from the Montreaux folks out of Japan, in "bone"), and if i can find something I like, I'll get it routed and replaced, to really just dial it in even more bespoke. But I may change my mind. Nice thing is they are the very easiest things to swop out. I definitely don't want the usual suspects. Wood, etc. I have some faux ivory and ivoroid, but I'm not sold on those. Too yellow.

-e.

 

[Gtrbldr]

Fork that's hot! Great choice in PUs too. Dig the white with w/natural binding, dark fretboard with birdies. Gorgeous.

I have a night time cousin of that guitar, black opaque McSoapy with wolfetones. Made of korina. My favourite guitar.

 

[Eseffinga]

Fork that's hot! Great choice in PUs too. Dig the white with w/natural binding, dark fretboard with birdies. Gorgeous.

I have a night time cousin of that guitar, black opaque McSoapy with wolfetones. Made of korina. My favourite guitar.

Awe man, korina and soapbars is the best. Been a fan of that combo for 20 something years now. Very cool.

 

[RedGuitars]

Love it!

 

[rcsrich]

Yeah- love that aesthetic…I could see Prince digging that axe.

 

[dmatthews]

Dead sexy, congrats!

 

[FragileThunder]

Gorgeous! The binding really makes the whole thing pop.

 

[Shreve]

As much as I dig the guitar, and you know I love McCartys, I gotta say that amp is NUTZ!

 

[deathworlder]

What bridge did you use? I assume it had the non-adjustable prior?

 

[László]

The guitar is fantastic, and sure looks great with one of Doug Roccaforte's masterpieces!

 

[Greywolf]

While I normally hate painted guitars the white with natural trim models are stunning . She's a beauty

 

[Eseffinga]

What bridge did you use? I assume it had the non-adjustable prior?

Yeah, all PRS stoptails from that time shipped with the original 1 piece wraparounds.

I have the PRS adjustable wraparound with the raw brass saddles and posts on there now. I also have one of the newer solid wraparounds with the brass inserts like they used on the Paul’s Guitar that is hanging around if I get the itch to try that, once I settle on strings.

I’ve been trying it with different string gauges and makes to figure out what it/I like on there, so that’s why the adjustable for now. I am a fan if less is more, so if I don’t really hear a difference with the brass insert 1 piece, I’ll probably switch it over to that eventually.

Baby steps.

 

[Eseffinga]

As much as I dig the guitar, and you know I love McCartys, I gotta say that amp is NUTZ!

You know, I revamped that aesthetically, moreso than the McCarty.

I saw the head on Reverb during covid. Priced at like $1200! For a hand wired amp. And if you’ve seen the guts on one of these you know what I mean. The cabinet construction, flawless. The chassis build and wiring all immaculate. It looks like fine china in there.

But I really disliked the tolex. And I loathed Doug’s “logo”.

I know some of you probably have and dig that dark green tolex that got popular in the 90s, but coupled with the Brush script font as a stand in for a “marshally” logo because it was the default on all the builder’s computers (not just Roccaforte, but Egnater, Bogner, Elmwood, Fulltone, Baker, etc.) it just screamed 90s and super dated cheeze to me.

So it was a bit of a mental battle. I knew the guts were amazing, but the aesthetics would drive me personally crazy. And I’d always loved the look of a white Marshall. So that’s how it started.

I figured for $1200, how bad could I really mess it up? So I stripped it. Re-tolexed it. Replaced the grill cloth on the cab with the reissue bluesbreaker repro stuff.

This amp has no master volume so when Doug built it, he had a black plastic plug where that would go in the chassis. I found one that was metal and matched the faceplate. Replaced that. Replaced all the nuts with white ones. I replaced the perforated steel vent plates with aluminum mesh, again Marshall style. Found some white Marshall knobs, etc. Just really leaned into making it look how it sounds.

And then of course, I redesigned the logo and had it cut out of stainless steel. I never wanted to take credit away from what Doug built by customizing it, I just wanted to dial in those aesthetics for me. And since I did it all myself, it was cheap as hell. I think it’s great.

It’s loud as all get-out tho. Cripes!

 

[Prina]

Stunning guitar and amp with great stories behind both. Must have been a lot of fun making things just right. Great pickups too; I just got a Wolfetone Mean/Meaner set for my SE though haven't had time to put them in yet. And I'm curious about the P90s in your LP's.

Congrats!

 

[Eseffinga]

Right now the R6 goldtop has VIP pickups and VIP pots in it. The R6 to the left I call cinnamon, is pretty much brand spankin new. Still totally straight. Only one in the house that is that way.

Not pictured: The Junior has its original Gibson P90, but might get a late 50s one.

My ES-295 has Lollars in it I believe. One day I’ll get some old PUs in there.

I want to try some of Sunbear’s pickups too. Have a set of OX4s and a Tyson Tone dogear kicking around too.

 

[Moondog Wily]

That is some hot stuff (guitar and amp)! Thanks for sharing with us!!

 

[bodia]

That’s some good stuff right there!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Stunner

 

[deepender]

I have mentioned this guitar in a couple of recent posts, but here it is as it currently sits.
It's a 2001 McSoapy, though as with pretty much every other guitar I own, it's been tinkered with.

Currently has a set of Wolfetone P90s and a set of 550K pots in it. The bridge and studs were replaced as you see, and the tuners have had a little refresh as well. The hardware is a mix of Nickel and Gold to my liking. Just to give little pops of gold color around. But I have always loved the PRS body shape. I love seeing it in rough cut form on tours. I Love seeing the solid colors. The Metallics. All a favorite of mine. And as much as I love a good flame, I never seem to keep any guitars with flamey tops. But this one. This one just screams of a form of delicate classiness. One of these days I'll take some proper pics. For now you get the phone quickies.

To me this is the epitome of gorgeous to look at, and lovely to play.

I realized the first couple photos make this one kind of look jet white, when in fact its a really really pale shade of a vintage white type color. Like a super light ivory or bone, for lack of a better name for it. I can't find any of my old 2001 catalogs to see what was offered back then. But you can see the color better in front of the Very white Rocca...

And it's not 100% done for sure! I go back and forth on the truss rod cover and back plate being the usual PRS black. So I have ordered a few sheets of materials to see what looks good with it. Trying to find something that matches the body as well as the pickup covers do (they are from the Montreaux folks out of Japan, in "bone"), and if i can find something I like, I'll get it routed and replaced, to really just dial it in even more bespoke. But I may change my mind. Nice thing is they are the very easiest things to swop out. I definitely don't want the usual suspects. Wood, etc. I have some faux ivory and ivoroid, but I'm not sold on those. Too yellow.

-e.

Nice

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Bangin’!