Stratocaster Icons: Richie Blackmore.

Hide your Strats when Richie comes to town. Richie Blackmore, famous for Deep Purple's guitarist (Smoke On The Water). Richie was also in "Rainbow".

Count how many Strats he destroys in this concert footage. I don't think I'd ever loan my equipment to him. Very funny.

Flight of the Conchords: Business Time.

In the spirit of our recent "Sex" talk at my church this last weekend, I stumbled across this clip from Flight of The Conchords. These guys are from New Zeland and call themselves "parody folk music". They also do a very funny parody of your typical children's song called, "Albi, The Racist Dragon".

Take note you newlyweds out there. I suspect most of the over 30 crowd will really laugh at this. PG-13.

StewMade guitar #2 for 2008: The Orange Crate Guitar!

Ok, you're probably thinking I'm nuts, right? Well, I guess we'll see. My idea is to hollow out the main guitar body, fill the inside with fake oranges (anchored, not rattling around), then glue crate like planks over the top, exposing the oranges between strategically spaced areas and then using some type of citrus producing type label on a couple planks.

This should be the end of my one of a kind ideas for 2008. Although I do have to fit in a guitar that will be painted by Libby. She's very good at abstract art so I promised her that this year she will be able to do whatever she wants and then I'll clear it over and build around it. It will be a 75/25 input, her favor.

Also in the works, a StewMade bass and another boat guitar and "Longboard" guitar. So it looks like 6 guitars are in the works for 2008. The bass idea will be a surprise and will be due out this Fall. Plus a new StewMade t-shirt design.

You're probably asking, "Um, is there a website somewhere in those plans"? I think my fear in the website is that it will squelch my creativity by placing orders that others want. I love stretching out my imagination on these weird quirky one-off builds. I guess I won't have time for my x-ray guitar this year. That was going to be quite an ambitious attempt. Keep reminding me. Maybe if I see enough off this year, I'll get to squeeze that one in before Christmas. Later.

First StewMade Guitar Idea for 2008: Muscle Car Guitar!

Yeah, so it's an idea that's been sitting for awhile and finally is in the works. The guitar body will be painted in 70's Plymouth Sublime Green complete with competition racing stripes. The "440+6" on the pickguard will represent the common 440 engine 6 barrel option available on the 1970 Dodge Charger, Plymouth "Cuda", Road Runner, Challenger, and the rare Superbird, as well as some others offered by Dodge and Plymouth. I could have used the "440 Super Commando" or the 426 Hemi emblem. But I really liked the look of the 440+6 hood decal from the Plymouth Road Runner.

If you have ever seen the movie "Cars", the light blue car with large front scoop and rear wing called "The King" is a Superbird. Only 1,920 were built only in 1970. Dodge came out with a similar version in 1969 called the "Dodge Daytona".


1969 Dodge Daytona

The "Devil Tail Heart" logo at the headstock is used from the 1970 Plymouth ad campaign, used along with the slogan, "The Beat Goes On" which also borrowed the Sony and Cher hit with the same name.

Chrome piston volume/tone knobs will be used along with a fabricated shift knob vibrato bar....or pickup selector switch. Pickguard will either be flat black or have actual tolex soft top glued to the pickguard to look like the roof. Back of the neck will also be satin black with just the front headstock matching the body color.
I also found a company that produces actual "clicking" metal seat belt guitar straps complete with the woven nylon belt material. I have the option of choosing nylon belt or actual 2" wide real tire tread for the guitar strap. Do some of you remember that "click" sound when getting into your parents old cars?

Have not decided on pickups yet. I want this guitar to be a high octane sort of sounding guitar. It can't be wimpy sounding at all. EMG's would keep the price down a bit but Seymour Duncan has a huge selection to check out. Maybe a sustainer?

The guitar case will be made of black cloth top material over a hard wood shell case, complete with a slight "tuck n' roll" leather ends with white piping.

My example does not completely show the true Sublime Green color. So here are some examples of some other muscle cars in sublime green as well as some video clips.


1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird


1970 Plymouth Road Runner (same as Superbird but w/o wings & scoop)


1970 Plymouth "Barracuda" or "Cuda"