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by Paul Chase
http://www.graphicguitars.comThis is the story of a Tall Traveling Taylor designed, constructed and
painted by Paul Chase.https://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/gnw/images/other/milconstructionfiberglass.jpg
It all began when…….Someone at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in
Nashville casually mentioned that they would love a big guitar sculpture by
Paul Chase to display. I ponder the possibilities for several months. Every
time I stayed at the Millennium I would “visualize” the guitar. I took
pictures of where it would find it’s home. I talked with my friend Wayne the
master woodworker. Many considerations. Size, materials, weight,
waterproofness, the stand, mobility, etc.A few more months past by. I was always in the back of my mind, and I was
always “playing” with the final “look!”Another visit with Wayne and he said “build it light and cover it with
fiberglass.” That clicked.I have several guitars…don’t we all. I have two with a Florentine cutaway.
They are my favorite for the body design and aesthetic appeal. I am after
all an artist first and a guitarist second. Ouch, did I say that?I knew I would have to transport the guitar to various places…I live 600
miles north of Nashville TN…its home to be. I had a 6×10 enclosed trailer. I
could make it with a removable neck…just like real guitars. Eventually I
knew it had to be all put together and “road worthy” for lots of “show and
tell” guitar shows and festivals. Plus, just driving it around Nashville and
other places just watching the reaction of the viewers would be a blast.I decided to use my Taylor Doyle Dykes Signature Model for the specs. I
wanted as big as I could get it out of an eight foot sheet of quarter inch
mahogany paneling. Bookmatch two sheets for the front and two for the back.
Jig saw to specifications. 1×2” bracing for the sides and some 2×4” bracing
for the front and back. Jig saw to specifications. Not much hand carving on
the bracing. Bending the sides was a challenge. For the extreme bends of the
cutaway I used one eight inch masonite.I did not use a micrometer so some “artist license” is at play all the way
through the final piece of art.I also needed to beef up some interior “stand supports” for the guitar
stand. We guitarists know the danger of the guitar falling off the
stand…especially a 300 lb. 16 foot tall guitar.The neck/fret board is half inch plywood and the head is a composite of a
front and back half inch plywood and Styrofoam filler to get the correct
proportions. The frets are slices of pine, “fugged” just for looks even
though placed at the approximate correct locations. The back of the neck is
sculptured with plywood braces and wire fence shaped like the sweet curve of
an easy action guitar neck. Don’t get out the measuring sticks, remember the
artist license deal.I carefully hand cut, jig sawed, the broomstick posts of the tuners and
spent way too much time on the details of the nuts and washers that
disappeared under the strings and several layers of fiberglass. The tuning
knobs are carved from Styrofoam and the machines are constructed from pvc
pluming pipes…don’t tell anyone!The saddle is carved from Styrofoam and the pins were first pingpong
balls…oops too big, saw them off. I found a more suitable size oak ball at
the hobby store.Ok, now just cover it with fiberglass! Ya, just! That was a labor of love.
And little fiberglass ichy things all over the house for a month. I wore a
vapor proof mask while I listened to guitar music and the sound of sanding,
grinding and sawing. Work a little and go for a ride on the Harley to get
some air. I would invest a few hours a day for two months. Sometime less,
sometime more. Put on a coat of fiberglass or paint and let it dry for a
day.Once completely covered with fiberglass sheeting and resin I decided to
really make it “sculptured” and applied heavy texture of bondo…like 6-7
gallons.Ready for several coats of black enamel paint. Then the collage of my
graphicguitars images. Hundreds of subtle guitar fine art paintings and
design for an “up close” appeal to the finished sculpture. Both the back and
front are covered with prints. I then air painted a burst effect and the
sculpture grain effect.The sound hole is surround by a circle of white enamel impregnated with
glass beads to “blast” under lights at night. Also a one inch white glass
bead strip around the edge of the front of the guitar.The headstock is painted after one of my originals  The “USAguitar” which
is now on display in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN. The
stars are white enamel with the glowing glass beads.The markers on the fret board are waving sheet of music notes…white enamel
and glass beads.The entire sculpture is covered in three coats of exterior UV inhibiting
clear coat.The stand is about nine feet tall. I had to design it to pivot or it would
be difficult to transport a 20 foot tall guitar(with trailer).Oh ya, the strings are steel rods 12 feet long. Lower E and A are one fourth
inch steel rod. D and G are 3 sixteenths. And B and E are the light strings
at one eighth.Unfortunately it does not hold tune as well as I like! But it looks great.
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