MR

One of the things I pride myself on (though many of you have likely never seen them) is my custom designed guitars. I've designed many, and I've had a few (nine) actually produced. This is my most recent one, a custom designed LP that, if I had my way, would be produced for Neal Schon.




It's, of course, the Journey Scarab, on a neal schon signature les paul. The Artwork is by Christopher Payne, all of his art can be found at http://christopherpayne.net.

That's damn nice looking!!!!!!!!!!!

GREAT work brotherman!

If I were Neal I'd be totally jonesing to wrap my hands around that beaut.

You know he would want his two custom switches on it. I like the sustainer switch he uses. Instant feedback.

Nice looking ax Steve. I'd love to hear that thing wail.

Rick wrote:You know he would want his two custom switches on it.

They're On it...look where my signature is...they're on it...

stevek2007 wrote:

Rick wrote:You know he would want his two custom switches on it.

They're On it...look where my signature is...they're on it...

Shit, that thing's ready for the big show then. Nice.

Don't wanna be Debbie Downer, but if NS played this on stage, some people would think it was signed by Steve Perry. The 's' in Steve stands out alone, and kinda looks like Perry's old sig. Just an observation.

However, if you redid this guitar with Neal Schon's sig, then it might be better. And, it would help him become more of the household name like he sometimes talks about. (Btw, always loved the Schon guitar simply because his name was on it.)

This is a darned fine looking rig though. Thanks for sharing.


later~

Arkansas wrote:Don't wanna be Debbie Downer, but if NS played this on stage, some people would think it was signed by Steve Perry. The 's' in Steve stands out alone, and kinda looks like Perry's old sig. Just an observation.

However, if you redid this guitar with Neal Schon's sig, then it might be better. And, it would help him become more of the household name like he sometimes talks about. (Btw, always loved the Schon guitar simply because his name was on it.)

This is a darned fine looking rig though. Thanks for sharing.


later~

Yeah well I can't do that...cause I don't care to use other people's signatures when they aren't officially endorsing something..MY signature however, is fine cause "I" designed the thing

Great looking guitar. Still wish I could afford one of those Neal LPs... what a guitar. No guitar out there touches the feature set.

Ehwmatt wrote:Great looking guitar. Still wish I could afford one of those Neal LPs... what a guitar. No guitar out there touches the feature set.

Oh absolutely - I've had a chance (Only once, and only for about ten minutes) to play one at a store in Jacksonville....and that thing is slick....the fernandez in it is really cool (though I picked up a little hum when it was turned OFF...) and the wah switch is cool as hell...it's really neat to realize how he does that - lol - no pedal necessary now!

Beautiful looking guitar. Nice work.

that is the most georgeous guitar i have ever seen:) nice work.

stevek2007 wrote:

Ehwmatt wrote:Great looking guitar. Still wish I could afford one of those Neal LPs... what a guitar. No guitar out there touches the feature set.

Oh absolutely - I've had a chance (Only once, and only for about ten minutes) to play one at a store in Jacksonville....and that thing is slick....the fernandez in it is really cool (though I picked up a little hum when it was turned OFF...) and the wah switch is cool as hell...it's really neat to realize how he does that - lol - no pedal necessary now!

I'd almost be scared with a guitar like that that I'd have too many features at my disposal... I'd probably spend more time pissing around with Sustainer riffs and the wah switch than practicing, lol.

Rick wrote:You know he would want his two custom switches on it. I like the sustainer switch he uses. Instant feedback.

Actually, the fernandes sustainer is there to replace the sustain lost by bastardizing a les paul with a fucking floyd rose!

strangegrey wrote:

Rick wrote:You know he would want his two custom switches on it. I like the sustainer switch he uses. Instant feedback.

Actually, the fernandes sustainer is there to replace the sustain lost by bastardizing a les paul with a fucking floyd rose!

Some day, (maybe tonight) I'll post the pictures of my vintage kramer I've restored. And for the record, I'd never own a guitar without a floyd - I just don't think I could play anything but...

MrsPerry wrote:that is the most georgeous guitar i have ever seen:) nice work.

I really need to post some of the others I've done...

stevek2007 wrote:

Arkansas wrote:Don't wanna be Debbie Downer, but if NS played this on stage, some people would think it was signed by Steve Perry. The 's' in Steve stands out alone, and kinda looks like Perry's old sig. Just an observation.

However, if you redid this guitar with Neal Schon's sig, then it might be better. And, it would help him become more of the household name like he sometimes talks about. (Btw, always loved the Schon guitar simply because his name was on it.)

This is a darned fine looking rig though. Thanks for sharing.


later~

Yeah well I can't do that...cause I don't care to use other people's signatures when they aren't officially endorsing something..MY signature however, is fine cause "I" designed the thing

And yes, I understand completely. I was just implying that NS probably would never touch a guitar with a big 'Steve' on it...regardless of last name or builder. However, if you made one, or at least a pic of one, with NS sig on it, and posted it, then maybe he'd take notice. Then he might be interested enough to talk to you about endorsements.

Just speculation...don't know the man.

Btw, I'd bet that Christopher has many other Journey-related creations. It'd be nice to see an entire series of this guitar, and maybe others, featuring his artwork. For example, what about a Red13 guitar?


later~

Arkansas wrote:

stevek2007 wrote:

Arkansas wrote:Don't wanna be Debbie Downer, but if NS played this on stage, some people would think it was signed by Steve Perry. The 's' in Steve stands out alone, and kinda looks like Perry's old sig. Just an observation.

However, if you redid this guitar with Neal Schon's sig, then it might be better. And, it would help him become more of the household name like he sometimes talks about. (Btw, always loved the Schon guitar simply because his name was on it.)

This is a darned fine looking rig though. Thanks for sharing.


later~

Yeah well I can't do that...cause I don't care to use other people's signatures when they aren't officially endorsing something..MY signature however, is fine cause "I" designed the thing

And yes, I understand completely. I was just implying that NS probably would never touch a guitar with a big 'Steve' on it...regardless of last name or builder. However, if you made one, or at least a pic of one, with NS sig on it, and posted it, then maybe he'd take notice. Then he might be interested enough to talk to you about endorsements.

Just speculation...don't know the man.

Btw, I'd bet that Christopher has many other Journey-related creations. It'd be nice to see an entire series of this guitar, and maybe others, featuring his artwork. For example, what about a Red13 guitar?


later~

Christopher does indeed have an entire series of them....but I didn't get his permission to do this...I'd rather have his permission before I start using a bunch more, know what I mean?

And as far as the signature goes..if it ever GOT produced, it wouldn't HAVE my signature on it visibly...I only put that on the renderings to keep people from stealing them (and yes, it's happened...)

wow!! very cool..

ill be honest though dude.. i had to focus my eyes,, it sorta looked like fillet salmon at first..

larryfromnextdoor wrote:wow!! very cool..

ill be honest though dude.. i had to focus my eyes,, it sorta looked like fillet salmon at first..

uh....hmmm.....

larryfromnextdoor wrote:wow!! very cool..

ill be honest though dude.. i had to focus my eyes,, it sorta looked like fillet salmon at first..

Saw that too. The pink meat surrounded by the greenish skin. Yep.


later~

stevek2007 wrote:

Arkansas wrote:

stevek2007 wrote:

Arkansas wrote:Don't wanna be Debbie Downer, but if NS played this on stage, some people would think it was signed by Steve Perry. The 's' in Steve stands out alone, and kinda looks like Perry's old sig. Just an observation.

However, if you redid this guitar with Neal Schon's sig, then it might be better. And, it would help him become more of the household name like he sometimes talks about. (Btw, always loved the Schon guitar simply because his name was on it.)

This is a darned fine looking rig though. Thanks for sharing.


later~

Yeah well I can't do that...cause I don't care to use other people's signatures when they aren't officially endorsing something..MY signature however, is fine cause "I" designed the thing

And yes, I understand completely. I was just implying that NS probably would never touch a guitar with a big 'Steve' on it...regardless of last name or builder. However, if you made one, or at least a pic of one, with NS sig on it, and posted it, then maybe he'd take notice. Then he might be interested enough to talk to you about endorsements.

Just speculation...don't know the man.

Btw, I'd bet that Christopher has many other Journey-related creations. It'd be nice to see an entire series of this guitar, and maybe others, featuring his artwork. For example, what about a Red13 guitar?


later~

Christopher does indeed have an entire series of them....but I didn't get his permission to do this...I'd rather have his permission before I start using a bunch more, know what I mean?

And as far as the signature goes..if it ever GOT produced, it wouldn't HAVE my signature on it visibly...I only put that on the renderings to keep people from stealing them (and yes, it's happened...)

Ya know, I may have misunderstood the entire pic. It looks (to me) as if you're sig is supposed to be exactly how & where it is on the guitar...size & location. But I think you're saying now that you've just signed the pic in this fashion and not the guitar. The guitar as I see it doesn't necessarily have your sig over the entire end of the body. Or, does it?


later~

Arkansas wrote:

stevek2007 wrote:

Arkansas wrote:

stevek2007 wrote:

Arkansas wrote:Don't wanna be Debbie Downer, but if NS played this on stage, some people would think it was signed by Steve Perry. The 's' in Steve stands out alone, and kinda looks like Perry's old sig. Just an observation.

However, if you redid this guitar with Neal Schon's sig, then it might be better. And, it would help him become more of the household name like he sometimes talks about. (Btw, always loved the Schon guitar simply because his name was on it.)

This is a darned fine looking rig though. Thanks for sharing.


later~

Yeah well I can't do that...cause I don't care to use other people's signatures when they aren't officially endorsing something..MY signature however, is fine cause "I" designed the thing

And yes, I understand completely. I was just implying that NS probably would never touch a guitar with a big 'Steve' on it...regardless of last name or builder. However, if you made one, or at least a pic of one, with NS sig on it, and posted it, then maybe he'd take notice. Then he might be interested enough to talk to you about endorsements.

Just speculation...don't know the man.

Btw, I'd bet that Christopher has many other Journey-related creations. It'd be nice to see an entire series of this guitar, and maybe others, featuring his artwork. For example, what about a Red13 guitar?


later~

Christopher does indeed have an entire series of them....but I didn't get his permission to do this...I'd rather have his permission before I start using a bunch more, know what I mean?

And as far as the signature goes..if it ever GOT produced, it wouldn't HAVE my signature on it visibly...I only put that on the renderings to keep people from stealing them (and yes, it's happened...)

Ya know, I may have misunderstood the entire pic. It looks (to me) as if you're sig is supposed to be exactly how & where it is on the guitar...size & location. But I think you're saying now that you've just signed the pic in this fashion and not the guitar. The guitar as I see it doesn't necessarily have your sig over the entire end of the body. Or, does it?


later~

absolutely, in that respect, I could do it this way....



but now that I have...see how easy it is for someone to remove that signature and make it their own? And It HAS happened...with an ibanez I designed and posted on my site a few years back....I had actually found a picture of the guitar on the internet someone had actually gotten it AIRBRUSHED to match the high rez I put up; and when I emailed and slyly said "hey nice guitar dude, where'd you get the design" he had balls enough to tell me "I found it on some dude's web page".

Edit....actually - there's another thread I posted with a few of my other designs I've found....and you'll notice they also have signature on the body....those however say "steve-o-wabo" which is the name I used for years on my show and my site until 'certain entities' told me I was no longer legally allowed to (and nor am I permitted to explain why but you're all smart, you'll figure it out)

Makes perfect sense, dude. You have all my apologies for my comments, if neccesary. I was thinking that the guitar itself had your sig on the guitar exactly how the original pic showed. Thus, I was thinking that it would be more appealing to NS if it had his sig in the same fashion.

Certainly, you being the designer, you should have your name on it somehow...perhaps what you want, or exactly how you and the endorser agree it to be.

Confusion cleared. Again, excuse my stupid attack.


later~

Arkansas wrote:Makes perfect sense, dude. You have all my apologies for my comments, if neccesary. I was thinking that the guitar itself had your sig on the guitar exactly how the original pic showed. Thus, I was thinking that it would be more appealing to NS if it had his sig in the same fashion.

Certainly, you being the designer, you should have your name on it somehow...perhaps what you want, or exactly how you and the endorser agree it to be.

Confusion cleared. Again, excuse my stupid attack.


later~

I never really took offense to it...to be honest...

I read the title of this thread as "A new ex for Neal."

stevek2007 wrote:One of the things I pride myself on (though many of you have likely never seen them) is my custom designed guitars. I've designed many, and I've had a few (nine) actually produced. This is my most recent one, a custom designed LP that, if I had my way, would be produced for Neal Schon.

That is SWEET! Great job, dude!

Rick wrote:You know he would want his two custom switches on it. I like the sustainer switch he uses. Instant feedback.

I always wondered how he generated that feedback on command, like at the end of "Faith In The Heartland" -- killer!

Rip Rokken wrote:I always wondered how he generated that feedback on command, like at the end of "Faith In The Heartland" -- killer!

Ever seen this vid Rip? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP0o2T_dNFU

Tell me that doesn't make you want to blow 6 big ones on a guitar like that. The sustainer is so cool, not to mention the millions of other perks on that axe...

Ehwmatt wrote:

Rip Rokken wrote:I always wondered how he generated that feedback on command, like at the end of "Faith In The Heartland" -- killer!

Ever seen this vid Rip? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP0o2T_dNFU

Tell me that doesn't make you want to blow 6 big ones on a guitar like that. The sustainer is so cool, not to mention the millions of other perks on that axe...

First of all Steve, that is one fantastic looking guitar!!!!!

Next, I don't even play and I was amazed at the Neal video - the guy is so articulate when he's in his element and I learned a lot of basic what-is-what from that video so thanks, Ehwmatt!