New G&L Facebook page - CLF RESEARCH CO.

The little blob of solder on the intonation spring on the G string is where Leo attached the ground wire.
I’ll heat it up and try to reuse the same solder that Leo applied.

I soldered the ground lead back on with Leo’s original solder. I know that’s not a big deal but it felt like a special occasion.
The output jack from the test board is an RCA so I need an adapter to 1/4”. I’ll look around the lab, maybe I’ll make an adapter
if the parts are there.

Memo is making an interface so I can plug in Leo’s tester as he left it. Well, did I fix the ground lead but so far that’s all. Hopefully that’s all it needs but if not, we’ll fix it.

It’s alive!!! I love moments like this. Feels like it’s surprised to be waken up after decades.

What is not a Fender, Music Man or G&L but still 100% Leo Fender? This.

projectsb2ndchance needs a neck, and it needs the proper slim CLF headstock. We don’t have the old slim headstock all done up in the computer so here’s the plan.
Take the big CLF headstock and modify it into the slim one using George’s 1982 handmade template. Not 100% sure it’ll work right, but hey, it’s CLF projectland.
We’ll just figure it out as we go. I’ll line the template up and take a pic next...

I had one of those delightful moments of “heck yeah!” followed quickly by “sh*t damn.” Then I studied the arcs a little more and think yeah,
this should work with like no margin for sanding error near the lower bout. Game on!

I picked a nice 6/4 cut of quartersawn maple for #projectsb2ndchance. Really digging the bold grain.

My old friend Dean Coy visited today and brought some cool old stuff. This is a 1981 F-100 body made of mahogany with swamp ash stringers. To me, this is clearly a sample made just for management (especially Dale Hyatt I think) to check out. The grain matching choice on the mahogany was not ideal, probably contributing to a negative reaction and that was the end of it.

Back in ‘81, neck-through instruments with cool wood stringers were getting more hip, so hey, even bolt on instruments got bodies with stringers. Thing is, you could get more yield from the wood and be cool too, but stringers on bolt-on instruments died like tail fins on cars, victims of fickle fashion.

Seems to me that sometime this oddball F-100 body should become a CLFR project guitar.

I freaking love this! Last week I told you my plan for #projectsb2ndchance to make a slim CLF bass headstock (early SB bass models) from the larger headstock on the early L-1000/L-2000.

Today I found out that these guys already did exactly that for a repair customer needing a new neck on his vintage SB-2! So here’s Memo with the old original neck, Dave (me), and Marco with the new neck he sanded to match the old slim headstock.

I don’t think the customer even knows yet that his vintage SB-2 will get the correct slim CLF headstock. Now I know that Magic Marco can nail the neck and correct headstock for #projectsb2ndchance.

I got Doug to do a bit more setup work on Leo’s prototype with 3 angled MFD humbuckers.
I’ve posted about it before if you don’t mind scrolling to late last year.

My old friend Dean Coy visited today and brought some cool old stuff. This is a 1981 F-100 body made of mahogany with swamp ash stringers. To me, this is clearly a sample made just for management (especially Dale Hyatt I think) to check out. The grain matching choice on the mahogany was not ideal, probably contributing to a negative reaction and that was the end of it.

Back in ‘81, neck-through instruments with cool wood stringers were getting more hip, so hey, even bolt on instruments got bodies with stringers. Thing is, you could get more yield from the wood and be cool too, but stringers on bolt-on instruments died like tail fins on cars, victims of fickle fashion.

Seems to me that sometime this oddball F-100 body should become a CLFR project guitar.

Ok, that is gorgeous.

Posted 7/11/2019: Closing up for the night. Leo can keep an eye on things until morning. : )

The faucet just turned on in the bathroom by itself, it’s dark and I’m alone. It’s just plumbing or whatever, but this kinda stuff still freaks me out a little. Damn, right after I randomly post a pic of Leo and the faucet does this. Zoinks!!! I’m outta here like Scooby Doo. ; )

Posted 7/12/2019: Frickin’ great. Got another jolt this evening. I was closing up, all dark and the automatic sensor turned on the light in a bathroom outside the lab. Thing is, the auto sensor hasn’t worked for like 10 years, so you just press the little button to turn the light on and off manually.

This surprised the <censored word> out of me, so I waited and waited, trying to get the sensor to work again. Nope. It’s back to dead. Seriously, I have nearly an hour into messing with this thing. These pics I took while it was on by itself. It’s a sensor, so dust, temp, who knows what made the damn thing work just when I least expected it and yeah, it kinda psyched me out.

CLF Research Project El Toro has a demo vid on the new CLF Research YouTube channel. My friend, the talented Dylan Wilson, does the honors.
I put a link below so let me see you all there!

So I guess many of you saw this on the G&L page. They’re here, real and already shipping : ) Bringing this guitar to life was the coolest project ever. And I love it.

50 Years in the Making: The CLF Research Espada.

Learn more here:
http://glguitars.com/product/clf-research-espada/

I’m playing this Espada proto from the January NAMM show and feeling really good. It’s a truly fresh experience; nothing else looks or sounds like it.

Since Espada development goes back to the late 1960s, these Kluson tuners bring in the period vibe so nicely.
They feel damn good too. Or maybe it’s in my head. Doesn’t matter. Johnny and I just knew we wanted Klusons on Espada,
zero debate about it.

My friend and bass freak Pancho Tomaselli vibing out on the Rhodes Mark V. I do this way too much but damn, the rig sounds so sweet it’s hard not to ; )

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I’m hangin’ out in Leo’s office, looking at the 1969 CLFR drawings and still kind of amazed that we brought the Espada to life. 50 years later. What a trip...

I don’t usually repost pics from the G&L Musical Instruments page, but when I do...this Espada hit me in the gut with a massive GAS attack.
Here's a CLF Research Espada in 3-Tone Sunburst. CLF1904240 is headed to Front Porch Music in Bakersfield, California.

Project #projectsb2ndchance update: Manny has prepped that nice piece of quartersawn maple with truss rod and stiffening rods,
and now it’s time to do some shaping. That’s George’s 1982 headstock template we’ll use to do the headstock shape.

Just came back from vacation and I’m really happy to see some shop upgrades. Johnny and had some original 1970s CLFR benches made by Leo’s handyman Ronnie Beers converted to downdraft for the polish department expansion. I love this stuff!!!

Ahhh...good to be back.

August 9 at 5:14 PM: I got a super itchy bug bite and Leo’s Bactine spray still works great, even though it’s nearly 30 years old. Thanks, Leo!

August 10 at 9:55 AM:

I had an 8:00am meeting with a contractor for HVAC work in Leo’s Lounge. Well, he’s been gone for a while, as it seems I’ve spent about 20 minutes on guitar, 20 minutes on bass, 20 minutes on Rhodes, and to my surprise, I lasted about 20 minutes on drums. Tough workday. I think I’ll take 5 before getting back to work. Important business type stuff you know. ; )

August 10 at 10:33 AM :

Tryna funk on the ‘81 L-1000 but getting tired, so I think I’ll take the rest of the day off. Visualizing Patrick Star if you what I mean. ; )

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August 10 at 11:06 AM :

Last business for the day: dime the Marshall with my beloved 2002 ASAT Deluxe Semi-Hollow. Hey, it’s #ASATurday so yeah, I guess it seems right that this guitar caught my eye before leaving and pulled me back on stage.

Doing a bit of work on the CLF-67/68 prototype in Leo’s lab. I kind of think it would be cool to hang this in the lounge next to the first modern Espada prototype.

Some old friends and one new friend

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a crane? It’s a new A/C system for Leo’s Lounge! The stage area was originally warehouse so this needed to be done. Summer in Fullerton is no joke.

The first modern Espada prototype, the one used to test countless pickups until we were happy. We had to feel we would be truly proud to show Leo what we’ve done with the tools and technologies he left us to complete his 1969 concept. I like to imagine he’d chuckle, tug at his white belt and say something like “Well, how about that!” PS the wines are from my friend Dean Coy who lives in Napa. Thanks, Deano!

Yo Dave, Dean lives in Paso Robles not Napa. And Napa stands for auto parts!

evoLEOtion

This V12 took a beating in shipping; check out that stress crack in the second pic. Well, I suppose I’m just gonna have to take this one for Leo’s Lounge. It already has its first battle scar, so welcome to the lounge life!

Leo’s Lounge might literally have the coolest stage around. The crew isn’t even finished yet but this new A/C is rockin! Our drummer friends will especially like the gentle cool breeze perfectly positioned.

One of the early Doheny prototypes. I remember being so excited I couldn’t wait for any finish; I wanted to test Johnny’s latest MFD jazzer pickups frickin immediately. Good times for sure.

I’m back!!! I was on a business trip which turned out to be super fun and hopefully turns into some good video for you guys.

I love how this came together

Gonna sit in Leo’s office chair and do some thinking.

Hanging with Robert Poss’ modded SC-1. Finally making some headway on a killer flame replacement neck. I’ve had this fun machine for a year or something, but just imagine all the extra mojo it soaks up sitting in Leo’s cart behind his desk. ; )

Posted Aug 27: When you work at a cool guitar company, you can do this after hours all you want while the boss goes home. Have fun, guys!

Posted Aug 27: Time to play the ‘82 twokay today

Posted Aug 28: The thunder never dies

This 2018 wunkay had some pickup testing done on it then it hung neglected in the front room of Leo’s Lounge, without any pickup at all.

Steve decided to put a pickup in it and now it’s good to go. In fact, it’s the best feeling and sounding wunkay in the lounge, including my beloved old timers.
This is as it should be, and as Leo would expect.

1982 template used to make replacement necks for Fender Strats.

Huh - So you could order a Strat/round-heel replacement neck with the early G&L headstock?

#projectsb2ndchance update: my brother sent me these pics from the wood shop today.
Josh used George Fullerton’s 1982 SB headstock template to mark it then Manny did the
shaping freehand on a Leo sander

The Pharaoh Gold Firemist CLFR Doheny V12. I freaking love this guitar.

Between two brands: Leo’s CLF-75B2 prototype from 1975 with hand painted headstock artwork by George Fullerton.
The production Sting Ray Bass introduced the next year was actually quite different, more than just the pickup.