New Small-Batch Campellone Build

[floatingpickup]

Thanks for the advice Vinny. Trust me, I very much value both Mark’s and my wife’s opinion. I also trust your opinion - if anyone knows what a beautiful Campellone guitar looks like it is you! However, as I told Mark when he mentioned that it will color up with age, I am taking into consideration my family's lifespan history and my current age. Based on those factors there is a greater than zero probability that I’ll only get to watch that guitar age for a few years. I’ve done pretty well with respect to living a lifestyle that should put the odds a little more in my favor than they were for my dad and his dad (among other ancestors) but still…

Here’s a link to our own floatingpickup’s NGD post from 2024 showing what his Campellone Special in antique natural looked like 17 years after it was born:

Campellone Special

Maybe that isn’t what everyone is after but it looks pretty great to me.

My 2007 Antique Natural Special is sitting on a stand in front or me right now. I couldn’t be happier with the colour. I am sure it has aged over the last 19 years, but it doesn’t look “unnatural” me. If I were ordering again, I would go with antique natural again.
Keith

[John Owen]

My 2007 Antique Natural Special is sitting on a stand in front or me right now. I couldn’t be happier with the colour. I am sure it has aged over the last 19 years, but it doesn’t look “unnatural” me. If I were ordering again, I would go with antique natural again.
Keith

Thanks for chiming in. Any chance we could get you to post a current picture of that beautiful creation?

[j.l]

Man, you guys are just being cruel to the guy who ordered sunburst! Is it possible somehow to have dark chestnut burst and dark antique natural at the same time??? If only...

[floatingpickup]

Thanks for chiming in. Any chance we could get you to post a current picture of that beautiful creation?

Sure, Antique Natural after 19 years…

[floatingpickup]

Man, you guys are just being cruel to the guy who ordered sunburst! Is it possible somehow to have dark chestnut burst and dark antique natural at the same time??? If only...

You will be happy with a sunburst Campellone. Mark does beautiful sunburst finishes. I had a lot of trouble deciding between Vintage Sunburst and Antique Natural, so I got both.

[John Owen]

[QUOTE=floatingpickup;1472888]You will be happy with a sunburst Campellone. Mark does beautiful sunburst finishes. I had a lot of trouble deciding between Vintage Sunburst and Antique Natural, so I got both.
/QUOTE]

It would appear that ‘both’ is the correct answer!

[j.l]

I feared that I was running out of ways to praise Mark, but needn't have worried. Over the weekend, Mark messaged me about the color of the burst I was shooting for. Turns out, the reference photo that I'd sent him wasn't a real color—just a weirdly color-corrected photo of an old guitar that looked very different in videos (it was the Deluxe sold some years ago through the Vintage Guitar Gallery of Long Island, if you're interested in looking it up!).

What's more, the thing I loved about that burst was the "wide fade," as opposed to the more common burst along the perimeter. Turns out, that is achieved through a "fan" spray pattern that Mark hadn't used in many years, and was cautious about trying again. That, of course, exacerbated my dark night of the soul about the finish choice: Should I ask for a "dark antique," which I've been on the fence about since ordering? Should I make peace with a perimeter burst? Mark was great about walking me through my jitters, and I ended up just trusting his skill, knowing that I'd end up loving whatever he did.

Today, I get an email that Mark had just charged ahead with the fan spray after all—never mind that he hadn't done it in a long time, a true artisan knows to trust his skills. And what he ended up with is astonishing, it's exactly what I'd hoped for. He tells me (and I know he's right) that it'll look even better when the binding is scraped, but I just couldn't wait that long to post about it, so here goes. He says that he's learned a few things in the process of spraying this guitar, and may bring some of that into future builds—I'll let him tell you more about that if he likes!

Thank you, Mark!

[John Owen]

I feared that I was running out of ways to praise Mark, but needn't have worried. Over the weekend, Mark messaged me about the color of the burst I was shooting for. Turns out, the reference photo that I'd sent him wasn't a real color—just a weirdly color-corrected photo of an old guitar that looked very different in videos (it was the Deluxe sold some years ago through the Vintage Guitar Gallery of Long Island, if you're interested in looking it up!).

What's more, the thing I loved about that burst was the "wide fade," as opposed to the more common burst along the perimeter. Turns out, that is achieved through a "fan" spray pattern that Mark hadn't used in many years, and was cautious about trying again. That, of course, exacerbated my dark night of the soul about the finish choice: Should I ask for a "dark antique," which I've been on the fence about since ordering? Should I make peace with a perimeter burst? Mark was great about walking me through my jitters, and I ended up just trusting his skill, knowing that I'd end up loving whatever he did.

Today, I get an email that Mark had just charged ahead with the fan spray after all—never mind that he hadn't done it in a long time, a true artisan knows to trust his skills. And what he ended up with is astonishing, it's exactly what I'd hoped for. He tells me (and I know he's right) that it'll look even better when the binding is scraped, but I just couldn't wait that long to post about it, so here goes. He says that he's learned a few things in the process of spraying this guitar, and may bring some of that into future builds—I'll let him tell you more about that if he likes!

Thank you, Mark!

I’m pretty sure you are going to be just fine! You can’t miss with one of Mark’s sunbursts. Welcome to Campellone Airlines, now just sit back, relax and enjoy the flight

[John Owen]

That might be the most beautiful sunburst I’ve ever seen.

[Freddels]

That is very nice. I have no idea what a fan spray is but it looks beautiful. I may have been looking at the same guitar you were when I was choosing a burst finish. The one I was looking at looked like a 3 tone traditional burst (yellow-red-black or dark brown). Mark said he didn't do 3 tone so it must have been this fan burst. I ended up with a dark cherry burst and I'm very happy with the results.

[floatingpickup]

I love that “wide fade”. Great choice.
Keith

[MCampellone]

That is very nice. I have no idea what a fan spray is but it looks beautiful. I may have been looking at the same guitar you were when I was choosing a burst finish. The one I was looking at looked like a 3 tone traditional burst (yellow-red-black or dark brown). Mark said he didn't do 3 tone so it must have been this fan burst. I ended up with a dark cherry burst and I'm very happy with the results.

The spray nozzle on the gun can be set for either a fan or round spray as shown in the pics I've attached here. There are a number of variables that can affect the size and shape of the spray - ie, pressure and volume of paint flow, paint viscosity, and distance from the gun to the surface being painted.

As I told JL, spraying a burst can be pretty tricky - your movement over the work-piece must be very smooth - if you slow down in one spot when applying the perimeter shading, the paint will be more concentrated in that area and you end up with a dark spot - then you have to try to darken the rest of the shading to match it - so if you're not careful, you can ultimately end up with a color much darker overall than originally intended. Also, spraying a burst is a very practiced technique - if you make any changes in your method, it's like starting from scratch to learn the new method.

[vinnyv1k]

[skykomishone]

Vinny, that guitar looks good enough to eat. All it needs is whipped cream brother! You must need to wear a bib the keep the drool off of it! Wow!

[j.l]

Closing in on the end here—Mark says these will be the last pics until hardware starts going on, as the work shifts to clear-coats and polishing. To say I'm excited would be wild understatement. I wouldn't have believed how beautifully this is turning out, except I've been watching threads like this for a whole bunch of years, and have seen all your guitars coming together! Excited to join the family soon.

[MCampellone]

I'd originally planned to build just three orders in this run - but at the last minute, I decided to add a fourth guitar - a spec piece, using some of that beautiful (and locally harvested!) eastern blister maple I'd acquired - here's a sneak preview -

[John Owen]

And here’s the beautiful blonde sibling to that amazing sunburst that Mark built for JL. We are definitely in the home stretch here. I’m thrilled beyond belief that I was lucky enough to make it to the top of Mark’s waitlist. This is literally a dream come true!

[j.l]

I'd originally planned to build just three orders in this run - but at the last minute, I decided to add a fourth guitar - a spec piece, using some of that beautiful (and locally grown!) eastern blister maple I'd acquired - here's a sneak preview -

That back is killing, Mark! Can't wait for the full reveal.

[vinnyv1k]

Mark - does the spec piece have an owner yet ?

[MCampellone]

Mark - does the spec piece have an owner yet ?

Not yet -

[vinnyv1k]

Not yet -

what are the specs ?

[MCampellone]

what are the specs ?

Basically L-5 specs - floating PU

[MCampellone]

With the final clear coats applied, the spray work is completed - next comes final wet sanding, fret dressing and finish buffing - then, hardware installation and string-up and they're ready to go.

[joe2758]

I like that you decided to go with the blue fretboards on these

[deacon Mark]

With the final clear coats applied, the spray work is completed - next comes final wet sanding, fret dressing and finish buffing - then, hardware installation and string-up and they're ready to go.

Do you string them up raw for a few days? Bill Barker and Hollenbeck would always add the hardward in the raw and then string the guitar up for a few days to see how things settle. Then take hardware off and do the finish. Sometimes it might even be a week or two weeks depending on his work schedule. It was easy to evaluate how the finish changed the sound, which believe it or not, the sound did not change too much. I have to admit I know makers must build guitars all the time and never string them up till finish and all done, but that was a no-no for Barker.