Clockwork Electric Guitar: Part 1

Cipher Guitar neckplate, 2011

Cipher Guitar, 2011

This is the project that started me wanting to etch. In 2007, I found online the works of Jake Von Slatt of The Steampunk Workshop and his "Steampunk Strat".

Inspired, I purchased a used Cipher electric guitar from Craigslist for $25 with intentions of producing my own steampunk guitar... and never did. I moved this guitar from townhouse-to-apartment-to-townhouse until this spring when I dug it out of the attic to finally finished it.

I am making three plates for the guitar: the backplate, which sandwiches the neck to the body, a small keystone-shaped plate for the neck near the tuners and the pickguard which will have a clockwork pattern. Pictured here is the backplate and the neck plate is etched, but needs to be shaped and finished.

The guitar was originally a cream color. I spray painted it flat black with many coats of flat clear coat, then sanded smooth with 400-grit sandpaper. I also painted all of the chrome hardware gold to match the plates.

Note: I etched the date of "2011" into the backplate to date my work and to force me to finish this project this year.

Work in Progress

Airship Plaque work-in-progress, 2011

Two works in progress. The above is a 8"x10" plaque that I prepping to be etched. After I transfer the image, I touch up any holes in the transfer with black, enamel paint. The exposed brass will be etched away.

Below is an etched plate that needs to be drilled, polished and mounted. This is the first plate I've done where I etched away the background and left the details raised above the brass. Usually I etch the image into the brass and then fill in the etch with paint. The fine details are hard to make out at this point, hopefully everything will be clearer once polished.

Steamship, work-in-progress, 2011

Trains

Steam Engine, 2010

This is the largest piece I've done so far, measuring approximately 12" wide.  I gave this one away and planning in producing it again on a larger piece of brass then framing it.

detailed close-up, Steam Engine, 2010

I've always enjoyed trains and I've collected a few images and want to do a series of these. I think this image was from one on royalty-free vector clipart sites. Completed spring for 2010.

#1 in a series: Comics

Liberty Meadows #1 by Frank Cho, 2010

One of my major influences is comic and sci-fi art. Since most comic art is lineart, I am able to reproduce it in brass easily. These two plates are from a Liberty Meadows comic strip by Frank Cho. http://libertymeadows.com/  I did these early on to see how much detail I could hold. Eventually I am going to reproduce the entire strip on one plate. Also, I couldn't resist making a plate of a chimp in a top hat.

Liberty Meadows #2 by Frank Cho, 2010

Welcome!

Seal, 2009

Just a simple blog showcasing some of the etchings I've done. I'll also be posting some works in progress and things I get inspiration from and maybe an occasional print piece I've designed. Enjoy!

The above piece is one of the first pieces I etched. Completed in the fall of 2009.