I Bought Jimmy's Burnt Guitar

Call me crazy if you want, but when I saw Jimmy Diresta's video about his burnt guitar project, I was absolutely stoked. I'm a huge fan of Jimmy's and couldn't wait to bid on this piece of art. When I won, I was over the moon. When it arrived at my door, I couldn't bring myself to open the box for hours, I was so nervous. When I did open the box, I was captivated. This guitar looks so amazing in person. I played it and, despite some of the comments and dire predictions, it played pretty OK. Solid C+ on the playability spectrum. The nut was a problem, and yes, the tuners were on backward, but overall I think it turned out pretty nice straight out of the box. I named it The Phoenix, for obvious reasons I think.Show more

I'm an amateur luthier, so I took the guitar into the shop and gave it a tune up (literally and figuratively). I changed the nut to black Tusq, set the pickups, intonation, and action, new strings, etc.. I decided to leave the tuners as they came. It's a show piece, and part of what makes it unique is the artist's original interpretation. Plus, I didn't want to drill new holes in the head stock. I know the tension is different when the tuners are set backward, but this guitar has great bones, and the tension is not going to be an issue. Turning the tuning machines the opposite direction just reminds me that it's an original piece.

I think the tone results are really nice, too. I recorded the demo videos using Shure SM57s into a Behringher X32, and then into Logic Pro X. Nothing fancy. The rhythm track was recorded using a Fender Bassbreaker 007 (7 watt) because I wanted it to break up and feature that beefy neck pickup in drop D tuning. The lead track was recorded using a Bassbreaker 15 (15 watt). I was really surprised at how "Strat-y" that neck pickup came across when I dimed the amp, and the bridge pickup positively screams. I left the video recording session with a headache and ringing ears, but I had a blast cranking this guitar up to full volume in both amps. In the future, I do plan on recording it with an AC15 and using some better/different-er mics and pre-amps, but to get this video done, I went with simple stuff on-hand.

This guitar was a contestant in the Great Guitar Build Off of 2020. It came in last place. Jimmy was up against trained luthiers, and I think he had mentioned that he was in the middle of a million other projects when this one came due, so the demo at the end of his build video didn't exactly set the world on fire. Part of the reason I wanted to make this video was to have a little fun, and to give the guitar a little more of a fighting chance against the critics. Some folks are gonna hate, no matter what, but my hope is that you guys and gals will have a better appreciation of The Phoenix after this video.

Oh, and for those who are curious, it weighs in at a HEFTY 16 pounds (7.2 kilograms). With a strap, it doesn't sit strangely. It's actually quite comfortable. It's just heavy. Sitting in a chair with the guitar on your lap, your leg will almost certainly fall asleep. The guitar kit came from Crimson Guitars (LP-type) and it is spot-on gorgeous. The fretwork is beautiful. They leveled and dressed the frets before sending the kit to Jimmy, and boy did they do a REALLY nice job. I was in contact with Crimson even before the guitar arrived to get specs and the nut and they were really kind, and great to work with.

I emailed Jimmy in November 2020 with my ideas and a story board for this silly video. The original idea had a lot more story to it, and quite a few more Easter eggs. Jimmy's response when I asked if I could mention him in the video was, "Hahahaha absolutely !! Where do sign??" Again I was, and am, thrilled.

Jimmy's original sale of this guitar benefited Workshops for Warriors in San Diego, California, and he has since adopted the charity and given them a lot of focus. I want to continue the tradition with this guitar and dedicate it to the W4W. Workshops for Warriors is a non-profit school that trains veterans and transitioning service members for careers in advanced manufacturing. You can support them by donating at wfw.org and learn more about their programs.

Finally, yes, my cat looks like Spike. Yes, he was in the family long before I knew about Spike, so I can't be accused of adopting him because of his similar looks. His name is Boots and he's a jerk. But we love him as much as he loves sitting on things and being inconveniently ensconced in places he shouldn't be.

Thank you for watching this video. Thank you to Jimmy Diresta for being a generous human being. Thank you to Workshops for Warriors for looking after our vets. Thanks to my dad for laying down that groovy bass line. And, thanks to my sweet wife for all the creative help and tolerating listening to the recording at full volume dozens and dozens of times.

Here's the original build video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esTMe9e-KsM
Love & Respect,
Medium-Sized AL