Some of you might remember my Washburn A20 named Rosetta. From time to time I exhume her cardboard coffin from my closet and look at how beautiful her flame maple (veneer) top is. Last night was one such occasion. I've had this guitar for over twenty years, and she's been in this pitiful state since a week or two after I brought her home from the pawn store. A brief explanation for those who don't know is this: I bought a Washburn A20 from a pawn store, it was painted in green Krylon granite paint, paint was covering a bondo job which itself was covering someone's ill-advised attempt to drill-press-route the body for a tremolo, possibly Kahler. The problem is I'm really wanting to get her repaired properly, but I can't afford properly. If I had a router I would attempt the repair myself, but such a luxury doesn't exist. Nor do I possess the ability to properly use a router.
Last night, as I'm holding Rosetta and looking her over, I noticed just how amazing the Ash body wings look. The whole situation frustrated me, mostly at myself, because I really want to hear what her voice would be. The biggest problem is I'm massively impatient, and I want to hear her now. Should I have left the bondo under the bridge? I don't know, but what's more is: Should I put bondo back just to get her back to useable? I always thought a piece of Purpleheart would be an amazing wood to fill in the hole under the bridge, but I've heard Purpleheart doesn't move as much as other woods do during seasonal changes. If true, I'm worried that would cause issues with the body around it.
Another part of that idea was buying a new set of veneer, which I did. There is kind of a funny story about that. There used to be a website that sold veneer for Ibanez RGs. I think it was UniversalJems. I contacted the vender and asked if they could cut a special set of veneer for Rosetta, which they gladly accepted. The only request was to let them know which order was mine, so I would be sent the proper order. I made the purchase and within the notes I put something like for Washburn A20 and never thought much else about it as I waited for it to arrive. After a few weeks I asked them if my order had shipped, but they didn't realize I had even ordered and sent me a normal Ibanez RG set of veneer. To their credit they immediately cut the Washburn A20 set and shipped it out free of charge. I felt bad, I really did. I should have emailed them back instead of writing it in the purchase note.
Anyway, here I am now with two sets of beautiful flame maple veneer. I originally thought I was going to be able to steam the old stuff off and simply apply the new stuff. The Washburn A20 is a flat body, so it could be done, but it's far more complex than I original thought. Again, I lack the tools and knowhow to even do so. For all these years they've both sat together in her cardboard sarcophagus waiting for the day she can speak to the world again. I've slowly been purchasing parts such as pickup rings, cheap PAF style (double cream!) humbuckers, and two push/pull pots for the original style wiring. Although now I think I'll use the neck push/pull for phasing. Give me that Greeny tone, baby! Apart from screws for the original wooden control plates I think I have everything to put her back together. Sadly, the gaping wound someone so malevolently drilled into her, over and over, is the major hang up.
Believe me, I clearly understand if I were to just fill the hole with bondo I would be creating more work later down the road. It would eventually need redone, but if bondo gets her back into working order I might have no choice. I'm just so tired of waiting. I was just a budding adult of eighteen years old when I bought this guitar. I thought I had all the time in the world. Now, at forty I'm growing more impatient by the day. Rosetta once spoke to the world, and whatever was done to her by her previous owner needed to be undone, but in doing so I removed her voice from this world. I never intended on keeping it from this world for so long. And no, she's not for sale. Not even for Joe Bonamassa. Sorry. Don't get me wrong I would love to see Rosetta on stage doing some Albert King or Gary Moore covers, but she will still remain my guitar. Hey, if all I have left is a dream, I'll dream as big as I want!
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