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personalizing (dedicating) my guitar


vetstudent

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To make a really long story short I'd like to add something nice to my guitar to remind myself and anyone else who notices that my dad got me my guitar.

 

I've only been playing the guitar for about 6 months and I started out with a Johnson cheapie. It was a great guitar and it fueled my interest for something better. My dad had been battling cancer since last November and he had a real rough battle with it. It was his 3rd time to have the cancer and he was only 52! My parents pretty much lived with my wife and I over the last year since we live in Baton Rouge (LSU) and they have an awesome cancer clinic.

 

I spent many nights playing my guitar for my dad and he loved it more than anything. Just before he went home (to Arkansas) last month he ordered me a Martin D-15 from Music 123.

 

I absolutey could not wait to play it for him. The toughest thing for me was that he never heard me play it. Within a week he was on an airplane coming back with a bad infection and he soon died from the complications.

 

This guitar means a lot to me and I want to display that somehow. The only problem I have is that I'm fairly new to the guitar world and I'm not familiar with different ways to add things like that.

 

Do any of you have any suggestions. I don't really want anything that sticks out like a sore thumb but I don't want to have to look for it either. My budget is really flexible depending on what I can get done.

 

Sorry to be so lengthy I just thought I should explain why I wanted to do this.

 

Thanks

 

Brent

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Steve

 

Thanks for the reply! It did make me think a little. I wasn't really thinking about a strap or anything to really "add". I was thinking more on the lines of an engraving somewhere. I'm not concerned at all about losing value because of it. This guitar will never be sold and its sentimental value will always outweigh the physical value.

 

The strap is a nice idea. I could probably have something written on it without having to do anything to the guitar itself. I don't have a strap anyway. Do any of you have suggestions for one. I think a would like a simple but very nice leather strap (suede maybe) to compliment the looks of the D-15.

 

Thanks!

 

Brent

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Originally posted by THAWS

I would suggest you go here
.


He makes some amazing truss rod covers and headstock art. I think this might be just what you are looking for.

 

 

THAWS beat me to the punch. I have two TRCs and a rosewood pickguard being made by Capt. Bill right now. Your D-15 doesn't have a truss rod cover as it has the Martin adjustment inside the box. But, an inlayed mongram on your pickguard would be nice. Even better would be the monogram on the fretboard around the 16th or 17th fret or so. take a look at the 00028-EC on the Martin website as an example. Clapton's name is very tastefully inlayed on the fretboard.

Good luck and sorry about your Dad. My 15 is important to me as well since I polished it by hand. But no where near the sentimental value that yours has for you obviously.

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I like the customized truss rod covers... if your guitar has one of them.

 

You can also get custom heel caps but I think have to be installed.

 

Strap is a nice idea like the ones www.finecases.com sells that are hand made leather straps.

 

You can also buy a small gold plate engraved and stick it on the back or front of headstock.

 

Those are only ideas I know besides making a nice label and have him sign it and stick inside.

 

You can always pay someone to do a tiny inlay on the fretboard somewhere too.

 

Pickguard is an idea too... hmm.

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