unbelievable creation from Joe Driskill

[908SSP]

It reminds me of the guitar drilled holes through so I could put Xmas lights in from the back.

[taboo]

Considering the time I waited for my Wolf to be completed I don't think it hindered anything that was going on. I won't go into details but it was much longer than 2 or 3 years. Much much longer.
The reason there is such a long wait time now is because Joe is backordered. I don't know the exact numbers but my understanding is that he is backordered more than 200 guitars. Any way you look at it 200+ guitars is gonna take a while to do. These aren't cookie cutter guitars. There are a million other guitars to buy if that's what you want. If you want a Driskill the sooner you get in line the better off you will be. These are not assembly-line production guitars.

In response to this:
Ack. That is a monstrosity. I can't tell if the dog's front paws are broken? They seem to jut off in strange directions. And the cutesie paw-prints on the flowery fretboard? Is this an angry wolf or a friendly pet wolf? Can't say I care for the concept or the execution.
And this:
I hate to criticize anybody who spent that much time doing custom inlay work....but to be honest, that "wolf" looks kinda goofy to me. The legs just don't look right and the whole thing seems weird and out of proportion.

My design wasn't meant to please either of you at all. It was meant to please me, Joe, and a friend of mine. I have kept a Wolf for the last 30 years. Not the same one of course. My last one died last year as this guitar was being completed. Anyway, my point is unless you have spent time with one you have no idea what they are about. If you knew anything about Wolves you would know that particular expression is more about let's get to know each other but treat me with respect. As far as proportion goes the Wolf is right on. He is flows with the guitar's body and all his body parts are right with each other. He also has hair. You have no idea how hard it is to make pearl look like hair. From the grain of the pearl having to flow just right to the hundreds of points Joe talked about. The points being the border and edges that actually look like hair. The remark about " cutesie paw-prints on the flowery fretboard" is not worth responding to. These guitars in person are 10 times more exciting than picture could ever communicate.
I think you will find at the end of the day there will be far more people that love these guitars and their design than those that don't. I know this guitar was built for me and I am the only person it has to satisfy. And it does that in spades.
To Joe Driskill, Thank you. You have built something that will last forever and means more to me than a million Dragons.
Oh an by the way they play and sound better than they look.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or anyone else with my review of the wolf guitar. As long as you're the owner of the guitar & 100% happy, that's all that matters.

But I think the overall "gushing" over this guitar being a masterpiece and the greatest thing anybody has ever seen in terms of inlay work is somewhat over-reaching IMO. I don't think I'm out of line by expressing my opinion of how that inlay looks.

I personally don't think it looks as classy or life-like and real as it should. The trick to making people and animals look "right" is making them look life-like and real.

Have you ever seen an amateur drawing a dog, cat, or anything else? I'm sorry, but that Wolf comes off looking that way to me from the pictures I see.

Maybe some animals and objects are not done justice to with pearl and such like you said. You wanted a wolf and you got one. I'm glad your're happy and I'll keep my mouth shut, now.

I had the rare opportunity to put my hands on one of these.
There are only three lucky people out there and they each have a good reason to be prode. The two to support an inspire the builder and the builder to have the imagination and motivation
to see the project through. I do not think that I have the patentants to wait 4 to 6 years to see a project this delicate
come together. Beautiful work Joe and my hats off to the investors!!

[tms13pin]

RJ, I'm having trouble figuring out what you *do* like. Just
Les Pauls and Strats (and those builders who copy them) maybe
throw PRSs in there too, just to play it safe)?

You kinda jumped on the Gadows a couple weeks ago too. I
haven't been around here all that long, and I'm not looking to
push this thread into a "he likes, she likes" thread, but really. I
know .... everyone's entitled to her/his own opinion.

Me, I like the Wolf axe. I think it looks great and I really
appreciate all of the hard work that went into it. I know the
owner(s) are gonna be psyched to own them. I liked the PRS
dragon inlay axe too. Would I buy either of them even if I could
afford them? No. Too much bling for my tastes to play them,
and I would only buy them to play them, but I really enjoy
looking at them, and I'm glad the owners are happy with them.
If someone gave me one, I'm sure I wouldn't turn it down
though!

Personally, I get tired of looking at all of the boutique guitars
that just look like strats or teles or LPs. I'm sure they play and
sound great (and I *really* like strats), but, it's been done.
Sure, how they sound is ultimately what matters, but it's
nice to see some folks trying out some new things. I don't
always like them, but I really respect the effort put forth, and
don't feel like raining on the parade of those who are
enamoured with them.

--Tom

[taboo]

I remember the reaction the guitar world had to the first dragon. It was an accomplishment. It was not realistic at all. None of the dragons or most inlays are "realistic" or picture perfect. There has been "gushing" over this guitar because it is a major accomplishment. No one anywhere has ever inlayed such a severely curved surface. Everyone that was asked said it can't be done. They said it can't be done even with laser. I personally talked to a company that makes lasers specifically for cutting inlays and they said it can't be done. Well it has been done now. And Joe Driskill is the one that did it.

I agree you can express your opinion. I can also express mine. I think the Wolf looks right. His "hair" flows in all the right directions, his body parts are right with each other, the eyes are right. He flows with the guitar and looks like he could jump off the top of the guitar at any given moment. He is breathtaking. There is a theme running thoughout the guitar. The pawprints take you somewhere and for just a moment the Wolf stops in his tracks looks at you and turns up the volume.

I am pretty much done. I don't plan to post again so anyone that wants can flame away. I very seldom post anyway.

[r9player]

BTW Taboo grats on a really nice guitar! If I could own one .. or even just a Driskill I'd be all over it

Tom,

I don't think I "jumped" on the gadow thread as you stated. I don't think there's anything wrong with expressing opinions back and forth if it's done in the proper tone and intelligent manner. I wasn't the only one here who questioned the look of that wolf inlay and didn't agree with all the praise.

And I'm certainly not the only person on this board who thought Gadow's designs (workmanship aside) weren't particularly good or sexy-looking guitars. Go back and do a "search" for Gadow and see what I'm talking about.

Look back at my previous post as I complemented Joe Driskill for being a top-notch and well respected guitar maker. I was only commenting about the looks of that (1) wolf inlay.

I think there's some people on here who get mad when somebody else expresses opinons that the guitars they bought are not the best thing since sliced bread and impeccable works of art.

I can't fault anybody who buys a Driskill guitar. The guy is backed up 2 years and you can sell a used Driskill for almost what you pay for a new one just so you don't have to wait. That's a complement and an achievent for any guitar maker.

And for inlaywork done by hand, you can't get any better than Grit Laskin.

http://www.williamlaskin.com/gallery2.html

[MOJO]

in the back shot of the body this that lacewood he used?

This is some of the most beautiful and life-like hand work I've ever seen. That's what I like.

[taboo]

Yes, the back is Lacewood, the neck is 3 piece flamed maple. The Lacewood is a thin veneer with a mahogany core. I didn't want to lose the tone property of the mahogany.


I missed this one earlier.


It reminds me of the guitar drilled holes through so I could put Xmas lights in from the back.


What a gracious thing to say.

[Mark C]

Hey, that's amazing workmanship and if the owner is happy, fantastic. Too fancy for my tastes - I still think PRS birds are fancy!

[908SSP]

Whatever I might think of it I would not have insulted it in front of the owner. I am sorry I was careless I assumed incorrectly that the owner was not on this list. For that I do apologize. Like anything else someone is going to like it and someone isn't. It isn't that I don't appreciate all the hard work and skill involved I do. I understand the need to decorate our property to make ones property more personal or unique. If it was given to me I would sell it.

[tms13pin]

RJ, you are correct, poor choice of words on my part, you
didn't "jump" on the Gadow. I just think you used poor
judgement in posting your opinions on the look of those
guitars in a thread where I was simply alerting folks
potentially interested in the instruments to a place I
saw some good prices on them. It would have been
better for you to post a thread in this forum (in that case
and in this one with the wolf) with a header like:
"Who else thinks Gadow guitars are ugly?" or "Who
thinks all this fuss about the Wolf guitar is too much?",
rather than raining on another's thread with negativity.

No, I'm no touchy-feely Mr. Positive, but I just think it's
poor taste to cast shadpws over things where they don't
need to be cast. Nuff said, I'm not out to make enemies
or to totally hijack the thread (although I suppose I've
already done so). And, you did acknowledge the hard
work put into the guitars.

Yes, I think the work on the axe you just posted is
excellent too. Great inlay job, and cool looking as well.
Again, one I wouldn't personally buy, but it's nice to
look at.

All you Driskill owners out there, congrats, you've got
some fine fine pieces. Taboo, do you know who is
getting the other two Wolves?

RJ -- my spalted Gadow arrived at the music store
yesterday. I was at work late and couldn't pick it up,
but plan to do so on my way home tonight. I'll post
some pics when I get a chance to take 'em. Feel free
to give your honest opinion. There, I've left the door
open!

--Tom

[realmpel]

Wow, I love the guitar. The wolf is glorious and I like the way his body contours with the shape of the guitar. Beautiful color choice for the guitar as well. Very elegant. Enjoy your new axe!

I can't wait to see the other wolves~

Kev