The Ghost Paisley story
Casper Rawls, the guitar picker behind the idea!
Casper came to me in May 2024 and asked to build a custom guitar from some black Cherry lumber from his Louisiana property. What I didn’t know was he wanted 2, one for him and one for James Burton.
The Timeline
Lumber prep
Design stage
Casper sourced this Black Cherry lumber from his Louisiana property and his arborist Hunter delivered a truck load back in June of 2024. From here I started prepping and acclimating it to my shop conditions before I could start using it in August.
Design stage
Design stage
While the lumber acclimated we began designing the guitars. I had an idea that I wanted to try and experimented with the traditional paisley pattern. I wanted to do something no one had done. I came up with a way to make the paisley pattern visible and the natural wood grain still visable.
Building the bodies
In August I started putting the body blanks together and picked the best looking pieces from the stack. I’ve been using a template made from a ‘57 Tele for all my body work. I incorporate using handheld routers and for ultra precise stuff, Leo, my tabletop CNC.
The Candy Apple burst
What finish other than a burst would suit a paisley guitar? None!
I’ve been wanting to spray a candy apple red burst for some time and here was my chance. I used a “shop demo” guitar for all the prototype work. After I sprayed this body I knew exactly how to spray the final finish. I’ll be keeping this guitar in my personal collection.
Spraying the Gold
I started out spraying an Aztec gold finish on the sides of the guitar and then burst a tight pattern on the edges. The kicker was that I dusted the body foreground with the gold metallic transparent finish over the paisley pattern to give it a gold shimmer.
Cherry color for a cherry wood guitar
After the gold was laid down the translucent cherry lacquer was sprayed over the gold for the candy effect. I mix this in a way that I can control the transparency as I build up coats.
Fumes settle and dust begins to fly again
I like to build the bodies and spray their finishes so that the lacquer has a month or more to dry.
Now I begin making the necks which once again use neck templates from 50’s guitars and are mostly built from hand. I use my CNC for the precise fret slots and inlay work.
Attention to detail
What better way to compliment these candy apple finishes than to have a matching headstock! The mother of pearl logos are raised to give a 3D appearance, too.
On a straighten arrow
Assembly is always the closest things to seeing the finished product
One feature that I believe is highly important is the fret work. It has to be precise and highly accurate so that playing and string action can be adjusted to the players desired specs. I use a neck jig for this.
Assembly is always the closest things to seeing the finished product
Assembly is always the closest things to seeing the finished product
After all the fumes have evaporated and dust settled, I then buff the bodies and necks to a high shine. I wind the pickups or install customer supplied ones. I spend the next day or so piecing the guitar together, checking tolerances and function as I go.
Assembled and tested
After assembly, I do a setup with the customers strings and adjust pickups for the best tonal output. Taking time to admire one finish guitar next to its sequential brother.
Happy customer
Casper is taking delivery of his special one-of-a-kind Ghost Paisley guitars. 4 was built, #48 prototype, #49 Caspers, #50 James, and #51 Hunters.