New Names! An Update

• All those Registered for the Reunion!

  1. David Kaufman - regsistered but can't make it :(
  2. Ted Powell
  3. Anita Saybe Ehlers
  4. Sheila Moore
  5. Michael Blank
  6. John Barnidge
  7. Gordon Gremillion
  8. Mary Ann Percy Meeks
  9. Bob Deville
  10. Jo Fomby Gavin (will not make it after all)
  11. Phillip Lemoine
  12. Mary David Baker
  13. Vicki Vanderlick Methvin
  14. Marilyn McStay
  15. Dave Hussey
  16. Paul Dupuis
  17. Tom McQuilling (can't make it)
  18. Janie Pias
  19. Kathy Scalfano Yates
  20. Ginger Thiels
  21. Linda Jarred
  22. Deborah Jones McBride
  23. Eileen Burden Arsenault
  24. Ray Tracy
  25. Frances Ward Johanson
  26. Debbey Scheuermann Brown
  27. Donnie Welch
  28. Mike Conolly
  29. John Dunn (not coming)
  30. Herbie Way
  31. Rose Ann Guidry Schwartz (can't come)
  32. Frank Fazio (can't make it)
  33. Walter Swift
  34. Caroline Noone Mott
  35. Cynthia Price Parker
  36. Rose Mary Randall Williams
  37. L'Anne Methvin Sciba
  38. Bob Campo
  39. Betty Jo Bellino Campo
  40. Marian Damico Deville
  41. Ronnie Hernandez
  42. Victor Gengo
  43. Kathleen O'Halloran Holdash
  44. Vickie Praet Wilson
  45. Fran Aertker Barbato (Friday Only)
  46. Charlotte Leggio Dornhoefer
  47. George Tullier
  48. Marty Gremillion Johnson
  49. Pat Corey (can't make it)
  50. Tricia Mertens (can't make it)
  51. Susan Guidroz Perault (can't make it)
  52. Pat DeVanie
  53. Rosalyn Scroggs Beall
  54. Mary Ann Eskew Lacy
  55. Norman Chenevert
  56. Kathy Marian Hardin (can't make it)
  57. Bob Foltz
  58. Michael Blalock
  59. Rick Mansour
  60. Goeff Cazes
  67. Josephine Distefano Cazes
  
  Have heard from several others that their check is in the mail....  but I'll save those surprises for the next blog!

Register Soon!!!! More Guitar Pics, Too!

Time to get registered, if you haven't already!    Our t-shirts are waiting to be printed, but I need your check, and size preference soon...  After July 31, well, no promises......

You can still register after that date, and we'd love to have you...    But, we do need a final count of attendees by the end of September for catering purposes.    Sorry, but we can't register you at the door!

It looks like one of the major networks has a 2:30 slot for an SEC game, but we don't know if that will be LSU-Florida.   Will be following ESPN, etc to see who picks it up and will let you know something re: time as soon as we can.

Meanwhile, Big Bad Bob Campo has been hard at work:

This is the back and top glued together showing the carving process.  The 'step-downs' are done with an electric router and templates to give the graduation levels that will then be blended together with a hand held belt sander.  This has been started on the far side of the pic.  When done, final dimensioning will be done by hand to get everything shaped and smoothed, ready for paint.

These are sketches of artwork I found on the  web.  The plan is to place one of these in mother-of-pearl at the 12th fret on the fretboard.

After some more scribbling and doodling, I decided on the screaming eagle design.  Here it is with the pearl pieces cut and set in place on the fret board.  This shows the rosewood fretboard sitting inn the slot cutting jig i engineered, (since i'm too tight to buy a real one).  The slots are place at precise positions relative to each other so as to give proper tone on each note when the fret is pressed and the note is played.  The neat thing about this is some trigonometry comes in to play, as a 'rule of 18' is used.   The distance from the nut (at the tuner end of the board--above the eagle) and the bridge where the strings lay across at the opposite end of the guitar is divided by eighteen.  That is the location of the first fret.  The second fret is the distance from the first fret to the bridge, divided by 18, and so forth and so on.  That is why the distance between the frets gets less as you go down the fretboard.  Ain't numbers funny things?

 

At this point the board is still flat and the sides parallel.  The sides will be tapered  and sanded to a 12" radius before installing.

And, here is the board with the frets in it.  It has been tapered, "radiused" and sanded progressively down to 1500 grit sandpaper to make it smoothe.  Next is trimming the edges of the frets, installing white binding on the side with black dot markers, then gluing the board to the neck.   At this point, the neck is not yet attached to the body of the guitar..

The binding is glued on the fretboard, with black side marker dots for fret identification.  The sides of the neck still have to be sanded and smoothed to match the edged of the fretboard.

And voila!

...the neck is dry fitted in place with the top carve 98% finished.  I put water on it so you could get an idea of what the top will look like when cleared.  I also have to cut out cavities for the pickups to fit in and cut a channel around the top edge of the maple to put white binding to cover the seam where the maple joins the cedar.

 

Bob's Blog Continued!

Bob Campo's Big Reveal!

As you all know, I let the "Big Reveal" out of the bag in the information I sent you in the green envelops...   Bob Campo, master craftsman extraordinaire, is building an electric guitar for the reunion.   It'll be auctioned off to raise funds for the Sisters of Divine Providence who taught us so well.   

Following is the first of several updates Bob has agreed to do...   just to let you know how the project  unfolds....   

Hello, classmates.

Ever since our senior site chat [Facebook] has directed us towards a reunion for this October, Betty and I have become quite excited at the prospect of seeing old friends, acquaintances and classmates we haven't seen or kept up with in years.  The more I thought about it, the more I felt I wanted to do something a little special for the occasion, as it has been way too long since we all got together, and no telling how long it will be before it happens again.  I have worked with my hands all my life, and most recently have been employed for the last six years building custom furniture here in Alexandria.  Having talked to Sheila and Ted Powell, an idea has sort of evolved about not only giving away some token or memento for the reunion, but perhaps enabling us to raise some money for the Sisters of Divine Providence.

At first I thought about a piece of furniture or such, but decided to show Sheila and Ted the efforts of a new venture I have embarked upon.  I decided to try my hand at building an electric guitar, and my first attempt seems to be fairly well accepted with the people I have had play it.  The guitar Sheila and Ted were shown is my second attempt.  When I suggested that perhaps we might have one to auction off, it seems as thought it was 'game on'.  So guys, and gals, it is a privilege and a pleasure to offer up one of my first guitars to the efforts of the reunion.  Hopefully whoever ends up with it will look at it, or play it occasionally, and remember fondly the night we will spend together, and indeed all of our past experiences.  But most importantly, it would be extremely gratifying to give back to the nuns that dedicated their life to servitude and were there for us.  We are products of our past, and they contributed dearly to us all.  So, please understand...this is not about me, or guitars, or even us as a class, but in fact about the Sisters.  

We truly look forward to this reunion and expect it to be special for all of us.

Thanks for everything.

The build that I have in mind happens to be a fairly close representation of probably the most iconic electric guitar ever built.  The Gibson Les Paul has become the holy grail of electric guitars, with the '59 model commanding figures pushing one million dollars.   The picture you see is of two guitars that a fellow Les Paul forum member built as his rendition of the Les Paul guitar.   The Menard build will have a front (or top) more like the gold colored one on the right.  The back and neck will have a transparent emerald green color.  Our guitar will bear serial number 2, as #1 is going to my church.  We will post pics as progress is made.  I will not go into much detail, but try to give you a little idea of what the process is for those that may be interested.  If anyone is interested in more details, don't hesitate to ask.

The Les Paul was made with mahogany back and neck, with a maple top and either ebony or rosewood fret board.   The Menard build will have Spanish cedar back and neck, with a lightly figured maple top and a rosewood fret board.  It will be fitted with traditional humbucker pickups like the ones pictured and virtually identical trim and hardware.   I will think of you guys every time I go to work on the guitar, and truly hope it does well for the Sisters.

Thanks.

Sister CC's Jubilee Celebration!

Mary David and Anita represented us well at Sister CC's wonderful celebration....   She's been a nun since around our first birthdays!    Thanks to those of you who sent special notes...  you'll see a pic below where she's reading them.  Just thought I'd share a few of the beautiful pictures Mary David sent me.   (Long story, but I missed the trip...   Will not miss next year when Sister Ann celebrates her 50th, though!)

Here's Bob's Resume... In case you can help!

Send in those Green Envelops!!!

Just thought I'd let you know about who's registered for the reunion so far....     it really ought to be fun!  Would sure like to get some more green envelops soon!

Ted Powell
Anita Saybe Ehlers
Sheila Moore
Michael Blank
John Barnidge
Gordon Gremillion
Mary Ann Percy Meeks
Bob Deville
Jo Fomby Gavin
Phillip Lemoine
Mary David Baker
Vicki Vanderlick Methvin
Marilyn McStay
Dave Hussey
Paul Dupuis
Janie Pias
Kathy Scalfano Yates
Ginger Thiels
Linda Jarred
Deborah Jones McBride
Eileen Burden Arsenault
Ray Tracy
Frances Ward Johanson
Debbey Scheuermann Brown
Donnie Welch
Mike Conolly
Herbie Way
Walter Swift Caroline Noone Mott
Cynthia Price Parker

Some of my very favorite people can't make it, but all send their best wishes for a wonderful time...  and wish they could be with us!
Tom McQuilling  is celebrating his anniversary that weekend. Rose Ann Guidry Schwartz's husband is ill.  Frank Fazio already had a big hunting trip planned,   (Franks sends his thanks to all of you for the prayers and support after the death of his son last year.)   John Dunn is not going to make it.   And David Kaufman will be celebrating the win of $6,500 in a football pool by chillin' in a Florida condo...    maybe we can move the reunion to you, David?!!