A father-and-son team work together to create an original, futuristic gold guitar, and the result is extremely satisfying.
Frank and Eli Doris
Frank and Eli Doris with the Yellowcaster. A Crate neck and various electronics completed their 3D-printed axe.
Hometown: East Northport, New York
Guitar: Yellowcaster
The father-son team of Frank and Eli Doris decided to create a guitar after Eli got a 3D printer and wanted to use it to create a guitar body. In the time-honored tradition, Frank sketched a design on a napkin, then Eli used a CAD program to design the body and knobs. The 3D printer produced the body, which had to be done in sections, since the printer was limited in the size of the sections it could manufacture. The body sections are held together with super glue. The body is made from Eryone PLA 3D-printable filament, and Frank and Eli decided on the silk gold color, since it was something different from the usual Fender and other guitar colors.
Being a longtime guitar player and tinkerer, Frank had all the parts and electronics on hand, except for the Crate neck, which he bought on Reverb for about $50 (with tuners already installed). The neck and middle pickups are Fender MIM Strat pickups, and the bridge pickup was taken from a 1970s Univox Les Paul Custom copy (the original gold-plated pickup cover had to be removed to allow the pickup to fit in the pickguard). The bridge is a stock Fender with import (MIM, Squier, etc.) string spacing.
The knobs spell out “BÖC,” the abbreviation for Blue Öyster Cult, Frank’s favorite band (Eli likes them, too), and, of course, the “Ö” has the umlaut!
When Eli was assembling the guitar, father and son were thinking, “With luck, this thing won’t just explode as we’re putting it together!” They had no idea if this would actually work. In fact, during the first try, the body cracked and had to be reinforced, and a wood block was inserted to block the tremolo. When stringing the instrument, the guys tried .010-gauge strings at first, but settled on .009s as these put less tension on the guitar.
Frank notes, “When we plugged it in, we were expecting it to sound like a banjo, but the guitar actually sounds great, with a lot of sustain. It also plays like a dream! We took a chance on the neck, but it’s great. The guitar is also surprisingly ergonomic and falls right into place when sitting down.” The Yellowcaster isn’t heavy, either, weighing in at just 6 pounds, 13 ounces.
“The only things we forgot were to add holes for strap buttons, and to think about whether it would fit into a case,” says Frank. As a result, the Yellowcaster doesn’t fit into a standard hardshell case or gig bag, but does fit into a bass gig bag. “We can’t wait to take this guitar out and see people’s reactions!”
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Duane Betts enjoys a control set modification that was preferred by his father, the late, legendary Dickey Betts.
Guest Picker - Duane Betts
Betts’ 1961 ES-335 has its toggle and volume-dial positions switched.
A: My favorite mod is the one on my 1961 Gibson ES-335. The toggle switch and neck volume knob positions have been switched so the volume knob is more accessible for volume swells using your pinky finger. This is something my dad had done when he obtained the guitar in the ’90s as he loved using the volume swell effect.
A pedal primed for vintage fuzz sounds.
Obsession: My current obsession is this DanDrive Secret Machine fuzz that JD Simo gave me a few years ago. I don’t use fuzz often but I’ve loved it as a way to change things up and give the listener something fresh. My normal tone is very natural with the amp turned up. This is just a great fuzz tone that gives me a new angle that I really enjoy pursuing both live and in the studio.
Reader of the Month - Steve Nowicki
A: A push/pull knob for humbucker coil split. It’s a sneaky little mod I throw on my tone pots. You won’t get amazing Strat tone, but the ability to instantly swap between Les Paul chunk and Fender twang during a jam opens a ton of possibilities tonally. Plus, no extra switches or routing needed—even though it’s fun to hack guitars apart.
Obsession: The EVH 5150 Iconic EL34 amp. Owning an 80-watt half-stack in a Brooklyn apartment might be overkill, but damn this amp is awesome. It delivers insane amounts of gain and distortion, yet every little nuance of your playing comes through crystal clear. I pair it with a Bugera Power Soak so I can crank the head and get that warm “Brown Sound” tone at lower volumes.
John Bohlinger - Nashville Correspondent
John Bohlinger and his Lukather-ized Strat.
A: I’ve hacked up a bunch of guitars over the years, but my favorite mod remains the highly intrusive, expensive, and quixotic B-bender install. It is the equivalent of open heart surgery, and there’s no going back—but the first time you play the Clarence White “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” intro right, it’s totally worth it.
John at work. When it comes to mods, he know the drill!
Obsession: I recently filmed a PG video where we swapped pickups in my ’90s Strat with an EMG Lukather set. I never thought I’d go active, but what gets me is how smoothly the volume and tone work. I’m rethinking all my gear biases. Like maybe there’s been some progress since 1957.
Jon Levy - Publisher
Let it bleed: Jon dials back the treble on his Tele.
A: Installing a treble bleed on my volume pots has changed how I play electric guitar. Previously, I never dialed back my volume knob because it dulled my sound. Now I can fine-tune loudness and gain while retaining tone—it’s a game changer. I still swap pickups and hardware, but one mod always comes first: the humble treble bleed.
Did you know both John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page played on Shirley Bassey’s iconic recording of “Goldfinger?”
Obsession: John Paul Jones. I’ve always loved his bass (and other instrumental contributions) with Led Zeppelin. But after seeing the Zep documentary [Becoming Led Zeppelin] I searched his session work from 1964–1968, which includes Shirley Bassey, Lulu, Donovan and more. What an amazingly versatile and talented artist he is!
“I am thrilled to announce the launch of The Collection: Kirk Hammett. I’ve worked diligently on this curated collection of vintage and modern guitars for the book. I feel the book captures the rich history and artistry behind each of these unique and rare instruments. Every picture tells a story and thanks to Ross Halfin and his exceptional photography, every picture in this book is worth a million words! This book could not be possible without the help of Gibson, so I’d like to thank them for making my passion for Greeny, and guitars a reality. I hope all of you enjoy this journey as much as I did.”
“It’s exciting the time has come to release The Collection: Kirk Hammett by Gibson,” adds Cesar Gueikian, President and CEO of Gibson. “We have been working on this project with Kirk for years now, and I had the opportunity to work closely with Kirk on the composition of the collection for the book. It was a thrill to put this together and it took a village to get it done! I hope everyone appreciates the work that went into this book and enjoys every story behind the guitars.”
The Collection: Kirk Hammett, Custom Edition is limited to just 300 numbered copies signed by KIRK HAMMETT and comes in a huge 19 x 14.5” (490 x 370mm) presentation box featuring custom artwork and an outstanding case candy package. In addition to the large-format 17 x 12” (432 x 310mm) hardcover version of the book with a stunning lenticular cover, the boxset includes a frameable 16 x 11.6” (407 x 295mm) art print of a Ross Halfin portrait of KIRK HAMMETT signed by both Halfin and the Metallica guitarist. Other case candy includes an Axe Heaven miniature replica of Hammett’s 1979 Gibson Flying V with case and stand, an exclusive pick tin complete with six Dunlop® Kirk Hammett signature Jazz III guitar picks, and a Gibson Publishing Certificate of Authenticity.
Explore The Collection: Kirk Hammett book HERE.
