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Karl Osolinski
Fireman
1791 Posts |
 Posted - 12/08/2011 : 3:36:40 PM
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Hi fellas,
Tom Yorke did an article in the May, 2011, Railroad Model Craftsman that really caught my eye. He took a Walthers Cornerstone "Toy Shoppe"(O scale)and made some nice changes to an otherwise very plain plastic structure. I did try and get an O scale kit but I guess it's discontinued...I ended up with the HO scale version - they call it a Pizza Shop in HO but it's the same building.
So, "George Gruhn knows more about guitars than anyone on earth", said Tom Wheeler, a former editor of Guitar Player magazine. I've known George for near 40 years and spent a lot of time in his shop. It was some of the best times I ever had (I even asked my wife to marry me in George's store) and my passion for the instruments ruled my life in the 1970's. The original store is gone but the new store on Broadway is a mecca for collectors and musicians.
My version of the original store is not a true representation but it has a kind of "feel" for the original shop. I took photos of instruments from old catalogs that I have and glued them to styrene and filed and shaped them with some very small files. They are about 25/64" long. I picked a few instruments that I like a lot...a 1959 Epiphone Emperor, a 1942 Gibson J200, a 1966 Gibson Dove and a 1934, 5-string flathead Gibson Granada just like the one Earl Scruggs still plays! I made some little Martin guitars but I ran out of room in the window display.
Also, I got some great little details from VectorCut that I used on the front wall - the date plaque, fan over the bar door, welcome mat and the art deco letters for the name. I have no affiliation with VectorCut but he makes some really nice and unusual details.
Well, this was a long-winded blabber...here are a few photos but there's a lot more to do on it and I need to build the greasy spoon around the corner too.
Karl O.
Berkley, MI
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Ensign
Fireman
Canada
3857 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 3:55:25 PM
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Wow Karl,what a fantastic looking structure!
Love the neon sign,the guitars in the window the wooden Indian everything. I bow to your excellence!
Greg Shinnie |
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DaVinci1953
Crew Chief
Canada
654 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 4:04:19 PM
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Wow, Karl! The atmosphere on this build is perfect!...And I have a story too. In 1952, my father was a budding young country musician. He knew a well known local player who had a Gibson J-200. My Dad longed to own one too. The local music store in those days (Which I remember too - looked exactly like your model!) ordered one in for him. I think it cost $500. - a huge sum in those days. Dad told me how they put in the front window while he patiently made payments over the better part of a year before he got possession. (I guess credit was bit harder back then...or maybe, it was just because he was a musician!) Anyway, it was the proudest day of his life when he finally took it home.
A year later I came along. I learned to play on that Gibson and the J-45 that my Mom had. (She was a musician too)
Amyway, this build sure brought back memories. That old music store is long gone, but Dad still has the guitar.
Lance |
Lance Russwurm
http//www.lancerusswurm.com |
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runner
Fireman
USA
1085 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 4:18:36 PM
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| Karl O.- That is one terrific build and some beautiful photography as well. The weathering on the bricks and the signage are fabulous, and I also like the cigar-store Native American. I'm assuming the door on the left opens to a stairwell to the second floor? |
Mike Engler in Lakeville MN
mike@intagra.com |
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Rick
Administrator
USA
17864 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 4:19:43 PM
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Outstanding Karl.
The textures and colors on the concrete are perfect.
Also like the warm yellow glow of the lights and the first time I think I've seen you use a neon light.
And I see the multicolored cigar store indian made an appearance too. 
Anyone in particular standing in the stores doorway? |
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Geezer
Fireman
USA
8289 Posts |
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Dutchman
Administrator
USA
23277 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 4:31:10 PM
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| Beautiful work, Karl. If you hadn't told us its lineage, I would not have guessed that it started life as a Walthers Cornerstone kit. |
Bruce
Modeling the railroads of the Jersey Highlands in HO and the logging railroads of Pennsylvania in HOn3 |
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George D
Moderator
USA
10022 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 4:44:54 PM
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Great piece of work, Karl. You did a terrific job on the brick walls.
George |
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Frederic Testard
Engineer
France
16524 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 5:10:20 PM
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| Wonderful model, Karl. It's not the material that makes the model, it's the modeler. |
Frederic Testard |
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wvrr
Fireman
5018 Posts |
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R.BOUDREAUX
Fireman
USA
1342 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 5:12:29 PM
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Karl is back......YaHoo
The building looks great.....,but I knew it would. 
Rich |
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dallas_m
Fireman
USA
3138 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 5:43:18 PM
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| A wonderful model with an amazing amount of "atmosphere" -- outstanding! |
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ETinBH
Fireman
USA
4265 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 7:40:00 PM
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| he was never gone - just modeling - what a gift |
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onl26
Fireman
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 8:07:18 PM
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Great to see more of your work Karl. I love the B&W pic, it makes me want to go watch an old movie. I'm glad to hear all is well and have a great Christmas and New Year.
Kevin |
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Craig H
Engine Wiper
451 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 8:08:02 PM
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| Karl, Is the neon sign from vectorcut?? |
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Karl Osolinski
Fireman
1791 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2011 : 8:21:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by DaVinci1953
Wow, Karl! The atmosphere on this build is perfect!...And I have a story too. In 1952, my father was a budding young country musician. He knew a well known local player who had a Gibson J-200. My Dad longed to own one too. The local music store in those days (Which I remember too - looked exactly like your model!) ordered one in for him. I think it cost $500. - a huge sum in those days. Dad told me how they put in the front window while he patiently made payments over the better part of a year before he got possession. (I guess credit was bit harder back then...or maybe, it was just because he was a musician!) Anyway, it was the proudest day of his life when he finally took it home.
A year later I came along. I learned to play on that Gibson and the J-45 that my Mom had. (She was a musician too)
Amyway, this build sure brought back memories. That old music store is long gone, but Dad still has the guitar.
Lance
Hi Lance,
That is such a great story...I was working 3 jobs in 1963 trying to earn the money to buy a J-200 and a car! - photo studio during day, music shop 4 nights a week and playing music in dumps 3 nights a week.
I finally got my J-200 in 1964...I was 19 years old. Big problem - the guitar was a gourd and I got rid of it in less than 3 months. The 1964 Corvair I bought? - rolled it over in South Dakota - so now I didn't have the guitar I treasured or a car.
About 6 months later a guy asked me if I would be interested in buying a guitar he found in his father's closet. So, I went to the house and..guess what?...a 1943 Martin Snowflake D-28 Herringbone. I bought it for $400 and kept and played it for quite some time. Like an idiot, I traded the Herringbone for a 1973 Gibson F-5 Mandolin...the D-28 now rests in Roy Acuff's Museum in Nashville and the F-5 I got is long gone...ouch...
Hang onto that J-200 and J-45...George has a 1956, J-200 for $9500.00 and a 1943, J-45 for $4500.00...
Karl O.
Berkley, MI
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Gruhn Guitars - Nashville, TN...
