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Dave Petillo

@davepetillo

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(Luthier/Engineer/Marquetarian/Composer @donbluthstudios) Family run music-biz Est-1966 to Elvis, Jim Croce, Travis Bean, Kramer, BRUCE & Billy Joel

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11 days ago

Coming soon! The Petillo Point body shape with a two piece book-matched American quilted maple top. The 45 degree bevel gives the illusion of natural wood binding. The burst is a traditional Gibson Les Paul inspired honey burst! by @davepetillo

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18 days ago

Testing one of Neil Giraldo's gold tops after a micropolishing of the frets! On August 12th I got called to the @bryanadams, @benatargiraldo show at the @prucenter in Newark New Jersey. Neil Giraldo needed work on his @gibsonguitar Les Paul Blackie and two Gold Tops. I did a micropolishing of the frets before the show that day.

The process of micropolishing involves leveling off a business card worth of thickness off the tops of the frets to get the deep string coil dents out and the corrosion, then I reshaped the frets to their original state and micropolished them. My father Dr. Phil Petillo invented a process of micropolishing that is used with his patented Petillo Precision Frets aka "triangle/pyramid frets" and I apply this process to every setup I do. The procedure involves the frets being polished from 400 grit sand paper all the way up to 10,000 grit lens paper (which polishes telescope lenses). The entire idea is to make the surface area so glass-like the metal string can resonate a clear true note with intonation clarity. I always use the example of the wine glass filled with liquid and the player rubs the rim…and the friction of that motion makes a note. You can imagine if the rim was rough, it would not be as reflective to carry the note. That is the principle with polishing the frets to so fine and flawless a gloss…the notes seem to hang in midair. Neil told Bob, his tech, that the guitars played fantastic! Check out 14 swipe pics from Neil's dressing room! by @davepetillo

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a month ago

I can't tell you how good it feels to see Dean DeLeo and the lovely artistically brilliant @erikaseyes when they stop by! We played guitar and talk about stories that are so amazing I feel like an ancient scribe should write them all down, lol! Also, be sure to check out Dean's amazing project @onemoresatellite, which continues to showcase his incredible creativity and musical artistry!

Photo: Erika by @davepetillo

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2 months ago

Check out these custom knobs I made for Jersey Shore guitarist/singer/songwriter and my friend @jahsh89 for his @prsguitars CE model guitar!

These knobs are much more than just a custom detail on a guitar they’re a tribute to his Mom and a way of keeping a little piece of her close every time he picks up his instrument.

The beautiful Sagittarius artwork was originally designed and drawn by Josh's Mom, Jenna Lach @tales969, and we worked it into the design to honor something deeply personal and meaningful. His Mom also loved Snoopy, so we incorporated Space Snoopy walking on the moon into the volume knob as another special reminder of her.

I’m always grateful to create something that carries this kind of meaning for a friend. A guitar can hold memories just as much as it holds music, and I hope these little details bring a smile every time Josh looks down at them.

Check out all 18 swipe pics to see the details and how it all came together! by @davepetillo

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2 months ago

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2 months ago

I made my third "Man Under the Lamppost" Born to Run pickguard on clear acrylic for Jersey Shore legend and longtime friend of my dad (Phil Petillo) and me, @g1brown of @williamshonor for this show with @reaganxrichards at the @springsteencenter @monmouthuniversity tomorrow Thursday, July 23rd at 6pm!

I carefully recreated the leather grain, veins, and natural crackling, even roughing and pitting the perimeter edges to replicate the worn texture and tactile feel of the original leather piece. I also beveled the perimeter of the pickguard to frame the artwork and create a smooth edge for Bruce-style heavy strumming.

This version does not include the perimeter indentation border; however, I plan to incorporate that detail in a future iteration by routing the line into the pickguard on the reverse side of the guard.

Short History On The Born To Run Pickguard:;

The original Born to Run cover features a Fender Esquire that was sold and customized for Bruce by my father, Phil Petillo. The leather pickguard bearing the “Man Under the Lamppost” design was created by my dad and is the very piece seen in that iconic image captured by legendary photographer @ericmeola1!

Before commissioning the leather version of the pickguard, my father had built a guitar for @officialwaylon! Through that connection, word spread to @kristofferson, who also had a custom electric guitar made by my dad. Kris expressed interest in a leather pickguard as well, and during that period, my father worked with a Texas-based leathersmith to bring his lamppost design to life for Bruce’s guitar as well.

The leather pickguard was ultimately removed after Bruce mentioned that the softness of the leather interfered with his strumming when the pick made contact with the surface.

Take a look at all 14 swipe pics!!! by @davepetillo

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2 months ago

Happy Birthday, @diondimucciofficial !

It was great seeing you at the @springsteencenter @monmouthuniversity event this past June. We had the chance to talk about my father, Phil Petillo, and the work he did on your guitars over the years.

One of the moments that stayed with me most was hearing you speak so openly about Jesus and your faith. You mentioned that my dad was someone you enjoyed talking with about spiritual matters and that those conversations were so meaningful to you. Hearing you share those memories meant more to me than I can express.

Thank you for your kindness, your music, and the faith you continue to share with others. Wishing you a very happy birthday, God's richest blessings, good health, and many more years of inspirational music to come! by @davepetillo

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2 months ago

Take a look at this custom ED HARDY pickguard I made for my friend Jersey Shore bassist @chefcolin2012! The background of the pickguard is a @windmillhotdogs guldens spicy brown mustard yellow ash grain design with a Victorian hand drawn black ink frame with the classic Ed Hardy "Tattoo The World" and "Love Kills Slowly" art/sayings. I also relic-ed the finish. The relic work on this finish is always harder to do unlike nitro finish that crackles and has more character but non the less I did a relic sand through on this body. The knobs are inspired by motorcycle wheels and I inlaid gold Buffalo/Indian coins on the top of the knobs flush in my lathe. I also installed all the gold hardware. The final step is the micropolishing of the frets. The process of micropolishing involves leveling off a business card worth of thickness off the tops of the frets to get the deep string coil dents out and the corrosion, then I reshaped the frets to their original state and micropolished them. My father Dr. Phil Petillo invented a process of micropolishing that is used with his patented Petillo Precision Frets aka "triangle/pyramid frets" and I apply this process to every setup I do. The procedure involves the frets being polished from 400 grit sand paper all the way up to 10,000 grit lens paper (which polishes telescope lenses). The entire idea is to make the surface area so glass-like the metal string can resonate a clear true note with intonation clarity. I always use the example of the wine glass filled with liquid and the player rubs the rim…and the friction of that motion makes a note. You can imagine if the rim was rough, it would not be as reflective to carry the note. That is the principle with polishing the frets to so fine and flawless a gloss…the notes seem to hang in midair. Check out all 19 swipe pics! by @davepetillo

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2 months ago

What an honor to help my friend @jameshuntersix before his brilliant Saturday @cbsmornings performance! I made a new petrified Woolly Mammoth nut fitted flush to the fingerboard edges and spaced to the original string spacing of his custom Philippe Dubreuille Les Paul style @gibsonguitar. I also did a micropolishing of the frets. The process of micropolishing involves leveling off a business card worth of thickness off the tops of the frets to get the deep string coil dents out and the corrosion, then I reshaped the frets to their original state and micropolished them. My father Dr. Phil Petillo invented a process of micropolishing that is used with his patented Petillo Precision Frets aka "triangle/pyramid frets" and I apply this process to every setup I do. The procedure involves the frets being polished from 400 grit sand paper all the way up to 10,000 grit lens paper (which polishes telescope lenses). The entire idea is to make the surface area so glass-like the metal string can resonate a clear true note with intonation clarity. I always use the example of the wine glass filled with liquid and the player rubs the rim…and the friction of that motion makes a note. You can imagine if the rim was rough, it would not be as reflective to carry the note. That is the principle with polishing the frets to so fine and flawless a gloss…the notes seem to hang in midair. Take a look at all SEVEN swipe pics! by @davepetillo

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3 months ago

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3 months ago

#teletuesday!

It was a true honor to have our friendd legendary guitarist Dean DeLeo of @stpband stop by the shop and spend some time with the Telecaster I built for the @springsteen biopic Deliver Me from Nowhere. The guitar was used on screen by @jeremyallenwhite during filming and later returned to the shop for its owner, French singer, songwriter, and producer @olivier_rouquier_officiel after production was completed.

Special thanks to @sarawojoo and @cianocioffi for their care and stewardship of the instrument throughout the filming process.

Be sure to check out Dean's outstanding project @onemoresatellite, which continues to showcase his incredible creativity and musical artistry.

Also, I was fortunate to meet the talented @erikaseyes, a gifted artist whose timeless work beautifully blends creativity and emotion. It was an honor to have her capture this photograph of Dean and me.

Moments like these serve as a reminder of how music, craftsmanship, and storytelling can bring together remarkable people and create lasting memories. by @davepetillo

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3 months ago