Mirror Tops?

[Newc of the JCF]

I searched several ways but didn't see any titles specifically mentioning Mirror Tops (Cracked Mirror, etc).

I've got some mirror tiles and a body to work with, but what's the best way (i.e. how do the manufacturers do it)? Should I shave the top of the body down the thickness of the tile to keep everything level? Do I need to use grout or can the mirror edges be beveled?

Anyone here ever done one?

Thanks all

[Robert_the_damned]

I remember reading something about how Matt Belemy (of Muse) lazer mason was made. they used a plastic mirror from a DIY store and stuck it to the front of the guitar(after smashing it!)

[RAI6]

And I wish I knew where I saw it, but there was a site that had a pretty darn good story of how they did Paul Stanley's cracked mirror guitar back in the 70's.

The final variation ended up being that they routed the top of the guitar down (to match the thickness of the mirror), but left the binding on to work as a final, clean edge.

They tried smashing the mirror, but that just turned into a mess. The best result came from designing a crack-pattern, and then cutting it that way. I believe they also added some type of clear material on top, to avoid getting cut by the mirror edges. You would think that with the mirror pieces flat, and pushed together, there is no way you can cut yourself...

Well, they didn't just leave the pieces flat, but "angled" them all slightly to really get maximum reflections from the guitar. If you just put the mirror back together, perfectly flat, it ends up barely looking cracked, and just giving off one large reflection...

You could always do it like this:

http://www.vai.com/Machines/guitarpages/guitar037.html

[Batfink]

It's on here somewhere or one of the links off of it.

http://vintageibanez.tripod.com/iceman.html

Jem

[mledbetter]

You may have seen an article on Ed Roman's site.. he has a mirror top conversion pictorial on there.. it's real mirror.

Real mirror will break in a fashion that looks better I think than plastic.. but plastic won't slice and dice you in the process.

If you want broken, i'd to a real mirror, stretch some saran wrap across it to stick it all together, wrap it in a blanked and hit it a few times with a hammer.. you want big pieces.. not little shards.. Then glue it and i'm not sure what you would fill it with. Probably epoxy.

If you want a solid mirror top, i'd get the plastic mirror stuff and make a layer of it to fit on the guitar top. Then it would look like an ibanez bad horsie..

[TenderSurrender]

Im not sure if they would but if you go to Jemsite and look at the top there should be a link for "Sims custom shop".. they do mirror bodys but im not sure if they offer cracked mirror.. worth a look maybe??

Good luck with your project

~~ Slain Angel ~~

[Newc of the JCF]

Thanks all

[goth_fiend]

im doing a variation on the mirror top and i need a source for plastic mirror of some kind, im doing mirrored pinstripes on a rhoads v anybody know where i can get the stuff?

[Newc of the JCF]

If all you're doing is thin pinstripes, I'd say go with some automotive pinstriping tape in a shiny chrome finish (AutoZone, etc). This stuff is easy to apply, and easy to remove. You can clear over it if you want it to be permanent, as well.

It'd be a lot cheaper and easier to do it that way, but if you wanted mirrored bevels instead of pins, then yeah I'd go with the plexi-mirror.

You should be able to find those kinds of mirrors at any Dollar Store or Wal-Mart or something.

[Sambo]

This is the guitar robert the damned was on about:

apparently it was done by getting a nice big mirror, backing it with sticky backed plastic (blue peter style ) and smashing it it was then mounted with tile adhesive and grouted. Loverly

Hope that's of help.

[Marzocchi705]

You gotta love the Blue Peter man

Is that the Manson with the LED's under the mirror?

[Robert_the_damned]

apparently they're actually Lazers and crystals not LED's (bit more expensive!)

I knew someone would get a pic of it up

only problem is that my girlfriend want's that guitar its got everything including the kitchen sink in it!

[Sambo]

Yeah, they is lasers. seen it live, you'd never get a LED putting out a stream of light like that! Harder you play the more they light up too. hee hee.

I reckon blue peter should do a guitar made of sticky backed plastic. Might be as good as tracy island

talking of the kitchen sink in it, it must weigh a pissing tonne!

[Robert_the_damned]

I donno....doesn't seem like there's a lot of wood in it to weight much!!

nothing will ever beat Tracy Island

[Sambo]

true it has big feck off holes in it for all the electrics, but it is very thick!

think i might have to have a go at a mirror top! got an old one

I still have a tracy island i made somewhere

[Marzocchi705]

I just assumed it was LED's and that the mirror split up the light from them. Lets all to cracked mirror tops, the collective bad luck on here will be so bad, itl, i dont even want to know what will happen...

[Sambo]

Nevermind eh!

At least we'll have cool looking guitars! and plus, if its smashed before you pout it on, you cant smash it when its on there

[Duff Beer Man]

Im doing a mirror top on my jem to resemble the bad horsie jem. Its called mirror acrlic that im using, real nice stuff. The way i personally see you doing a cracked is getting the stuff im using then laying out a pattern and cutting with with a band saw or possible a router. Then taking each piece and gluing it back together on the body. Thats just how i see, if you have any questions about it just shot and i will answer as best as possible.

[goth_fiend]

where did you get the stuff?

[Robert_the_damned]

you can get it in DIY stores. I don't know any of the names of the american stores but the big places where you can get paint, wood, ect. tend to have this sort of thing.

[Duff Beer Man]

I got mine at a local plastic shop that binds and cuts plastic and makes things out of plastic for people. For two 17x 20 pieces or something like that it cost me $26.68. Pretty cheap stuff.

[axemannate]

http://www.delviesplastics.com/mirror%20acrylic.htm

They sell it there, and can custum cut it for you.

[whitey]

I still have a tracy island i made somewhere 

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same hear! lol,i was in america last year,and there was an ibanex,with that exact pickguard,like the acrylic mirror thing,not cracked tho