RestorationAD Posted June 14, 2009 Report Share Posted June 14, 2009 Project RG I takes me forever to finish projects ... but I might be close enough to post this one. I needed an RG to play after retiring my heavily modified RG470. I never really liked the feel of a stock RG but I have always loved the wizard neck. Some of the things that needed attention are the volume knob, the arm bevel, the belly cut and weight. In order to retain the look I kept the edges sharp, while drastically increasing the bevels. I still need to work on the heel transition. Since I always hit the volume knob on the stock RG I moved it to a more Gilbert like position out of harms way. Next was to simplify the electronics and the looks. I used a strap jack instead of a regular RG input, removed the middle pickup, single push/pull volume knob to switch pickups, and replaced the edge with a wilkinson. I might add a coil tap switch later but it is not in the plans right now. This is a very personal RG. The set neck is laminated big leaf maple and walnut with a maple fret board and a bigger Ibanez style headstock (like my 82 destroyer). The big leaf was a little soft but has proven to be quite stiff. The body is poplar, while I should have used basswood I didn't really care since it will be painted and I like the way poplar works. It is currently sealed with thin CA and a top coat of thicker CA. After I assemble it and make sure it is worth keeping I will paint it. No need to paint it to find out it needs a major adjustment. Neck : Flamed Big Leaf Maple/Walnut Fretboard : Flamed Big Leaf Maple Scale : 25.5 Frets : 24 Trussrod : Warmoth Body : Mostly one piece poplar, small side sections glued on Tuners : Gotoh Vintage RG Tuners Pickups : V1, V2 Vintage Ibanez RG pickups Bridge : Wilkinson Electronics : push/pull volume swith, strap jack The biggest issue I have now is painting it. The poplar looks better than I thought it would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2009 I started the neck in the winter. And it has been sitting around while I decided on what to do with it. I used a walnut veneer laminated with the Big Leaf Maple to put the lines in it. I am not sure it is as sexy as I thought it would be. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2009 Body Cut Out Neck Pocket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2009 Routing Pickups and Tremolo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2009 Couple of mock ups Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted June 15, 2009 Report Share Posted June 15, 2009 you must like RGs Looks good so far, thats a nice piece of poplar you got there too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewey Posted June 15, 2009 Report Share Posted June 15, 2009 Looks great. I agree the poplar looks good on the top, but that extra bit you glued on the side really contrasts at the back, it would be enough for me to paint it. If you do paint what colour are you looking at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2009 Looks great. I agree the poplar looks good on the top, but that extra bit you glued on the side really contrasts at the back, it would be enough for me to paint it. If you do paint what colour are you looking at? Desert Sun Yellow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2009 you must like RGs Looks good so far, thats a nice piece of poplar you got there too! I like wizard necks.... It is weird that I have so many RG projects going on now. But last year all I built were Vs. For personal use I like V, Destroyers, RG, San Dimas Strats, I will build almost anything for money. Except a Corvus. You have to draw a line somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Any suggestions for Desert Sun Yellow spray paint? Valspar? Krylon? Or would I be better off with R/C Model spray paint. Then after it is dry do I throw several coats of 2k or Minwax PolyU? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narcissism Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 I actually like the scarf joint. It gives me ideas for a theme for the rest of the guitar's paint job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Built maple covers. Not sure I like them. I dyed them vintage amber as a test. They are the same maple as the neck and I think I am going to die the neck and sand it back to bring out the flame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Drilling the tuners with my new tuner jig. I drilled 9 holes in the jig... probably only needed 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Glueing the neck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 A little farther along... I will be putting strings on it this week and giving it the play test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Still need advice on the fluorescent yellow paint. I know some of you guys have done green... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I know Prostheta's Biohazard build incorporated some fluorescent yellow accents. Did you catch that thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Strung it up, made a nut, tuned it up... man it was bad. But after putting the correct radius in the bridge saddles and adjusting the nut a little I could feel some potential. The back bow in the neck I saw earlier in the week was gone with a set of .0011s on it. Neck turned out to be dead straight at pitch with no trussrod adjustment. I think the neck moved a little between the fret job and final shaping. I have some tweaking and polishing to do on the frets but we are ready for paint. BTW 1 7/8" at the nut is huge... wide and flat (16 in radius). Turned out much lighter than my RG550. I know it doesn't have pickups in it yet, but the difference is substantial. Sorry for the bad pictures but it is late.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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