Maiden69 Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Ok, I don't know if to get a new body or just get what ever I can use out of this and go from there... This is a "PLYWOOD" ( that dmn plague is following me) body that I bought from my cousin in 1985, It's being painted 6 times and every paint job has gone mad on the guitar. As you can see from the pics. It has right now a SD SH-10 full shred humbucker at the bridge and the Epi neck pickup from my LP Classic. The tunners are after market, I know they are good, ad was mad that this guitar didn't arrived before the strat because the tunners will have been a great addition to it. Here is the RR in my late Harmony Explorer case On this one you can see the Pups and the "custom" bridge(this was attached when the cast block shattered in pieces. It was replaced if you can see with a piece of aluminum from a tent. Another shot to show the "custom" pickguard, shattered onroute from Iraq. And here you can see my one off aluminum nut from an aluminum piece from an ***** manifold that broke while in a National Trainning Center in California's Dessert. No plastic or anything else was found so I used a hacksaw to cut a piece of the manifolds end, then shaped it and using a set of jewelers files from Craftman and a Gerber tool give the slots and final shape and mounted it with (don't scream" Epoxy since there was no other glue available other than sylicone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitman32 Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 I would go with a new body...I wouldnt put all that effort into a body that isnt really good anyways, seeing that its plywood and all. Also, it look like that whole bridge setup would be downright annoying to repair. Why not just keep this one for sentimental value? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 I will be adding a new bridge, this one is from the Explorer, It had the same problem as the RR, it some how shattered in pieces, and the problem was that at the place I was there was nothing to use that will work... But the string radius to the neck is correct and the action is LOW and besides I had 2 other guitars to play with and no Idea of this site, so I had no "impulse" to fix it... Now I want to fix anything I can get my hands on, that's why the Strat got were it is now and this one is going to be worked on this weekend, I will be scalloping the neck, (wish me luck) I don't want to mess up these inlays. Haven't done one of those yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maher Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Iraq? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Yeap, I'm in the ARMY and I was in Geramny on my way to Iraq, my son fell and fractured his femur (2yr old) and the ARMY sent him to a local Hosp (Kinderklinik) there they discovered that he has a tumor on the bone weakening it, and sent all the family to the states (Maryland) in order to go to ARMY hospital. Both my guitars with the exeption of the LP were on our repair van along with my amp(Crate GX-65) and cheap processor (Tone Works AX1). Those are still over there with my personal property... Should get them before NOV or in Feb hopefuly when they get back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maher Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 well sir i salute you and hope your sons ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Thank you !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted July 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Ok today I got back from the field and as I was there I decided to study the options for this guitar. Since I don't like the RR shape, I find it uncomfortable for paying sitting down, I opted for 2 shapes, the one on the left is a modified and carved RG type, and the one on the right is cross between the RG top lower horn, duplicated on the other side as a double cut away, and the bottom from the waist down of a Les Paul. I got a SG one on the worksbut is not done. It will have the SG body tilted like the ESP but with different carvings and a thicker body. The lines running along the bodies is were Iplan to do the carvings, I still don't know if to do them rounded like the LP or sharp like the SG. Here is a pic of the neck, I redid it like the Explorer, new Kramer type, but I didn't add wood, I just reshape it. It went from this to I like it better this way, I will like to have comments or suggestions on the body shapes too. Edit. I forget to add that I scalloped all the frets, and will order a graph tech sloted nut for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iskim86 Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 you need a new headstock design, something that won't bend the strings that much at the nut! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
litchfield Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 The DC RG deal reminds me of a Gene Simmons Punisher bass, but cooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
litchfield Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Yes Litch, it does look like the Punisher, that was part of my intention on the carving but the rounded shape at the bottom didn't help me much, but I like it with the longer horns better. Iskim86, that's the stock location were the guitar had them, and if you look at Kramers Banana of hockey sticks that's how they are, they do have a locking nut but I still don't know the bridge I will be using for this so It's still debatable, if it looks akward when I mock up, it will be discarded... but I had no problem tunning the guitar or with the strings comming out... So so far it stays like that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
litchfield Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 I really like your punisher inspired design. Maybe white with black trim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 I don't know yet, depending on how good the carving comes out! I have so many colors in my head for this 2 that I will be color blind in a few days if I don't start working on somenthing, I think the Epi LP will get done before this 2, I'm getting the Jackson body from the sale section and I think that the RG inspired will become a Jackson inspired, I am looking around for a 24 fret JDR neck, seen a few but don't have the money now, if I can't get one I guess that will be my next project, making one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePlague Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 i like that carved rg design. (on the left) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted July 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 thanks, I don't have too much ability on the CAD program , so I print some on my job, and then from that modify them free hand, this I like better. I think this will be done on the jackson body that I just bought, just waiting to get it now, there will be a lot of modifications for it... It's a JDR-94, and it's alder, hopefuly it will come out as good as the drawing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted August 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 Ok, got bored waiting for the LP to cure so I decided yesterday that I was going ot start working on the RR, or was RR. As you can see from the 1st page it was really beat up, and the lower tail was damaged many times that I decided to fix it or cut it. Cut it was... Also, I didn't like the fact that it was top routed, so that had to be addressed to, and I didn't had a tremolo bridge, and the one on it had to go. I went to the main site and read the tremolo to hardtail tutorial, and decided to give it a try. Sorry for not having inprogress pics but I didn't took any because I felt tit looked like the guitar wasn't going to survive the surgery. But after removing the clamps this morning and shaping the newly grafted wood, it was a go! I used my trusty polyester bondo... Luthiers don't scream! and sealed the sides, tummy contour, and were the wood blocks had joined the body... here are some pics, after priming I noticed some imperfections, but I will wait until tomorrow to sand, bondo the scratches and prime again, but thinner this time. I don't know the color yet, but I'm thinking on gold, blue, or maybe like my strat a 5150 style but with blue, white,red and black. This is the body. You can see how I modified the neck cavity to get access to the higher frets, this is one of the reasons why I don't like the RR's in the 1st place, the back is shaped like the new Fender and I still don't know if to use ferrules or modify the neck plate like I did on the strat. the rear tremolo cavity plugged, and the new control cavity. This one is not done yet, as soon sa I get the hardware that Iordered I will decide how to shape it, but its the same size as the original RR but cut on the back. The piece that covers the bottom was glued there and it extends 1/4" to both sides. Here is the fron, can barely see the holes for the trem screws, those were covered before I redid this time, and I thought that they were not going to show, so I didn't bondo them. I will be taking care of this tomorrow to. You can see 3 misarable drops of water that fell on the guitar while I was getting the camera. Now, were the drops are, from the bottom of the guitar to 5 1/2 " up, is a strip of oak about 1 3/4" wide thats covering the control cavity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted August 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Yesterday morning I decided to colorsand the primer to lay the white base coat, and let me advise you to test on a scrap of wood the same as your guitr before using water on it. I had small veins lifting everywere as the water hit it. I had to wait unti llater to shot the white. This morning I sprayed the white base, and then try t ocolorsand it dry and it was clogging the 600 and 400 grit paper like if it was playdoo, si iI used a 220 rapid cut that I had and then touched it with the 600. I have scratch marks on the basse but don't care right now, since this is beiong done for experience more than to sell or to play with(at least not much). after lunch I sprayed the silver metallic base color, and will be masking tonight or tomorrow depending on the paint. I plan on doing like the Japanese flag with the sun on the bottom corner were the controls are, and then having the rays fan out in the same shape of the guitar. It will be ocean blue metalic, light blue metallic and some silver lines(maybe kinda pin stripes), unless I come up with somenthing different tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted August 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 Here asr some pics of the guitar as of now it is sitting already painted in Blue with some design that came bad, but it's staying like that. I will post pics tomorow of the results in the sun after putting a few coats of clear. This is the white base on http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01098.jpg The Silver Base http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01100.jpg Freaking scratches, my fault, it's staying like that because of the value of the guitar, not worth fixing it. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01101.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ki swordsman Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 looks great man!!! keep the pics comin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted August 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2004 More pics... I decided to wait a few more days before continuing on this.. But here are pics of the cleared body, it has 3 coats of clear using the triple thick glaze from Krylon. This is the 1st time using it, so I will be taking it slow to get it good. Still not colorsanded so you can see orage peel on it. I painted the Dark blue metalic over the "sun" stencil then sprayed some gold in the middle took the stencil out and painted the blue metalcast over the whole guitar. I did the metalcast because it give a better shimmer over the dark metalic than it by itself. Here is the body from the front and back Here are more pics but on links. This is the output jack rout, I used the info on Brians tutorial for the Jem out put, but I will like to advise that if you don't have forstner bits, to get a set and a drill press too. I did mine with a hand drill and spade bits and was pretty mad with the results. Furtunately I had some fiberglass resin left from a speaker eclosure that I made some time ago and I used it like a grain filler, I also used a false bottom to cover the corner cuts from the spade bit. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01128.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01127.jpg also here are some shots from the headstock. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01121.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01124.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01122.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01123.jpg The pics are taken with and without flash to show the colors. The front was made with a black base then I splattered some silver and gold metalic, Very lightly. then covered with blue metalcast then the back is a white base with splattered silver and gold metalic like the front, then some more blue metalcast. then I cleared, 3 coats 4 hrs apart. I can't tell if I can get some lines over the "rays" with the same color of the back of the neck, but so far is staying like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executioner606 Posted August 21, 2004 Report Share Posted August 21, 2004 Looks pretty cool to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted August 21, 2004 Report Share Posted August 21, 2004 i agree, lookin nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted August 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2004 Thanks guys, I just finished colorsanding w/800 and sprayed one more coat. Here are more pics, I guess at this point it ain't changing much, so the next pics should be when put together, Front and back of headstock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragyn Posted August 22, 2004 Report Share Posted August 22, 2004 Very Very cool Sir!!!! Dragyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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