BROKENDOLL

Thanks everybody! Considering the circumstances behind the start of this project, I may not have ever gone beyong changing the strings. Fortunately, I'm probably more into the dynamics of a guitar now more than ever before. It really has become an addiction in a sense...(I wasn't kidding about the Kramer next on my agenda!) After looking over this Project Guitar Forum, I can see I've got alot to learn and plan on utilizing as much of the imfo as I can. When I started the "Aloha" Guitar, I thought I'd be saving some money. In the end, between supplies and then of course the tech work, I probably spent about $200. More than I wanted, but I got definitely more than I expected out of it! I'll be around hollering, "SOS" that's for sure! Thanks again!

Sorry about the glare, especially off of those "polished" (LOL) parts! While working on this guitar I found that Stewart McDonald site and don't think it didn't cross my mind to maybe go with black instead of the chrome parts! As a matter of fact, I had no clue about guitars coming in so many pieces! Honestly, I enjoyed that reading better than most Cosmopolitan mags, and am seriously thinking about building a guitar from scratch. (And, no, that idea wasn't aided by any tequila, guys! Ha,ha,ha!) In any case, in discovering your Project Gutiar Forum, I realized how much more I could learn from a great group of people who are more than willing to help and I'd like to say Thanks! Now, I believe it's just about time to settle down with a smoothe shot of Cuervo in one hand and my guitar in the other... Oh, and BTW...That red Kramer in my original pics? It ain't red anymore...

Hey, can I get a drumroll in a guitar forum? I finally set my project down long enough to post the final pics of this Tequila Induced project idea I started almost a year ago. After toiling with all the finish attempts, I took it to my local guitar wizard for the electrical part of the project, as well as his oppinion on a final finish. He was so impressed with how smoothe I managed to finally get the natural wood that we concluded leaving it as is. I just keep a honey oil wood preserving oil handy. Now, about that drumroll. ...

And then of course there was this version. A dark stain/sealer done with a brush. I liked the look, but needed more patience in waiting for it to dry before handling. Uh-huh...picture it with built in fingerprints. If there's anything I've learned from this first project, it's got to be patience. Not that I've got it down yet, but thinking back over how many times I thought it was ready to stain, only to have the stain tell me otherwise. (You wanna know how smoothe you got it? Dab some stain acrossed it and trust me, every little nook and ding will say hello!

I hope nobody held their breath waiting for the finish project pics I promised! Here's one of the versions of my project finish. I say one of the versions because I really didn't have a definite plan to start with other than getting rid of that gold. Besides, who can make definite plans when there's tequila involved, right? Once I had it sanded to where I thought it was ready for stain, I'd learn after applying the stain that more sanding was necessary. And because of the burning I did to the body, the stain didn't seem to compliment the charred look likle I thought the natural color of the wood did. I know, typical woman can't make up her mind. Ha,ha,ha!

EvilBetty, from one lady to another~ You Rock! I too am a newby here on the forum, thanks to finding it while searching for refinishing hints on my "Tequila Induced" project. I had never done more than change strings before that fateful night, and after coming acrossed sites on building guitars from scratch, I now also have a vision of making something from scratch one day. After reading your whole thread of trials, tribulations and learning manuevers along the way, and then seeing your finish project...My kudos to you on an inspirational masterpiece! Once again...You Rock!

and presumably a bottle of tequila Ha,ha! Nothing like being new around here and already feeling like you've been friends forever! (And, yes, of course I did!)

Thanks for the positive feedback! Actually, the guitar is finished already and I can see that my pics so far have given you a general idea of where my project was headed. (Bet you thought into a dumpster when I mentioned the tequila part, huh? LOL Anyway, I didn't want to break any rules by posting too many pics per post, so it's taking abit to reach the final performance. Can't access my pics right now due to the fact I'm house sitting and won't get home for awhile. In the meantime, let's just say it's a big open-like house with no neighbors. And along with my toothbrush, I remembered to bring my amp and guitar. Figured I'd take advantage of the situation and see how good a job my guitar tech did with the project I passed on to him. HINT: Sweeeet! BTW...Speaking of help from a tech. I may have had control with that sander, but a soldering iron? Apparently, I missed that lesson growing up! Ha,ha,ha! More pics soon and once again...Thanks!

Since my next favorite thing to my guitar is my memories of Hawaii, I somehow wanted to incorporate that into my project. (That suggestion in making it look like a Jose' Cuervo Bottle is pretty good too, I must admit! LOL) While I had the pickguard off, and since it was scratched here n' there, I guess you could say an idea was born. I enlarged a photo on lightweight photo paper and glued it to the guard, then began applying polyurethane. Minus afew small bubbles here n' there, it came out kinda cool I thought, so I sipped abit of that creative juice to celebrate. I also learned shortly thereafter, that you really do have to wait for polyurethane to dry completely hard before doing any sanding! Anyway, it did finally come through for me and those palms you see there are decals from Micheal's Crafts. The "Aloha Baby" and "Brokendoll" are compliments of Jose', myself and a set of paint pens. If you take a look at the body of the guitar's face and use your imagination, it somewhat reminds you of the rearview of a woman's buns, no? (Well, it reminded me of that, anyway. LOL) This brought me to my next unexpected lesson in sanding and shaping a guitar... Once you start grinding that new shape, you begin the battle of retaining a smooth line and surface. Trust me, several times my fiance would come check on me to make sure I wouldn't end up playing something the size of a toothpick! Another one of the reasons I went for reshaping is the fact that my Kramer had a smooth, sexy shape to it. It seemed to fit me and felt comfortable to hold. The Peavey on the other hand felt bulky and thick. And, it was a heavy guitar. My goal was to shape something that was similar to the Kramer. Thus came my next unexpected lesson... Patience and Sandpaper! Now you don't think all this work was done with Jose's help, do you? Naw. He just started the job! He'd pop in on occassion and give me a hand, but many times, with a sober mind, I had to ask myself, "What the hell was I thinking???" And patience??? After sitting "in the wings" for a year waiting for me to complete it's new look, the least I could do for that Peavey was patiently make it happen, right?

Ha,ha,ha! I'm the bi-product of a general contractor so those man tool laws became null and void a long time ago! LOL And, as far as going for it? Well, like I said before...That sander opened a new horizon of ideas! (When I could see through all the sawdust, that is!) Remember, this was a originally a color change idea. I hadn't planned on reshaping my guitar of the future, but Jose' kept prodding me each step along the way. I tried keeping the "guts" intact in the beginning in order to avoid major surgery. It became obvious that more damage could occur, so with that "go for it" attitude, out came the pickups, pots, switches, etc. All safely put into a container. Keep in mind that was a year ago and the most I'd ever tackled on a guitar was putting new strings on...

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it?" Hm, I beg to differ, guys. Here's a pic of my toys prior to an evening about a year ago that was spent with Jose' Cuervo Tequila. (Uh-oh, this can't be good.) The Yellow/ Gold Peavey generation EX on the right was a gift afew years ago from a friend who thought my Kramer Stirker was wornout and tired. I thought the Peavey was nice, but I wasn't fond of the shape. Unlike the Kramer, it felt bulky and uncomfortable, not to mention that bright gold color. It needed new strings at one point, as well as a wire needing to be resoldered, so Jose' Cuervo suggested I take care of that. ( I know, blame it on the guy, right?) While the strings were off along with the pickguard, he then suggested something to the effect of a color change...Thus, my first guitar project began... Now, had I only had sandpaper, it might have been just a color change. Fortunately, my fiance' couldn't bare to see me toil, or build up muscles, I guess, and proceeded to present me with an electric sander. (Black n' Decker Mouse style.) Good or bad, it broadened my horizons.

Thank you for the welcome. If I hadn't of gotten caught up playing my guitar yesterday/nite, I would have had my project pics posted by now. Guess I'll make that my next project. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Well, hello Project Guitar Forum! I am the BrokenDoll, who just happened upon this board while searching out imformation for my Broken Guitar. Kidding. It's not really broken, but I sure did a number on it after spending an evening with my friends, "Tequila" and "Imagination" almost a year ago! No need to "fret," my project isn't laying around anymore in pieces and it actually came out damn close to how I envisioned it that fateful nite. I'll head to the project in progress forum with afew pics, but wanted to thank you guys first for providing so much imformation, as well as inspiration for what has ended up being a hobby, if not profession in the near future.