!WOOD!!

I worked on a Cimar LP copy for a friend.These were also closely tied to Ibanez.Body was plywood.If the body and neck are decent on yours(not plywood)and the price is reasonable could be worth it

Hi Bob.Great guitar work.Welcome to PG.GO LEAFS GO!!!!

With the many different branded Japanese copies of this era this could have been made by any company.Yours looks in great condition.The better manufacturers in the 70,s are now being looked at more seriously by collectors.I would suggest you hold on to it for a few more years and will be worth more than $200 us.Hollows and semi hollows are now being bought for good prices as long as they are in good shape and origional.Japanese copies were abundant in the 70's and 80's but are now becoming rather rare.The odd ones and anomilies will soon be collectable.Pan made some fine guitars and depending on what factory they were made will be worth holding on to.

If you live in Canada you have to make it through the dark months.Put the clubs away and strap on the snowboard.WHOO HOO!!!!!I usually play better in the spring cause the boarding accidents give me me time to rehabilitate which includes a lot of guitar time.Let it snow let it snow let it snow

Kid showed me how to resize pictures.Does your livingroom look like mine? Moderator is this the right size?

No didn't make them just getting my kid to show me how to post pics.

Kid showed me how to post pictures.I am so damned proud

Routers are the most dangerous tool in the shop because they have no guards and spin at over 20 000 rpms.This is a tool that demands respect but used properly is reasonably safe.With any tool you are not used to it is a good idea to get someone knowledgable to show you the ins and outs of safety.Don,t be afraid of them just use caution and good sense with any tool.Maybe try the woodshop at your local highschool.I always found my shop teacher helping out on the side.They ussually love shops and tools and are willing to help out.Always make sure your bits are quality and seriously sharp.And wait until the motor has stopped before removing tool from workpiece

I'd be tempted to plug all those holes with walnut or some contrasting wood and leave it clear.Might look stupid or might look good.Capping is another way but a ton of work.You could mill it with a router with a huge auxilliary base and a shooting box but would end up being as much work as making a new body.Bondo seems like a poor alternative.Depends on how much you want to save that body.I wonder if the guy who did that hesitated at the first hole and thought that it might be a bad idea?

I have been using Minwax sanding sealer for a while and have good success with it.It is pretty much a lacquer with lots of solids in it.I just brush on(too thick to shoot) 2-3 coats and wetsand until all gloss has dissapeared.I have used this on top of colour coats and found it totally acceptable.It seems to accept Deft Nitro quite nicely.Maybe I have doing this all wrong but when using Ash or other open grained woods this seems to be the best way.Have I been doing this all wrong? Rich

Luke it is.I,ll get in touch with you tonight after work.Rich

Hi folks I am cleaning out my shop of unwanted tools and came across a 1/2 horse Ryobi router that has been sitting in a drawer for too long.This router almost ended up in a pond after it creeped down and destroyed a very expensive Corion countertop.I would like to give this to someone that needs a router that cannot afford to blow the bucks.All I ask is that you really need a router and your budget just can,t cover one.I am relying on the goodness of human nature and the people of this great site to see that this tool goes to a truly deserving person.Please Please Please let this go to a person who really needs one and can,t at this time afford one.Now to the bad.I would not give away a perfect power tool for no reason .This thing has lots of power but it's finesse is poor.It seems to drop when under power.A good clamp or a whole loota duct tape might fix it but I work in a cabinet shop where this won't do.The lock off button was disabled on it's 4th pass[warranty means crap when you are on jopbsite and have to be gone].All I ask is for shipping from my house in Hamilton Ont.I would rather someone picked it up to make for the best freebie but anywhere in the US or Can is good.Sorry UK but it is not worth the shipping costs.I trust in the goodness of people and hope that this tool goes to someone that truly needs this Thanks Rich.PM me don't clog up the forum

I seem to get all kinds of guitars off of people that like to abuse their perfectly good guitars.I once got a poor little Squire that some little bugger had carved a pentagram on and the number 666 below the bridge.Then he decided that it would be a good idea to scrape a screwdriver around the pickguard.The origional colour was a beautiful burgandy but when I got it the poor little fella had been rollered with white oil base paint.It seems that some people buy guitars learn a few chords and think they are lead guitarist for Iron Maiden and carve up their guitars.I say go ahead and "relic" up your guitar and I will buy it off of you on Ebay in a couple of months.I know it is just an Epi special but it looks better now than if you go at it.I have a few beat to crap guitars and would trade you and save you all the trouble of working on your guitar.Ps it is undoubtably plywood

Just got a Harmony Broadway that needs help.Looks like this started out as a Burst guitar that was chemically stripped.Not sure if it was the stripper that caused the damadge or careless storing but all the old hide glue has gone brittle and lost it's adhesion.The neck block and tailpiece block are still tight to the sides but have completely seperated from the top and back.This has caused the neck to cave in and break the fretboard even with the top of the body.The loss of adhesion was so complete that it took only 10 minutes to cleanly remove the back.The top seems mostly secure to the kerfing and the 2 braces but the glue still seems brittle.The binding is completely intact(!!) but is seperated for about 6 inches either side of the neck.My question would be is there any way to make sure that the top will remain tight (I don,t want to have to remove the beautifully intact checkerboard binding)without removing and regluing the top.This is what looks to be an unplayed guitar.The finish on the neck is origional burst and is in as new condition other than some finish cracking.The frets are perfect and tailpiece and bridge are also origional.I know that this is not an expensive old archtop but I really would like to save her and would like to do it only once.Any tips would be greatly appreciated.This has what looks to be solid maple arched top and back.Thanks Rich

It really is that easy.Strip the finish and sand out the defects;if it is grainy use a sanding sealer;sand back and paint and clear coat.I buy the most beat up guitars and refinish them just for fun and practice.Look at the tutorials because some of these guys really know what they are doing.Good luck and get creative

If it hasn,t checked cracked or warped in the time you have had it sitting it is good to go.The average yield from apple lumber is usually around 20-25 %.Mill it and let it sit for a while longer and cross your fingers.this wood loves to rip itself apart but when totally dry is very stable.Good luck!!

I made a bass body out of oak and bolted on a maple neck.Tonal quality is pretty good and I found the weight not to bad.I finished it with black paint and filled the grain with white and clearcoat and looks impressive.Almost done an SG in the same manner out of oak and I think it will sound just fine.Good luck!!

I have had good success repairing cracks just like yours.Use whatever glue you feel comfortable with but make sure it is not to thick.Get a friend to put as much pressure on the crack to open it as possible and smear the glue into the joint with your fingers and then blow the glue into the joint with a straw or compressed air.This will make sure the glue hits all of the gluing surface.This works on cracked necks well as long the fretboard shows no damadge.Clamp lightly and wait 24 hours.I use regular yellow wood glue and have never had one fail yet.Rich

I rough out carvings with a rotozip which is like a big angry dremel.The problem with them is the diameter of the bits.You can only go so deep before the lateral pressure snaps them.I do make all my cavity and trem templates with a rotozip and guide point bits into masonite and with a light touch you do next to no damadge inside the host guitars cavities.They look like they have been lazer cut.A dremel would do the same.Always show the utmost respect to a tool that spins at 25000 rpms;has no guard and has razor sharp bits

Welcome to the best forum on the planet,you will love it here!!.Tung oil is available at any big hardware store for a lot less .Good luck on the guitar Rich

I just painted a Squire Strat with Duplicolour metallic red.Levels out ok and colour is good but again not exceptional.Clear coated with nitro and buffed and it looks good.Not bad for a $20 finish Love the shape looking forward to see it completed. Rich

You can never go wrong with an SG and there is nothing more satisfying than a sharp hand tool

The picture was taken at the Dundas Driving Park in beautiful Dundas Ontario Canada.This is my favorite place to eat lunch when I get the chance.I had just finished off a chili cheesedog and propted the guitar on the fountain in the kiddie pool and snapped a few pictures.This is where I grew up so I thought it very fitting to show where I am now. Rich

I kinda meant that I don,t Know what a good bass should sound like.I had to research how to tune it after I had strung it.I am going to drop it off at my bass playing budddy and see what he thinks. Rich

Man that is one seriously hacked body.Good to see that you are willing to put the effort into it.I also repair abused guitars for practice and experimental finishes.What finish do you plan for this? Rich