Newc of the JCF

Thanks fellas, but I gotta go with the Baritone - the Jackson heels won't conform easily to the Warmoth/Fender pocket specs, and I can't work the neck or the body without fear of toasting either one But hey, at least I finally got me a baritone Newc

Ok, here it is - the Warmoth Zebra Star http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starfront.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starback.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starside1.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starside2.jpg It's definitely not smooth and perfect. I had to patch a few bare spots, and the tips have folds. I suppose I could level it out with topcoats, but how's that going to alter the sound? Probably kill it. Maybe I'll strip it and redo it one day Now I just gotta figure out which neck to put on it Jackson USA maple/ebony AT-1 neck with trans black flametop head http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarAT1.jpg Jackson USA maple/maple neck with White Pearl head http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarWoodburn.jpg Jackson USA maple/rosewood/fins reverse neck http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarSDJRVS.jpg Warmoth Baritone Conversion neck (maple/ebony) with White Pearl Strathead http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarBari.jpg Warmoth birdseye/birdseye Strathead http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarBirds.jpg Warmoth plain maple/maple Strathead http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starmoth.jpg Any suggestions? Newc

Ah I see. Anyone know where I can get a computer-controlled multi-jet painting machine for $500? Newc

Oh, forgot to say I also found a neat trick! You can use a boom-style mic stand for a drying rack! Just set the boom flat and even on both sides of the center pole, get a metal clothes hanger, run the hook through one of the neckbolt holes, and hang the hanger on the boom. You'll do better to put the hanger's corner (where it bends - the one closest to the hook) on the bar itself - don't want the hanger to stretch out You might also have to secure the opposite end of the boom - I just hung another body off another hanger on the back half of the boom for balance This way you can paint/coat all sides of the body like the pros do (if you're cramped for space like I am ) Newc

Yeah, I wanted it to be a surprise - I already blew half the secret when I said I was using a Star-shaped body, and almost blew the other half by saying what colors the material had in it But I just put the first sealer coat on top of all the fabric (had to patch a few holes) and I should be ready for show and tell by tomorrow MUAHAHAHAHAHHAHA Newc

Ah, I see, I thought the airflow determined paint flow (air passing over the jar/cup opening draws the paint out, right? So theoretically the lower the air pressure the thinner the paint? But then, what do I know about it? ) Newc

WHOAH! Thanks for the info, LGM! That post frikkin rocks! I been thinking about getting an airbrush and learning how to use it, and that really helped, though I do have a question: Since I was not gifted with a steady hand ( ) the dual-action is out of the question, but I want the control that dual-action provides. Couldn't you just attach a knob-style or pedal-style flow control to the hose running from the compressor to the gun and adjust it on the fly with your other hand? Newc

Brian's right - the Mod Podge glue didn't hold well to the poly finish of the V, and since I messed up the back of the neck (crooked cut lines near the binding, as well as mysterious lumps under the fabric) I had to tear it off and start over Anyway, it was easy enough to tear off, and I've just about figured out that if you glue each piece of fabric to each other instead of the body, you can make guitar-clothes Remember the AxeSak? Ok, so I broke out some 320 sandpaper and matted the finish of the V in preparation to start over, but while I contemplated the actual refinishing (before restarting) I decided to tackle a Warmoth Star body I've had for a few months This one's coming along (with more thought into each step than I used before), and I've just about got it nailed on how to cover the sides of the body with fabric. Obviously I can't do seamless sides because of the slits in the fabric and the curves around the body, but here's basically what I came up with (forgot to take progress pics DOH!) Ok, so I covered the front and back first and glued those down. Following Brian's tutorial, I trimmed off the edges, which messed me up because I was not going to paint the sides like Brian did. Another problem I ran into was starting with a raw unfinished/unprimered body - natural brown/red mahogany - and using a fairly thin lightweight fabric (100% cotton). Once the glue dried, the wood color gave the white parts in the fabric a pinkish hue. So, since I had already screwed the edges, and now found that I screwed up by not using a primer coat, I decided to just slap on another layer of fabric (after sanding the first one smooth). This time I left a ton of overhang to cover the sides. I took the rest of this trip a step at a time - glue the top down, then coat it, putting a generous amount of glue over the edges of the body onto the overhanging fabric (BEFORE I made my contour slits). This works great because when it comes time to cut the slits, the fabric is kinda rubbery and very easy to work with - and doesn't unravel if you do straight cuts! Ok, so of course once you fold the edges over, you see bare wood. Since I'm using a patterned fabric, I just took some scraps that had a matching pattern (or close enough match) and glued them down into the curves/contours, THEN glued the top layer's overhang on top of the scrap "patch". So far, this trick is working out great. The only trouble I expect at this point is doing the rounded points - those will have to be cut and folded carefully But then, I don't mind a few lumps in it as I should be able to build up the top coat of Mod Podge to blend them in smoothly. Also, I'm using the Matte finish Mod Podge - I used the Gloss Coat MP before, and it still felt tacky after a few days, even when sanded smooth. So far the Matte MP hasn't tackied up since I sanded it. Newc

Oh I don't know - looked everywhere else and finally found this place, maybe? You know how it is when you're looking for something specific - that's what you're looking for and everything else is secondary Just snag the Jackson logo from the home page. You might have to shrink it some. Newc

Budman! I figured you'd be here Post that 24 fret RR you made And I, too, am interested in seeing if the sound is affected by not sanding off the finish first. Hopefully it isn't, but if it is, it shouldn't be too hard to peel it all off and start over. If I could find a way to treat the material to have a flexible, glassy smooth surface then theoretically I could remove it and re-apply it at will. Hmmmm, clothes for your guitars.... O course, I've just applied the first sealer coat but it's starting to rain outside, which means I can't sand it to apply the second coat Newc

Can you find a pencil that will show on your paint? If you're doing it on a white or off-white background, I guess it'd work to do it right on the paint, as long as it had enough texture for the pencil to mark it, but not so much that it kept you from drawing the lines you want (pencil jumps, bumps, etc etc) I haven't tried gluing paper to a body yet, so I don't know if that'd work or not. Newc

I was gonna say, if you're going to cover the big ugly pickguard, try to find a single-layer pickguard instead of a 3-ply like Fender uses so your artwork doesn't buckle over the edges. Or you can lay it on and cut it out with a sharp knife, then attach it to the big ugly pickguard, then line up the rest of it on the body. Newc

You can't use an iron to smooth out missing paint - that takes sandpaper. You can use an iron to make small dents flatten out, but if you got visble paint missing or can see wood, you need filler and paper. Newc

You should be able to just glue it to the final paint coat, or between coats of clear. If you can find some printable sticker paper, that should work better. This is definitely something I'm planning to do sometime soon Is it a Fender-type Strat with the big ugly pickguard on top? Newc

Ok, now I'm moving on to the REAL project axe (first was the guinea pig ) I'm going to try covering a neckthrough Jackson King V, neck back and all, with only one piece of material for the entire back. This should be interesting to say the least I started off without sanding the finish off first, as a nice thick coat of Mod Podge seems to be enough to hold the material down. Drying time is increased, but overall labor should be decreased Even if it doesn't hold as tightly as sanding or roughing up the clear would hold, I can always tear it off easily and sand off the glue/finish/paint and start over I did the template a little differently this time; Though Brian's idea of using 4 sheets of printer paper taped together works great if you're doing just the body, a neckthrough V presents a problem: You'd need 7 sheets, and waste half a sheet on the rest of the headstock. I know, quibbling over a 2cent sheet of paper is extreme, but I'm always open to new ideas So I had this roll of white paper sitting around, hoping to use it to print posters and banners - picked it up at WalMart a few years ago and never used it. It's 24" wide, which means it won't fit in a standard printer, so it's perfect for making one-piece templates Of course, it comes rolled up so you have to straighten it out before you cut. I just drug it off the edge of the kitchen counter a foot at a time and it was straight enough to lay down without curling up Since the flattish sides of the body will be covered, I'm using painter's tape (blue masking tape that sticks good, but doesn't leave glue behind) to hold down the excess on the face of the guitar while the sides dry. This tape is also great for holding your template to your material once you've got the pattern centered. Newc

The orange and black is called a Buzzsaw, IIRC Newc

You need to find a large retail chain like Target, K-Mart, or WalMart, or a fabric store that has a wide selection (try also places that recover furniture). Don't be afraid to ask the females (Mom, Grandma, old hags at the market ) where you can find some good material (100% cotton or cotton/polyester blend - don't use silk! ) Newc

I was poking through WallyWorld (WalMart) and ran across that fabric you used in the tutorial and said "Heyyyyyy, that looks familiar" Any good zebra patterns in your area? All I can find are spandex-type stretch or fuzzy-critter material. Newc

Glad ya like it Anyhoo, after 4 days I'm ready to unveil the results: Have a lookee here http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/frontsand.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/backsand.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/bodytempblank.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/horncuts.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/horncuts2.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/sidecuts.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/frontdone.jpg http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/backdone.jpg I really learned a lot doing this. This one is the experimental/guinea pig - the one where I learn what NOT to do and WHY you shouldn't do it that way as well as how to sand something. It's not 100% perfect, as there are a few places that need to be smoother, the back coating is not as thick as the front coating, and the sides are not covered, but I think I've got enough of this technique down that I can jump on the "real thing" One thing I did find out (with help from Brian) is that if you use ModPodge paste to glue the material to the body, you can skip the sanding-to-the-wood That piece inside the trem cavity is attached to the original clearcoat/paint, and it ain't goin nowhere Newc

You mean like the one on the left? Ok, I got me some heavy grit sandpaper and a sanding block, and went to work on the back of The Victim Gonna be a while I'll sneak it into work this weekend and see if I can strip it off with an air sander Newc

SWEET! Thanks Bro Just wish I could bypass the initial sanding down to the wood I really need to get meself a powered sander Newc