agile 50's strat project
- Thread starter mayfly
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mayfly
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Gentlemen,
The beatings have begun:
I've put word out at the office that anyone who's having a tough day can take a shot at it. This is working out pretty well, as the tools, hits, and general abuse varies quite a bit. One guy whacked it with a spoon, one guy dragged it a bit on concrete, one guy dropped a Phillips screwdriver on the face (hey - that could easily happen!), one guy started carving his initials in it and stopped half way. I've been working on "players wear" marks - like buckle rash and regular wear spots on the top.
So far the marks look pretty real
But I was thinking that I need to get a pickguard and a bridge on this thing pretty quick since it should not be beat up under these areas. But nah..... :icon_jokercolor:
Having fun so far,
Mayfly
The beatings have begun:
I've put word out at the office that anyone who's having a tough day can take a shot at it. This is working out pretty well, as the tools, hits, and general abuse varies quite a bit. One guy whacked it with a spoon, one guy dragged it a bit on concrete, one guy dropped a Phillips screwdriver on the face (hey - that could easily happen!), one guy started carving his initials in it and stopped half way. I've been working on "players wear" marks - like buckle rash and regular wear spots on the top.
So far the marks look pretty real
But I was thinking that I need to get a pickguard and a bridge on this thing pretty quick since it should not be beat up under these areas. But nah..... :icon_jokercolor:Having fun so far,
Mayfly
jackthehack
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Some suggestions:
1.) Leave out in any rainstorms
2.) Put in freezer. once thoroughly frozen put in oven set to 200F
3.) Tie behind car/truck drive 1/4 mile on gravel road.
4.) Splatter some Strip-eze randomly on it
1.) Leave out in any rainstorms
2.) Put in freezer. once thoroughly frozen put in oven set to 200F
3.) Tie behind car/truck drive 1/4 mile on gravel road.
4.) Splatter some Strip-eze randomly on it
This isn't quite right. fender didn't introduce the red until '58. After 58 this is true, and they did change the pigments in the '60's.Max said:The 2tone bursts were three tone, until the red part of the finish faded :icon_thumright: Kinda like how the old les pauls had a really bright red burst, but it faded quickly. The red dyes were changed in the 60s, to ones that wouldn't fade as badly.mayfly said:Marko said:nice project!!! I hope its a great stress reliever for you!!!!
btw shouldn't a 50s strat be 2tb ??
ya know, I was wondering about that. You strat guys - when did fender switch to 3tone bursts? I would like not to make an obvious mistake on the guitar when I choose things like the pickguard and fingerboard wood :icon_biggrin:
Prior to that it was sort of 2 tone, but not really. The body was dyed yellow. On ash until '56 it was actually a yellow lacquer toner , later it was a pigmented dye.
the Brown was actually two different shades of brown they called 'salem maple', and 'dark salem maple' the dark, which was almost black was used on the edges, because it covered so easily, but it didn't make a nice transition in the burst, so they used a thinner version for the burst. in fact the very earliest fender bursts were just the salem maple and no dye on the body, making it technically a one tone burst.
jackthehack
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I don't know.... Having previously produced the ultimate relic'ed body:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=6902.0
...and turning it into a workable instrument (the patented ToneCracks (tm) make for unbelievable sound):
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=13524.0
...Trevor's got my competitive juices flowing. I've ordered the same body and this is now a competition! Anybody else in? I live on the end of gravel road and having a Nissan truck with a hitch to drag it behind, I have an edge...
As another added advantage, my Australian Shepherd (seen below) is always wanting to help me on projects. As she can eat pork/lamb rib bones the way we eat a French fry, it will be interesting to see what her contribution will be if I nail pieces of capocolla/salami/bacon to the body....
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=6902.0
...and turning it into a workable instrument (the patented ToneCracks (tm) make for unbelievable sound):
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=13524.0
...Trevor's got my competitive juices flowing. I've ordered the same body and this is now a competition! Anybody else in? I live on the end of gravel road and having a Nissan truck with a hitch to drag it behind, I have an edge...
As another added advantage, my Australian Shepherd (seen below) is always wanting to help me on projects. As she can eat pork/lamb rib bones the way we eat a French fry, it will be interesting to see what her contribution will be if I nail pieces of capocolla/salami/bacon to the body....
Mayfly,
I have a rondo bass that I refinished...... Now I don't know exactly what was on it, but I started taking it off with a putty knife when it started peeling around the pickup routs. Came off in big flat chunks and it was very plastic like. Seems almost dipped in something. It took me a few packs of sandpaper to finally get it all off! I don't know my finishes like I should.... Mine had like a photocopy of flamed maple on the top and then all this plastic-ey crap on it.
Just a heads up on the injuries you inflict on this piece..... might want to feather the edges of the finish so it doesn't come off in chunks like my bass did..... which wouldn't look very 'reliced'
The bright side of your relic job is if you don't like the relic you did, you can always sand her down and practice your bursts on it!
Looking forward to seeing this become playable!
I have a rondo bass that I refinished...... Now I don't know exactly what was on it, but I started taking it off with a putty knife when it started peeling around the pickup routs. Came off in big flat chunks and it was very plastic like. Seems almost dipped in something. It took me a few packs of sandpaper to finally get it all off! I don't know my finishes like I should.... Mine had like a photocopy of flamed maple on the top and then all this plastic-ey crap on it.
Just a heads up on the injuries you inflict on this piece..... might want to feather the edges of the finish so it doesn't come off in chunks like my bass did..... which wouldn't look very 'reliced'
The bright side of your relic job is if you don't like the relic you did, you can always sand her down and practice your bursts on it!
Looking forward to seeing this become playable!
jackthehack
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I won't get the body till next week.
mayfly
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Update - some abuse put a hairline crack in the body. oops.
This morning I filled it with super glue - and the repair looks pretty crappy! :icon_biggrin:
I've also been taking the shine off the guitar with some synthetic steel wool. It's a nice matte finish now. Pics when I remember to bring my iPhone to work.
This morning I filled it with super glue - and the repair looks pretty crappy! :icon_biggrin:
I've also been taking the shine off the guitar with some synthetic steel wool. It's a nice matte finish now. Pics when I remember to bring my iPhone to work.
