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Post subject: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 10:22 am
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Hey everyone. Well, I’ve been working on a project for the last few months. I hope you can all tolerate one more “build” thread. So, here goes.
For a while, I have been wanted to attempt a complete rebuild and refinish of a solid body electric. I figured it would be a good learning experience all the way around. Since this was to be my first attempt at a project of this depth, I could not justify tearing apart my MIM Strat that is in perfect condition. Obviously, my first stop was the local craigslist. After searching and waiting for a couple of weeks, I came across what I thought would be a good project guitar. It was an ESP LTD M-50. I picked it up for a song from some kid who was finished learning on it and no longer wanted it around. At closer inspection this guitar had obviously been around the block a time or two. One of the tuners had been changed, the solder joints were a mess, I don’t think the fretboard had ever been cleaned or oiled, and I couldn’t begin to guess the last time (if ever) that the strings had been changed. The body was completely stripped, sanded, primed and refinished in nitrocellulose blue (the color is called oceans away). I picked up the tremolo, knobs, and pickups (GFS crunchy PATS) from guitarfetish.com, a set of Dunlop strap locks from Stewmac.com, and a set of locking tuners, and a wiring harness from dragonfireguitars.com.
I know that some of the naysayers will tell me that I probably shouldn’t have put so much time, effort and cash into this particular guitar. Again, I did it more for the experience than anything. I can tell you all that I gained a TON of knowledge during this project and can’t wait to do another. The whole lacquering ordeal…what a PIA but, was worth it in the end. I wanted a color that would work well with black hardware and I think I was able to achieve that. The guitar plays well and the GFS pickups are pretty darned good (IMO anyway). While I’m usually not a big fan of the reverse headstock models it what was available and in the end looks pretty good (I think anyway). Okay, here are the pictures. I look forward to comments and constructive criticisms.

Let's start with some before pictures

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Now, time to strip off the nasty old finish

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Here is a shot after she was sprayed with primer

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Here she is is in between coats of wet sanding with the blue

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Here she is all back together

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Well, that's about it. Please don't judge me on my poor photography skills. My camera is sub par, in fact a few of them were taken using my cell phone. At any rate, the finish never would have come out so well without the help of some good people. I have to thank my good friends at Herrlwoodcraft.com for helping me spray the finish and a special thanks to Ceri who also provided me with great guidance with the refinishing process. Again, I look forward to any and all comments.

Thank you

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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 1:23 pm
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Dude!

That blue looks killer! 8)

If that's your first go at a spray re-fin, then Big Hairy Respect to you for job well done. Impressive results judging buy your pic's, which I thought were pretty good actually. I'm utterly crap at spray paint jobs, and I've had a few go's at it. Kudos to you.

This thread needs to be added to The Nutter's Build Thread Listing.

Cheers!

Andy

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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 2:23 pm
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AM liking that lots man!!!! 8)

Gives me some ideas.....I picked up the Washburn equivolent of that a few months back and have spent a few evenings just sitting looking at it! :roll:

Is that the original pickups or did you change them?

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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 3:28 pm
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That looks very sharp!!

On the 'naysayers' let them say nay!!!

I look at refinishing as a hobby activity. It's a skill, and you learn by doing. The money is yours, so no one else (wives aside,) but you can decide if it is well spent. My Ibanez project (which I still have to redo, even though I finally got the paint right!!!) ended up costing me several times the guitar's value in paint before it was done, then it got damaged, so I am at square one again :(

But when i finally finish the project it will be unique, and thew skills I honed on that one made my Strat-clone project possible.

Congratulations, on your project, it looks great.

Now I'll inject some personal opinion that you should probably ignore, but as i said now that the guitar is blue, it looks really sharp , but now the headstock shouldn't!! I would take the opportunity to soften some of the corners, but then I have always had a very high tolerance for how much work someone else has piled up!

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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 8:13 pm
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pappawookee wrote:
Is that the original pickups or did you change them?


The pickups are a replacement. I got them from guitarfetish.com.
here is a link to them with a couple of sound samples. I wanted something that would be could for classic rock and some of the 80s metal type stuff. For the money, I think they sound pretty good.

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Crunchy-PAT-High-Output-Humbucker-Black_c_139.html

Thanks for the comments so far guys. Mucho appreciated

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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 7:57 pm
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Twelvebar wrote:
Now I'll inject some personal opinion that you should probably ignore, but as i said now that the guitar is blue, it looks really sharp, but now the headstock shouldn't!! I would take the opportunity to soften some of the corners, but then I have always had a very high tolerance for how much work someone else has piled up!


I agree. Reshaping the headstock AND painting it blue too would be a nice final touch.

There's not a lot of excess wood on the headstock, so I doubt you could get it to look like a lefty Tele, but rounding off the points is a slick idea IMO.

Have a cold one (whatever that may be) and think about it.

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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:51 pm
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Thanks guys for all the positive comments. I DO appreciate it.

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"I like the way he puts Yngwie J. Malmsteen on his album covers. You know,....so you don't confuse him with all the other Yngwie Malmsteens in the business"


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2010 Epiphone Masterbilt
2009 Fender Super Champ XD


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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 3:28 am
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Hi BTG:

Andybighair wrote:
If that's your first go at a spray re-fin, then Big Hairy Respect to you for job well done.

+1 - that's some nice looking buffing that's been done there. Kudos to you! 8)


BigTufGuy wrote:
... and a special thanks to Ceri who also provided me with great guidance with the refinishing process.

You're most welcome.

Now. What's the next project? The first always leads to the second - that's a fact of nature!

Cheers - C

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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 5:57 am
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Ceri wrote:
Now. What's the next project? The first always leads to the second - that's a fact of nature!
Cheers - C


Ahh, Ceri, I've been waiting for you to post. I KNEW you would want to see the finished product. Thanks for the kudos. It wouldn't have come out so well without your help.

As for the next project, Well, let's just say that I'm not sure yet BUT, there will be more. I'm finding that I enjoy working on them almost as much as I do learning to play them. It is like a new form of GAS.
Thank you again for your help my friend.

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"I like the way he puts Yngwie J. Malmsteen on his album covers. You know,....so you don't confuse him with all the other Yngwie Malmsteens in the business"


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2010 Epiphone Masterbilt
2009 Fender Super Champ XD


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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 10:43 am
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Andybighair wrote:
This thread needs to be added to The Nutter's Build Thread Listing.


Done and dusted! :)

Great work on the refinish, BigTufGuy! That's quite a stunning shade of blue! Better put my sunglasses on! 8)

As Ceri says, what's next on the menu? ;)

Cheers

Nutter


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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 11:35 am
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Absolutely love the color! Excelent job! I'm gonna have to sift through some yard sales and see if I can dig up a project myself. :mrgreen: I'm sure the wife will be ecstatic about that! hahaha. Oh well...

I will have to post pics of my first fret dressing when I actually get to it.


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Post subject: Re: One more UN-fender rebuild / refinish thread
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 3:15 pm
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That did come out very nicely!

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