Some of the older members may remember that I had been bitten by the "Buy a Squier 51 and Mod it to Death" bug, a while back.
My blonde Squier '51 was modded to the following standards:
- Pickups changed to GFS Dream 180 bridge and Tele Fatbody neck
- Bridge changed to the GFS one
- Frets leveled, crown and polished, then neck tinted and spayed in nitro
- Tusq nut
- GFS Kluson Style keys
The result was a highly playable and good sounding guitar, esp. for the money spent. But then another idea came on...
I've seen the work Shepard Fairey had done for Fender (for example, here: http://www.buffalobrosguitars.com/im...lic/index.html) and also other people's guitars with the same idea. I wanted something like that, in a "somewhat" reliced style.
For my "art", I selected some decoupage tissue papers from an ebay store. The main theme is old posters, I didn't care much for the historical continuity, just wanted something retro looking.
I decided to cover the entire guitar body and remove the pickguard altogether. I'm not sure this is the best choice; perhaps a smaller-cut pickguard would be appropriate and even desirable for protection of the body. But this can easily be added in the future.
The process of cutting the tissue paper and putting it on the body (using white woodworkers glue) was very tedious and slow. I had my daughter helping me from time to time and it took us several sessions to complete the task.
I must point out I did nothing to the body by way of removing the paint, etc. Just a good cleaning to be sure the tissue paper would adhere easily.
After that, came the equally slow process of spraying several coats of clear acrylic varnish. I usually sprayed 3 light coats, separated by 30 minutes time each, and, the next day or whenever I had the time, sand the surface with 600-1000 grit sandpaper, and repeat.
After about twenty or so of these sessions, I concluded that the body was as good as it was ever going to be. My only concern with clearcoating, after all, was to protect the tissue paper and create a uniform surface.
After several weeks that the body stayed waiting for me to find the time, I finally started assembling the whole thing. In the meantime, the headstock was painted black.
I had decided from the beginning to change the wiring of the guitar. So I opened another hole to the control plate, in order to use a Gibson 3-point switch. A Goeldo push/pull was used for the volume control and a "mini" pot for the tone control. I also used a Switchcraft jack.
The main problem here, was that the control cavity is rather small for this kind of wiring. Good for me I had the mini-pot on hand, because otherwise it wasn't going to fit at all. Even with this, things are tight.
Some months (!!) after I first started the project, the guitar was in a ready to play condition! Just as an experiment, I put on flatwound 11-50 strings, and tuned it one whole step down. I'm going to use this guitar for some low tuned or alternate tuning work in the future!
Gearlist:
Guitars
- Kramer Pacer Deluxe (’87) with SD pickups
- EBMM 25th Anniversary hardtail
- EBMM Axis Super Sport hardtail
- Squier CV Tele (Reliced!)
- "Relic Wallpaper Squier ’51 (heavily modded)
- Custom made Precision type bass with EMG pickup and custom paintjob
Amps
- THD Univalve
- Tech21 Trademark 10
- 2x12” Tube Town "flexi-back" cabinet, with Celestion Speakers
Effects, etc
Peterson Strobostomp, Budda Bud-wah, BYOC Script Phaser, Proco RAT (original), Boss HM-2 (modded), EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Line6 M13 Stompbox Modeller, Axon AX-100 MkII, Digitech GSP1101/Control2
Visit my page on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thegenusloci
Gearlist:
Guitars
- Kramer Pacer Deluxe (’87) with SD pickups
- EBMM 25th Anniversary hardtail
- EBMM Axis Super Sport hardtail
- Squier CV Tele (Reliced!)
- "Relic Wallpaper Squier ’51 (heavily modded)
- Custom made Precision type bass with EMG pickup and custom paintjob
Amps
- THD Univalve
- Tech21 Trademark 10
- 2x12” Tube Town "flexi-back" cabinet, with Celestion Speakers
Effects, etc
Peterson Strobostomp, Budda Bud-wah, BYOC Script Phaser, Proco RAT (original), Boss HM-2 (modded), EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Line6 M13 Stompbox Modeller, Axon AX-100 MkII, Digitech GSP1101/Control2
Visit my page on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thegenusloci
I agree - looks completely fantastic!
The Law of Gravity is nonsense. No such law exists. If I think I float, and you think I float, then it happens.
Master Guitar Academy - I also teach via SKYPE.
That is REALLY incredible looking. I don't think I've seen a better mod job in my life.
You deservedly must be very proud of this one! Top Notch! :
Gearlist:
Electric: Ibanez 'AS103', Fender Dlx Nash Pwr Tele, Fender Squier '62 JV Strat, Squier '51, Squier 60's Classic Vibe Strat, Epi Elite LP Studio, Hagstrom Swede Acoustic: Larrivee LV-03RE, A&L AMI, Yamaha FG340-T Bass: Yamaha BB 450 Amps: Roland JC-120, JC-50, Peavey Classic 30, Fender Super Champ XD Pedals: Marshall Guv'nor Plus, Danelectro Cool Cat Drive, Transparent Overdrive, Digitech Digiverb, Bad Monkey, Ibanez TS-9, Boss AC-2, CE-5, CS-2, DD-3, DF-2, DS-1, FV-100, GE-7, OC-2, PSM-5, SD-1, TU-2, DVM~BYOC 'Lush Puppy' Chorus
That is really nice. I'm very impressed. How do you like the GFS bridge?
Axen: Jackson DK2M, Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster, Reverend Warhawk 390, Taylor 914ce, ESP LTD Surveyor-414
Amphen: Jet City JCA22H and JCA12S cab, Carvin X-60 combo, Acoustic B20
Effecten: "Thesis 96" Overdrive/Boost (aka DVM OD2), Hardwire DL-8 Digital Delay/Looper, DigiTech Polara Reverb, DigiTech EX-7 Expression Factory and CF-7 Chorus Factory, Danelectro CF-1 Cool Cat Fuzz
"I wish Imagine Dragons would be stuck in an Arcade Fire for an entire Vampire Weekend."--Brian Posehn
Amazing! Looks stunning... but that bed cover has to go
I can't say that I've given up on a flanger cause I've never liked the effect either. I also can't say the same about Tremolo. I hate them both equally. - Tone2TheBone 2009
Thank you all guys for the kind words!
I like to fantasize about the looks in people's eyes, next time I get on stage, holding this one!
I had this bridge when the guitar was still a blonde. Well, it's certainly an improvement over the stock one, more robust and easier to setup. And for less than 10 euro who cares anyway!Originally Posted by marnold
Dude. This was in my mother's house. I'm much more hardcore when it comes to bed covers.Originally Posted by SuperSwede
Gearlist:
Guitars
- Kramer Pacer Deluxe (’87) with SD pickups
- EBMM 25th Anniversary hardtail
- EBMM Axis Super Sport hardtail
- Squier CV Tele (Reliced!)
- "Relic Wallpaper Squier ’51 (heavily modded)
- Custom made Precision type bass with EMG pickup and custom paintjob
Amps
- THD Univalve
- Tech21 Trademark 10
- 2x12” Tube Town "flexi-back" cabinet, with Celestion Speakers
Effects, etc
Peterson Strobostomp, Budda Bud-wah, BYOC Script Phaser, Proco RAT (original), Boss HM-2 (modded), EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Line6 M13 Stompbox Modeller, Axon AX-100 MkII, Digitech GSP1101/Control2
Visit my page on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thegenusloci
I agree as well. That is HOT looking!
Steve Thompson
Sun Valley, Idaho
Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay
love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
- j. johnson
I never would have thought to do that, but I gotta admit....
That's pretty darn cool....:
great job on the imaginative re-finish
Guitars: A Few
Amps: A Couple
Pedals/Effects: Sure
We've done four already, but now we're steady, and then they went one-two-three-four....
Very fine work there, Abraxas. Looks great!! : :
DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:
Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE
Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue
Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!
DVM's Gear Photos
Visit MY WEBSITE!
Thank you all guys!
Another thing I noticed is that the tone and resonance didn't seem to suffer from all that paperwork and clear coats.
Going against the common wisdom about thin finishes and tone? Naaah, I still believe there is some truth in that one. But, the 51 came from the factory with several mm of polyurethane finish (read, plastic). Hardly a millimeter more didn't seem to bother it.
Oh, and it's a very cheap method to radically alter a guitar's appearance. The tissues cost me less than $35 with s/h to Greece. The hours of work needed to complete the project, are another matter though.
Gearlist:
Guitars
- Kramer Pacer Deluxe (’87) with SD pickups
- EBMM 25th Anniversary hardtail
- EBMM Axis Super Sport hardtail
- Squier CV Tele (Reliced!)
- "Relic Wallpaper Squier ’51 (heavily modded)
- Custom made Precision type bass with EMG pickup and custom paintjob
Amps
- THD Univalve
- Tech21 Trademark 10
- 2x12” Tube Town "flexi-back" cabinet, with Celestion Speakers
Effects, etc
Peterson Strobostomp, Budda Bud-wah, BYOC Script Phaser, Proco RAT (original), Boss HM-2 (modded), EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Line6 M13 Stompbox Modeller, Axon AX-100 MkII, Digitech GSP1101/Control2
Visit my page on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thegenusloci
I have always like this kind of work and you have a gem there. Congrats:
M29
Sweet very good job
Bass a natural finish Jazz bass with a SX rosewood neck with white block inlay GFS Jazz PUPS Suzuki clasical guitar Behringer BX1800 amp
Guitar (sons) Epiphone SG310 Epiphone LP junior Takamine 836D Chrous , wah volume , echo , overdrive pedals Ashton 80 watt amp
Nice, I like it.
I would have traded you my black body for the blonde though. They only had black when I got mine and black guitars bore me to death.
Time to fire up the printer I guess. ;D
Cheers
My Momma always said "Stultus est sicut stultus facit".
She was funny like that.
Your guitar has inspired me to do something similar with a Squire strat that I have. On line I've found some photos of my three favorite blues players, Albert King, Buddy Guy, and Stevie Ray Vaughan that I want to put on my strat.
My question is if I just print the photos on standard printer paper with an ink jet printer will the photos work and not fade after clear coating?
Do I need some special paper or printing process to make the decoupage art work?
Glad that my work on the '51 inspired you!Originally Posted by BluesHowler
Yes the paper is a special type, used for decoupage and other paper arts. It is really very thin and I don't know if you could find something similar to print on.
Gearlist:
Guitars
- Kramer Pacer Deluxe (’87) with SD pickups
- EBMM 25th Anniversary hardtail
- EBMM Axis Super Sport hardtail
- Squier CV Tele (Reliced!)
- "Relic Wallpaper Squier ’51 (heavily modded)
- Custom made Precision type bass with EMG pickup and custom paintjob
Amps
- THD Univalve
- Tech21 Trademark 10
- 2x12” Tube Town "flexi-back" cabinet, with Celestion Speakers
Effects, etc
Peterson Strobostomp, Budda Bud-wah, BYOC Script Phaser, Proco RAT (original), Boss HM-2 (modded), EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Line6 M13 Stompbox Modeller, Axon AX-100 MkII, Digitech GSP1101/Control2
Visit my page on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thegenusloci
Now THIS is a bed cover!Originally Posted by SuperSwede
What do you think, SuperSwede? BTW, that guitfiddle looks pretty awesome too! :
Last edited by bigoldron; December 11th, 2008 at 02:57 PM.