Pantera X390 Project Complete!!

While far from perfect, my refinishing job is done and I'm pretty happy with it.

I have to say this was a bit over my head as I haven't ever tried this before, but with help from here and other sources it turned out pretty good.
I still have to add 2 new black switches instead of the old chrome ones and wire it up and set it up, but the "work" part is done.

Did I mention I'm tired of sanding?

Here is a couple of pics of the only green 390 that I am aware of - hope you all like:

Was this guitar black or blue when you got it?

colt933 wrote:Was this guitar black or blue when you got it?

BTW, your final buff looks pretty good.

colt933 wrote:

colt933 wrote:Was this guitar black or blue when you got it?

BTW, your final buff looks pretty good.

It was a DBK (black) but the previous owner tried to sand it smooth so it looked pretty bad.

And thanks - I spent a lot of time trying to get a good shine without burning through the clear.

Have to say it looks great, didn't think I'd like the green but yes, it looks the business, pretty nearly British racing green,
Bendmaster trem on a 390. they're starting to get common.

As for flatting you want to try a Bentley Continental,

fish wrote: it looks the business, pretty nearly British racing green,

It is close to that. I almost went for the Fender "Sherwood Green" but I don't think I have the skills for the metallic finish just yet....maybe next one.

Looks pretty damn fantastic to me!
Great job Sarc.
Sanding and finishing seems to go on forever, eh? Hope the wiring hook up goes smoother for you.

Ummm.... you know you're gonna need strings on it to make noise, eh?! Nice work; Colour's good.. well, I like it!!

corsair wrote:Ummm.... you know you're gonna need strings on it to make noise, eh?! Nice work; Colour's good.. well, I like it!!

Yes - I need to stop and buy a set tomorrow

TBH...that solid green appeals more to me than all thos metallics and what have you not.
Good job!

Great job! Not many of us are brave enough to tackle something like that yet! The logos look really good, how'd you do that?

The Chad wrote:Great job! Not many of us are brave enough to tackle something like that yet! The logos look really good, how'd you do that?

Thanks. The logos were images (Silence sent me the Pantera logo, the Westone I got from the net somewhere) that I made Grey Scale and then printed on waterslide decal paper.
Sprayed the printed images with clear coat and let dry (so the color doesn't run when applying). then apply after the green coats are complete, spray the clear, and sand away till it all looks nice

Looks great, like the green.

That's a really nice job Sarc - Well done!! Any other projects lined up?

Hoax

Not keen on the green.
Nice job though. Plenty of elbow grease! A mechanical polisher's a lot easier.
Might have some westie tuners for your 'project', r/handed 6 a side, any good to ya' ?

Westbone wrote:Not keen on the green.
Nice job though. Plenty of elbow grease! A mechanical polisher's a lot easier.
Might have some westie tuners for your 'project', r/handed 6 a side, any good to ya' ?

ya my back still hurts from leaning over the table and polishing. I pm'ed ya bout the tuners

Great Job Sarc,
To quote the iconic Aussie movie Running on empty..."Greens nice!". Love the colour mate.

Now for your next Challenge..."MIRROR FINISH"...(lol).

Congrats,
Richie..

Nice.

anaerobe wrote:Nice.

Complete agreement here!!!

Hey - just a thought! - if you have waterslide paper left, you could perhaps make the small logos for the pickup covers?

corsair wrote:Hey - just a thought! - if you have waterslide paper left, you could perhaps make the small logos for the pickup covers?

I had thought about that - Might be worth a shot, but I think they would wear off pretty quicky.

sarcaster wrote:

corsair wrote:Hey - just a thought! - if you have waterslide paper left, you could perhaps make the small logos for the pickup covers?

I had thought about that - Might be worth a shot, but I think they would wear off pretty quicky.

The original p/up covers would have been screen printed, If they were in production today they would be pad printed/tampon printed, using epoxy 2K ink.

''Not that you would want to go there'' but if you were to find your local screen printer, the chances are they may print you the logos for around £25.00 needless to say you would have to remove the covers to do that.

I made these vintage car instrument faces & had them screen printed for £50.00, including the two screens & supplied my own artwork.



Clearly the best solution however, is to find your local sign righter with a stencil cuter, they will cut you some stencils very cheaply, the stencil has a sticky back, peel off the backing, stick it on, peel the front paper covering off, mask off & give it a blast of white aerosol & your home & dry, without removing the covers, best to remove the strings though

Thanks eh, I will look into that.

Had you considered having them laser-marked? It is a bit more destructive a process but also will never wear away.

Iceman wrote:Had you considered having them laser-marked? It is a bit more destructive a process but also will never wear away.

Never heard of it, but I like the never wear away part - I'll look it up

sarcaster wrote:

Iceman wrote:Had you considered having them laser-marked? It is a bit more destructive a process but also will never wear away.

Never heard of it, but I like the never wear away part - I'll look it up

As I said, result .............



Two new plastic covers off fleaBay, they were a bit squared off & needed to have the edges & corners rounded, also a bit tight on MMK p/ups. As you can see one with the backing on & one ready for masking.



The two masked up & my one original.



Being so small they were a bit of a fiddle, easier to do on plastic covers as you don't have to worry about messing up a painted background, though I've put the winged W/logo on a painted Rail p/up cover in situ OK. The stencil cuter found them small to deal with too but once set up it coped OK, the smallest stencil the operator had ever done

That's pretty good Mike.

That Lagonda had some torque!

Result indeed; nice work!!

Wow!! This looks like something I would do!! I love it!! As you all have already surmised I am meticulous.. it's the little things that bother me... I would definately take the time to do what you did! In fact.. I made logos for the cases of all my guitars..that aren't original. I used to have an original Pantera "Westone" case...but I sold it with my old Pantera..I made one for the case of my TKL find the logo online, print it to the sticker label, then use an x-acto kinfe to cut out the letters making a stencile then it adheres to the surface with no worry of bleeding through when using a spray...edges can't lift up causing spray to go underneath the cutout... just a thought.

I only did this because the original finish got sanded down cause I dont think they like the DBK - Dull Blancl, snd since the head stock need to be fixes you could see the crack after repair - even the the repair was perfect. I'm am actuall thinking of changing the color again since the result was 8 put of 10 ans I think it deserves a 10. I may redo it