Thunder I rebuild

Had this old bashed up Thunder I around for awhile and decided to spruce it up a bit.
Unfortunately didn't take a good shot prior to disassembly. This is how it was.










My assistant




Half done



More to follow later............

The veneer all glued + shaped up.
Now the hard work starts, sanding, sandind, sanding...

Started staining. Thinking of shortning the headstock a wee bit????

Decided to shorten the headstock afterall.

That is going to look a very cool guitar on completion Damo. I like you subtle mods.

Graham

Half of one of your logo's Graham.The first one was on a white background, lol? burp!


Applied a bit of a burst and can get on with the lacquer

looking very nice. Howthick is the veneer? And curious to why you trimmed down the heastock - was it banged up?

The veneer is .55mm.
No the headstock was OK, just always thought they look a wee bit long. The older 'tones with the script type logo are even longer than the 'bird' logo's anyway, about a 1/4 ". This one was a 'bird'.
Just looks more in proportion.

Decided to flat it down a bit more, get rid of a few imperfections.
Have to do the burst again, think I'll put a even darker shade on the very edge as well.


Got some real nice pickups for this.

I think the darler edges will look good. Tough not to sand through around the edges though huh?

Really digging the veneer idea. Good choice of color, reminds me of a violin.

And your "assistant" looks like he needs to do more work, looks fat and lazy.

sarcaster wrote:I think the darler edges will look good. Tough not to sand through around the edges though huh?

Yes, carefull around the edges.
There were a few 'marks' where the veneer joins the edge radious, had to flat them out.


The Chad,
My assistant,' Tiddler' is a fat lazy thing, trying to get him to sand something down with his tongue, no chance.
He's a big 'un 24" from his head to the start of his tail, 7.5 kg's. Keeps all the other cats out of the garden and often brings us half a mouse, yummy!

Like it so far. Whats the pups?

She's turning into a whole different animal, eh? Nice Damian.

Tiddler, eh? Looks like Tippler to me judging by that well relaxed form..

You do keep the paint thinner cabinet locked..... right, old boy?

> The veneer is .55mm.

Are all "stripey" Mats just veneer over solid timer??
I thought that they had laminated bodies, e.g. Vantages, etc?!?
I've never sanded one down to check...

Tony C.

All the Korean ones are.
Mats are solid. eg. x350 ma. Prestige 250.

I don't quite get it, the stripes on your Mat Westone is just veneer but my 1983 VP820 is solid timber laminated?
I know my VSH 455 is just laminated, but I'd assumed solid-bodies like 800s were actually glued together...

Tony C.

Doooh!
I get it now - you put veneer onto the Thunder, you didn't take it off!
Confusion solved. That'll teach me to read the posts a bit better...

TC

thunder1 wrote:Doooh!
I get it now - you put veneer onto the Thunder, you didn't take it off!
Confusion solved. That'll teach me to read the posts a bit better...

TC

That's actually a good idea Damian - You could take the veneer off to highlight the laminate construction. Make a feature of it !!

Yep, hadn't thought of that.

hoax wrote:

That's actually a good idea Damian - You could take the veneer off to highlight the laminate construction. Make a feature of it !!

Veneer on or veneer off it still looks like a beauty. Did you have an idea if the front of the headstock would look good without that surface covered? Or is the base wood not up to snuff visually?

Continue on with the darkening of the burst and you will have yourself a nice deep coffee-stained example. You are quite the wizard WB!!

The Thunders(plain ash) have a ash veneer on from the off. Even the painted one's have a veneer. Look at the rear of the headstock.

Hi Damian,
Hows this one going? I am thinking of doing something similar to a spare body I have for a T1 bass which has one of those crappy looking side cuts glued in rather than the solid ash. What wood is the veneer youve used?
Grogg

It's figured sycamore, known as european maple, same family. Bit of a weed around here.

Work on the thunder has come to a halt at the mo. Loads of things to do and no time..

Touched the old Thunder up a wee bit.
Let it dry for a few months and then some lacquer. One day in the future.

Wow.... . That is amazing!.... She is looking better and better....

Gorgeous. Are you going with a super high gloss?

Very tasty Damian. No racing stripes for you then?

Barry wrote:Very tasty Damian. No racing stripes for you then?

Nope, too slow meself Barry. Can't keep up

Will add some high gloss lacquer soon. Then a bit of hardware.............might add pull/push tone knobs to coil tap as the switch is gone( the hole is still there but covered with veneer) would make things a bit lively, as you can mix when both pups are on Tap the opposing coils.
Might use a 45 at the bridge and a 22 at the neck

EEEE HAWWWW! Ride 'em Damian!

Playing about with some hardware.
Any opinions?
MMk 53's with all chrome


MMk 45's with chrome


MMk 45's and all brass



Could also remove the covers from the 53's.
Which do you reckon??

Wow, plain gorgeous!!!

As for the hardware, the last pic gets my vote.

Brass, Damian....looks good!! That's a lovely burst, mate!

Think you have to stay with a brass/black/creme combo Damian. I'm thinking zebras would be nice on this or even just creme mounting rings on the black pups? Definitely not chrome. Anywhere!

See what you mean about the cream, just don't like cream personally. Goes with the brass though, mmmm!

Added a few coats of lacquer. Will need a good few more and plenty of elbow grease.

At first I missed me stripes. Now I'm loving this look Damian!

I would vote for the Brass hardware. Looks very nice thus far.

Looking better and better... that is going to look killer when done...

I also vote for the brass finish...

It's a shame the brass goes better, because the 53's are absolutely beautiful.

I know Chad. Going to take the covers off

Westbone wrote:I know Chad. Going to take the covers off

...and, put 'em in creme mounting rings?

Something along these lines Barry.

Westbone wrote:Something along these lines Barry.

I like both of the last two more than the others (not that I don't like the others!!). Adds a bit of distinction.

Nice!!

Hoax

For what it's worth...........black surrounds and zebra bobbins . Am loving the finish

All looks good to me, hope that helps.

Now we're cookin'!
I actually prefer the creme pup in the black ring.

I agree with Barry. If both bobbins are to be the same colour then I prefer cream in black surround. I do have to say that the finish is cool enough for any combination. Top job!

I say you should do the same finish on multiple thunders, and have different hardware anu PUP covers on Each:)
Looks great!

[quote="sarcaster"]I say you should do the same finish on multiple thunders, and have different hardware anu PUP covers on Each:)
quote]

I've enough Thunders to do that sarc.

Will give it another few coats of lacquer today.

IanO wrote:For what it's worth...........black surrounds and zebra bobbins . Am loving the finish

+1

I'd like to see the black surrounds with zebra bobbins... would you photo that for us?

If you don't have zebra, then I'd do a +3 for the black surrounds with cream bobbins.

corsair wrote:IanO wrote: For what it's worth...........black surrounds and zebra bobbins . Am loving the finish
+1

Oh yeah! If zebras are now an option, I'm wif these guyz.