Oh, hell.....

Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez,Ibanez..............There feel much better now!

My strat is green with a yelloweeee goldeeeee type pearlescenceeeeee type thang going on. What about that TVR "pyramid paint" (i think that's what they called it)?

A La: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?start=105&sa=X&espv=210&es_sm=122&biw=1366&bih=610&tbm=isch&tbnid=8ZgDt_G7YehjfM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fgomotors.net%2FTVR%2FTVR-Tuscan-Speed-Six%2Fphotos.html%3Fpic%3D0&docid=51-kg9QAs14lgM&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fgomotors.net%2Fphotos%2F44%2Fa8%2Ftvr-tuscan-speed-six_93717.jpg%253Fi&w=400&h=300&ei=dJwLU7qnCaSO7QaB3IHQDA&zoom=1&ved=0CCoQhBwwCzhk&iact=rc&dur=618&page=7&ndsp=20

Ian

My father-in-law was a policeman at the '66 world cup final and only did it for the Overtime!........unbelievable. He got a signed programme and threw it way on the way home!

OOPs ...needs to be cheap. Forgot that, sorry.

You could even prick your little finger John and stick some DNA into it or your thumb 

http://ivanscala.com/ibanez-steve-vai-jem-2k-dna/

He threw the programme away. Hindsight eh..

corsair wrote:
Hey, is this the nut?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Graph-Tech-PT-5042-00-Black-TUSQ-Electric-Guitar-Nut-Strat-42mm-/360852197122

The measurements aren't exactly right, but theyre pretty close?!

Whaddya reckon, Damian??

well... I've been and had a long yarn with Hans and left the guitar with him. He's going to see what he can do on the niggardly budget I've set and, to be quite honest, I think he'll come up with something pretty close to the blue/gold sparkle, but without putting the hours and hours in required with the metal flake.

Pretty excited, really....

Now.. just need some wire, a pot or two, a jack and a nut and we're good to go!! I think Damian's got a 3 way and tip for me (?), and I have a 45 heading this way from Roma so moving ahead.... slowly!

Going off mine 43mm x 3.5width x 4.8 height.
What does your neck measure at the nut?
Either way you'll have to do  some filing/fitting should imagine.

You can always take some off, putting it back on is another thing!

3 way will be sorted this week.

Westbone wrote:You could even prick your little finger John and stick some DNA into it or your thumb 

Ewwww... FFS, I mean the guy is a legend, but, really?!?! Blood?! I repeat, ewwwww!!

Tuners arrived today... they seem very solid indeed and I'm pleased so far; I've not had much to do with these things so I don't know what I should be seeing!!
They are marked "Schecter" on the dust covers and "Jin Hon" on the face that goes against the headstock.

They're called Cosmo Black and are the new black chrome colour rather than the jet black of previous years; rather attractive, really!!

I assume that the story with them is to have no turns of string on the post and let the clamping dealie do its thing, yes??

Simple!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKMaamx7dik

Those are nice tuners, great choice John.

Great invention these. It makes string changing a breeze. And of course, there are variations on this theme, some good, some unnecessarily complicated. In essence though they all work by clamping the string rather than winding it around the post.
Done right they're magic.

A small word of caution though.
I would not do the final string trimming until you are certain it is properly locked in and in tune. Sometimes the strings (especially the plain steel) will appear to be OK but will slip as you tune to pitch. (It happens   )

If you have already cut the wire close to the post the string can pop out. Now you're well buggered since there's little if any string left to shove back through the hole and re-clamp. Save the final trimming until you're confident that everything is solidly in place.

One other caveat: as with locking nuts, Do Not Over Tighten! For the same reasons. Finger pressure only, no pliers or wrench.
I've lost count of the number times someone has brought in their "baby" with locking machine heads so tight I had to use mechanical assistance to free 'em up. And of course, they had also wrapped the string on the posts for good measure....then complained about the guitar not staying in tune!

Right on, and don't over loosen them as some come apart faster than you think.  I've dropped the little pin out of my Carvin with Sperzel locking tuners.  The release has a short travel and anything beyond it released the whole thing!  Parts on the floor!    

Oh, I've never done that!  

Just out of interest. I've been stringing up for years like this.
Kind of a self locking string.

Damian, that's my technique too.
Raised a few eyebrows from on-lookers (and the boss) when I started stringing the guitars at first. Works very nicely, especially on the wound strings.

Simple mechanics.. 

Seeing as the post is a capstan.

The case having a wee turn on the bench...



... the inside compartment was in bits which only entailed taking it out completely and putting it back together again properly, with some white glue in places.

There is damage on the front edge under the l/h latch, so I've made pieces to go over the top from aluminium 'L' channel and painted then matte black





The Schecter locking tuners... they seem very good indeed; very solid in feel and there is no slop in the locking mechanism when it's loosened off, so we'll see when the guitar comes back, won't we!!



... the string opening with the pin wound up



... nice sized knurled thumbwheel



named on the dustcover.

Who's a clever lad then?
Yer gonna love those locking machine heads!

Hans - the painter - has just let me know that he has the silver base and the flake on!! He reckons it bloody nearly glows in the dark.... getting a little excited here as he's obviously taken pity on me and is going to do this properly at a pecuniary loss!!

Colour is on, and awaiting the clear coats....

... "Awesome!" was the word he used to describe it.

the anticipation must be killing you John!
can't wait to see it.

    

I have it. Photos do not do this credit at all; it really, really glistens and gleams even indoors, and under lights or the sun it fair shimmers - f*****g beauty!!

I've got to give it a day or two to cure properly but couldn't resist these...













... more later when I've started to assemble the wench - there's a little sanding to be done in the neck pocket... LOTS of clear on there!! I hesitate to say what Hans charged me but suffice it to say, he ain't getting rich off this kiwi!!

I'm absolutely rapt!!

Very very smart indeed, you must be chuffed to bits with how well it has turned out. I really like the way he has maintained the tri colour even on the headstock, job well done!!!!

Oh thats a superb finish, even if the colours do belong on a circus clown

I see you improved on the original by reverse fading the neck colours, much better as the original had it all wrong, the yellow of the body would meet the blue heel of the neck, good work that man!

 

  John WINS!!!    

That is sweet, love the tri color.  And heavy flake.  That neck!

Your man did a beautiful job finishing the ole gal!
Still not my thing but a thoroughly professional job nonetheless.   

And I have just the footwear to compliment those fetching shorts of yours as you hit the stage with your new baby:

Click Here If You Dare:

Its a beaut, John!!

Hoax

Coming along nicely John...  
2 pack paint on that? Should think so. Still be spraying it if it was cellulose.

Thanks, lads; this chap does good work, I agree!! , and yep, Damian - two pack. I'm very lucky that Hans took pity on me, and did this as a project!

It's not everyones cup o' tea, for sure, and this colourway wasn't on offer for long which would indicate that buyers voted with their wallets, but I've fancied it since I first saw it in a catalogue!

Just waiting for the last bit to show up and then I can crack on.....

Ooooh.... love those jandals, Barry; you gonna buy 'em for my birthday.!

EDIT: last bit in the mailbox this morning... ONWARDS!! 

Progress report....

.... neck on, electronics in and working and Switchmaster knobs on.

Next job is to wire wool the daylights out of the fretboard and frets and then put the wires on and install the nut; I doubt this thing has been strung for many a long year so getting the neck relief right is paramount....

The nut is quite a loose fit in the slot; should I pack it and of so, towards the tuners or away from them? Or just try to get a nut to fit?

Away from the tuners, towards the first fret otherwise it'll affect your scale.

I'd get a new one definitely!!

A look at it nearly finished....













... once again, I have to say that these shots do not show the sheer presence of this finish; Lucy was most taken aback when she saw it "in the flesh" after having only seen photos, and whilst she isn't keen on the colourway, or the shape!, she certainly appreciates the skill in application!!

And to those who don't like the colour?? Ask me if I care?!  

That is by far one of the most ugly guitars I have ever seen.  But you have done a great job with it - congrats eh!

Jeez, Pat... say what you really think!!     It's not for everyone, eh, but does complete, for me, a quartet of Matt pointies - Vantage Invader II, APII U-60, Electra XV-1 Lady and Westone Raider II, so I'm well made up!!

Now, I'm not too sure I'd take it onstage at this stage in my life - as a youngster, I'd've bitten your hand off if you'd offered me this!! - though, I have to say I'm tempted to take it along to a C&W open mike night ....  

I think it looks great and a job very well done. Keep it in context and the pool shots could have been taken from the sett of Tracy Island  

Who's the archer?

That's my very old Hoyt target bow. I camouflaged it in 1978 to hunt with and thought it might look nice on the wall so spent some time taking the grey and green paint off it and blowing on some polyurethane: looks OK, doesn't it?!
I stopped any serious shooting in about 1981 having achieved representative honours, but now Lucy and my eldest are getting into it; Lucys' bow is a pink compound with holographic sights.... bit of an advance on the kit I was using 30-odd years ago!!

Johnny! Well done mate. You know I'm not a big pointy fan but there's no denying that it's a stunning showstopper of a guitar. It'll likely give the C&W crowd a collective stroke!

What really hurts though is posing it by the pool. We are still waiting for Spring to arrive, despite the calendar...it's still sub zero temps here with snow and ice still on the ground!

If you see Al Gore strolling by in a Speedo, please shove him into the deep end!

Thanks, all!!

Barry, temps have dropped here - finally - to around 26-27° during the day and we've finally got some rain, but the humidity is hovering around 95%....

The pool is still being used, though, primarily by me I have say, late at night..... when togs are optional....

Back OT, I have an issue with the nut in that the slot is between .5 and .75mm too wide; its probably been slogged out over the years, and the Tusq nut I have for it moves in the slot - just enough to have thinking on. Is packing it out - toward the bridge... Damian has already set me straight on that!! - an option, or should I get a custom nut cut? I'm loathe to invest the dosh in a set of nut files that will in all likelihood be used only once and the local music shop has quoted me $50 to get a nut cut, and I'm a little leery of what I may get from them.

*sigh*

Nothing's easy, eh...  

If the gap's only .5 and .74mm too wide, could you cut a little shim to fill the void and paint it black to blend in with your nut?  That's if the void is in front of your nut, towards the headstock.  Or even cut a piece of plastic to fill it.  I've made my own truss rod covers with plastic, if you do it right it looks great.

Could you use the ole' cyanoacrylate (super glue) + baking soda trick? Hardens like week old poo to a diaper. Fill and file.

corsair wrote:
Back OT, I have an issue with the nut in that the slot is between .5 and .75mm too wide; its probably been slogged out over the years, and the Tusq nut I have for it moves in the slot - just enough to have thinking on. Is packing it out - toward the bridge... Damian has already set me straight on that!! - an option, or should I get a custom nut cut? I'm loathe to invest the dosh in a set of nut files that will in all likelihood be used only once and the local music shop has quoted me $50 to get a nut cut, and I'm a little leery of what I may get from them.

*sigh*

Nothing's easy, eh...  

I'd buy a cheap set of used files and have a go at it.

Look around for a thicker nut and sand it down to fit.
Whatever happens your going to have to do some work on it.
Not often you'll get a nut that goes straight on no problems. You'd be very lucky.

Get the nut files, I did and they have made a world of difference to  setup. Essential tools imo.

Fantastic job on that finish, not my style either but what an eye catcher.

If you don't want to spend any dosh on files. Which I presume being a tight wad you don't..  

Grind down the edge of a junior hacksaw blade(both sides)until you get down to the desired thickness. The old way! but you'll have to buy some blades...  

Thank you, one and all; gee, this a great wee site!!

I'm in no rush, so I'll have a think about it over the next couple of days...

Leaning towards getting a bigger nut and sanding it down....

Nooh you need to file the slots, cant tell you wot a happy camper it made me on a 2 octave bass.

corsair wrote:...Leaning towards getting a bigger nut and sanding it down....

That's exactly what she said.

grogg wrote:Nooh you need to file the slots

That's not the initial problem here.

Everyone's gone slot mad!

Talking of slots, had a real rocknroll moment at the gig on Sat

grogg wrote:Talking of slots, had a real rocknroll moment at the gig on Sat

Well?!?! Are you going to share with the rest of the class?!