Back from the dead, T1a restoration

Thanks!

All the danish oil I've seen up close has had a tint to it, plus is it right that danish takes a lot longer to dry than the blended oils like Tru etc?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blackfriar-Danish-Oil-Clear-Satin-Finish-500ml-/170721417162?pt=UK_DIY_Material_Paint_Varnish_MJ&hash=item27bfca17ca

Doesn't take long to dry. Depends how much you put on.

Clear lacquer would have looked good on that.

Thanks mate!

I put on miniscule coats, I learned that lesson early doors!
Clear would have looked good, but this tinted TRU looks superb in the flesh!

It is a nice colour.

Reminds me of those Skylark models.

looking very good sarge and does indeed look like those Skylarks...also very similar to my CS350 as well   

I thought the grain originally looked a bit 'meh' but that blue colour really makes the most of it.

Thanks Cat, the black grain filler makes a huge difference in making it stand out.

I honestly can't believe how good this is looking, I've done 3 coats, then wire wool to take out the tiny imperfections, then another 2 super thin coats and believe it or not it's done!
2 days for finishing....amazing.
Just gave the neck it's first micron thin coat, rubbing it deep into the grain until it looks like there's nowt on it, just 2 more of those should give me what I'm looking for   

while I do the neck (2 days), fret dress and polish (1 day) the body will sit to properly dry out, I'll leave it a week then a light buffing to not quite gloss but a tad more than satin.

Bloomin' luvverly!

pics when we get some sun.......

Cat I saw your cs350 pic in the family thread, very nice indeedy!

Luverly Pete!   
You should really be able to play the Blues on that baby!  

 

Seeing as how I already have a (newly acquired) Red T1a with the MMK's.......
I have a few options here...Tonerider Generator pair?
A pair of Dimarzio K-10 Hondo OEM jobbies that I recently adapted to cut their coils...they sound superb in single coil mode and so extremely simple to do..tape off, the coil joining wire is already exposed so a simple solder and heatshrink deal and new fabric tape winding, fanny's yer aunt! cracking!
SD jazz N and a 59 B maybe?
GFS fat pat ..
OR...I have a pair of cream MMK45's....
I'd love to hear a pair of the mmk 53's.....

Heres a question thats probably been brought up before...
Which of the woods in the thunder do you think has the most influence in its tone? ash or maple?

Maple.

Tonerider Rocksong, very decent.

Or try this.

MMK45 magnet change.
Westone on right, Alnico II on left.


Installed.
Find MMK 45's powerful but a bit muddy. Defines the sound.

Hmm I had thought of this before, there's an ebay seller with AII magnets, and you're right about the muddiness..plus I think the gain circuit adds some extra mud as my trans red T1a is nowhere near as clear as the T1, only differences are the circuit and a thicker finish on the red.

Sgt. Vimes wrote:Heres a question thats probably been brought up before...
Which of the woods in the thunder do you think has the most influence in its tone? ash or maple?

I have two T1-A's, one with Ash wings, the other all Maple. It's a bit subjective of course but the Maple one sounds much louder. Mind you it's also a string thru versus a top loader on the Ash model which has a not insignificant influence. Of course, the bridge is also sitting on that Maple strip, so...

Interesting mod Damian. Would seem to push the 45 more towards the 53 maybe?

Ok so it's mock up time!

Original MMk's?


Ivory MMK's?



chrome covers?



black covers? (not these emg selects...but you get the idea)



I quite like the black covers, forgot to take a pic with the black alloy knobs, but looks good.
gut instinct says original mmk's...

Headstock so far...



small accident with the upper leftmost tip of the W...came off with a coat of oil, light was low and I thought I had it back in place, not bothered at all...it's unique!

another coat on the neck drying in the sun...it's outrageous how good this tru-oil is, self levelling up to a point, dries so fast and feels beautiful, love it.



The bridge and saddles cleaned, polished a bit and lacquered, the knobs are Gretsch copies, same dimensions and look rather good in the flesh.
Looking for one more original brass one for a set......anyone?

I was going to leave the body to cure a while longer, wire wool and buff out, but there's absolutely no need as it looks and feels superb IMO, it's rock hard already and just the right glossyness (a word!)

Hope to have this all done at the weekend....just need some saddle springs as these are rusty beyond salvation, but will suffice, unless I can find 6 spring loaded pens in the art cupboard   

I like the Ivory ones mate...doesn't detract from the luuurvely blue colour as much as the black ones.

Thats' gonna turn out to be a belter bud   ...can't wait to see it all finished and ready to rawk!

Yup, Ivory!

Plus one for the Ivory, looking great Sarge.

Out of interest how do the chrome covers look with the Ivory surrounds?

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/473547831/New-Pair-of-Chrome-Guitar-Humbucker-Pickups-Surrounds.jpg

Another thumbs-up for ivory here - not normally a fan, but they sit just right in the maple strip & don't distract from the wing colour, IMHO

Wow! it's a good job I'm making the decisions 'round 'ere innit?  my least favourite is the ivory lol
Si...no, just no!

I'm just reassembling the various parts, found new springs, new saddle grub screws, need to solder the active crossover switch, new nuts for all the switches and jack....it's starting to look like a guitar again.

Sgt. Vimes wrote:
Si...no, just no!

Lol , I'll get me coat 

  makes it look like a chinese gibson ripoff

A mix? or ivory.


All aboard the......



Is that timber showing through or just reflections? on your pictures above.

Ahh, now I didn't try that combo, black rings n ivory!  that's got legs for sure.

No timber, just reflections.

I would have tried zebras, but only got one in the form of a Tonerider.

did mmk45's ever come in zebra?

Ah, can't do ivory coz I need 3 wires from the bridge pup, ivory only got 2..

Sgt. Vimes wrote:
did mmk45's ever come in zebra?

Sure did...my CS350 has 'em 

Oh yeah... I always thought that cs350 would look better with black pups  

Sgt. Vimes wrote:Ah, can't do ivory coz I need 3 wires from the bridge pup, ivory only got 2..

Just rewire it.

don't know how, only ever rewired one recently from a 1 conductor to a 2 for a coil cut. this is missing the green wire which I think is for phase reversal?

Thanks for that damian, think I'm just gonna go with the stock black pups for now though.

Man, I was just reviewing this thread Pete, and what an outstanding resto!   

In the excitement and discussion over the colour, etc., I didn't see much mention of the important preliminary step of masking off the centre piece.

From the pix it looks like a razor sharp delineation. Did you do anything special there mate?

Thanks Barry!

No, nothing special, no tricks just £1 shop masking tape applied patiently up to the outter edge of the walnut stringer.

All assembled, soldered and strung up now       Really really happy with this one, my tidiest work yet due to patience and  Tru-Oil.

pics to follow when the sun next shines.

That sir is an outstanding job on this one. I like the ivory as well but the black ones look nice as well. Great work.

Thanks man!

And in all her full glory......



Notice the woodworm's lunch between the pickups here?













and one to show how the Gretsch knobs look



Again, I'm really happy with how this turned out, thanks to all you fellas for your suggestions, help and comments, great bunch!

Brotherly love !

Stunning Pete, all that effort has really paid off, you should be very proud bud 

With the neck now on, think you also got it spot on with the pickup colour choice. I think Mats missed a trick not releasing a model in this colour or similar, job well done

Meadows wrote: I think Mats missed a trick not releasing a model in this colour or similar, job well done

Took the words right outa my mouth Meadows....on a par with the red one next to it in my book.  

Stellar!

Thanks.

Quite fancy doing a purple one next, then maybe one to order....red gold n green anyone?  

Sgt. Vimes wrote:red gold n green anyone?  

Now your talking   

..... and if could you could shave a couple of pounds off the body weight and put a Concord neck on it too, jobs a good'n  

I've got a couple tins of dulux in the shed, hows about I slap it on the concord 3?  

Sgt. Vimes wrote:I've got a couple tins of dulux in the shed, hows about I slap it on the concord 3?  

                 

Cancel that order !!!!!!!!!     

 

seriously though, if you want a thunder in those colours, I can have a crack at it    

I might take you up on that Pete thanks, just saving to have a guitar looked at first, and would like to really try a thunder out just to make sure I am going to use it live, reckon it could look really good though, food for serious though, cheers   

http://www.marijuana.pl/images/enamel_pin_rasta_guitar.jpg

Turned out very nice indeedy...  

Could do with a shim on that neck.

Yep, the shim has gone back in,  I had to assess the frets with strings on first.

That really does look fantastic. You've got me in the mood for another refurb now.
Stain and Tru-oil seems to be worth a go....
... on a guitar with a solid wood body!

Lol thanks, go for it....

Words fail me, fantastic restoration job.   

Another hobby of mine are turntables, you know the devices on which we played records in the old days, the predecessor of the CD... Many vintage TT have become quite expensive nowadays, Thorens, Lenco idler wheel drives, the better Duals. Enthousiasts go a long way to restore these TT and often enhance them with big and beautiful DIY plinths etc. The end result can often be showed in the High End salon, no problem. 

I can only be envious of people with those skills. And admire them.

So as the sub title suggests I need some help with wiring in a new pair of pickups, been tearing my (thinning) hair out all afternoon and just can't get sorted.
Ive got this Artec HB set with
Green - Live
Red & White - split
Black & Chrome - Earth

now, when I removed the MMK45' I cut the wires neat in the cavity so I don't need to fish about with the iron and just solder wire to wire.
Neck pup is fine, but I can't get the bridge to coil cut and phase reverse together, either way I wire this I'm getting just coil cut OR phase reverse....driving me nuts.

I take it the 45's bridge is:
white = live
red = coil
green = phase?

or am I way off? which of the new pups wires do I attach to which 45 wire?