All kidding aside, here's one that finally came out of my storage room (temperature and humidity controlled, of course...) for its time in the beauty parlor. It's going to be redone in a color that in my opinion is the sexiest solid (non-burst) color Rick has offered to date...the rare and elusive RUBY. Rick did it as a candy; a three step over gray primer that first saw a silver basecoat, then a transparent red, and over that the clear conversion varnish. I have two of these of my own and two more in for repair right now, and all four are different shades, because the application varied from day to day, and depending upon how much transparent red is sprayed on, the finish can end up lighter or darker.
My Ruby is an exact match to their most vivid, saturated shade, and it's a two-step, thanks to modern pigments, so the color will be consistent.
First the carcass was stripped, then sanded to #320. The black binding was removed and the rabbet sanded very smooth. Then a second channel was cut for the...checkerboard binding! This one will be very unique when finished; probably the only Ruby Rick 4001, not to mention the CB.
So, here are some shots of it right after the CB was applied, and then with the white outer binding in place:
You can see that I typically use good masking tape--and lots of it--to hold the binding in place. Now the binding will be scraped and sanded flush with the body, and it will receive a light coat of filler and then sealer. Because the finish is pearlescent and reflective, the smallest defect in the wood or scratch will show through the color and CV. This surface must be perfect.
Stay tuned...
