Your Rickenbacker modifications?
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soundmasterg
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I'm going to be putting a 12 string bridge and toasters on my 2005 Blueburst 330/12 pretty soon. I already have the parts...just need some free time.
I'm still working on refinishing my 1989 230. Getting the old RIC red and aftermarket black off is proving to be a serious *****. Its off everywhere except in the pickup and control cavities, and it is just very hard to get off in those locations. I'm using a combination of sandpaper, Q tips soaked in lacquer thinner and MEK, and will probably be carefully using the dremel here pretty soon. Once it is all off then I can just sand and sand, and then do the actual painting. I've also slightly reshaped the arm relief on the top so it doesn't bite into my armpit when I'm playing it sitting down. Right now I'm thinking a cherry red sunburst would look good. Any thoughts?
I'm still working on refinishing my 1989 230. Getting the old RIC red and aftermarket black off is proving to be a serious *****. Its off everywhere except in the pickup and control cavities, and it is just very hard to get off in those locations. I'm using a combination of sandpaper, Q tips soaked in lacquer thinner and MEK, and will probably be carefully using the dremel here pretty soon. Once it is all off then I can just sand and sand, and then do the actual painting. I've also slightly reshaped the arm relief on the top so it doesn't bite into my armpit when I'm playing it sitting down. Right now I'm thinking a cherry red sunburst would look good. Any thoughts?
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jingle_jangle
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There is no practical need to attempting to get the paint completely out of the cavities. There is little reason not to leave it there; the new paint will cover it and adhesion will not be a problem in these areas, once you've scraped and sanded them almost clean.
I generally strip these cavities chemically and scrape the majority of the old paint out with the end of a sharpened chisel. The tiny bit of paint remaining after this treatment, I do not worry about.
Note, however, that chemical remover leaves a residue that will inhibit cure and adhesion of subsequent, newer, paint coats which may be applied. So get all the loose paint off the exposed areas of the body and neck.
I generally strip these cavities chemically and scrape the majority of the old paint out with the end of a sharpened chisel. The tiny bit of paint remaining after this treatment, I do not worry about.
Note, however, that chemical remover leaves a residue that will inhibit cure and adhesion of subsequent, newer, paint coats which may be applied. So get all the loose paint off the exposed areas of the body and neck.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
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jingle_jangle
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Not routed, Paul. Milled. Bolted to the table of a Bridgeport and milled. This is how I typically cut new pickup cavities and clean up ones that have been hogged out with an Animal Dremel, before filling with maple blocks and re-cutting the magnet reliefs.
New pics up soon. Watch my area.
New pics up soon. Watch my area.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
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jingle_jangle
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Actually, the same process, but the terminology depends upon the machine used to effect the mods. I prefer a mill for precision and safety.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
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soundmasterg
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- Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2002 1:06 pm
Paul, the residue from the former paint jobs are black acrylic, and red CV, and in the pickup cavities it is into the endgrain a bit. I know that once the guitar is together you won't see those areas, but I'm a perfectionist, and I'll get the remainder off with a little more effort!
I used a chisel as a scraper the other day and got much of the remainder off in the pickup cavities...I still need to get the remainder out of the control cavity and should be able to use the same technique. The chemical stripper did leave a residue over the whole guitar, but that has been sanded or scraped away everywhere except the remainder that is in the control cavity, the pickup cavity, and the truss-rod adjust cavity. They're just hard to reach areas, but I'll get to them as I get the time in between work and other projects.
So far I've rough-sanded with 60 grit, and will have to work my way up to 220 minimum before finishing, and I'll have to get out any scrape across the grain marks, etc too. I'm not going to refinish the fingerboard or replace the frets as I use flats on this guitar, and the frets are still in good shape, and the finish on the fingerboard is fine.
Where could I find a good quality mill for guitar work and how much do they run Paul? Sounds like it would be handy...
I used a chisel as a scraper the other day and got much of the remainder off in the pickup cavities...I still need to get the remainder out of the control cavity and should be able to use the same technique. The chemical stripper did leave a residue over the whole guitar, but that has been sanded or scraped away everywhere except the remainder that is in the control cavity, the pickup cavity, and the truss-rod adjust cavity. They're just hard to reach areas, but I'll get to them as I get the time in between work and other projects.
So far I've rough-sanded with 60 grit, and will have to work my way up to 220 minimum before finishing, and I'll have to get out any scrape across the grain marks, etc too. I'm not going to refinish the fingerboard or replace the frets as I use flats on this guitar, and the frets are still in good shape, and the finish on the fingerboard is fine.
Where could I find a good quality mill for guitar work and how much do they run Paul? Sounds like it would be handy...
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jingle_jangle
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A bit of correction is in order, here, Greg...hope you don't mind.
There is no such thing as "red conversion varnish", at least where Ricks are concerned...CV is crystal-clear, or in the case of an AFG finish, has a bit of transparent amber coloring added to it. The chisel method is a good one to denude cavities.
A good quality mill is a very large machine. Personally, I've always had at least one in my shop, but that's because I did precision prototyping for so long. It's not commonly found in luthiers' workshops. A Bridgeport, for example, or any of its Chinese clones, will weigh in the neighborhood of a ton and will stand about 80" high, with a footprint of about 6' X 6'. Not exactly a garage-type machine, although I have had one in my own garage for a long time. It does need a concrete floor under it, though.
Most luthiers get by with a hand router and a lot of jigs and patterns. Some will use an overarm router, which is similar to a mill in appearance, but is very loud and runs at very high RPM. I tend to avoid these because of safety.
Lastly, sanding a guitar with 60 grit is way, way too aggressive. It takes a lot of time to get that depth of scratch out, and that's wasted time and effort. I scrape, both dry and after chemically stripping, and then steel-wool (#3) soaked in denatured alcohol removes any remaining small areas of softened paint. Let dry overnight, and then sand with #100 or #120 to start. Follow with #150 or #180, then finish off with #320 before sealing.
In the case of a burst finish, sealer gets sanded with #320 before tint. The conversion varnish goes on right over the tint, with no sanding between the two. As I've explained before, I use urethane tinting colors that I mix myself.
If the guitar or bass is to be a solid color like JG or AZ or MID, I mix the urethane paint to formula and spray several coats, occasionally sanding between with #400. The CV goes on directly over the color, with no sanding between.
Several double coats of CV go on, with flatting between after an overnight or longer dry. Final coat is flatted wet to #2000, then buffed.
Lately I've taken to using Menzerna on cloth wheels for buffing, like the factory does. But I always finish up with Scratch-X and Zymol...
There is no such thing as "red conversion varnish", at least where Ricks are concerned...CV is crystal-clear, or in the case of an AFG finish, has a bit of transparent amber coloring added to it. The chisel method is a good one to denude cavities.
A good quality mill is a very large machine. Personally, I've always had at least one in my shop, but that's because I did precision prototyping for so long. It's not commonly found in luthiers' workshops. A Bridgeport, for example, or any of its Chinese clones, will weigh in the neighborhood of a ton and will stand about 80" high, with a footprint of about 6' X 6'. Not exactly a garage-type machine, although I have had one in my own garage for a long time. It does need a concrete floor under it, though.
Most luthiers get by with a hand router and a lot of jigs and patterns. Some will use an overarm router, which is similar to a mill in appearance, but is very loud and runs at very high RPM. I tend to avoid these because of safety.
Lastly, sanding a guitar with 60 grit is way, way too aggressive. It takes a lot of time to get that depth of scratch out, and that's wasted time and effort. I scrape, both dry and after chemically stripping, and then steel-wool (#3) soaked in denatured alcohol removes any remaining small areas of softened paint. Let dry overnight, and then sand with #100 or #120 to start. Follow with #150 or #180, then finish off with #320 before sealing.
In the case of a burst finish, sealer gets sanded with #320 before tint. The conversion varnish goes on right over the tint, with no sanding between the two. As I've explained before, I use urethane tinting colors that I mix myself.
If the guitar or bass is to be a solid color like JG or AZ or MID, I mix the urethane paint to formula and spray several coats, occasionally sanding between with #400. The CV goes on directly over the color, with no sanding between.
Several double coats of CV go on, with flatting between after an overnight or longer dry. Final coat is flatted wet to #2000, then buffed.
Lately I've taken to using Menzerna on cloth wheels for buffing, like the factory does. But I always finish up with Scratch-X and Zymol...
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
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soundmasterg
- RRF Consultant
- Posts: 1923
- Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2002 1:06 pm
Hi Paul thanks for the corrections.
My 230 was originally red so that is some of what is left to get off, and also the black acrylic is left. All the big blotches are gone for the most part and all that remains are some slight staining in the control cavity and in the end grain of the pickup cavities. The chisels work great except that they won't fit into every angle. I'm confident I'll get it done to my satisfaction soon. I used the 60 grit because I was going to be reshaping the body slightly, and for the most part, I sanded with the grain. It will take awhile to get the sanding marks out but thats ok. The only thing that is rushing me into getting this thing done and back in operation is that I miss it already. It sounds like a mill is too big for what I'm after. I'll just keep using routers and jigs for my projects.
My 230 was originally red so that is some of what is left to get off, and also the black acrylic is left. All the big blotches are gone for the most part and all that remains are some slight staining in the control cavity and in the end grain of the pickup cavities. The chisels work great except that they won't fit into every angle. I'm confident I'll get it done to my satisfaction soon. I used the 60 grit because I was going to be reshaping the body slightly, and for the most part, I sanded with the grain. It will take awhile to get the sanding marks out but thats ok. The only thing that is rushing me into getting this thing done and back in operation is that I miss it already. It sounds like a mill is too big for what I'm after. I'll just keep using routers and jigs for my projects.