[pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Self built and self assembly ;)

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Lawrence »

willow13 wrote:
jeremyb wrote:Was gonna say, you're going on wayyyyy too thick with your paint coats, and now the clear too, you want to do a couple of light passes over it from a foot away or so, then let it dry for 20 minutes, then repeat :)
clearly he lacks patients ....as we all do when we do our own shit. Honestly my home builds would look a million times better if I just took my time, but as soon as it starts looking like a guitar I need to play it so I tend to rush the last parts of finishing :rofl: :rofl: ... it kills me every time I fuck up a finish, but I can't help myself :mad: :rofl:
yup Im the same....see those dents....no one will notice.....or Ill say that happened afterwards.... :oops:
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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Single coil »

Dents? Meh. The body and neck have bruises on them too. No amount of me dicking with the finish can hide those.

Right lads.

Pulled the masking tape off and snorted. I love shit like this. I think it's hilarious.

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Got out the synthetic steel wool (plastic scouring pad, lighter grade than 0000).

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She's a little orange peely, but this isn't a private stock build.

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Time for a bit of this.

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... Aaaaand a bitta this.

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Not bad. Pays to use good shit.

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This is all that's left to go on.
Then intonation setup sorta deal.
Then she's ready to go.

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So in go the ferrules.

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Followed by the best tuners ever.

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Yeah, they are a bit on the piss as per the template slipping? Not sure. Either way, they're solid and they hold.

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Saddles need cutting. I think I'm brave enough. I have the technology.

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Not a bad first attempt at cutting saddles!

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Not perfect, but I think it works.

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Time to cut the nut down a wee bit.

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Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Only takes a couple hits and it's done.
Put the truss cover on too.

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Managed to not break any this time. Diddled around with the bridge to get a vague height, then went for the full on tuning extravaganza.

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Surprisingly, it didn't take too long at all. Bit more playing with the action, and . . . . .

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Played with pickup heights, the ge7, and the bridge again. I kept playing with it and playing the same riff by the who to judge the frequencies against lol.




... And here she is.

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Entwistle HV58's in nickel, along with the [superbly chunky!!] gotoh bridge and tailpiece - in nickel.
They match the klusons at the other end - Also nickel.

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What a package.

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It is amazing the difference some good hardware makes to the feel of it. It feels more solid and resonant now.
Also, these alnico 2's are just what the doctor ordered. Neck is a bit boomy but nothing to write home about, and nothing I can't eq out and compensate for with the bridge.
The dulling of the finish has smoothed up the neck nicely. None of the headstock buggery gets in the way of playing at all.

Unfortunately, none of the modifications have helped the frets. They'll need work within the next year or so, before I get really sick of them.

Now, let's think about what's original on the old girl.

Truss cover,
pickguard bracket,
body wood and finish,
switch,
maybe a couple of screws.
Hah - So not much epiphone left. Still happy to rock the label though.


I just wonder what I'll get up to next.
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by jeremyb »

What a mission, looks great now though :)
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Single coil »

Today's successes with the poly are largely owed to your passing remark about how thick it was. :thumbup:
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by AiRdAd »

I like the dull finish on the gold top body. When that nickel wears in, the guitar is going to look badass!

I've loved this thread, thanks so much for sharing it with us!
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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by rickenbackerkid »

you got there! I agree with AirdAd, that dull gold looks fantastic. Nice job, and thanks for the song recommendation, I like that a lot.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Single coil »

Sweet. Figured someone would like it, despite 98% of the audience saying I'm nuts :lol:
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Bg »

You're nuts James.... Nowt wrong with a nice epi headstock ;). I'm gassing for a goldtop now though.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by H671 »

:thumbup: :clap:
Epiphone Riviera P93 & EJ200CE, Hagstrom Viking Bass, Doubleneck bass/guitar.
Rivera Clubster 45, Carvin AG100D, Ashton BSK158.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Single coil »

Bg wrote:You're nuts James.... Nowt wrong with a nice epi headstock ;). I'm gassing for a goldtop now though.
2018 gibson range has a p90 goldtop under the classic submodel. Comes in black too. Seriously cool looking.
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Single coil »

Yeah nah ok, the fun doesn't appear to stop.

Had a bit of a fuckaround in the shed with some bits of car I'm spraying. Once that was all done, I sorta just... Sat with me coffee and the flying nun compilation thing.

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So, back on the bench she goes, for more experimental surgery.

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An oilstone I found in the garage. It's a two sided jobbie - One smooth, one coarse. Bingo.

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Ideally I'd have taken some before shots, but no, I'm a mong. Also I am absolutely sick of masking.

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So, has anyone guessed what I'm doing?

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I did remember to draw on them, I just took photos in a dumb order. Also, got these bad boys out again.

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It was a bit of a slog.

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Trying to get them all even is ... Man, what a bastard of a job. There are divots in the frets from long since before I got hold of it. Obviously I've added to the wear, but ... Yeah ok here's the picture.

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I got there eventually, so it was time to polish up.

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This would've been before the steel wool and buffing and so on.

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Shit yeah, here we go. Let's buff them all off.

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Better put mum's pen back.

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Yeeeeh ... Hmm. Not a thumb up or down.

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Decided to mask up properly before I really got into it. Marring the fretboard wasn't high on my priorities list.

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Then I thought, hmm. I should probably make them round again.

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Filed a wee divot into this block of wood . . .

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Aaaaand here's my fret crown. :D

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Now I understand why fret work costs so much. What a shitarse job. Got sore doing it.

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... But it worked. A bit gung ho, but it did the trick. Also steel wool on the pickup poles was amusing.

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Time for a real test drive. Let's see how I went.

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... Narp.
Let's try dicking around with the truss to get the neck properly straight this time!
Ring end doesn't fit. Lame. Open end did, just.

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... But just wasn't enough. Enter the weird little screwdriver thing I nicked off mum when I was about 11.

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The thing I sat it on creates a bit of a weird illusion.

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I got better at masking. DIdn't enjoy it any more though. Little tiny reel wasn't tiny enough to fit between the higher frets and required folding. It got tedious fast.

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Right.
Went over them all again with a straight edge - 3 at a time rocking trick - then drew on the frets so I could properly level them. Like a "you've taken this much off" marker.

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Yeah I missed a bit, whatever. It wouldn't stay down.

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Started on a different angled crowning thing too.

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Here we are with the high fret marking.

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It's super hard to photograph frets when they've been drawn on.

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The offenders after a bit of a going over.

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Aaaaaaaand of course, it wouldn't be a proper day in the shed without fucking it up somehow. Managed to knock the nut off with the stone while I was running it up the neck. Oops. Glued it back on later, mind.

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Did have a little wee code brown when the crowning thingy ate the masking tape, and some of the fretboard.

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Steel wool on the pickup doesn't get old. Fascinating for some weird reason.

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Here we are, after it was all said and done, and before the "final" string on and piss around affair.

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Another hour or so later, only stopping to do my bit at the cinema and talk lots of shit with the bloke who runs it, I'd played with the truss and bridge - Almost bouncing between the two - To try get the old girl just right.
The board's alot more consistent now, but the frets were worn before I got to them, and they will need replacing ... Probably in the next year(?) I expect I'll get sick of them.

So yeah. Intonated it again, and she's good to play another day. Somehow I don't think I've quite filed the nut enough on the D and G, and potentially the B, so I'll iron that out when it becomes enough of a problem.














... I mean, I'll probably do it tomorrow to smooth it all out. Teething issues and all.
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by telefiend »

I'm impressed! Looks cool! Nickel!

Was waiting for you to attempt to turn it into a Steinberger tbh :lol:

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Single coil »

I think the frets are copper nickel. Whatever epiphone were using in 1994.
If I find I've well and truly bollocksed them once the neck settles, I'll be going stainless.

No steinbergers here. They don't quite do it for me lol.
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Jay »

The Daggerville Luthier has done it! Without fear and shortcuts and a couple of pics on the way to show how it's done. :clap: :clap:
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.

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Re: [pic heavy as fuck] James's backyard goldtop day spa

Post by Single coil »

I am to luthierie what haggard garage are to exemplary automotive modification. :lol:
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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