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Guitar Relicing
I
was hoping to get a Telecaster kit and do a similar relic job like the Fender
telecaster relic project featured on the site. I was wondering how do age the
scratch plate to look old and how to make all the metal parts to look aged like
the dial plate from the Fender Tele Relic project. thanks
Re: Guitar ageing
Sticking the pick guard, knobs , and the pickup covers in coffee for a few hours
adds about 30 years of age. Also you can make a halo affect by putting the
pickguard on the body and leaving it out in the sun for a few hours.
Headstock decals
Hi. I was wondering about the legal issues behind using Fender logos on custom
made guitars. I have a guitar which has been built with lots of different parts,
it has a Fender neck (but not body), would I be allowed to apply a Fender decal
as long as I don't sell it on? Would I be allowed to do this with other custom
made guitars? Would I also be allowed to then use them onstage without getting
in trouble with Fender (or another guitar company)? thanks
Re: headstock decals
While there are no lawyers on the staff at Guitarattack.com, this is what we
believe...most of our law in the
US seems to focus on
intent of the perpetrator. Now if it is your intent to pass your guitar off as a
Fender to some unsuspecting gear hound, that is illegal. If it is your intent to
make yourself happy by placing that decal on the guitar and making other people
think it is a Fender...we believe that is semi-wrong, but nobody would prosecute
it. This is much like someone buying an old Mustang and putting Shelby emblems
on it. But playing it on stage with a Fender decal...you'll probably get away
with it. Nobody from FMIC will lurch at you and snatch it out of your hands, nor
are they likely to demand to inspect the instrument.
In our current litigation-happy society, it is anyone's bet what a judge will do
during the trial or on appeal. The PRS/Gibson suit is pretty outrageous, and
will have implications for all guitar builders. However, for little guys like
us, we are still a few years away from the Man shutting us down because we use a
fingerboard like a Les Paul and it may confuse the moronic public (in their
opinion). I personally believe that people are not that dumb, but, luckily, we
have this big apparatus to protect ourselves...from ourselves!
The general rule I use is that if I feel funny about doing something, it is
probably illegal, immoral, or unsafe!
Again, this is just our collective opinion....
Good Luck,
John
Re: headstock decals
I have your answer from a good source. If you are using the guitars as
your own personal collection, no problems at all. If you are selling the
guitars, big problem.
If you are using something on stage labeled Fender that is not (which means the
neck that is actually a Fender is ok), and someone takes a picture or video or
films you in some way, and Fender sees it somehow, they
must prosecute according to
trademark law or they can lose their trademark.
My question is, why don't you come up with your own logo for your custom work?
Re: headstock decals
Scott -- Excellent point...I have a new logo, but I haven't made up any decals
yet.
Bottom lines: 1. Be careful what you buy on eBay -- it is awfully easy to fake
some of the old guitar. 2. To be successful, you have to do your own thing, and
counterfeiting will get you in trouble.
Good luck,
John
Removing Ink Stains From Relic Strat
Hey Guys, I just got a used closet classic custom shop 56 strat. It has lots of
finish checking on the body. Someone for whatever reason put what I believe to
be ink all over the body. the ink came of the surface of the body, but stayed in
all the cracks. I was told it was a dark stain, but it looks a lot more like
ink. I tried a medium rubbing compound, and it helps but doesn't really work
good enough. Also tried a magic eraser. Any ideas? It is such a sweet guitar
there has to be some way to get the ink out without refinishing.
Re: Removing Ink Stains From Relic Strat
This is going to be time consuming....
This is what I would do...try it at your own risk -- no smoking or flames
around.
I recommend using naphtha -- lighter fluid -- and a Q-tip. Wet the Q-tip and
wring it until it is just damp. Run the Q-tip along the crack in the lacquer --
not too hard -- and see if the naphtha gets the ink. Naphtha is about my
favorite for everything, from sticker removal to wax removal (and multiple uses
on the car). Naphtha is pretty gentle, but you may want to try it under the
pickguard to ensure it doesn't react with the finish or the dye.
The rubbing compound will not affect the checks (cracks); rather, it will just
buff the overlying surface. It won't work.
Good luck,
John
Re: Removing Ink Stains From Relic Strat
I tried the lighter fluid and a lot of elbow grease, but no luck. It helped a
little in some spots, but the ink was all the way down into the wood. After a
lot of attempts to remove it, I decided to refinish it. I really didn't want to,
but I removed the original finish really easy with antique furniture refinisher.
It seemed to remove all the lacquer without any stripper or sanding. Then used
ReRanch fender blonde and nitro clear. It looks great now, and sounds amazing. I
went as light as possible on the finish while still getting enough coverage as
to keep with the vintage vibe. I knew it might be impossible to remove the
stains when I got it, but it all turned out better than I had imagined. Thanks
for all the help.
Another paint question
I am interested in getting a tele Saga kit to put together in the future. I was
wondering how most people paint the body. Would regular spray paint work or
would it get blotchy? Are there any "affordable" alternatives? I am also
interested in making the headstock the same color as the body...is that
possible?
Re: another paint question
The ReRanch paints are excellent, and they are nitro lacquer. They are pretty
forgiving, but they are also more expensive than regular spray paint. If you are
looking for a project just "to see if I can do it", I'd go cheap first then work
up.
Gibson still uses nitro, and Fender used it back in the day. The old cars used
it to. The reason I like it is that it is easy to repair.
Good Luck,
John
SRV tribute strat
Does anyone have any info on the wiring of the SRV tribute strat of the DVD of
the dissecting of Number one?
Re: SRV tribute strat
I believe they have the schematics on the
www.fender.com website.
John
Re: SRV tribute strat
Sorry about the mixup...is the Tribute guitar wired differently?
You can find about any schematic you need here:
http://www.fender.com/support/
Good luck,
John
How many cans of
paint?
Hey I'm going to try painting a guitar using ReRanch products. Will one can of
paint cover the entire guitar or should I get two just in case.
Re: How many cans of...???
I normally use one can of color and 2-3 cans of clear for a spray can project.
Good luck,
John
Maple neck relic
I'm looking for any tips on relic'ing a maple neck. My goal is to recreate
Waylon's original 1953 leather bound tele. I've got a 2004 Highway "1" Texas
Tele, I'm planning to use. Thanks for the help.
Re: Maple neck relic
JD -- I start with a nice amber paint job using ReRanch neck amber, and buff the
parts of the neck that will remain shiny, but not a buffing to the extent I want
when I do a "new guitar". I then use fine grade sandpaper to put the wear spots
in the appropriate place. On maple necks I will use a Dremel tool with a rubber
wheel to put the "pock marks" in the lacquer. I beat up the edges of the
headstock, and might put a "cigarette burn" on the headstock for good measure.
I've even used cigar ash to "age" bare wood on the neck. It is kind of smelly,
though!
Good luck,
John
aged and relic
Hi,
I've been reading through the Guitar Attack site and there are a lot of great
information. I recently bought a LP clone reissue and decided to make it
look like it was bought back in the 50's, but played with lots of love and care.
I have already taken care of the chrome parts. Now I would like to know what to
do with the plastic parts (pickguard and pickup rings). It's a glossy PVC in
cream, and I want to put some wears and stains, something like the one in the
link:
http://www.rsguitarworks.net/cms2/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
So, how do I add some color and stains?
Thanks!
Re: aged and relic
An easy way to age that bright white pickguard is to spray it with amber tinted
nitro lacquer. Remember that Fender sprayed his first pickguards with lacquer.
I've found the ReRanch tinted nitro will make a white or cream part look
incredible. Very easy to work with...just don't over-do it.
Your mileage may vary....try at your own risk.
John
Saga Tele Wiring Question
I just received my tele kit and it looks much better than I expected. When my
son and I put it together, though, we didn't get the appropriate sounds out of
the amp.
The sound stopped if I touched the bridge or the control panel. I think it's
something with the grounding, but based on the diagrams in the instructions they
sent I did everything correctly. The sound also changes depending on where the
volume and tone knobs are set.
any ideas?
thanks!
Re: Saga Tele Wiring Question
Are you sure you have a good cord from the guitar to the amp?
I recommend hitting www.seymourduncan.com
and getting a Tele wiring diagram. Check your guitar against the wiring diagram.
Reason? Sometimes the folks wiring the Sagas make a mistake and the wiring gets
jacked up. I normally resolder all of the joints on the Sagas I build, and it
pays big dividends.
John
Re: Saga Tele Wiring Question
Hey John - Thanks for the reply.
I did actually check the cord, and then checked both cords with my electronic
drum set, too. they both worked.
That was my next step to find a wiring diagram. I checked the ground cables
today and it all seems like it's wired correctly, but I think I'm just going to
start from scratch. The soldering job that saga did is terrible. But, this is a
"play" guitar for me so I'm just into having a good time with it.
Thanks.
Citristrip on Saga Necks?
Anyone know how long Citristrip should remain on the neck to remove the sealer?
Instructions say "1 hour (up to 24 hours)" What tools were used for a successful
job? Scraper? Pad? Brush? Other?
Re: Citristrip on Saga Necks?
I normally only leave it on until the finish starts to lift. On the Saga necks,
it will lift in 15-30 minutes. I will apply several applications. I don't like
to leave it on too long, and I make sure I wash the neck completely when I've
finished stripping it.
Bottom line: I like to supervise the process.
Good luck,
John
Re: Citristrip on Saga Necks?
Out of curiosity, how do you wash the neck? just water, right?
Re: Citristrip on Saga Necks?
I don't use water. I have used the CitriStrip wash or mineral spirits. Use
plenty of paper towels.
John
Intonation problems
After seeing what you did with the Saga Telecaster kits, I decided to bite the
bullet, and fulfill a lifelong dream of putting together my own guitar.
However I have come across a problem with the intonation on the guitar. Having
set the intonation on my Tele at the open strings and 12th fret I thought all
would be bliss but No!
Open D Chords sound lousy. I have also noticed on the G string that even
though the open note and the note at the 12th fret are perfectly tuned to G
every other note between them is sharp. The closer to the nut the sharper the
note. i.e.. the A on the G string is very sharp, B a little less, C a little
less ... F barely sharp, G(12) perfectly in tune.
I am beginning to think that the problem might be the nut, but any assistance
you could give would be greatly appreciated.
Ralph
Re: Intonation problems
Ralph -- Thanks for the post. I believe your problem is the nut. I've found
distance between the nut and the first fret is very high in most cases. Check
the "Repair Techniques" page and see the proper distances and how to measure
them.
I literally worked with a guy about two weeks ago with the same problem, and the
string height at the nut was the problem. Once we got the distance set he was on
track.
Good luck,
John
Re: Intonation problems
Ralph
I had exactly the same intonation problem with a Saga Telecaster kit. The
problem was the nut slot at the G string. It wasn't deep enough. In fact, when I
tuned it open, and then checked the twelfth fret harmonic, both were perfect,
but when I fretted a chord the G string had to bend so much that it would
actually pull the string out of tune. When released, everything was back where
it belonged ??? BIZARRE, but real. Get a nut file of the right size and deepen
the slot, but NOT too much. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself,
take it to a qualified Luthier. I hope this helps.
Dave
Re: Intonation problems
Thanks guys,
Yeah the string was resting on the back edge of the nut, thereby making the
first few fretted notes extremely sharp. A little persuasion with a nut file
remedied the situation ;)
Gold Top Tele (opinion)
I've always loved the LP Gold Top finish, but don't really care for LP's
themselves. I'm planning on doing a gold top tele and setting up the finish the
mimic a 56 LP with simulated binding and mahogany back, but I can't decide what
to do with the neck. Should I do the Fender amber or keep the LP mahogany on the
neck? If it matters, I'll probably end up relic'ing the guitar a la the Dakota
red tele on the GA site. TIA.
Re: Gold Top Tele (opinion)
If it has a rosewood fingerboard, I would paint the neck with the goldtop
finish. I think it would be really cool to have a 100% goldtop finish. If it has
a maple fingerboard, I would go with the amber.
Just my opinion,
John
Stripped neck screw hole
I recently tried to put strap locks on my Epiphone SG 310. Everything was fine
for about a month and then the neck screw that the strap is attached to came
out. I think the whole is stripped. What I can I do about this?
Re: Stripped neck screw hole
Dave -- You have two options. The first option is to superglue a couple of flat
toothpicks into the stripped cavity. Once they are dry, they will provide
something for that screw to bite in to. This is a temp repair.
The second option is to glue a dowel into the stripped hole and redrill once the
glue is dry.
My opinion -- if you are unsure, take it to a guitar tech.
Good luck,
John
Gorilla Glue?
I am building a bass guitar, and I am going to bookmatch the neck. I have heard
that PU glue (polyurethane)is the best choice. I was wondering if Gorilla Glue
would be as good. It is made from propolymized MDI and Diphenylmethane.
Re: Gorilla Glue?
Alex -- I have used Gorilla Glue a great deal in the past, and it is pretty
incredible. I can pretty well guarantee that any wood you glue together with
that stuff will stay together indefinitely.
Be careful. It will make a mess and can stain some types of wood. Try the glue
on scrap first. It is my favorite glue outside of Titebond.
Remember -- If you glue a joint with Gorilla Glue, you cannot get it apart.
Don't use it for the neck joint. However, for laminating pieces together, it
does work very well.
My opinion, and good luck
John
Cutting Inlays
Does anyone know if there is a device to cut inlay dots, or any tricks?
Re: Cutting Inlays
I've used a "plug cutter" from
www.Woodcraft.com to cut dots. They come in a variety of sizes and do
pretty well, depending on the material. I've also roughed some MOP to size, then
glued it on the end of a dowel and turned it to size in a drillpress. I used
sandpaper to turn it down.
Good luck,
John
Nitro finish....hard!
First off, this is a very nice forum for us novices at refinishing and teching.
Now I'm sure there are a lot of (Relic)hatters out there but it truly is a form
of flattery, at least I'm a fan of only well done work....the question is, when
I hear the reference to a hardshell thin nitro finish, also hand rubbed, what
are we referring to in terms of coats of nitro finish before we wet sand or rub
out? This process would be done on a 53 blackguard butterscotch Tele.
Thanxs,teleman
Re: Nitro finish....hard!
Teleman -- When you hear terms like this, it is kind of like hearing that an amp
has 100 watts. In other words, it all depends. Generally, a nitro finish is
thinner than a comparable poly finish. The nitro will also continue to shrink
and dry over its entire lifetime, where poly generally will not. Nitro has to be
leveled and buffed out for a shine, but so does poly, so "hand-rubbed" is
probably just a gimmick!
I believe nitro is more labor-intensive, but I also think it is prettier and
more tone-friendly. Just my opinion.
Good luck,
John
tuners on a saga kit
I've been having some problems with my tuners on my saga guitar..theres a lot of
slack in them, the knobs tend to come loose and rattle, and they just feel
sloppy. I was wondering if there was a brand name of tuners that yall
recommend..Preferably ones that wouldn't require me to redrill any holes. Is
there any that'll fit the stock tuner holes? Thanks for the help.
Also, does any one know where I can find a Texas flag pick guard for duo-sonics?
I know where I can get one for strats and teles..
Thanks yall
Re: tuners on a saga kit
Hey Russ - Thanks for the question. Your problem is pretty common. I've used
mini Grovers and Schallers on Saga kits I've built. The tuner hole for the Saga
is very small, and you will likely have to enlarge it for any quality tuner.
I recommend buying a reamer from
www.micromark.com . The reamer will allow you to slowly enlarge the hole. Do
not drill because the chipout will be unbelievable!
Check eBay for some good deals on tuners. I scored some used mini Grovers a
couple of weeks ago, and they are great!
Good luck,
John
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