Springs, shmings

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billy
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Springs, shmings

Post by billy »

Aka mojo surgery (what madness is this) for people from the old forum. :D

Finally decided I wanted to play this more than I wanted to invest lots of time wet sanding and polishing. So, I found the parts while unpacking other stuff and decided to just put it together. It’s been a long project… but really enjoyed it.

Always intended this to be a player and less need to worry about scratches etc. orange peel wasn’t too bad, so I won’t win any clear coat awards but I’m ok with that.

The big issue I had to overcome at this stage was grounding the strings with the graphtech bridge. I decided to solder the rear ferrules together and pot them in epoxy. It’s not pretty back there as a result but it worked great.

I’ll dig up some of the old process pics soon. For those who don’t know or remember, this was a factory reject that was in poor condition. The pickup routes were off center and the spring cavity was cracked. Paint was really rough.

The pup cavities are deeper for evo2 pups, the bridge is sunk a bit to work with the straight neck angle, and I wired it with a blower switch on the volume pot. Someday I may add piezo for the two remaining holes, or I might do a kill switch or coil tap instead. No preamp at the moment.

It plays and sounds absolutely great.

Not 100% sure I like this swirl (my first one) but for now it’s staying. I repainted the base coat about three times due to various mishaps during drying.

And btw, about the post’s title- nothing but my best support for the spring efforts here! (Just thought it was sort of ironic. :lol: ) The work and effort that VJ and the team have done is nothing less than amazing. Would love to try a 9 spring in my beat up artist.

Billy’s Mojo TOM 1
Billy’s Mojo TOM 1
Billy’s Mojo TOM 2
Billy’s Mojo TOM 2
Billy’s Mojo TOM 3
Billy’s Mojo TOM 3
Billy

Spruce spruce and CF forever...
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Patzag
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Re: Springs, shmings

Post by Patzag »

I love that swirl!
Reminds me of old Silver Surfer comics!
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billy
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Re: Springs, shmings

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Thanks Patrick! There are parts of it that I love and a few where I messed up a little but it was more about the problem solving for me.

If any of my neighbors were watching, it must have been like “Billy’s Comedy Hour”.
Billy

Spruce spruce and CF forever...
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mmmguitar
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Re: Springs, shmings

Post by mmmguitar »

I’m sure it’ll still be prettier than the three Flys I intend to paint. Like Pat, I’m all about that Silver Surfer vibe the swirl gives me.
Summary of the Parker Guitars speculator market from 2020 onward: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_fool_theory
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jb63
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Re: Springs, shmings

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That made me smile! Its beautiful! Now get out there and make some noise with the thump stick!
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vjmanzo
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Tune-o-matic Bridge Mod

Post by vjmanzo »

Awesome, @billy! Love seeing these!!

#FlyMods
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Nefarius
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Re: Springs, shmings

Post by Nefarius »

Great job @billy! I bet finishes like that would have been popular choices back when Parker was still alive.

Greetings...
Nef
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billy
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Re: Springs, shmings

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mmmguitar wrote: Sun Mar 13, 2022 9:10 pm I’m sure it’ll still be prettier than the three Flys I intend to paint. Like Pat, I’m all about that Silver Surfer vibe the swirl gives me.
Thanks much! I used to paint cars when I was a teen, and then product prototypes when I was in grad school. I do know what I’m doing. But I have to say there is something about the rear side of the fly near the lower horn and neck that is really tricky to spray. More practice and it wouldn’t be too hard but you really have to hit it just right. And then the lip near the controls is a royal pita to level sand. I kept thinking about doing the level sanding, etc and always put it off. Finally decided not to bother. Lol.

Probably won’t be doing much painting myself in the future, I don’t really have the right space for it.
Billy

Spruce spruce and CF forever...
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billy
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Re: Springs, shmings

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jb63 wrote: Sun Mar 13, 2022 11:36 pm That made me smile! Its beautiful! Now get out there and make some noise with the thump stick!
vjmanzo wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 1:16 am Awesome, @billy! Love seeing these!!
Nefarius wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 8:39 am Great job @billy! I bet finishes like that would have been popular choices back when Parker was still alive.

Greetings...
Nef
Thanks guys, really appreciate it! I found some my process pictures.


Some loose commentary:

Shell as I bought it. Pickup routes off center. Paint very rough, cracked spring cavity.

Image

Created some surface cad for top and bottom with some careful measurements and a little guessing. Offset both to be proud about .5mm. Cnc’d the block at the local maker space.

Image

Created cad for pickup routes in right place and a pocket for the block. I knew the glue joint would be stronger by not going all the way through. Filled in the pickup route where it was too far over. Went deeper on the pup routes to allow for evo2. Also used flattened shortened pup ears to screw into the body. Leaving the ears stock would make a very thin section in the neck pup treble side.

Image

Glued in the block and sanded flush. Also routed the Tom pocket and drilled holes for the ferrules. Later created a trench around the perimeter of the block and filled with epoxy to help avoid the lines from showing through.

Image

Test assembly

Image

Sprayed white. A few times. Used wrong paint. Next time it got bumped while drying. 3rd time’s the charm.

Image

Finally swirled. I used a big double wall box and xtra large garbage bag to make a tall enough tank. It got about 80% full and then tippped. I went to turn off the hose and it went over. Started filling again. Bottom of the box got wet and then the bag blew out in one corner due to lack of support. Had two extra bags left and double bagged it. Dropped in the paint swirled it around super quick and then dipped it- it was now or never since I didn’t expect my tank to hold too long. Couldn’t really see the paint on the surface due to bright sunny day and the dark bag- got pretty lucky. Bags blew out about 5 min after I dipped.

Image

Clear coated it with a spray can of 2k urethane. great stuff but really dangerous if you don’t have ppe. I did but even then it is nasty. It works so good though…
Billy

Spruce spruce and CF forever...
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jb63
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Re: Springs, shmings

Post by jb63 »

Hee Hee!
I'll bet its more fun to play because of all this!
I also hope you bought it for about $10.
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billy
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Re: Springs, shmings

Post by billy »

Lol. Not quite $10 but shipping was just as expensive as the shell. I had looked for years, and was overjoyed to find this, and my beat up artist shell.

It is very fun to play- there’s a little extra resonance from the strings behind the bridge, and it’s very slinky. I didn’t like the pups at first but after trying a few different value caps on the tone pot, they are very cool.

Also tried wiring it with a push pull switch on the volume to make it a “blower switch”. That puts the pups directly to the jack- gives a little more signal. Whoa.
Billy

Spruce spruce and CF forever...
sindrist
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Re: Springs, shmings

Post by sindrist »

Awesome project, Bill!

Sounds like swirl process would have made for a great comedy montage, but well done getting this kind of paint swirl with such a low-tech equipment!
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billy
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Re: Springs, shmings

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Thanks Sindri!
Billy

Spruce spruce and CF forever...
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Fly Rod
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Re: Springs, shmings

Post by Fly Rod »

You're Making me look bad Billy... :o
I absolutely love the swirl paint job, It reminds me of some of Steve Via's Ibanez Jem Guitars & The Silver Surfer or Surfing With The Alien
e2b59eededc7862ce1ebd9f70083b239.jpg
I have been busy myself on lots of other projects but when it warms up some here I will be back trying to get the Fly deluxe I'm working on finished
You give me inspiration with that paint job & love how you saved the serial # & Fly Logo = Great Idea there... One I'm Going To Use, Thank You Very Much Sir...

I have two broken headstock guitars in the works, Both have been glued & strung up & left for a long while
The Takamine will get a new laminate made from a thin scrap of rosewood & will Rought down & make it fit & trim the edges with a bearing cutter + file etc, Still need the rosewood laminate, maybe Stew Mac?? Unsure or eBay...
It will get a new logo then clear coat, It's a New Yorker acoustic electric found in a trash can here in town, I paid $15 for it...
The back of the guitar is amazing looking & it sounds good too & all electronics function 100%
Like this photo
R.jpg
Here's the broken Headstock as of now, I will have to go buy a Tusq Nut but used one I had for the initial setup
Takeamine.JPG
Then there's this 1994 Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite M-III = 100th Anniversary Model which was 100% Complete just the broken headstock + needed a truss rod cover as it broke it in half too..
Going to try an save the logo & spray around it & filled the wounds with JB Weld & glued the break with Titebond, Going to add splines before I do final sanding & spraying of the finish, I have two cans of Gibson's Trand Red for the job already, Paint matched good see back of headstock, haven't added the splines yet was testing the paint for match & it's 100% great
The Brokken Headstock as it sits today, I paid big bucks for this guitar = $200 ;)
Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite M-III.JPG
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FLY ROD Formerly FLY Wheel
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Fly Rod
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Re: Springs, shmings

Post by Fly Rod »

tlv4muww5x4wxeayz2va.jpg
Note: This LP M-III has a center single coil pickup from a Gibson Nighthawk & 10 way switching, like a strat but can be single or dual coil & the 10th position is stand-bye or nothing, & The 9th position has a coil from a wha-wha inside that creates a crazy sound all 100% factory too...
All the sounds of a strat & a LP in one.. Crazy!!
Can't wait to have these three guitars fixed & in my son's arsenal = LP M-III, Takamine New Yorker, & Parker Deluxe

Billy that swirl paint job has just lit a fire under me
Thank You
Didn't mean to take your thread over..
Back to Surfing With The Alien Super Hard Tail Parker Fly Excellent :lol:
FLY ROD Formerly FLY Wheel
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billy
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Re: Springs, shmings

Post by billy »

Thx Flyrod! You’re doing some great stuff and not at all slacking!

This project wasn’t tons of hours but they were spread over years…. Such is life.
Billy

Spruce spruce and CF forever...
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