Q418 Luttis's Dashing Sparklecaster...

LuttiS

So i'm in...

I have a guitar which i have intended to do something with, so something will be done with it.

The kit part the voices say!?

I, Luttis Reginald Von Forum-Member fully intend to build.... Some pickups from a kit.
Still deciding on which ones, but guitar sorting comes first but it will probably be some sort of humbucking bridge mounted titan of pickup hugeness. I've never attempted anything on that side of diy so i will be mainly attempting to not burn the house down. That's a win in my book,. I'm aware that it probable doesn't involve fire, but that won't stop me!

The designs!

So i've had these ideas floating in my head as to what i want to do... 

Firstly, the Furry Pink Zebracaster, a hotrodded 80's monster, designed over a cauldron heated with hairspray and hookers. It will be upholstered in the Internets finest and cheapest polyester material. The pickup will be singular and pink. It will be made for bandanna's and aviators.




Or in the hopes of enticing my daughter to guitar even more (she already likes it, just this might be for her) i will make her a Sparkling Rainbow Dashcaster. Inspired my a certain flying horse that i get subjected to a fair bit.. But it also sparkles, so that's ok in my book.




This one is potantially the easier finish as it's spray paint and sparkles. It will also be satisfying because it has sparkles and i will get to hacksaw rainbow dash for the top of the tail... and i like the strap   I found a couple of potential kits including one that has some quite cool blue foil covers which might go nicely. 


So uh, currently preparing the guitar for doing stuff and mulling over the designs.

Thoughts opinions and preferences are welcomed

WezV

Go with the rainbow dash one.  

 I actually considered making a copy of the guitar from Rainbow rocks

Sasz

Sparkling Rainbow Dashcaster!

Sparkles > polyester, no question.

(Although I may still be traumatised by my static-ridden 1970s childhood)

LuttiS

The research and design committee has been assembled... Some pretty serious stuff being discussed here.

Legionreturns

That is a meeting of minds right there! 

LuttiS

Feedback from the meeting was more research needed. Much more research.



Quite enjoying this research phase. For those counting research, that is series one episode 27.


I now know that friendship is indeed magic.

LuttiS

So once initial research is done.. it comes down to preparing the guitar for transformation.

Here is the guitar that will be dismantled and rebuilt:



We have the technology. We can rebuild it... Better.. Stronger.. Faster.. More Sparkles.

LuttiS

And here is the first fail of the build... removing the paint...

It did get better though...







It really is amazing what you can accomplish if you duck out of work early and come home to find your child is at her Nana's and your wife is at a meeting...

LuttiS

Have wet sanded the body to around 600 grit. Went to buy some spray primer. Found inspiration and primer. 

LuttiS

Fail No. 2...

So i bought this guitar for £20 a while back. I have now looked at the back of neck for the first time...

Doh..



Couple of cracks hiding on the back like complete bastards.

In the great scheme of things reckon it's a major problem? Any suggestions for dealing with them? Do they need dealing with?

enjo

Not sure about the cracks perhaps injecting wood glue? I was advised gorilla wood glue in the past which has worked great. I'm sure a proper luthier can advise a course of action.
Great choice of t-shirts so far!

roundthebend

Patch it over with carbon fibre and epoxy resin. Strong and different!!

Jez6345789

I think on anything but a 20 quid rebuild the crack would be a problem. If it was me I would check that the neck is dimensionally useable. Not warped twist and the board is straight if not it probably bin it time a you will spend ages individually profiling each fret to counteract the twists and kinks.

if all is relatively strait then for economy I would look buying the thinnest watery super glue there are different grades. I would by a specific viscosity rather than Poundland special then using a fine hyperdermic would wick a load of super glue in to the cracks

paulnb57

I'd try and find a replacement neck for peace of mind.....

Jez6345789

I suppose if you  can find another 20 quid starter kit guitar same Yamaha model then fine but I imagine it a specific non fender size.

As far as a fun projects cheap upgrades go I would just do the glue thing. neck breaks headstock area are more than strong enough after glueing. So in filling a long crack should be stable enough with a load of watery super glue.

roundthebend

In all seriousness, fibre glass cloth and epoxy would be a strong fix. But I don't know what that would do to the usability of the guitar

LuttiS

Optimus Primer.

LuttiS

Anyone have any knowledge of spray paints and what will work?

Since i need to do the 'rainbow tail' type bit going through it all, i thought a pack of sprays LIKE THIS might be a good shout, as i only need to cover a small area and for a tenner it has multiple colours.. an neon is always a bonus. 

but then i got to thinking, which is when things usually stop working so well..

Would the neon mess with the sparkles? (the rustoleum clear sparkle spray is my intended sparkle method unless anyone has a better idea) 
In particular if i was to use the blue neon can from this set with some additional for the actual blue of the body?

LuttiS

Just noticed In the MLP bowling episode the entire cast of the Big Lebowski are in the bowling alley as ponies.. so that was cool..

Uh.. I mean primer sanded and other spray paints all arrived.  

LuttiS

Went out last night to see some friends i'd not seen in years. got in after 2ish.. got up after 5ish with daughter. Decided nap time would be the best time to do a colour and sparkle test. Obviously.. i mean.. who needs sleep when you have sparkles? Right? Rightt??





Didn't do any sanding or prep, it's just a bit of primered wood, with colours, and then with clear glitter spray.

Quite happy with the result.. imagine when i actually but some effort.,gerbpoeopib zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

enjo

That looks awesome!