Presentation !! customization of a cheap guitar (Hypatia :)
Jan 11, 2021 14:45:46 GMT -5
b4nj0 and frets like this
Post by perroavion on Jan 11, 2021 14:45:46 GMT -5
Hi everybody,
Im glad of being part of this forum. Many times I´ve been around here and there translating some interesting threads that couldn´t be found outside. As Im not english native I would ask a little comprehension any time. So that said, Im amateur musician and enthusiast about music gear and home studio recording.
Here we are; this is Hypatia, a cheap strat 300€ (complete rig including amp, cables, bag...)it was my first electric "wing" and so once I decided to honour her modifying its pickups and finish, trying a natural one.
So I bought an used kit from a FSR Japanese Strat pickups and choose to make the 7 sound mod. I barely remember little details, did this things few years ago. Try to add in series the neck pick up with a DPDT toogle switch.
But first of all I aimed certain kind of sunburst. The one that is so bright, cherry or even tobacco. I was doubtful about the results as far as I was a novice in that matter.
Avoiding the use of nitro and any other chemical substance (except for the industrial solvent
) removed the original paint and began a long journey through the sanding lands...
Till his beer was empty....and then the next one....and so on...
By the time it waaaas so smooth and you can´t stop touching it I stop the sanding process. Then tried to make a colour base with black powder ink (aniline dye) obtaining a nice ivory black. Didn´t remember which gauges of sanding paper used, but reached up to 1800 at the end. (Maybe 2000 cant remember so well). Detail of a nice soft pearl grey colour. As colour base it was extremely dark, got to re-sand it.
I would like to say that every time I finished a colour procedure I could have finished then. Thats a funny job.
At this point try to get that evil sunburst, applying different coats of red and yellow dye...
Didn´t like at all....and try a really nice orange (which I regret not to choose it)
Dont want to create a truly extense post so I try to shorten this.
Once I like the sunburst and got it sanded nicely; I started applying several coats of linseed oil and later the same with beeswax.
With the body finished (I should look for synonyms) took the pickup and pot covers and tried to weathering them giving a vintage look. Did this sanding and staining it.
Painted the pickguard with black paint (chinese acrylic one haha).
The final assembly needed a shielded cavity to avoid HUMs. I use some kind of cooper foil and put my hands on the electronics. I follow some schematics and use a 22 nF film capacitor, 250k pots (volume and two for tone), an old twisted pair, the little DPDT toogle switch, 5 way switch.
And...previous a little adjustments for bridge, saddles, a new locking tuners (bad ones after time), here it is the final result !! a nice body natural finish with a rare kind of sunburst, I will try to put some takes to hear it. Sounds really good for a cheap guitar and love the tones from the 7 sounds mod.
a picture backwards...
Thats it friends, hope you like it and I´ll be willing to learn from all of you...specially if you give mee weed, whites and wineeee (it was to make sense for the verse of the song, Im a healthy person !! haha. Try to make jokes in other languages its not easy thing men !!
Greetings from western Spain !!
Im glad of being part of this forum. Many times I´ve been around here and there translating some interesting threads that couldn´t be found outside. As Im not english native I would ask a little comprehension any time. So that said, Im amateur musician and enthusiast about music gear and home studio recording.
Here we are; this is Hypatia, a cheap strat 300€ (complete rig including amp, cables, bag...)it was my first electric "wing" and so once I decided to honour her modifying its pickups and finish, trying a natural one.
So I bought an used kit from a FSR Japanese Strat pickups and choose to make the 7 sound mod. I barely remember little details, did this things few years ago. Try to add in series the neck pick up with a DPDT toogle switch.
But first of all I aimed certain kind of sunburst. The one that is so bright, cherry or even tobacco. I was doubtful about the results as far as I was a novice in that matter.
Avoiding the use of nitro and any other chemical substance (except for the industrial solvent
) removed the original paint and began a long journey through the sanding lands...Till his beer was empty....and then the next one....and so on...
By the time it waaaas so smooth and you can´t stop touching it I stop the sanding process. Then tried to make a colour base with black powder ink (aniline dye) obtaining a nice ivory black. Didn´t remember which gauges of sanding paper used, but reached up to 1800 at the end. (Maybe 2000 cant remember so well). Detail of a nice soft pearl grey colour. As colour base it was extremely dark, got to re-sand it.
I would like to say that every time I finished a colour procedure I could have finished then. Thats a funny job.
At this point try to get that evil sunburst, applying different coats of red and yellow dye...
Didn´t like at all....and try a really nice orange (which I regret not to choose it)
Dont want to create a truly extense post so I try to shorten this.
Once I like the sunburst and got it sanded nicely; I started applying several coats of linseed oil and later the same with beeswax.
With the body finished (I should look for synonyms) took the pickup and pot covers and tried to weathering them giving a vintage look. Did this sanding and staining it.
Painted the pickguard with black paint (chinese acrylic one haha).
The final assembly needed a shielded cavity to avoid HUMs. I use some kind of cooper foil and put my hands on the electronics. I follow some schematics and use a 22 nF film capacitor, 250k pots (volume and two for tone), an old twisted pair, the little DPDT toogle switch, 5 way switch.
And...previous a little adjustments for bridge, saddles, a new locking tuners (bad ones after time), here it is the final result !! a nice body natural finish with a rare kind of sunburst, I will try to put some takes to hear it. Sounds really good for a cheap guitar and love the tones from the 7 sounds mod.
a picture backwards...
Thats it friends, hope you like it and I´ll be willing to learn from all of you...specially if you give mee weed, whites and wineeee (it was to make sense for the verse of the song, Im a healthy person !! haha. Try to make jokes in other languages its not easy thing men !!
Greetings from western Spain !!
