Ernie Ball Music Man JP6 Restoration Project!

**Morbid** · 04-17-2009, 10:27 PM

Update Time!
Happy Happy Joy Joy!

This guitar has been giving me absolute HELL with this Rerouting process! I can't believe it has taken me so long to make the piezo cavity show up again.

Alas, after two days of scraping away with the aid of chemicals, I finally see light at the end of the tunnel!

See the paint at the top right?? WOOHOO! That means I'm finally down to WOOD. Time to get rid of the rest of that crappy pain in the butt filler.
NOTE: The white thing in the center is a paper towel rolled up and pressed in to stop the chemicals from leaking out, as the chemicals seem to be more forgiving towards paper, rather than tape.

Finally! Now all I see is wood and a little bit of filler left around the hole! One more setting with chemicals oughtta do it.

Now that I'm down to the hole, I can't use paper towels anymore...I need something to plug up the hole, but not get in the way.

I decided to fold up a piece of news paper 5 or 6 times, and then tape it on.

It worked like a charm!

After I let it sit for a bit, I took my pocket knife to it once again, and finally...

SALVATION!

Ladies and Gentlemen...we have Piezo Cavity!

Here's the guitar somewhat put together...
Keep in mind, the pickup switch still needs to be filled and redrilled a half an inch over. But hey, this gives me something nice to look at and something to look forward to!

I'm not afraid to say, I feel really accomplished with this now.

With any luck, this also means I'm done with the chemicals now. I'll be thrilled about that...so will my hands.

**the24thfret** · 04-18-2009, 05:27 PM

Wow. Continues to look great. Can't wait for paint!

**Ricman** · 04-18-2009, 06:10 PM

Great thread. How sweet would a butterscotch JP look?

**Clonexx** · 04-18-2009, 08:24 PM

You are doing an amazing job man. I wish I was as talented at things like this as you are, unfortunately all my talent went into computer related jobs rather then working with my hands.

Best of luck with getting this done, I know I will be following it all the way to the end

**Spudmurphy** · 04-19-2009, 07:43 AM

It's looking good.- but I'm still not 100% convinced you are doing the right thing in using a different wood for the dowel and also using a dowel that is cut "end grain on" ?

Regarding the Piezo cavity where the previous guy "feathered" the cavity to help in losing the witness mark when the top coat of paint is sprayed on, you may consider routing the top lip out to the perimeter of the feathering and making a larger plastic cover to go on the back - a lot more work I guess.

Still it's only suggestions on my part - which I guess is what yer after?

**jamminjim** · 04-19-2009, 08:46 AM

Spud says but I'm still not 100% convinced you are doing the right thing in using a different wood for the dowel and also using a dowel that is cut "end grain on" ?

Yes, but Spud..... where is a guy going to get a basswood cross-cut dowel?
He'd have to make one from a basswood blank. I don't even know where one would get a piece of similar basswood. Maybe EBMM.

I'm thinking maybe use a hardwood dowel. Maybe a birch dowel. I think if the end of the dowel is sanded and sealed well there shouldn't be a problem with it.

**the24thfret** · 04-19-2009, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by jamminjim

I think if the end of the dowel is sanded and sealed well there shouldn't be a problem with it.

Agreed.

**Spudmurphy** · 04-19-2009, 11:50 AM

I'm passing on the tips I got from a luthier of 30 years experience who repairs "basket case" guitars.

Basswood can be obtained from a number of stockists in the USA/Canada
Here's one
Welcome to www.mtalbert.com
End grain can be prone to shrinkage - it's not a question of sealing the grain - its all about shrinkage I bleeb?
If you were cutting dowels for any home wood/carpentry projects would you contemplate using a different wood species?

I'm not speaking from any personal experience - just passing on some hints from a pro.

**jamminjim** · 04-19-2009, 12:48 PM

Well - doesn't shrinkage happen to woods from drying out? If so, then he could take the "birch" dowel and put it in the oven on 200 degrees for the night. Shrink/dry it. Buy it a little oversize and dry it, then sand it to fit.
I'd think the wooden dowels are already made from a dried piece of wood. Who knows though?

Just thinking out loud.

**the24thfret** · 04-19-2009, 12:54 PM

Whatever way, it'd be important to research and make sure the wood won't change in any way over time while in the guitar. I figure if it was sealed completely it'd be fine, but I'm no craftsman or scientist.

**Dizzy** · 04-19-2009, 06:48 PM

This is an great thread.

After seeing the naked pics I reckon if there was any way you could conceal the patched holes etc, I'd be going for a stained / oiled finish.

It would be one very cool & unique JP

**MusicManJP6** · 04-22-2009, 08:46 AM

Man, now that you have it down to bare wood the sky is the limit! Do you leave it natural as Spud suggested, or do you go with some sweet finish?!! If you can get all the remnants of paint off completely then i'd leave it natural!