Question My Petrucci is like Superman dressed as Clark Kent!

[Spudmurphy]

On the 6th of this month I got my Petrucci and even though it is in need of some work it plays just great - it will be uber great when I have done a full set up on it and repaired the Piezo.
http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/35916-look-what-turned-up-today-my-pet.html

I thought the respray was ok and I would put up with it - but I was always going to do something about the headstock. So with this in mind I set about it with some 400 wet and dry and some 2000 wet and dry - and this is what happened on a sample section.
In the video clip you can see some great reflection in the finish and the Mystic Dream flip flops as it should do.




This guitar is like Superman hiding under Clark Kent's clothes and I wonder if I should do it to the whole guitar?

It would be a labour of love and I can always have a clear coat sprayed over the top. I would of course not jump straight from 400 to 2000 grit paper but step through the grades in stages.

What do you think? - do the whole guitar? - I realise that there will be imperfections in it but it's not a "guitar left under the bed" case.


Mmmmmmmmmm

 

[banjoplayer]

Great to see the Mystic Dream effect, at the end of the clip.

Hard to say what to do, cause in pictures you can´t really see how goog or bad the white paint job is done. But I´d say yes, do it. Do the whole guitar.

 

[Smellybum]

Spud,

I say sand the headstock down to the natural wood - then beg borrow or steal a decal - you obviously plan to keep it -(First dibs if you sell though!)

So as long as you're happy then??? - what the hell...

Is the body OK?

Maybe worth giving Martin Simms a call he's worked on Jamie Humphries Balls, and has a tonne of paint experience, and advice was free from him the last time I spoke to him!

to be honest mate, you got it for sub money so it's not like you've lost anything on it even if the paint is bad....

It's a risk but did you consider sanding everything down to bare wood then wax and oild the whole thing??? - risky and time consuming - but you know........keeps you out the pub

 

[Warg Master]

that's a pretty sexy guitar....................

Sanding it down would be cool.... Though I thinks the guitar has a lot of character as it is!


I'm sad I didn't get first dibs if you planned to sell it!

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hi Smelly
Christened the mug yet?

Yeah I know where you are coming from.
I was going to sand the headstock right back to natural and refinish it - so as I had nothing to lose, I took the wet and dry to it just to do a sample and was pleased with the results.

The body is refinished in a white that has a bit of sparkle in it and it does have some gigging marks in it.

I dunno - I'm always one for a challenge - and if it turns out poo then I could spray it black maybe. It was always going to be a little project.

I'll stick you on the list of first dibs - you'd like it, I just know you would.

I wouldn't go the natural/oil finish on this as it's Basswood and unlikely to have a fantastic grain.

Maybe I'd better bring it up to Inverness for a personal inspection ha!

 

[Spudmurphy]

that's a pretty sexy guitar....................

Sanding it down would be cool.... Though I thinks the guitar has a lot of character as it is!


I'm sad I didn't get first dibs if you planned to sell it!

I'd give you second dibs - $600 is a steal over here but what with postage it may turn out too expensive to send it back across the pond as a good buy for someone in the US. You are spot on when you say that the guitar has character - it has, and I love it to bits!!

I hope FredSmith gets to see this thread because he has had this guitar in his mits for a while - and I am indebted to him for the work he did in getting this for me.

Fred ??????

PS
Warg - why are you sad again?

 

[Warg Master]

Sad again... It's been a while since I updated the status. I updated it as you saw it when I had to sell the BFR.


ooooh, I have a new Idea. Since it is MD under all of that; replace the white paint with black paint and let the MD show through in more places then just the head stock.... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[threeminutesboy]

Spud, the question is why the origial owner refinished it ?

you might find surprises under the white color but I prefer mystic dream color for sure

 

[jamminjim]

+1 on the mystic dream uderneath - yeah, it's gonna be some work, and I'd call the guy smelly mentioned, especially if he has alot of paint experience. But looks like your doing well with it. Hope there aren't many surprises underneath, but if'n they were minor they could be dealt with before the clear coat topping. Why not message the seller and ask why it was refinished, I think I did but can't remember what the answer was. I believe this one was on ebay for a while. NY right?

Chemical stripping would be lots easier, then you'd have to use grain filler and sealer again before the primer and layers of paint. It can get costly. But, the
color(s) selection would be wide open. The body wood isn't going to be pretty IMO so bare naked or stained isn't a practical option.

Go for it mate. Mystic dream is nice to the eyes and great under lights.

 

[PugNinjas]

Sir Spud,

It looks like it would take a serious chunk of time to sand it completely down properly, but why not give it a try? It could keep you busy and out of trouble

Nice find btw, I played a seriously nice Petrucci recently and it was incredible.

 

[colinboy]

spud your a real DIY fanatic and i love it.whateverr you decide i know it will work out great for you like it always does.
best of luck and congrats on the JP.

 

[Sticky1973]

This guitar is like Superman hiding under Clark Kent's clothes and I wonder if I should do it to the whole guitar?

My impression is that you really want this axe to be a stunner, yet somewhat personalised.

Don't limit the project with the revealing of a potential mystic dream I say; dig deep with the time investment and make it special.

Stripping the finish right back, a BFR influenced burst could be a very special finish. Worst case, the wood looks as though it'd suit more of an opaque look, so why not consider a picasso paintjob for that authentic old skool Petrucci look.

Less Superman, more Kal-El

 

[travs]

I say sand it until smooth. It might be worthy of clear coat? if not then I say Egypt Gray with a natty head. I bet ebmm would send you the JP logo for the head. great project!

 

[Jack FFR1846]

I don't know how far you got with the sanding, but I would be testing on the back of the body with a cloth and a solvent first....working into maybe enamel thinner and if that didn't work, lacquer thinner very carefully. If the white is an easy finish like fairly new enamel, you can take it off with the chemical and leave the underneath undammaged. Even the sig on the headstock could be salvaged. Sanding will not spare edges or raised sections like the signature.

jack

 

[MusicManJP6]

Mystic Dream is an awesome finish! I say sand it to reveal the awesome finish underneath and if it turns out that the previous owner refinished it for good reason then strip it bare and start from scratch with a custom finish! A mystic dream type finish but with yellow, orange, red, and brown would be slick!

 

[Spudmurphy]

^
Yeah - black would be good too!

 

[Sweat]

Spud,

Sand it baby, give it a shot at worst you refinish it in a color you really like, black would be cool or maybe green, think Dargie.

 

[fsmith]

Hey Kev,
I've been out of commision for about a week and a half with back spasms... We took the kids skiing this weekend and all I could do was drink... I'm just getting back and checking things out.

That looks really good so far. You know I wonder if you're careful with the wet sanding if you might be able to save the decal... I'd prefer it in its original state, the white was nice but it doesn't beat mystic dream.

Keep us up to date with the progress.

I'd give you second dibs - $600 is a steal over here but what with postage it may turn out too expensive to send it back across the pond as a good buy for someone in the US. You are spot on when you say that the guitar has character - it has, and I love it to bits!!

I hope FredSmith gets to see this thread because he has had this guitar in his mits for a while - and I am indebted to him for the work he did in getting this for me.

Fred ??????

PS
Warg - why are you sad again?

 

[Spudmurphy]

Fred - bad back?You just gotta lighten your wallet go get a "Namm special".

I'm liking the guitar a lot - and once I can set it up (new piezo saddles imminent) it will be one hell of a player - hats off to the JP hats off to you for making it possible.

I think I can save the headstock and decal and respray the headstock with clear coat.

The beauty is I can mull over this for a while and maybe concentrate on getting the first 24 fret Al-trucci together.

 

[Lum]

Spud,
if you want to try something different you could try swirling it like this one, only your own choice of colours (this one's nowt to do with me, i just found it while doing a little research on how to do those fancy swirl paint jobs a while back, still not actually tried it tho. I have done a rather fetching cow print finish on another guitar by a company originally from San Dimas famed for their pointy head stocks)