Help! Re-Finishing Axis SS

[kylem]

The Damage

OK, I admit the pink/black/sparkle would be hot but I do play in church The damage on the top was as chip of paint knocked off from it getting hit on the binding. The chip was about the size of two postage stamps. I put some gaff tape on it just so I could go play it. When I pulled the gaff tape off more paint came off. In the pictures you see a clean top, I have not sanded the top yet, that was just blowing the paint off with a razor blade quickly. I have wondered if it should have come off that easy. None of the paint on the back came off like that, it was stuck good. The paint on the top nearly jumped off.

 

[threeminutesboy]

OK, I admit the pink/black/sparkle would be hot but I do play in church The damage on the top was as chip of paint knocked off from it getting hit on the binding. The chip was about the size of two postage stamps. I put some gaff tape on it just so I could go play it. When I pulled the gaff tape off more paint came off. In the pictures you see a clean top, I have not sanded the top yet, that was just blowing the paint off with a razor blade quickly. I have wondered if it should have come off that easy. None of the paint on the back came off like that, it was stuck good. The paint on the top nearly jumped off.

Ok for god sake you can go with another finish

as for the paint issue it's really the first time for me to hear the paint peeling off this way. Keep us posted !!!

I remember few years ago on this forum most of the die hard knucleheads were against any mod on their precious guitars. Now it happens more and more and it's good to experiment to find your sound

or maybe that's just because there are more users on this forum

 

[kylem]

Modifications

I'm not one to cut on a brand new guitar but again, this one was a rescue when I got it, it was past the point of even a player nevermind "the incident with my dog", thankfully the neck is was still ok. But I do think if you put up a collectable that's cool but I prefer player guitars. The guitar is an "instrument" to make music, we do a lot in search of tone. Although I do wish someone hadn't repainted my 58 strat back in the 60's before I got it. It would be much more valuable now. In light of its diminished value I'm not afraid to take it out and play it. This axis ss will be like that, just go play it. Maybe someday I can get a nice bfr to put away and look at Nah, I'd play it too...

 

[Ernieballplayer]

man.. im squinting from looking at those pic's, hope it all works out with the re-finishing.

 

[meenahga]

As I recall, a heat gun worked well in removing the poly finish.

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/mus...music-man-silhouette-restoration-project.html

 

[five7]

Good Luck! It is going to be a beauty!

 

[kylem]

Got it painted

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View attachment 7095 Just finished in the middle of the night with the laquer clear, I learned a lot, a few things I would do different, but I'm happy for my first try. Now waiting for it to dry a few days so I can sand and buff it.

After sanding all the paint off and fully test fitting the ghoast bridge acoustic setup (which is the best I've heard) I pulled it apart and started the refinish. I stained the top black, when dry sanded most the black off leaving the highlights, then shot on red die mixed in alcohol, light in the middle, more coats and darker to the outer edge. Then a black burst at the edge (I'll do better next time), then some metalic clear over the black edge to match the factory black metalic headstock, then clear. Can't wait to buff this thing.

Hope to have a picture of the finished guitar late in the week.

 

[threeminutesboy]

wooow very nice indeed

thanks for sharing

 

[guitfiddle]

Great job!

Great job Kyle, especially for a first try. Thanks a bunch for sharing. I'd like to hear what you think of the acoustic setup once you've had a chance to really try it.

PS: Your socks are on upside down

 

[jamminjim]

The trans red burst top is exellent!

 

[azazael]

Nice one.
You said it was first time but I think personally i woulda tried on a blank to practice a few times before taking the plunge on something as previous as the Axis.

 

[douglasspears]

something as previous as the Axis.

obliviously

 

[azazael]

i meant precious!

 

[kylem]

first time and piezo opinion & 2 finished pictures

I can't stress enough, this guitar had to be painted, no choice, it was auful, paint falling off and someone prior to me had let it take some pretty had hits on the back (cracked body). I learned a lot but would not advise someone new to paint work trying it out this on a nice guitar. Oh, and I do have really pretty slab of plywood (maple veneer) in my shop I shot before doing the guitar. Cabinet grade wood dealer gave me some scrap to practice on, well worth the time. I bought a guitar to paint just to learn but the paint started falling off this axis, it looked really bad so I went for it with the axis, the cheapy still sits undone. Did I mention I've been painting cars for 25 years professionaly for some years and then as a hobby? That helped. It probably was a bad idea to jump into this with an axis but I'm happy with it. I rushed it big time to play it at church for Christmas Eve (worth it), the paint was 1.5 days old when I buffed it and assembled it, so it will have to be buffed again but that's ok with me. I expect the paint to die back/shrink over he next week or two but I can take care of that.

As for the acoustic thing, I have a nice (soon to be sold) 1998 Parker Fly and a Taylor T5, the T5 is OK as an acoustic, the Parker is pretty good, this ghost bridge from Graphtech kicked their buts big time. I put in the switch to go from mag to piezo or both and their push pull (pop out) acoustic volume, I didn't end up with a tone control though but really a little eq and its great. I run a POD X3 live (which I love), I just did a mild eq, but it sounded great direct in. These saddles went right in place of the eb's saddles. I did however have to buy a carbide drill bit ($15) and use a drill press to drill holes in the bridge under the saddle to run the wires so they would be hidden. I found you can't effectively drill a hole in one of their bridges with a nice/new drill bit from the hardware store and don't try to use a carbide bit without a drill press, you will break it, ask me how I know I routed a small pocket under the bridge (small as I could) to handle the 6 piezo wires.

If you've looked at the graph tech site Products&Ordering - Graph Tech or watch the video [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhGA1c3E47c"]YouTube- Introduction to Graph Tech's Ghost Pickup System[/ame]you'll see this can be just acoustic (as I did) or you can snap another small board on and a new output jack (midi) and go midi with this deal. I just don't need midi. One thing I havn't really decided on, the output of the magnet pickups goes to the ghost bridge circuit board and sound goes out from there, so you have to trust the ghost bridge not to change the tone of your pickups. Havn't figured a way to check it out but I will, so far it seems to be fine thogh.

I do love this guitar though. I tried to keep the general look of a factory axis piezo, close enough.

 

[jamminjim]

That is just stunning. Beautiful, excellent work. Is it possible for you to become the official painter for the Knuckleheads?

 

[beej]

Wow, fantastic work!

One thing I havn't really decided on, the output of the magnet pickups goes to the ghost bridge circuit board and sound goes out from there, so you have to trust the ghost bridge not to change the tone of your pickups. Havn't figured a way to check it out but I will, so far it seems to be fine thogh.

I installed a Ghost system in my Morse years back, just took it out a few months ago (wanted to go to different saddles).

Didn't find much of a tonal change with their preamp, but I did find it hissy when you crank up the gain (I went through several preamp boards and everything was shielded). In the end I wired up a toggle switch so I could use either the passive magnetic output or piezo output from the board. Just FYI.