Searching for the right sparkle...

[gorch]

Still in Hamer times with Jol in charge, a few years before shop close,

there was a project for Rick Nielsen that Jol had presented in the blog at the time.

It had been about the making-of of a sparkling Standard Custom in something like a gold sparkle with red, green, blue sparkles in it. Maybe it had been made for the St.Pepper sessions or any other event. I can't remember and am searching for a picture that well shows the coloring.

So, help much appreciated!

[gorch]

Got it...thanks

[cmatthes]

That's Ludwig drum wrap.  Citrus Mod Sparkle.  Bun E., Rick, and Tom all had matching instruments made with it.

 

[gorch]

Exactly! Memories are returning.

Now, where to get?

[HAMERMAN]

Very cool finish - not sure how I missed this the first time.

[Studio Custom]

9 hours ago, gorch said:

Exactly! Memories are returning.

Now, where to get?

Marty Bell does tons of sparkle refinishes.  

http://martybellfinishing.com/sparkle.html

[HAMERMAN]

Was that standard done with drum wrap or painted to look like the drum wrap?

If it is drum wrap I wonder how they handled the edges on the body since there doesn't appear to be binding?

 

[Dutchman]

Maybe heat and a vacuum... like vacuum wrapping meat?? Just a guess....

[gorch]

9 hours ago, HAMERMAN said:

If it is drum wrap I wonder how they handled the edges on the body since there doesn't appear to be binding?

This question immediately hit my mind too.

[devrock]

OMG.....that is hideous!

[cmatthes]

On 9/10/2019 at 4:27 PM, HAMERMAN said:

Was that standard done with drum wrap or painted to look like the drum wrap?

If it is drum wrap I wonder how they handled the edges on the body since there doesn't appear to be binding?

 

Yes - it was done with drum wrap, shipped from Ludwig.  I’m sure Mike Shishkov, Dave Brown or Kim K. could weigh in, and there was also a Hamer Workshop Blog post about it, but things like the back of the neck were sprayed in Candy Apple Red. I’ve seen the guitar up close and held it, and it’s a dead smooth job.

[crunchee]

On 9/10/2019 at 3:27 PM, HAMERMAN said:

Was that standard done with drum wrap or painted to look like the drum wrap?

If it is drum wrap I wonder how they handled the edges on the body since there doesn't appear to be binding?

 

On 9/10/2019 at 6:39 PM, Dutchman said:

Maybe heat and a vacuum... like vacuum wrapping meat?? Just a guess....

I wonder if it was done in a similar way like when they used to wrap MOTS (Mother of Toilet Seat) celluoid around lap steel bodies back in the '40's and '50's?  IIRC, sheets of MOTS celluoid was made pliable by soaking it in acetone or some other solvent, it would be wrapped onto/around the wood bodies very quickly before it had a chance to harden, then the excess would be trimmed off.  Gretsch used their own 'sparkle' drum wrap from the Gretsch drum line on Silver Jet/Sparkle Jet guitars back in the early '60's as a custom option.  I can't imagine that a guitar body covered in drum wrap would make for a very resonant guitar, though.

[Stike]

On 9/14/2019 at 7:06 PM, crunchee said:

 

I wonder if it was done in a similar way like when they used to wrap MOTS (Mother of Toilet Seat) celluoid around lap steel bodies back in the '40's and '50's?  IIRC, sheets of MOTS celluoid was made pliable by soaking it in acetone or some other solvent, it would be wrapped onto/around the wood bodies very quickly before it had a chance to harden, then the excess would be trimmed off.  Gretsch used their own 'sparkle' drum wrap from the Gretsch drum line on Silver Jet/Sparkle Jet guitars back in the early '60's as a custom option.  I can't imagine that a guitar body covered in drum wrap would make for a very resonant guitar, though.

IIRC it was drum wrap. 

Gretsch Sparkle Jets sound fine, also drum wrap.