My Friend the artist wants to paint my guitar.

[mathman 2,816]

My good friend, Eddie Bear has been an artist for as long as I have known him, which is going on 45 years.  He has a style and we as a group had a style and he is going to custom paint mine and two other old friends guitars for free for examples of his work.  He painted my Fender bass's backside years ago, but that really doesn't show his skills set.  

Anyway, He is going to paint an old flying V guitar I bought in Gainesville when we were all living together there in the early 80's.  I played the shit out of this guitar for many years till I bought  my import Hamer Standard around 2005 or so.  Which brought me to this board at the time.

I replaced the pups in the import and put the import hamer pups in the V.  It is a Palmer by the way.  The neck played great.  Decent build all around.

So, I want to rebuild it all the way.   New pups and bridge.  
I will probably talk to josh about pups, so I've got that.

But, it had a shitty tremolo bridge and I don't really want that.

Will I need to fill in the cavity where is goes all the way through the guitar, and

What is a decent bridge, not  needing to be the best.  Quality at a price point.

Thanks.

 

 

[mathman 2,816]

And, yes,  It is not a collectors piece, but it has life value.

[RobB 6,088]

2 minutes ago, mathman said:

Will I need to fill in the cavity where is goes all the way through the guitar, and

What is a decent bridge, not  needing to be the best.  Quality at a price point.

For a standard hardtail, yes, you'll have to have something solid for the screws to grab onto. You could forgo the expense of filling the cavity and just replace it with a quality, S-type tremolo and use all five springs to lock it down to the body's face.

I think any standard Fender/Gotoh/Callaham would be fine. I would measure the string spacing before ordering a new one. 

[mathman 2,816]

Thanks!

 

[scottcald 3,276]

Looks perfect as is.  

[mathman 2,816]

20 minutes ago, scottcald said:

Looks perfect as is.  

Define perfect:.....

 

[Dave Scepter 3,348]

Once you fill in the trem cavity, you should glue a thin laminate on top to keep the outline from bleeding through then install one of these...

MannMade USA Hamer Sustain Block Bridge - Black Nickel https://reverb.com/item/32837454-mannmade-usa-hamer-sustain-block-bridge-black-nickel?utm_source=android-app&utm_medium=android-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=32837454

But wait till he gets the Chrome ones made... They're cheaper about $150

Good luck and keep us posted 🖖

[crunchee 5,481]

You could also 'block' the trem with a chunk of wood, ala Clapton.

Edited February 14 by crunchee

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame 2,538]

The SuperVee Bladerunner is a drop-in replacement for 6-screw trems that stays in tune.

Alternatively, my Yamaha PAC 611 VFM has a Wilkinson VS50 that stays in tune perfectly.  That also might be a drop-in replacement...cheaper version of a Mann (which integrates the knifepoint and hourglass into the 6 screws/holes)?

[mathman 2,816]

54 minutes ago, Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame said:

The SuperVee Bladerunner is a drop-in replacement for 6-screw trems that stays in tune.

Alternatively, my Yamaha PAC 611 VFM has a Wilkinson VS50 that stays in tune perfectly.  That also might be a drop-in replacement...cheaper version of a Mann (which integrates the knifepoint and hourglass into the 6 screws/holes)?

Thanks

[mathman 2,816]

So, some updates.  He asked 3 friends to send him guitars that he could "play" with.  These are friends I have known for a fuck long time.  Kevin since 6th grade, Eddie since 10th grade and Neal since 11th grade and Neal was my Band mate for all of time since then.

So, each of us sent a guitar body.  Me, my V I bought when I was living in Gainesville with Ed.  Neal a Charvel he played when we were together and Kevin a tele body.

Kevin is dealing with cancer so Ed started with his first to finish first.  Neal got his there next and I was last.

So, here is Kevin's.  He is a classic 60's hippy that never changed.  He creates amazing metal fences, sculptures, and any thing made of metal.  But is a hippie at heart.

cell phone photos:

[mathman 2,816]

Neal's will be a VH copy.  The early taping job.

[specialk 4,131]

He looks like a talented painter. Is he asking the owners what they'd like, or is he doing it by how he "sees" their personalities? 

[mathman 2,816]

So, for us three friends, he said he would hydro dip, cerokote or paint. Kevin asked for more color and a psychedelic style but gave him free range to create what he wanted.

 

 Neal asked to do the VH style.  And provided this photo for reference.

[mathman 2,816]

Mine came back this week.  Cheap Trick theme.

Think I want to find some new pickups.

[Dave Scepter 3,348]

Wow that's awesome!.. you gonna match the headstock as well?

Edited Saturday at 03:15 PM by Dave Scepter

[mathman 2,816]

2 minutes ago, Dave Scepter said:

Wow that's awesome!.. you gonna match the headstock as well?

That was what I was thinking once it came.  The headstock is red front face and wood tone on back.  Twas a cheap guitar.  I may try to paint the front checkerboard myself or take it to him this summer and let him do it.

[foodermon 473]

that's really cool..  front and back at that!   really like the mix ..  checkers, stripes, and the charcoal graphic pattern (is that a mini checker pattern, carbon fiber pattern..  whatever it is..   really nice).   I really luv charcoal or dark grey colorwize.    match the headstock and that will be really sweet.   

 

[Dave Scepter 3,348]

1 hour ago, mathman said:

That was what I was thinking once it came.  The headstock is red front face and wood tone on back.  Twas a cheap guitar.  I may try to paint the front checkerboard myself or take it to him this summer and let him do it.

Or use this until a permanent solution is available 

Check this out at Amazon
Duck Brand 280410 Printed Duct Tape, Checker, 1.88 Inches x 10 Yards, Single Roll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058DV71A/ref=cm_sw_r_u_apa_glc_fab_98Q0HYWD9Y6V2G12R7XB

[gtrdaddy 10,113]

1 hour ago, Dave Scepter said:

Or use this until a permanent solution is available 

Check this out at Amazon
Duck Brand 280410 Printed Duct Tape, Checker, 1.88 Inches x 10 Yards, Single Roll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058DV71A/ref=cm_sw_r_u_apa_glc_fab_98Q0HYWD9Y6V2G12R7XB

Dunno if I'd do that, duct tape will dampen resonance. Might look cool though...

[Dave Scepter 3,348]

26 minutes ago, gtrdaddy said:

Dunno if I'd do that, duct tape will dampen resonance. Might look cool though...

 I'm glad Steinberger didn't adapt that philosophy🤣

[gtrdaddy 10,113]

16 minutes ago, Dave Scepter said:

 I'm glad Steinberger didn't adapt that philosophy🤣

Well you’re talking about a company that made the ugliest head stock in the world next to Heritage, but then that could just be my imagination.

[Travis 4,725]

5 hours ago, gtrdaddy said:

Well you’re talking about a company that made the ugliest head stock in the world next to Heritage, but then that could just be my imagination.

The headless design?  I mean, I’ll agree that bad head is better than no head...

[gtrdaddy 10,113]

25 minutes ago, Travis said:

The headless design?

I suppose I should've italicized "but then that could just be my imagination", and no, I don't meant putting garlic salt and basil on it. 

Edited Saturday at 11:50 PM by gtrdaddy

[Travis 4,725]

7 minutes ago, gtrdaddy said:

I suppose I should've italicized "but then that could just be my imagination", and no, I don't meant putting garlic salt and basil on it.