Updating And Moding A Gunslinger, Or How Can I Make $100 Guitar Better

[XBIGJIMX]

So when i was a young pup Mtv blasted me with images of rockstars and cool looking guitars. Admit it for flashy guitars you can't beat the West coast in the 80's. So one of the guitars of my child hood I remember was good ol C.C. Devill from poison. Say what you will I always liked the guy and thought he had some great guitars. So in my late night Ebay searching i came across this diamond in the rough. I Brand new B.C. Rich gunslinger with a crack in the body. So with a quick bid and a oh hell I can fix that and $100 later it was mine. Now.... what to do with it well it starts with this.




Untitled by XBIGJIMX, on Flickr



Untitled by XBIGJIMX, on Flickr



Now here is the crack which is our main problem




Untitled by XBIGJIMX, on Flickr







Now what am i going to do with this, well my main reason is i want to try some stuff i have never done before and either knock it out of the park or...screw it up so bad i learn something from it so with that the list



1. New kick ass paint job

2. Big block brass upgrade to the Floyd

3. Paint the floyd (I have seen alot of discussion on if this can be done, well were gonna find out)

4. Brass neck insert mod for the bolt on.

5. New updated inlay work

6. direct mount the pick ups cause I break pick up rings like its going out of style.





I did do a mock up because the paint will need a go by.



Here is the original insperation from mr. CC




ccharingguitar by XBIGJIMX, on Flickr



Now I have always been a fan of Keith Haring and so this definatly caught my eye. Now that i am older I realize this was not actually Keith Haring but that neither here or there. But it gives me a launch point.



So which leads to my start point



my version




MOCKUP by XBIGJIMX, on Flickr





let see how this goes.

 

[AwDeOh]

What color are you painting the FR?

Also, how the hell do you break pickup rings?!

 

[XBIGJIMX]

What color are you painting the FR?

Also, how the hell do you break pickup rings?!

I think I am going to go with White or Yellow. I need to do some photoshop coloring to see. I don't want it to be to much.

I wish I knew. I tend to play with a heavy right hand. I play a show and next thing i know half the ring is gone. I switched to metal ones when I can. But some how i also managed to sand through the top of an EMG pick up with the string muting, so I break shit that can't be explained.

 

[XBIGJIMX]

Well it only took me half a year to get started but thats how it goes.

Found my self with some free time off work, I had a stroke while at work so I am off for awhile so this is filling my time.

After hitting the body and the headstock with a scotch brite pad so the paint would stick. I fixed the dent by the volume control with some bondo and sanded flat then off to the paint room

First coat was black.



Now being the dumb bastard I am I forgot to mix the original paint before reducing so it went on like crap and was thin as hell so I had a few runs. So after some 400 grit to fix the area



So next step was to get the black out line to stay to trap all the other colors to. So it is off to the vinyl plotter.





Now after the printing I pulled out all the unused bits.


After you apply the mask to transfer it to the body


Then peel back the mask and its time for the next coat and color

 

[MikeyLawless]

Interesting

Ill stay tuned,

 

[jeremyb]

Looking forward to seeing more progress pics!!

 

[XBIGJIMX]

Well the black dried so next step was to throw down a light coat of white. Now this is not the final white this is more to give the colors a even playing surface and to make them pop.
Now my biggest fight with the painting is the dame dust and dog hair in the air but its amazing what 400 grit sandpaper can even out

Next step is the main back color of the guitar and the first front color. So i masked off the entire front and xacto out the purple parts. Now this it theroy behind the putting on the black first. By putting on the "outline mask" over the black and leaving it there I have these lines to trap the colors to so at the end when i pull them up all the lines are perfect with the color. Plus it makes it easy to cut the color masks.


Now I do not have any purple so I dumped some red , blue and some white to get the right shade and instant purple



Hit it with the spray gun and let dry about 2 hours



Now i peeled of the mask and put a fresh one on to rinse and repeat with the next color.


At this point i will move to the air brush more to save on paint and cleaning the gun then ease of use.
I also masked off the sides and back to keep the purple.

 

[darren]

Wow, this is going to be fun! I'm a fan of Keith Haring, so this has awesome written all over it.

 

[Hollowway]

Wow, painstaking work, but cool!

 

[AwDeOh]

This is turning out epic dude.

Also, in the original post's pic of the crack in the body, you're showing camel toe.

 

[feraledge]

Well look what the cat dragged in!! This is an awesome project. Keith Haring has much greater staying power in my heart than Poison, but, damn son, this is cool.
Subbed to see how this turns out.

And when it's done, how about CC picks up that guitar and talks to me.

 

[XBIGJIMX]

This is turning out epic dude.

Also, in the original post's pic of the crack in the body, you're showing camel toe.

Hhahahah , heck be happy I am wearing pants, but this is woodworking, safety first

 

[XBIGJIMX]

Added a new respirator last night cause the old one was just not cutting it. BTW if any of you are painting with out a respirator seriously stop, go get one and then continue.

The next color throwdown Red


Now this would put down with an air brush and then fast dryed it with a heatgun. then covered lightly with mask and moved on.

The yellow



The yellow took 2 coats

Now to pull the mask, its not necessary to pull the mask but you start to fight yourself at some point so its easier to pull it. Now I would recommend letting the paint cure alittle before remasking to avoid the color pulling off


4 colors down if you count white

 

[bandinaboy]

My reaction so far:
Hmmm what a shitty guitar.

Nah he can't actually do that. That mock up looks terrible.

Hmmm black coat. Probably fixed the crack already.

0.0 WHAAAA!? does this dude actually know what he is doing?

Holy damn, I WANT THAT!

That looks like a fun job to do. Maybe I could do something like that in the future... If i didn't suck at artsy things like that. So far so killer dude, keep it up!

 

[XBIGJIMX]

My reaction so far:
Hmmm what a shitty guitar.

Nah he can't actually do that. That mock up looks terrible.

Hmmm black coat. Probably fixed the crack already.

0.0 WHAAAA!? does this dude actually know what he is doing?

Holy damn, I WANT THAT!

That looks like a fun job to do. Maybe I could do something like that in the future... If i didn't suck at artsy things like that. So far so killer dude, keep it up!

hahah hell I am just winging it, I know just enough to be dangerous. but it is starting to come togther

 

[mnemonic]

damn, that is awesome! I can't wait to see it finished.

 

[fastmerc]

Thats great so far! Must have been pretty time consuming getting all the little bits of vinyl out of the way.

 

[XBIGJIMX]

Thats great so far! Must have been pretty time consuming getting all the little bits of vinyl out of the way.

It was not bad the vinyl I use has very low tack conecting to the top sheet. What i am dreading is puling all the black line masks

 

[XBIGJIMX]

Good morning everyone what does the morning bring? Well, it brings a new tool, the brush. I know what your thinking "brush what the hell you dont use a brush on guitars" but for the small quick detail of the headstock the brush is faster and easier than masking and spraying. Plus after clear and wet sand you'll never know. There are tricks to get the paint to flow ( ask any pinstriper)

I dont think i mentioned this abotu what kind of paint and gear I am using. For paint I use auto paint Mason to be exact. I found a local Auto body paint shop in town and ever ator paint store has the screw up cart. THis is the place where the orders not picked up or miss mixed end up. THis is where I but all my color. your talking $5-10 a quart which is much better than $60. and face it your not painting cars so be flexable. As far as colors, remember the basic crayola box that will get you threw anything. Even les get a Blue, Red and Yellow and a white and black. You can make anything except metallic colors from this. On this project I mixed the green, orange, purple and the lighter blue. Just remember the color wheel and black for darker white for lighter.

Now when I spray with auto paint ( or any paint for that matter) you have to reduce the paint or thin it out. The paint store should give you a mixing cup and filters. I mix 1:1 with reducer. ( reducer is fancy talk for better quality thinner). THen pour through the filter. I can't stress this enough use the filter trust me there are clumps and bits in there.

For Spray guns I use the cheap harbor freight guns. THey work fine if you keep them clean and likeI said were not painting cars. Also I like them for if the clear does not clean out and drys in the gun , well it was $20 go get a new one


now on to the latest
the tools



Working through the old man glass




Green



Blue

 

[Ocara-Jacob]

daaaaaaaang