Fender Cyclone Mod/Project

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:57 pm

So I have this Cyclone on the way. While I think the Sonic Youth look it has is kind of cool, I think I would really enjoy painting it.

Here is it as it is now.

DSC_0772 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

DSC_0775 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

This is what I am thinking of doing.

Cyclone by Eleventh Division LLC, on Flickr

New custom pearl pickguard. (From Pickguardian probably.)

Three strat pickups. (Not Jaguar)

Lower two wired in series like a humbucker. (Bacially it will be sort of like stock, but look like a II with a toggle.)

500k pots.

New white (hopefully metallic) finish.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:04 pm

Without a doubt. DEW!

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:11 pm

I seem to be drawn to white, but mine are VWH and OLY, so this would be white white.

mkt3000 · Post by **mkt3000** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:58 pm

If I may suggest... White with seriously pale Sonic Blue comp stripes. Make em subtle.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:23 am

Hmmm maybe. I would be worried my paint lines would bleed.

Dannymec · Post by **Dannymec** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:55 am

mkt3000 wrote:If I may suggest... White with seriously pale Sonic Blue comp stripes. Make em subtle.

THIS

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 2:53 pm

Here is the diagram I came up with to use.

Cyclone by Eleventh Division LLC, on Flickr

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:33 pm

I have some Lollar strat pickups I am going to use.

Should be fun.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:35 pm

What an interesting idea making the Jaguar humbucker. I can't wait to hear it. I don't typically like 3 pickup guitars, though I like the Cyclone IIs because you control each pickup separately.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:39 pm

I did a series mod on a Jaguar I built before and it sounded pretty cool. It is what gave me that idea. Interested to see how it sounds.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:40 pm

Picked up paint!

DSC04681 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

cur · Post by **cur** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:13 am

I get wanting to pretty it up, but I like I just the way it is. Maybe just drop a neck pup in. Your plan is going to look nice.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:17 am

cur wrote:I get wanting to pretty it up, but I like I just the way it is. Maybe just drop a neck pup in. Your plan is going to look nice.

I enjoy projects so the painting part of it appealed to me. Plus I like that it has a swimming pool so I can set it up basically how I want.

sholkham · Post by **sholkham** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 6:38 pm

looks like it's going to be pretty cool, somewhere down the line I want to refinish a cyclone to Burgundy mist and add some Jaguar elements so i'll be paying close attention to this for reference and ideas.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 6:43 pm

Cool! Hard part at the moment is waiting for the body to arrive. Three... More.... Days.....

George · Post by **George** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:31 pm

Reminds me of

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:50 pm

George wrote:

Needs less wood.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 2:02 am

The guitar came today! Teardown was fun and interesting. There was chisle work done inside for the bridge pickup it had. I will use the router to clean that up a bit and I will glue a new piece of wood in there where the one pickguard screw went. Should be an easy enough repair and I am going to strip it and paint it anyways. I could try gluing wood back in the lower area, but there isn't really a reason to. One question though, where the bridge screws down the screws go all the way through the back of the cavity where the springs go. Is that normal or are the screws too long?

DSC04691 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

DSC04690 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

Neck dates May 1998. There was a bunch of sandpaper layered under the neck and in the pocket. Took that out. I will see how it goes without it.

DSC04692 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

DSC04694 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

DSC04697 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

The gut shot.

DSC04701 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

Spring area. (See the screw holes? Normal?)

DSC04702 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

That white paint is over the CAR finish. Heat should strip it off.

DSC04703 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 4:19 am

I cleaned up the chisle work and then put in a little wood filler to smooth out some chips. Looks cleaner. I also drilled where that pickguard screw went and cut a dowel to be glued in after I strip the paint out.

Routed

DSC04705 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

DSC04706 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

DSC04707 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

DSC04708 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

Dowel

DSC04709 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

Wood filled.

DSC04713 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

Wife comes home later with the new heat gun. Should be fun.

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:40 am

The screws don't generally protrude, no. It sounds like someone has put longer screws in for some reason.