Aria 1802T project (epiphone ET-270 copy)

[Billy3000]

So I got this for free about 2 months ago. I was up in Maryland with my girlfriend and her brother took me to Atomic Music up there, and they had this guitar sitting by the dumpster. It doesn't have a pickguard, pickups or a neck plate or tuners. The body has been hacked up and the neck needs to be re-finished. Since the body is in such bad shape, I'll most likely end up sanding it down and re-finishing the whole thing. I also want to come up with a new pickguard shape for it and possibly try and make one myself. I've been pretty busy lately so this is likely to stay in the project phase for a while, but I figured I'd post some pics and let you guys check it out and see if anyone has any ideas about what to do with it.

[hotrodperlmutter]

holy shit, you weren't lying! glad to finally see pics of it. hard to imagine she once looked like this:



i would redo the horns, but i bet that's gonna be a total bitch.

[Billy3000]

Yea, I'm thinking I'm just going to try and round out the bottom horn a little bit more, and that might make it look better. The top one looks pretty good, it just needs some wood filler where that chunk is missing.

It really is in bad shape, but nothing that can't be repaired. It will never look original at all but I'm pretty sure I can make it look pretty cool still.

[cur]

B3000, I have an awesome set of tools if you need some help lets me know.

[Billy3000]

B3000, I have an awesome set of tools if you need some help lets me know.

for real dude? Yea that might be a good idea since I've never made a pickguard before. And all I have to fix the horns on the body with is a sander. Where in the raleigh area do you live?

[cur]

Downtown Cary, by train Depot.

Going on vacation until Saturday nigh. But get in touch when you want after that.

Like I said I have just about everything you would need to go from a raw chunk of wood to a g-tar.


PM me.

[Mages]

you guys should make a new body for it. those trems are cool and from all I know about these the neck shouldn't be bad. the body looks pretty wonky without the horns though.

isn't that the same trem that offsetter fellow used to build that custom guitar? the one othomas(I think) bought.

[Billy3000]

I think the body could look pretty cool still. It just needs to be smoothed out a little bit. I would like to make a guitar body one day, but I don't think this is the project for that. I really don't want to spend much money on this thing.

[cur]

Whatever you want to do. Smooth it out, add back the horns up to you. We should be able to make a pickguard if you want. I might have some left over aluminum if you want that Tiesco look, or we can make a template and rout a new one. I have never routed the plastic for pickguards but I have a 45 degree bit somewhere.

[creepingfur]

I'm extremely interested how this turns out. Especially what and how you do in regards to the paint / finish, as well as dealing with trim / pick guard issues.

I say this because on the way home from the butcher, I ended up buying a '72 Epiphone ET-270 that is going to need some restoration.

I saw it hanging over the counter with with green "Make an offer" sticker on it and I almost didn't realize what it was except it looked a decent short scale guitar with a clear finish. When I walked in and started looking at it - I realized it had no finish at all. It looks as if someone sanded and prepped the whole guitar for a re-finish (and did a great job), god knows who long ago, before it ended up slightly sketchy mission pawn shown. There is a small chip on the neck and that's it for the neck/body/heado. The tuners and switch gear all seemed good, so did the trem / bridge. It will need a new pick guard and pickup trim, a replacement trem bar for sure - maybe a little fret board work.

The shop keep told it had been lingering around the shop for well over a year. I told him if it I can plug, and it does works, I'll buy it. Plugged it in and despite being buzzy / crackly at the jack, both pickups and the base boost switch all worked fine, and action wasn't to bad. I offered $25, the shop owner countered with $30, I accepted and I walked home with a new addition to the family and am pretty excited.

It's almost like the missing link between my Gibson Flying V / Epi Casino and my Jazzmaster / Jaguar.

That said I don't want to paint mine red because everyone I've scene has been red, but that's a whole other issue.

I did find a place online (and ebay) that makes really nice pick guards for the ET-270 (which, according their website is almost identical to the one on a Mosrite / Univox Hi Flyer and early Melody makers ), but I don't know the mounting points are the same on the aria body. I love the idea of making my own pick guards and pickup trim, but am definitely not equipped to do it.

[hotrodperlmutter]

cheapest pickguards i've found:

http://cgi.ebay.com/EPIPHONE-ET-270-3-P ... 0403118182

i'd love one with a jag trem and some GFS mini-hums.