ShortScale.org

So I got this 'stang from Pat from the classifieds section and intend on doing it up to some extent. Though my full plans have not been made. I am currently thinking of having it re-finished in dakota red, or I may well do an comp stang. Or I might leave it as it is. Regardless, I will leave the neck stain as it is, stick a new decal on it and get the chrome re-chromed. So, I or whoever i send it to to do whatever will post in this thread now and then.

Ill kick off with some pictures I took when I got it, and then Ill follow it up with pictures of my decal job.

Just got the decals today, so pics from that attempt will be up soon.

crofty wrote:get the chrome re-chromed

yowzer, why you doing that? personally i wouldn't do anything to it bar cleaning it up a bit, if that's even necessary. the guitar's never going to look new, you might as well keep some of the funkiness about it if you're going to refin the body. plus, how much is it going to cost?

stewart wrote:

crofty wrote:get the chrome re-chromed

yowzer, why you doing that? personally i wouldn't do anything to it bar cleaning it up a bit, if that's even necessary. the guitar's never going to look new, you might as well keep some of the funkiness about it if you're going to refin the body. plus, how much is it going to cost?

honestly, it wasnt my idea. my dad suggested i should do it since it will look better? ive not got a clue how much it would cost, probably not loads since my father is pretty shrewd. perhaps i wont do it then, dont want to lose to much vibe.

stewart wrote:

crofty wrote:get the chrome re-chromed

yowzer, why you doing that? personally i wouldn't do anything to it bar cleaning it up a bit, if that's even necessary. the guitar's never going to look new, you might as well keep some of the funkiness about it if you're going to refin the body. plus, how much is it going to cost?

Really. I wouldn't do this.

Dont bother with the chrome, looks gooood as is. will be interesting to tag along that for sure

Haha. Okay, I wont do that. Just give it a thorough clean sometime.
Just applied the decal. Its not dry yet, but here are some pics.




and one of it with my micro crush that i got in the post from benecol yesterday.

lookin gud.

chrome cover p90 in neck position

do it

you won't

I'm not a stickler for vintage correctness but personally decided against comp stripes on an original body but you gotta do what you'll like at the end of the day. I'd agree that re chroming vintage plates is not to my taste as I like aged plates.

Good work on the decal - are going vintage correct or clear coating it?

The hardware pieces on vintage Fenders are nickel plated brass, not chromed as on later/import reissue versions (right? certainly true of strats/teles). Having them chromed would simply be making reissue parts out of vintage ones when you could sell the vintage bits and buy better looking replacements, probably profit too.

I'd just leave 'em though. Given the condition of the rest of the guitar I wouldn't consider it an issue, plus they don't even look bad, still shiny and reflective, and nickel hardware is always a bit more dull/less mirror-like than chrome even when it's brand new.

Black Cat Bone wrote:I'm not a stickler for vintage correctness but personally decided against comp stripes on an original body but you gotta do what you'll like at the end of the day. I'd agree that re chroming vintage plates is not to my taste as I like aged plates.

Good work on the decal - are going vintage correct or clear coating it?

Im thinking Ill take the vintage correct route. But if it really suffers Ill put a coat of clear over the top. Maybe tinted clear though, since ive heard that gives an "aged" look.

in other news, maybe I wont refinish it atall, perhaps just leave it as it is, since it has so much character with the time someone obviously went through to re-stain the body and the neck and everything. Im also fearful that the darker neck will look odd with an original colour.

crofty wrote:Im also fearful that the darker neck will look odd with an original colour.

nah, it'll look fine. did you say you were going to do it dakota? that doesn't really change colour very much with age anyway, not like oly white or anything.

i think it's SUCH a rocker guitar... i'd HELL the HELL outta it... before settling with a definitive, clean lady-look.

i mean... paintbrush it in white, or green or pink... play and ding the shit outta it, then refin again, etc. etc.
HELL YEAH!!!

rock on,

Pat.

ps: yeah and i WOULD put a p90 or humbucker in the neck too!!!

the only thing I would change about this guitar would be to put a black pickguard on it and maybe change out the pickups. otherwise I'd just rock the hell out of it how it is.

i'd so leave that thing alone.

possibility of a p90 interests me. just checking out various demos, ive never actually changed out pickups myself. dont have the necessary soldering equipment &c.

soldering irons aren't expensive (unless you buy an expensive one). if the hack-job pickup thing bothers you it'd be worth getting one in order to sort it.

Except for the internals (do what you want), leave that thing alone. It is bonerific as is. Save up your money and get a different pretty-pony one.

I tend to agree with leaving it alone, buy a CIJ if you wanna mess about. I'd perhaps consider a period correct guard for it though in an attempt to restore it aesthetically, it would add value in a resale too.