What does Novak charge for a restoration?

[wanderingjew]

I've got this guy:



It's not as good as it can be. I don't use it because it's not as good as it can be. It's become an object, not a tool.

I'm thinking that instead of selling/trading it, I could restore it. Get rid of that DiMarzio, fix the paint that has been destroyed, maybe even get it plek'd.

Right now I'm thinking about an ice blue metallic finish and a tort guard. I'm drawn to Novak because he doesn't relic guitars, he seems to care, and he's got nice mustang pups (apparently) that would replace the DiMarzio.

I've tried my hand at refinishing before and they turn out ok only if the color isn't metallic. I've done Olympic, Dakota, and Inca silver - one of those didn't work.

[Haze]

whats wrong with it??? put a vintage correct pickup in there and rock out

[wanderingjew]

whats wrong with it??? put a vintage correct pickup in there and rock out

It honestly looks like crap, at least in my view. It wasn't a great guitar to begin with, I'm thinking, so why not make it the best guitar it can be?

[jcyphe]

Why don't you just ask Novak? He has great reply/feedback with a lot of forums and also answers emails pretty promptly.

[timhulio]

Is that the original finish? If so leave it alone.

[wanderingjew]

Is that the original finish? If so leave it alone.

I don't know if it's the original finish. Look at this pic:



That's how it came to me. Blue under red. I know that maybe the guitar was resprayed red at the factory because they screwed the blue up, buy why wouldn't they just cover it up with more red? Wasn't the 'default' color in the mid-late 60's sunburst?

Maybe the Bass V the body came from was blue, but why would they paint the body and leave it on a shelf? I don't think anyone will ever know what color the guitar was originally.

This is the color scheme/pickguard combo I'm shooting for:



I don't know. I may just do it myself. Buy a Novak mustang pup and go to reranch. Buy two cans in case I screw up.

[cooter]

Cool guitar. If you do take it apart to refinish it I would love to get a tracing of the body so I could make one.

[wanderingjew]

Cool guitar. If you do take it apart to refinish it I would love to get a tracing of the body so I could make one.

Hasn't anyone figured out how to make a .PDF of guitar tracings yet?

jeesh.

[Mages]

Blue under red. I know that maybe the guitar was resprayed red at the factory because they screwed the blue up, buy why wouldn't they just cover it up with more red? Wasn't the 'default' color in the mid-late 60's sunburst?

Maybe the Bass V the body came from was blue, but why would they paint the body and leave it on a shelf? I don't think anyone will ever know what color the guitar was originally.

well, that red color looks like the same Bronco red that they used at the time. I think that was the 'default' color for these. and they painted it and left it on the shelf for the same reason they left everything else on the shelf, they didn't have any orders. I don't know if it's weirder that they went through with painting it or that they made the body at all. it could have been a test spray or something. they could have had Bass Vs sitting around in different stages of development after they stopped building them. who knows really. but if you were to assume that it is a factory finish, then that's a little bit of Fender history there, the factory refin and all.

[cooter]

Cool guitar. If you do take it apart to refinish it I would love to get a tracing of the body so I could make one.

Hasn't anyone figured out how to make a .PDF of guitar tracings yet?

jeesh.

Okay, I'd love to get a pdf or whatever format is easiest for you. I would be happy to pay you for your trouble.

[wanderingjew]

Cool guitar. If you do take it apart to refinish it I would love to get a tracing of the body so I could make one.

Hasn't anyone figured out how to make a .PDF of guitar tracings yet?

jeesh.

Okay, I'd love to get a pdf or whatever format is easiest for you. I would be happy to pay you for your trouble.

When I make the tracing, it's going to be free. There will be 2 .PDFs, one for letter paper, one for A4 paper, with tracings of the pick guard and scale shots of the headstock with a ruler beside it.

I'm sure someone on shortscale (or shortscale itself) would host it. I'm not going to ask for any money.

well, that red color looks like the same Bronco red that they used at the time. I think that was the 'default' color for these. and they painted it and left it on the shelf for the same reason they left everything else on the shelf, they didn't have any orders. I don't know if it's weirder that they went through with painting it or that they made the body at all. it could have been a test spray or something. they could have had Bass Vs sitting around in different stages of development after they stopped building them. who knows really. but if you were to assume that it is a factory finish, then that's a little bit of Fender history there, the factory refin and all.

I've decided that it's going to be ice blue metallic within 2 weeks. The finish (if you look at the imgur gallery that's floating around) is a lost cause.

Can anyone make me a tortoise pick guard with a tracing? The cheapest I can find tortoise Musicmaster II pick guards is about $200.

[James]

Can anyone make me a tortoise pick guard with a tracing?

Bloody hell. Use a PDF.

Jeesh.

[George]

Just curious, how do you use paper to cut out an accurate template with no physical guide?

[wanderingjew]

Just curious, how do you use paper to cut out an accurate template with no physical guide?

All templates are just a flat piece of plywood, right? Print out .PDF of tracing, tape, jig/bandsaw. The issue is just getting an accurate tracing and not taking into account the thickness of the pencil/pen. Jigs can be made.

It would be better to have a .PDF tracing than sending a piece of plywood because a .PDF can be reproduced infinitely and sent anywhere on the planet instantaneously. Anyone who wants to build a guitar has the equipment to turn a tracing into a template.

I will do this, it's just hard because the guitar body is bigger than a piece of paper.

[George]

I just can't imagine making a template by freehanding some PDF with a jigsaw is going to be accurate and doable in one attempt.

[cooter]

I just can't imagine making a template by freehanding some PDF with a jigsaw is going to be accurate and doable in one attempt.

When I make a pickguard I take my tracing and paste it to a piece of posterboard using a glue stick. Once its glued to the posterboard I use scissors to cut it out as precisely as possible. I can take the cardboard cutout and trace it onto some mdf. I use a jigsaw (with a fine blade) to cut the mdf up to the pencil line then use a drum sander to smooth out the edges and take out the rest of the pencil line. As far as the pickup routes on the template I use a set of templates I bought from StewMac. They weren't very expensive. That way the pickup routes are nice and uniform. Once the template is finished I use double sided carpet tape to stick the pickguard material to the template. Then trim off the material to about 1/8" off the edge of my template using a jigsaw. Now it's ready for routing. I made a pickguard for my Mandocaster project yesterday. If it sounds like a lot of work that's because it is. But it gets a lot easier the more you do it.

When I make the tracing, it's going to be free. There will be 2 .PDFs, one for letter paper, one for A4 paper, with tracings of the pick guard and scale shots of the headstock with a ruler beside it.

I'm sure someone on shortscale (or shortscale itself) would host it. I'm not going to ask for any money.

When you do, that would be very helpful. I know there's a few others here that have mentioned building a Swinger. I've found a lot of useful info on this forum and I try to return the favor when given the opportunity.

[Phil O'Keefe]

The Bass V may have been blue, and when they cut that Bass V body up (slightly) to make a Swinger out of it, they had to do a refinish - and that "bronco red" is the most common color for Swingers, although they were made in a variety of different colors. Plus, Fender did "finish over a finish" fairly often. If they "blew" a finish with a sag or run or sand through, they'd set the body aside and paint over it later.

IOW, it's certainly quite possible that it's a stock finish on it, and IMO, if it's stock, it should be left alone. Curtis Novak seems like a sharp guy and he has an excellent reputation, so I'd trust him to let you know if it's an original paint job on it or not. If it is, I'd have him put one of his replacement pickups into it, do a setup job on it and call it "done".

People pay GOOD money for that finish over a finish relic look. You apparently have the real thing. I wouldn't mess with it.

[Pacafeliz]

yes same as i wrote you, i think that LPB under the red is still the original Bass V color so LEAVE IT AS IS!!!
i just sold a pair of '66 mustang pickups, but if you get ONE '68/9 pickup you could consider it 100% stock. used. well it's 41 years old!!!

i'm still thinking about it, btw.
but do NOT refin that thing. ever!

Pat.

[Nick]

If I ever feel that way about a guitar in original condition with any collector's value I usually start to think about selling it and buying something else that I will actually use without having to devalue it any.

[Thom]

yes same as i wrote you, i think that LPB under the red is still the original Bass V color so LEAVE IT AS IS!!!
i just sold a pair of '66 mustang pickups, but if you get ONE '68/9 pickup you could consider it 100% stock. used. well it's 41 years old!!!

i'm still thinking about it, btw.
but do NOT refin that thing. ever!

Pat.

Oh dear....looks like the og finish has bitten the dust...
http://www.shortscale.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35440