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Last week attended a vintage guitar fair where I bought a rather unfortunate victim of eighties "let's make it look metal" ethic. Believe it or not but this WAS an early seventies Ibanez Les Paul Custom copy with the lawsuit "open book" headstock. It has three dimarzio pickups and again was fitted with "Everything-and-the-kitchen-sink-is-also-included" switching options. But for 75 Euro's I didn't consider it a bad deal, there's a lot of usable parts on this one.
Well I removed that Junk from the Ibanez' top revealing THIS.
As you can see it had a couple of home applied (rattle can) re-finishes which also covered the body bindings. Also, as I suspected, the middle pickup is not original and the hole is rather crudely made.
Here's pictures I took when I started the stripping.
You guys wouldn't believe me if I tell you that I came across four colors, note also that there's no Mahogany anywhere to be found...
There's some of the original finish still left within the cutaway, the previous owner apparently couldn't remove it from that spot.
The previous owner glued in the neck using two component resin, the same stuff used to restore cars with, as a result it sat way too high in the pocket, but chopping away that junk rectified that.
Nice snug join, just as intended.
And here's what the guitar looks like today.
I routed out the space between the pickups and filled it with a solid piece of maple that I carved to match the carving of the body, I then routed the whole thing for two humbuckers.
I know, it doesn't look like much but when the humbuckers are in you don't see the mismatching pickup routs.
And I also filled the holes where the mini switches sat. and sanded the whole thing smooth, you won't see the things after the guitar is finished in black.
And here's a little preview on what it will look like finished.
Well I removed that Junk from the Ibanez' top revealing THIS.
As you can see it had a couple of home applied (rattle can) re-finishes which also covered the body bindings. Also, as I suspected, the middle pickup is not original and the hole is rather crudely made.
Here's pictures I took when I started the stripping.
You guys wouldn't believe me if I tell you that I came across four colors, note also that there's no Mahogany anywhere to be found...
There's some of the original finish still left within the cutaway, the previous owner apparently couldn't remove it from that spot.
The previous owner glued in the neck using two component resin, the same stuff used to restore cars with, as a result it sat way too high in the pocket, but chopping away that junk rectified that.
Nice snug join, just as intended.
And here's what the guitar looks like today.
I routed out the space between the pickups and filled it with a solid piece of maple that I carved to match the carving of the body, I then routed the whole thing for two humbuckers.
I know, it doesn't look like much but when the humbuckers are in you don't see the mismatching pickup routs.
And I also filled the holes where the mini switches sat. and sanded the whole thing smooth, you won't see the things after the guitar is finished in black.
And here's a little preview on what it will look like finished.
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