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A few of you might remember that last summer I found a model 1 on my local Craig’s List that was in pretty rough shape but I picked it up for $90. I have a white model 1 that plays great so I figured I would take a chance and try to resurrect this one. The body and headstock had a number of dings, scratches and sticker residue, the fingerboard was separating from the neck near the nut and the neck had some awful staining on the sides and along most of the frets.
I shipped it off to Lee at GMW for him to look over and give me an idea what was involved. After we talked through it, I had 2 options, (1) keep it simple, reglue the fingerboard and neck, and repaint it a solid color – that way I had a good playing guitar without a lot invested but I would have to live with the imperfections of the neck and headstock, or (2) put some time and money into it to strip it all down and start from bare wood. Seeing how I like my white model 1, which is in mint condition, I figured might as well go big with this one. So I had Lee pull the frets, strip the gloss finish off the neck and oil it, and refret with 6100 jumbos. I also had him shim the pickup route so I could use a standard pickup and ring instead of the oversized original pup ring.
Lee turned that repair work around quickly and the neck turned out great as he removed almost all of the staining that was there from the prior owner(s). But I couldn’t decide what graphic or colors to go with on the body. Lee ended up sending a number of different sample paint boards with different colors and sparkle finishes. I decided to go with a hot rod flame graphic that started with a traditional Eldred flame pattern on the top. GMW has done some great stacked hot flames with different layers of flames so I had the artist add in a lower level of flames. The entire body is painted a silver base coat to give the flames a sparkle pinstripe outline. The main body is trans black with the top flames being done in a HOK kandy oriental blue with a silver burst and the lower flames done in a HOK kandy burple with purple tips. I also went with a matching headstock based on a stacked flame pattern that Lee had used on a previous GMW build.
The paint work didn’t get started until December but the artist and Lee turned it around quick once I had decided on the final colors. After top coating and buffing, Lee assembled the Charvel yesterday and it’s on its way to me now. Can’t wait to see this one in person – the preview pics from Lee look awesome. So here’s a few pics of the entire process. Enjoy!
Initial pics of the guitar when I got it. Pretty bad shape and needed some TLC.
Pic of the body after Lee fixed the pickup route and a shot of the neck after it was reglued, stripped and sanded.
Progress pic of the body after the lower flames were painted.
Final pics after buffing and assembly.
I shipped it off to Lee at GMW for him to look over and give me an idea what was involved. After we talked through it, I had 2 options, (1) keep it simple, reglue the fingerboard and neck, and repaint it a solid color – that way I had a good playing guitar without a lot invested but I would have to live with the imperfections of the neck and headstock, or (2) put some time and money into it to strip it all down and start from bare wood. Seeing how I like my white model 1, which is in mint condition, I figured might as well go big with this one. So I had Lee pull the frets, strip the gloss finish off the neck and oil it, and refret with 6100 jumbos. I also had him shim the pickup route so I could use a standard pickup and ring instead of the oversized original pup ring.
Lee turned that repair work around quickly and the neck turned out great as he removed almost all of the staining that was there from the prior owner(s). But I couldn’t decide what graphic or colors to go with on the body. Lee ended up sending a number of different sample paint boards with different colors and sparkle finishes. I decided to go with a hot rod flame graphic that started with a traditional Eldred flame pattern on the top. GMW has done some great stacked hot flames with different layers of flames so I had the artist add in a lower level of flames. The entire body is painted a silver base coat to give the flames a sparkle pinstripe outline. The main body is trans black with the top flames being done in a HOK kandy oriental blue with a silver burst and the lower flames done in a HOK kandy burple with purple tips. I also went with a matching headstock based on a stacked flame pattern that Lee had used on a previous GMW build.
The paint work didn’t get started until December but the artist and Lee turned it around quick once I had decided on the final colors. After top coating and buffing, Lee assembled the Charvel yesterday and it’s on its way to me now. Can’t wait to see this one in person – the preview pics from Lee look awesome. So here’s a few pics of the entire process. Enjoy!
Initial pics of the guitar when I got it. Pretty bad shape and needed some TLC.
Pic of the body after Lee fixed the pickup route and a shot of the neck after it was reglued, stripped and sanded.
Progress pic of the body after the lower flames were painted.
Final pics after buffing and assembly.
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