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Ric 950 Progress

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:09 am
by DGNR8
Okay, it ain't much, but it took some doing. If you recall, this thing had been ripped a new colon to shove in MORE BIGGER pickups.
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I started by ordering a thin strip of carbon fiber, which is in the same family as KEVLAR. One two foot strip the width of linguini was enough to reinforce around the neck with the strength of steel and the weight of styrofoam. Reason being that this Fab Junior relies on the butt end of the neck to keep from bending, and whomever routed it, potentially compromised the neck. But mapples is murfucker strong! On top of the carbon I glued in first two quarter inch thick popsicle sticks I made with my Dremel Dremel Dremel, and sandpapers. On top of that I glued in a pretty hunk of tiger maple that will be gloriously buried under jetglo black paint. It took me about four hours to get it to the right shape to fit (with a hand drill and heaps of tightly controlled violence).
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Today I covered the glue joints with a wood epoxy (QUIK WOOD!) that comes as a two-part putty and you can shape it into Gumby or a Rodin. Tap that thing!
One hour after application can be drilled, sawed, sanded, filed, tapped, machined, and painted.
Since I already dealt with the strength issues, I wanted to hone the cosmetics, a la Bondo. All those art skilz brought to bear! Now it's drying. I am going to let it harden until tomorrow and then sand teh shits out of it. After that I brush on the nitro based grain filler, and paintedy paint paint paint. The top middle picture is residual poly, not jizz. Why sand it out when it makes a good filler? I will leave the original Fireglo paint in the control cavity, even though it was obviously heatgunned to death. The seller claimed that all the burns were a previous owner's careful stain job. That thing has more scorchmarks than the Taco Bell chihuahua. It's not factory new, but who is, and at least it will be around to sing again.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:17 am
by dodgedartdave
Look'n good!

You're name plate is on it's way.

I want that guitar when you're done. :shock:

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:13 am
by ludger
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Or in this case DGNR8 saves!

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:29 am
by Aug
fantastic job, DGNR8! Please keep us posted!

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:00 am
by Mike
You're a legend. Quality work as usual.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:08 am
by robert(original)
what was it like when you got it?
and post some pics of that headstock!!!

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:59 pm
by Mark
Always great to see your projects. DOWN WITH POOL!

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:08 pm
by More Cowbell
Pro Job!!!! Looks ACE!!!! we need moar pics! 8)

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:12 pm
by DGNR8
Here is the before. The top pic I posted was one of the few reference shots I could find of a 63. The 58 Tulips is slightly different and in 65 it went to the cresting wave shape. This before series is how it looked when I got it. I sanded it and patched the main cavity as I described. That's really it so far. I sanded some of that Quik Wood last night and it is like marble. I mean, it's not hard to sand, but it sets up really nicely. I also thickened one of the control cavity edges where the guard screw was poking through the wood. I have almost all the parts ready to go. The only reason I want to grain fill is to get a glass surface to paint on. Ric doesn't use primer!

Before
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Goal
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Evolution
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:58 pm
by dodgedartdave
I love that Tulip design. One day, I will have one.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:25 pm
by Justin
dodgedartdave wrote:I love that Tulip design. One day, I will have one.

Why don't you build one, nerd :P

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:08 pm
by dodgedartdave
Justin wrote:
dodgedartdave wrote:I love that Tulip design. One day, I will have one.

Why don't you build one, nerd :P
I want a old one. Actually, I was watching the one DGNR8 got on ebay. Next time.....

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:13 pm
by Justin
dodgedartdave wrote:
Justin wrote:
dodgedartdave wrote:I love that Tulip design. One day, I will have one.

Why don't you build one, nerd :P
I want a old one. Actually, I was watching the one DGNR8 got on ebay. Next time.....

If I had the ability and resources you have, I'd have guitars falling out of my ass.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:17 pm
by dodgedartdave
Justin wrote:
dodgedartdave wrote:
Justin wrote:
Why don't you build one, nerd :P
I want a old one. Actually, I was watching the one DGNR8 got on ebay. Next time.....

If I had the ability and resources you have, I'd have guitars falling out of my ass.
Thanks man! I'm working on it. I've built 5 this year. That's enough for a while. Right now, we are emphasizing on the Merc.

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:33 am
by Aug
dodgedartdave wrote:
Justin wrote:
dodgedartdave wrote: I want a old one. Actually, I was watching the one DGNR8 got on ebay. Next time.....

If I had the ability and resources you have, I'd have guitars falling out of my ass.
Thanks man! I'm working on it. I've built 5 this year. That's enough for a while, Aug cut me off. Right now, we are emphasizing on the Merc.
fix'd!

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:51 am
by filtercap
dodgedartdave wrote:I love that Tulip design. One day, I will have one.
That wacky Rickenbacker eye for the asymmetrical wins again with those cutaways. They never designed anything the obvious way. :)