Any idea how the chrome was done on the JS10?

[Billkwando]

Does anybody have any idea how they did the finish on those chrome js guitars? I know people make replacement bodies and donnie hunt replicas, but has anybody ever tried to make a replica chromeboy? Did Ibanez ever do any finish repairs on these?

What IS chrome, compositionally? Could they have just dipped the guitars in it? It's pretty facinating...

Does anybody know of anyone how made their own donnie replica? I've been thinking about finding an old 540r and doing that for fun....my wife is great with an airbrush... anybody ever done this before?

Thanks!
Billkwando

[Rich]

Only Mr. Smallwood could ask all those questions I don't even think Ibanez is sure how the process was done on the 10th, they used a total of 3 different sub-contractors to do the work from the information I have. Chroming wood is entirely different, it's a porus and natural material which adds huge complexities to the problem. Some have claimed success at plating very hard woods like maple and oak, basswood on the other hand is not that hard for a hardwood. Plenty have painted Donnies in varrying degrees of success, the airbrushed ones usually look the worst.

[iain]

I believe the body (luthite on 10th, basswood on JS2) is copper dusted, so as to provide a metalic surface for the chorme to adhere to. Chrome plating is great on metal, but won't work on wood or other non-metallics, hence the difficulty in making the Chromeboys. They made the move to luthite, as it's expansion due to temperature is far less than wood. This helps prevent the chrome from cracking. As far as I know, Ibanez has said they will never get involved in a chrome project again, due to the somewhat sporadic quality ion the JS10th's

[Billkwando]

Hahahahaha yeah I suck, but now I can suck in public!!

Thanks for the answers y'all!

El Bill

[darren wilson]

For what it's worth, i'm considering doing a guitar in in silver leaf then clearing it over. Not quite chrome, but i think it'll look pretty cool.

[RSVampire]

take a silver pen and when your done put a clear coat over it that'd be kinda funny! then you can suck with sucky class! :biggrin:

[Billkwando]

Hey! The silver pen worked for Joe!!

Hey Darren, wanna hear something funny? Marshall, the guy you got your radius from, says he'll sell me his for $150.... I told him I'd been in touch with you, saw the pics, and thought the guitar was worth $150, no more. (considering it has hairline cracks in the neck)

Awesome or what?

If I have my way, it's gonna get bastardized!

Thanks,
Bill

[Billkwando]

Uhhhgggg!!

I just noticed, the guitar's s/s/h......DAMMIT!!!

I guess I'll be recommending the deal to friend...

Thanks,
Bill

[Christopher Chen]

Actually I never come into this side of the forum but this discussion is pretty damn cool! It's kinda like those eternal guitar mysteries...like how the swirls are made...how many J customs there are...how the jem90/RG-Metal/RG-Copper were specifically made..how come all the scartchy stuff on my jem90 never comes off...how come JP left ibanez....ok ok I'll stop now!

But I think it was a pretty bad idea to use chrome...doesn't it tarnish?

But still it's a damn cool guitar! If I had one I'd take it onstage with me all the time and let it just reflect every single beam of light and blind my already speechless audience...muhahahahaha!

Ok I'll stop dreaming now

To all the js10th owners...power to you!
Beautiful guitar you've got there...yeah you can stop grinning now Rich

Chris.

[Christopher Chen]

Oh yeah and who's Mr.Small Woody? :biggrin:

[vwall]

To make the chromeboy the following steps must be done.
The wood has to first be sealed and then coated with a residual poly enabling the wood to expand /contract within its poly shell thereby reducing the effect to the finish. the thickness will be very minimal as to keep the integrity of the body for paint. After this step is completed, it greatly reduces the amount of expansion affecting the wood.
after that, the layer is probably coated and primed then painted chrome.
I dont know the names of the material or where to get them... And I am also betting that the paint may have a lead base in it....??? The laws on lead paint and other safeties are not as restrictive overseas... Remeber, the US just stopped allowing the use of lead paint in the late 70's to early 80's...

So thats my 3 1/2 cents worth....

peace

Scott

[Rich]

That was 3 cents too much Chrome is not paint, if my High School served me well it's an element, it's metal, and it's aplied through electrolisis. The wood expands, but the metal cant, that's why it cracks, and in cases peels. Not a good combination of materials no matter how cool the rare ones that stay together look. This is why they used Luthite for the 10th's, it's inert and doesn't 'breath' like wood.

[vwall]

mm, mm, mm...
Ya got me , pardner......

I dont know what they used for paint or how they chromed it????
I know that i saw a few of the Cboys and the finish on them were horrible. Lots of pitting and runs, therefore, i thought it was paint...
I was trying to convey how it would be possible to obstruct the woods behavoir from affecting the finish...

I........ guess i'm a little out of me league here, capt........ ( said in my best Jim Carrey inpersonation)


Play Nice!!!


Scott

[Rich]

No offence intended Scott, just didn't want anybody getting the wrong impression of the 'process' as nobody (even Ibanez) knows for sure. I've seen the runs, they've baffled me too, possibly from whatever the 'undercoat' is. I've also seen the hairs, now that one's tougher to figure out.

[vwall]

No offense taken...
I ahve often been baffled with the same Q. on the * * * * *C boys...

It was just my ideas on how it couldbe done..

Peace

Scott

JS-5, Rich