Project Neo Gio

Chrisb-83 · #1 01-20-2008, 12:55 PM

So my first ever guitar was a $130 Ibanez Gio. Its made in Indonesia and not exactly what you would call a tone monster. So I figure whats the point in trying to resell it for like $75. I figured with some **** parts and a refinishing, it could be a decent backup guitar. Something I could keep in drop D tuning since my Jem takes so long to retune.

So I figured the two worst aspects of the guitar were that
1. It didn't stay in tune well since the turning machines were so sloppy.
2. The pickups were mildly corroded and sounded pretty weak.

So thanks to the bay I got a used set of cosmo black tuners for under ten bucks. I also found a set of INF pickups someone had pulled of a guitar that they modified for around 25 bucks or so.

Here are the before pictures:

Chrisb-83 · #2 01-20-2008, 01:10 PM

The first modification was to strip the headstock and enlarge the holes for the new tuners

Here is the body with all the hardware removed

Body stripped and primed

Chrisb-83 · #3 01-20-2008, 01:24 PM

I decided to use a similar method to swirls to get the finish I wanted so here are the test pieces

Heres the headstock after the paint and with the new decal applied

Body after paint

Next I put a couple coats of satin clear on everything

Chrisb-83 · #4 01-20-2008, 01:33 PM

With the new hardware installed

The rewiring process (ugh I'd much rather stick to woodwork, this was tedious)

The finished product

Not a bad guitar at all now with some new parts and a little work.

scotte_za · #5 01-20-2008, 02:43 PM

Very nice

my girlfriend and I are also about to swirl a cheapie guitar that we bought for modding. Any suggestions for a painting newb?

Lefty Robb · #6 01-20-2008, 03:03 PM

At the end of the day......its still a Gio...

Roryrockslinda · #7 01-20-2008, 03:07 PM

Nice, made a gio look pretty good, I usually get turned away from them because I'm not into the decal and the way it's body just seems to look like an RG copy rather than an Ibanez made RG. (I also don't like prestige decals, though the guitars themselves

)
Anyways great work.
Hope it sounds a bit better.

LonePhantom · #8 01-20-2008, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty Robb

At the end of the day......its still a Gio...

And your point????

At the end of the day he's learned stuff, and made his guitar look and play a hell of a lot better for minimal money.

Good work, looks great!

**elcid** · #9 01-20-2008, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonePhantom

And your point????

At the end of the day he's learned stuff, and made his guitar look and play a hell of a lot better for minimal money.

Good work, looks great!

How does paint and pick ups make something play better?

Looks nice man.

Davey · #10 01-20-2008, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty Robb

At the end of the day......its still a Gio...

Well done Chris, good job

Roryrockslinda · #11 01-20-2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcid

How does paint and pick ups make something play better?

Looks nice man.

If you like the look and sound you'll want to play it more

Darin · #12 01-20-2008, 07:46 PM

Nice.

Holy Katana · #13 01-20-2008, 08:43 PM

Normally, I'm not one for swirls, but I like the blood red/black look.

C.Thep · #14 01-20-2008, 08:52 PM

very cool dude!

Lefty Robb · #15 01-20-2008, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcid

How does paint and pick ups make something play better?

Looks nice man.

Thank you....Seriously, this is like putting $2000 rims on a Honda civic..I'm not saying what he did was bad or stupid or anything, in fact, its a sweet swirl, but really you cant polish a turd..