Custom Jem project complete!

ET Guitars · #1 12-18-2005, 06:51 AM

Hi Folks,

Just wanted to share with you some pics of my Jem project that I recently finished, and being my second assembly. Even if I do say so myself, this guitar is both visually and sonically beautiful, and I am pretty happy with the result. I assembled it from parts collected from all over the place, especially the evilbay, and a huge sincere thanks to Christopher Woods for the AMAZING neck. I cut a monkeygrip and angled input jack slot, re-finished the body with a crackle black and clear, and added a mirror to the headstock. Some specs;

- Body was an old basswood RG750.
- Neck is 24 fret maple with ebony fretboard, holoflek vine and blue leds. Profile is similar to the 777 necks, quite rounded and chunky, and original neck joint.
- Pickups are Dimarzio Evo2 bridge - Blue Velvet middle - Evolution neck (WOW WOW WOW what a combination!!! This is now easily my favourite pickup set)
- Standard 5-way switching, but I left the tone pot out entirely.
- Ibanez Edge trem.
- Chrome hardware and mirror pickguard with holoflek vine pattern.

I guess this thing should be called something like Jem777VCB (vine crackle black) ?

And a group shot of my ibanez electrics.

shredfreak · #2 12-18-2005, 06:58 AM

Looks awesome! Reminds me of Jem10th, fantastic work!

lloop9 · #3 12-18-2005, 06:59 AM

WOW!! That is awesome! How did you do that crackle finish? I have to say its tastfully done! Good job!

mi2tom · #4 12-18-2005, 07:35 AM

very nice!!!

Onion · #5 12-18-2005, 04:42 PM

very cool looking, if Ibanez sold it id buy one.

fettouhi · #6 12-18-2005, 04:47 PM

I'm loving it

.

Regards

André

erikm5150 · #7 12-18-2005, 05:26 PM

WOW!
awesome stuff!

Toto · #8 12-18-2005, 05:33 PM

cool!

like the mirror pickguard with pearl (?) vine!

newbieguitarmaker · #9 12-18-2005, 05:39 PM

did ya get that pickgaurd from pickgaurd paradise?

Algiman · #10 12-18-2005, 05:41 PM

Simply stunning

vette6600 · #11 12-18-2005, 07:09 PM

nice!

StoleN GuitaR · #12 12-18-2005, 07:30 PM

:O I love the vine inlay, how its all sparkly..

o0o and the finish on the back of the guitar is cool, with the cracked paint showing more.

did you just paint it then use a heat gun to crack the paint then clear over it?

ET Guitars · #13 12-18-2005, 09:55 PM

Thanks for the nice comments folks, yes it certainly is very sparkly and reflective. Amazing effect to see by eye rather than still pics.

Ok the crackle is done by (would you believe) aerosol cans. Its a two can job, a special basecoat (gold in this case) with the matt top coat that will let go from the base in some random way depending on how thick you spray etc. Although there really is not much control over it - the spray thickness was similar on front and back, yet the back ended up with that nice spiderweb effect. These paints are normally used on furniture to get that effect. Then I simply cleared over, but did not buff it too much, leaving it with a bit of a texture, since the cracks are fairly deep.

Glad you like her, its definitely my new baby now, looks and sound wise.

The Euphor · #14 12-18-2005, 10:09 PM

Cool looks! Great I'd say! Will you do something with the headstock, it lacks something up there.

That vine is also über!

ChopTart · #15 12-18-2005, 10:15 PM

congrats, that looks really amazing (and i'll bet it plays great too with those pups and neck

)

love the inlay work and the led's give it a super cool touch! the crackle paint job is sweet, maybe you should make a tutorial on how to do it...im sure lots of DIYers here would like to replicate that finish