Ok guys, I'm psyched. I had this idea to build my own 540R with a custom paintjob and everything I liked about the Radius but they never built. I've wanted a seafoam strat forever but my playing just isn't suited for a strat. 540's are my thing. I have always loved the fountain blue, almost Turquoise 88 540R's and thought that since I cant find one that I would build one in Seafoam green. Before I could get it done though, Jack Secret beat me to the punch with his 540P (shakes fist) but it did allow me to see how darn cool this is going to look. http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f18/ne...en-107729.html

After first looking at the numerous dings in the body, I started to doubt myself until I saw Buckshots S series thread and figured if he can do what he did with that horrible trench, I could do what I wanted to do. http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f21/bu...ct-102001.html

I picked up a SSH body from Frank and traded for an Ultra neck. The first pic is what I started with.



A body that had some dings, most of which did not make it through the wood, some did. For x-mas my father in law got me a multitool that just happened to have a nice sander on it and made quick work of the paint and primers on the body. I had to be careful and move slowly though because there are no sharp angles on this guitar. I did not want to change a curve trying to get the paint off. After taking off the paint, I have started and am almost done hand sanding the body to take out any imperfections and clean off any high spots. I started with a 220 grit to get the big stuff and have worked my way up to a 600 grit to really smooth it out. When I find some 1200 and 1500 grit, I'll finish it off.

An interesting thing about this body, like JS's, most of the curves of the body are hand finished from the factory meaning there could be subtle spots here and there that maybe the factory worker did not take the time to really go over the body like I will. I have gotten the curves very smooth all over the guitar. There are a couple of low spots that may need to be filled yet. I also had to fill an strap hole that someone had added and while I was at it, used the old wood glue/toothpick trick to fill the original so I can redrill it since I suspect it may have been stripped out, hence the second hole. I filled some of the other dings that made it through to the wood with either wood filler or wood glue, depending on how deep they were. They sanded smooth nicely.

So right now I'm here:



Still have some sanding to do and am trying to figure out if I need to buy a bandsaw because I would plan on filling the middle pickup cavity and having a SH version of a 540R. I just don't use the middle pickup and figured since I dont use, why leave it? Finding a piece of basswood may be a little difficult here locally but I dont need a huge piece, just enough to cut a filler block since I've been told to both use a block, epoxy it in, bondo the cracks and to make sure that I use the same type of wood for the filler block if possible.

While I was waiting for some of the filler to dry, I sanded the headstock of the Ultra neck I have because I want a matching headstock. Normally I would feel bad for doing this but the headstock had paint dings that were not going to sit well with my perfectionistic OCD.



As far as painting? My original idea was to have a friends brother paint it but after talking to Alaskabat, he talked me into to doing it myself. Including the 25 coats of clear!!!

I have already picked up a nice black Edge trem and I might try and find an original backstop as I once even thought about making this thing a hardtail but decided I wanted the trem. It would be nice to lock it out.

So....I will continue to update as I progress. Any tips on filling that cavity would be much listened to!!!!

keep us posted on this! I've got a project lying around I need to start as well - sadly not a radius just a fixed bridge RG that needs a neck.

Ooooooooo.... sea foam green. Can't wait to see this finished, I love sea foam green!

Well....uh...it's not going to be seafoam green. While looking for the paint I came across a color that was similar to the JS from the Experience Hendrix tour.

I got this far.



and now, due to finding some lint deep in the clear coats, I'm doing this.



So....we begin again. I figured I would practice wet sanding and buffing on the back to see if I liked the color cleared and learned how not to sand through on the trem cover edges.

I cant wait to get started again again. Stripping it totally tomorrow and starting over.

Jeff

Check out my JS build for painting pain and nightmares... Im still not over it.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND using nitrocellulose paint dude.

http://reranchstore.stores.yahoo.net/nitclearcoat.html


I've used that on car parts and it comes out amazingly well!!!

Wow, thanks for the complilent Dude. I'll be totally honest and admit that the guitar in that thread is the very first time I've ever tried to do anything like this so I proceeded slowly with a little advice from reading around on this forum and exchanging emails from Ernie at ET Guitars, the rest I made up as I went along.

I have the body in question back from ET Guitars now and you cannot see the trench I filled in at all. Ernie did say however though that he had to use a lot of sealer around that area to get it that way and I reckon the swirl he did for me helps distract your eyes when you look at that area anyway.

Good luck with your project, I have already purchased a body and neck for my 2nd project but I won't be starting that for at least 6 months. I shall keep an eye on this thread to see how you go with your painting as I will be painting my second project myself.


Cheers, Dude !

Side note, I love that color! That with black hardware would be intoxicating

Thanks guys. Spent a bunch of time sanding and finishing and making sure I got all the little dings out and such. The guitar is not perfect, some of the hard edges by the trem are rounded but I did the best I could.

Since my first attempt was foiled by lint, I chemical stripped it and started the process over. Went over the body again to catch a couple of things I missed the first time around and started over. Everything was going good until the 2nd coat of clear. Color laid great, managed to see and fix the dings with nothing showing and then....the second coat of clear did not have enough time in between coats and managed to crinkle real bad.



I sanded it back down before it gassed out and the paint just rolled off in peelings.

so, the 3rd time is hopefully a charm. I have primer on it now and will probably repaint this weekend.

Here is what I'm going for looks wise:



Headstock is done, need to find decal.

Looking very very slick! I've no patience for that level of modification. Cutting a new nut is enough to drive me mad.

Nice dude. When I did my modified 540-R with a single humbucker, my friend that did the paint filled the other pickup cavities with wood blocks. If you get the glare on the paint just so, you can see the outline, but from a 4 feet away it's not visible.

wow painting seems like a nightmare.....

Third time is a charm!!! It's painted and cleared, 2 1/2 cans worth of clear with no runs, no lint and very little orange peel!!!!! Now the 30-60 day wait for it to gas out!!!





Now I just have to find a chrome Edge trem,tuners and hardware.

looking good!

Well, after 45 or so agonizing days waiting for it to cure, i sanded and buffed it last night and I am really liking it. Definetely going chrome hardware!!! Heres a little tease, it's a tease for me too, I dont have the money to get my hardware yet.



I like the chrome, A LOT.