Project "Bring the Gibson V Back From The Dead"

[SDMF]

This is my first posting on this forum, and I wanted to start out with a major project I'm working on.
A neighbor of mine worked for Waste Management in the Cherry Hills area of Colorado. For those unaware, Cherry Hills is a rich community in the Denver metro area. One day, he brought me something that almost made my heart sink. Someone had done a hack job on a 1985 Gibson Flying V, and when they realized they didn't know what they were doing, they put it out on the curb next to his trash can. Knowing that I repaired guitars as a hobby, my neighbor saved it from death and gave it to me. It was part of a line of guitars Gibson put out called the Designer Series. Though it wasn't one of their high-end guitars by any means, it was still a Gibson.
This person wanted to get rid of the set bridge and install a tremolo. In doing so, he knawed his way through the body with what looked to be his teeth and a spoon, and did a horrible routing job for the back spring cavity. So I wanted to take on the challenge of bringing this poor, tortured soul back from the dead by repairing the body, going back to the original intended bridge setup, and refinishing the guitar. Amazingly enough, the neck, fretboard and frets were in great shape. I was only given the body (with a set neck, of course), no hardware or electronics included. I wanted to show that not only is a repair job of this magnitude possible, but that it is possible without draining your bank account.
This is what I had to start with:

[Stuco]

Welcome to the forum! I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

[martino]

+1 I need to watch this one!

Originally Posted by Stuco

Welcome to the forum! I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

[SDMF]

So the first step in the repair job was stripping off the old paint. There was absolutely no way to get around going down to bare wood. About a quarter of the back had already been sanded down to wood, and the front looked as if The Butcher had attempted to do a chemical strip on the paint before getting cold feet and abandoning the idea. I have traditionally sanded down guitar bodies using a mouse sander. In my earlier years, I, much like many other people, used nothing but my hands and elbow grease. The soreness of that technique was enough to make me move toward a mouse sander, which also makes the job much quicker. I began with #80 grit sand paper. Once the clear and color coats were removed, I block sanded with #220 grit, then #320 grit.
It was time to block in the gaping wound The Butcher had created. I went to Lowe's and purchased some poplar boards because of the tonal quality of the wood (plus, that was the only tone wood Lowe's sold). At my disposal in my garage, I used a Ryobi table-mount bandsaw to cut the blocks of poplar for the plug. Since The Butcher's routing job was so goofy, it was nearly impossible to cut a perfect plug. So, using the bandsaw, I cut the plug as close as possible and did a rough-in of the plug. Using wood glue, I clamped the plug piece in place. So I wouldn't put any dents in the plug or the body with the C-clamps, I placed a scrap piece of wood on both sides between the clamps and the plug. Just to be safe, I left the clamps on for 3 days.
After the glue was cured, I had to fill in the small space around it. One thing I have always found very helpful for this type of work on guitars is a product called QwikWood. You can purchase it at Home Depot for about $4 per tube. It is a wood epoxy that is sandable, drillable, stainable and paintable. In my experience, it also doesn't crack or shrink over time. I applied it to the space and allowed it to cure for 24 hours before sanding it down flush with the body.
I followed the Reranch method of grain filling and the sanding sealer to create a level surface.

[SDMF]

Now that the body was prepped, it was time to spray on the primer. I used Dupli-Color white primer, because this would create the best result in later stages with the color coats using Dupli-Color paint, as well. Once again, following the Reranch method, I sprayed two coats of the primer and sanded with #320 grit sandpaper. I applied another two coats of primer, and sanded once again with the #320.
On the headstock, for this year of Flying Vs, Gibson with with a different way to put thier logo on it. Instead of putting it on the truss rod cover as normally seen, they painted it on near the top. I didn't want to remove the original logo, so I had to sand down the paint up to the point where the pinstriping stopped. I did a gradual sanding to transition into the old black paint where the logo is, and have to paint blend. I used the same wood prep technique as the body, and primed it just the same. I will be using Dupli-Color All Purpose Black for the paint blend. To protect the logo, I taped it off with 3M blue painter's tape. Between the primer and color coats, new tape will be used so I don't get a visible tape line.
With the color, hardare and trim scheme I have planned, it is going to look a heck of a lot nicer (and more classy) than it did when it rolled out of the factory.

[outsidr317]

It looks like the life is coming back into it. Good work so far. Can't wait to see what you have in store.

[evol04gt]

you should make it a lefty and sell it to me.... lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SDMF]

Thank you for the welcome and the comments.

[aunchaki]

I'm loving this thread! Great work so far!

[SDMF]

So while I'm in the middle of the painting process, I might as well put up a few pictures of the painting rigs I've made, one of which I just made specifically for this project. They're not anything really special, but they work great for what I need. Both were made with scrap wood I had laying around.

The first picture is of the new one I built. I needed one for spraying guitars with set necks (like the V), and it gives me uninhibited access to spray the sides, too. I just cut up some scrap lengths of a 1x4 and a 1x2. I wanted to have a neck rest and a post to go in the pickup hole. Because of the body weight counter-balancing the entire guitar, I had to slightly elevate the post for the pickup hole above the neck rest.

The second rig is one I built a few years back. I just wanted a way to hang bolt-on neck style guitar bodies for spraying. I also used scrap wood laying around the garage for this one. The bases for the legs are pieces of 2x6, the legs and leg braces are 2x4, and the top is two pieces of OSB for strength. Then I put an I-Bolt in the middle and ran a chain from it. For the hook to hang the bodies, I just bent a pegboard hook. It may sound and look a little cheesy, but it works great.

[BAW4742]

Welcome to the group SDMF. Nice project to start off with.

You are reviving it nicely.

[SDMF]

Thank you. I've worked on plenty of guitars before, but this one is really a proud project for me. I think it's the challenge involved that makes it mean much more.

[BAW4742]

The fact that you are resurecting it form the trash pile makes for an interesting story as well.

Keep up the good work.

[iansmitchell]

What was the designer series? They appear to be made of strange wood indeed...

[outsidr317]

http://www.flying-v.ch/f_83desi/1983desi.htm The designer line up. I personally have my doubts on the wood,but i do know SDMF contacted gibson and provided pics of the partly sanded guitar and the serial number and gibson says its mahogany,i'm certainly no expert but it looked a bit light for mahogany.someone else SDMF had look at the wood thought maybe basswood or another(ash/alder,cant remember). also,when i got to see the V up close and personal,while looking at the chewed out route,it looked as if the body was double or triple ply,but it might have been the way the guy who threw it out routed it,like i said,i'm no expert...
either way,it has a much better home now,and has plenty of adopted siblings to keep it company,it certainly won't be lying out on the curb with the trash anymore

[SDMF]

The designer series was a line I believe Gibson put out in 1984-85, along with the Artist Original series, before scrapping it. From what I understand, it was not a very good selling line. Here's a link to the original sales ad from 1985: http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/Gib...gnerSeries.php

So the paint is done. I used Dupli-Color Arctic White, since I've always thought guitars along those lines look a bit more classy. And, much better than the cheesy pinstriping, I might add. I also used Dupli-Color Multi-Purpose Black for the headstock. I went with 6 coats of the Arctic White, so, using the much followed formula on how many clear coats to put on, I'll be spraying on around 10-12 coats of Deft gloss clear. I have the first 4 coats of Deft on, and it's just amazing how much better the guitar looks after each new clear coat. I'll post an update when I'm done with this phase, then I get to wait for a month before wet sanding and polishing. But in the mean time, here are some pics of the body after the color coat:

[ghosttour]

Cool thread! That V looks 100x better already.

[Stuco]

Wow! You are doing a great job. I'm really enjoying this thread.

[Jahmbie]

That Arctic White looks NICE!
Try keeping the neck unfinished. I stripped my LP Studio neck and it feels amazing.

[1forthethumb]

Great thread indeed.
If I wasn't a fat, bald, old guy I'd want a V of my own.

[SDMF]

Thank you all for the kind words. I'm loving the way this is coming along.

Jahmbie - I was wanting to keep the neck unfinished. I like that feel on a neck, as well. One thing I was going to ask opinions on is how I should go about the neck in the finalizing stage. Should I just sand it down, or should I sand it and oil it? What did you end up doing with yours?

[Stuco]

I would go ahead and finish the neck now with the body. If you ever decide you want the neck unfinished you can do that later.

[Jahmbie]

Per my buddy who works at Gibson CS, I just sanded the neck and left it plain. That was about 8 years ago and now the neck has a great patina to it.

[SDMF]

Well, the clear coat stage is finally finished. Since I live in Colorado, weather can put a damper on painting at this time of the year. We had days in the mid-70s, then snow and temperatures in the 30s-40s right after, so that can tend to put your painting and clear coating behind "schedule," so to speak. I went with 12 coats of Deft Gloss Clear, and it came out looking very good if I do say so myself. The Arctic White had nothing in the way of shine before compaired to now, the clear really makes it glow. Now I get the wonderful task of sitting back for about 30 days so the lacquer can cure and harden before hitting up the wet sanding and polishing stages. This is going to be the hardest part for me, just because I want to assemble and play it, who knows when the last time this guitar had that happen to it. Oh well, good things come to those who wait I guess.

Here is a front and back view of the V after the clear coat stage:

[sandiegog84]

Keep up the good work there mad monkey!!, nothing like watching paint dry!!!! Is there?

[db62]

Fantastic thread and great work. Looking forward to more pictures.

[Jahmbie]

Very cool, has a quasi- Michael Shenker look to it.

[SDMF]

Well, I know its been a while since the last update. The reason is I was at somewhat of a standstill with the V project. We had a few runs of cold weather, and I didn't want risk wet sanding too early. So, after a little over a month of cure time since spraying the Deft clear coats on, I wet sanded the body and headstock Monday night.

Once frustrating part about it was the mass amounts of contradicting information regarding which solution to use for wet sanding. Seemingly equal numbers of people said straight water, water with a little dishwashing detergeant, and mineral spirits. I saw arguements on all sides being valid. In the end, I went with the water and dishwashing detergeant...and it worked great. I gradually went with wet/dry sandpaper in grits of 220, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1200, 1400 and 2000. I was able to get a pack with one sheet of each (with the exception of 2000) at Ace Hardware for about $6. The 2000 had to come from Finishmaster. It was a bit more expensive, but that's Finishmaster for you. Nowhere did I experience sand-throughs.

After that, it was time for polish. I used 3M Finesse It II, which was actually very expensive. I got it also at Finishmaster for $45. However, the bottle is large enough to do many, many guitars with. So at least I have that going for me. I used a 6" powered palm car polisher I picked up at Harbor Freight for $13. I put just enough compound on the body, started the polisher with a wool buffing cover, and applied light-to-medium pressure. After the compound started to get a matte and semi-dry outcome, I let back on the pressure and worked over the areas until a reflective surface was achieved.

Below are pictures of this process. The first is what the body looked like after wet sanding, and the last two are of the body and headstock after polishing. If you look close enough, you can see the reflections in the two pics:

[SDMF]

So I was finally ready for assembly and wiring. For the wiring setup, I went with the 50s Gibson V wiring scheme, including 2 volumes 1 tone and used a .022 cap. The pickups are Seymour Duncan Distortions.

And now its time to let the cat out of the bag for the overall look: Arctic White body, black headstock and trim, and all gold hardware. Man, does the body and trim colors make the gold hardware POP. I purchased the majority of hardware from Guitar Fetish, and acquired the pickups, bridge and stop tail from a friend via trading parts/pickups. The truss rod cover that originally went on this year of a Flying V was the exact same as a blank 2-hole Les Paul cover, so that's what used for the new one. And, I prefer this look to the larger covers generally seen on other Gibson Flying Vs. I had purchased a plastic nut from Guitar Center, but didn't like both the string spacing or the look (it stood out too much and clashed with the rest of the guitar's look). So I went to Pro Sound Musician's Superstore here in Westminster, CO and purchased a graphite Gibson nut. The only problem with this was the high E string kept wanting to hop out of the nut groove when any tension was put on the string. So I took a small, thin hack saw and gently adjusted only that groove on the nut...it worked great.

Another snag I hit was the humbucker mounting rings. Gibson has a slightly different hole mount pattern, so I absolutely needed Gibson brand rings. Going back to Guitar Center (you think I would have learned by now), they had no idea of the difference between Gibson brand rings and, say, All Parts or Pro Line. More so lately than before, I've come to realize more and more that the people behind the accessories counter at Guitar Center know absolutely nothing about guitars or parts, at least here in Colorado (great business strategy, guys). I finally got what I needed and was able to finish assembly before stringing it up.

Now all that is left to do is intonate and setup adjustments, and get a control cavity cover plate made. This is the only part of the project I'm not doing myself, I'm going to have Axe Haven do me one up real quick.

So here are some pictures after assembly:

[JPark]

Looks nice! Glad to see you got it finished!

[Jahmbie]

That V has definitely been "resurrected!"

[Scott S]

Looks great -- probably the most "dignified" it ever looked!

- Scott

[milracing]

Whats it sound/play like?

[SDMF]

Thank you to all. It was a lot of work, but I got it back into shape. It still needs some minor setup adjustments, the usual fine tuning, then it should give me a better representation of what it sounds like. But from just playing it as-is, I like it. The action is a bit high, so that's part of the fine tuning. It has a fairly fast feeling neck, so I really like that, too. It was one of those things where I played it, set it down, looked at it about 15 minutes later, and picked it back up to play again.

[ChicknPickn]

I've always liked those Vee guitars. Nice work - - you gave it dignity again.