Building my new Frankenstrat

[indeedido]

Now back to the body. I used Deft sanding sealer as I mentioned earlier to seal the grain. Now I've used a white primer I got from guitar reranch. The cool thing about this primer is, it won't yellow. If I used a white nitrocellulose laquer it would yellow over time once hit with the clear coat. So I'm going to leave the base of this as white primer. Here is where I go a little different than most. Or a lot different. I'm going to shoot red next and then black last.

[indeedido]

The tape I used was 3M automotive pin striping tape. Gives you lots of flexibility to go around corners and such. Once you get it down, no bleed either. Since I'm not doing a relic, I do not want any bleed.

I used three sizes. 3/4 inch, 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch. I made all of the sizes from uses these three in conjunction by overlapping tthem needed. I drew the squiggly lines on the 3/4 for example too and cut them out. Worked great.

Front



Back

[indeedido]

For the red paint, I used automotive laquer paint that is loaded into rattle cans. No krylon here folks. This stuff is the think to use if you don't have a sprayer. You just get the paint code from whatever make and model car and they mix it. You can find them at automotivetouchup.com, I got the clear coat from them as well. Great stuff. Any way the color of red I chose is from an IROC-Z28 I had years ago. I liked the shade of red so that is what I decided to use. It's also a common Chevy red.

[indeedido]

Body shot red



and after tape peeled off


Once I hit it with the black stripes, this thing is gonna POP. Doesn't quite look done without the black does it?

[indeedido]

This is where the body is left off. I'll let it sit for a few days to cure up a bit before I mask off for the black......

On to the neck. Originally I was going to do it without a decal, like what Ed's originally looked like. Then after I found the neckplate, I decided to do a EVH series Charvel. That is why there is no skunk stripe on the back. Ed's original didn't have one, but the charvel does. What can you do. Worked out better for me because Warmoth doesn't have an option to do custom back profiles with skunk stripes. So I have a birdseye maple neck, highly figured, with the Wizard back contour. I love the way it feels.

I photoshoped myself a few logos. Basically traced them so I could get some hi res files. You'll see Charvel and EVH Art Series on the front. And on the back you'll find a Custom Shop logo and Ed's signature. I felt these looked pretty cool and haven't seen anyone use these on theirs yet.

Also I have done some oiled necks in the past and love them. But I wanted to experiment here a little bit. At guitar reranch, they had a satin laquer that they claimed felt like raw wood. I'll be damned if they weren't right. This stuff is the shit!! I put on about 6 coats on the neck and around 10 or 11 on the headstock to seal in the decals. Then I sanded it down starting at 600 grit paper working up to 1500 grit. 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500. You cannot tell this has a finish on it at all. Feels so natural and it is protected. Also, you cannot find any traces of the edge of any of my decals. I'm so pleased with it. Oh yeah, got the water slide decal paper at a online model shop called micro mark

Front:


Back:

[jhale667]

Originally posted by indeedido
Body shot red



and after tape peeled off


Once I hit it with the black stripes, this thing is gonna POP. Doesn't quite look done without the black does it?

Just curious...why didn't you do the black layer/stripe base before the white, ala the real Frankenstrat?

[indeedido]

Just personal preference. I didn't want any of the black "ghost" stripes to show under the red. This way I can control where the black goes. I thought about it for a while and I know the original has them, but I think had Edward known what he was doing instead of just randomizing what he did, it might have come out this way. It just looks nicer to me. Plus it's more of a challenge to do a cleaner version than a relic because you need to control the paint environment more. Just personal taste. I saw one recently over at one of the other sites that was done this way too. Looked pretty good.

[The_KiD]

Nice job man..I am enjoying your progress and updates..

I am spending some time with my strat today..

Cheers,

KiD

[Don Corleone]

Originally posted by indeedido
but I think had Edward known what he was doing instead of just randomizing what he did, it might have come out this way.

You maybe right there. You just have to look at later versions that Ed painted, specifically the 5150 - White, Red then Black.

[indeedido]

Well, here is a minor update. We've been getting so much rain, it's hard to build up much steam. I've added a little bit of black stripes. Also finished up the neck and added some hardware. Schaller M-6 tuners and I'm using an original floyd rose, attached is the R-2 nut and string retainer. The only thing I haven't put on the back of the headstock yet is the allen wrench holder for the floyd.


Front with some black:


Back with some black:



Front of headstock w/ hardware


back of headstock w/ hardware

[indeedido]

P.S. I just couldn't put the string retainer on crooked like Ed. It would bother me to look at it 'til my grave. It would make me think I fucked it up every time I looked at it.

[jhale667]

Originally posted by indeedido
P.S. I just couldn't put the string retainer on crooked like Ed. It would bother me to look at it 'til my grave. It would make me think I fucked it up every time I looked at it.

Agreed.

[indeedido]

It's been uncharacteristically rainy this year, but I've made some more progress finally. Dig it........

I got the front taped for some more black. Again, moving slowly and methodically.


Got the back taped up too


Now the whole thing ready to shoot....

[indeedido]

And now to pull off the tape and paper. Voila, instant controlled madness.

Front:


Back:

[indeedido]

I've got just a few more areas to add black to. Hope to be done with the black in a few days, but the storms are rolling back in so we'll see. Once that is complete, I will clear coat it and let it cure up before final polish. Now it is starting to shape up! I can't wait to get it done and play it.