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Working Man's Guitar

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
Can you show a pic, Al? I'd love to see that one.
It is work in process right now as I played the hell out of it. I had an idea of making Americana Art makeovers of some of my road guitars. I can see about showing the husk but would rather wait till I'm done. There should be some pics online. It looks just like a early 2000s Studio except a mahogany top instead of maple and it had a thin transparent brown satin finish instead of gloss. Black plastic parts. They made a similar SG, the same Amp360 posted about, and it is awesome!! I bought my Studio Worn Brown brand new for $500 with a hardcase!!!!
 

S. Cane

Active member
Joined
Dec 10, 2014
Messages
656
It is work in process right now as I played the hell out of it. I had an idea of making Americana Art makeovers of some of my road guitars. I can see about showing the husk but would rather wait till I'm done. There should be some pics online. It looks just like a early 2000s Studio except a mahogany top instead of maple and it had a thin transparent brown satin finish instead of gloss. Black plastic parts. They made a similar SG, the same Amp360 posted about, and it is awesome!! I bought my Studio Worn Brown brand new for $500 with a hardcase!!!!

Are you gonna spray it? I used to own a '61R RI SG, it played very nice but I never did bond with it because of the finish. I didn't like the 'bare' unfinished wood feel.
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
Are you gonna spray it? I used to own a '61R RI SG, it played very nice but I never did bond with it because of the finish. I didn't like the 'bare' unfinished wood feel.
No. I had worn thru the finish between and just below the bridge pup bezel from my nails and pick, There are some scratches and the back of the neck has had the satin finish, along with the top lower bout where my forearm rested, buffed to a smooth gloss from playing. I originally planned to strp the finish and shoot a cherry red lacquer like a SG. I think cherry red looks best on fine grained mahogany.

I also had found an all original 1960 Mk I Melody Maker with a homemade tobacco sunburst similar to a Firebird applied. Well used and worn, the rustic look with non rubbed out finish made this refin to cherry option two, too. Then I got to thinkin' that they kind of had a cool vibe as they were. I had been seeing a lot of repurposed old antiques as new functional art and had the idea of leaving the old looking finishes and dress them up in a rural Rt 66 Americana vibe. I'm making pickguards from old tin advertising signs, using old hardware, or newer relic'd finish or unplated brass and Schaler has antique copper options for it's hardware that have the look. I found some killer looking knobs made from old US coins to help with the look.

I think it's going to be a series of guitars with matching amps depending how well these two come out.
 

latestarter

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
Nice guitar OP - they're solid workhorses.

All of my guitars are working mans guitars, including every vintage piece, with the exception of the Firebirds and the Explorer. My car can't fit the PA, amps and those giant cases! Although the Explorer case could serve as a small sleep-out for those far away gigs!

WQK7CnA.jpg
 
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