Taking on a 'project' when you have zero skills...

McToot

Those of you that know me know that I'm mainly found on the classifieds, main guitar pages and off topic. I rarely stray into this area as I am thoroughly unskilled  - useless even - on the whole making and modding thing. I am to soldering what donkeys are to the Grand National. And what I know about setting a guitar up could be written on a tooth pick. 

So what do I do? I go and buy a guitar that quite clearly needs a lot of TLC. Triffic. 

I couldn't resist, though: the guitar in question is a 1983 MIJ Ibanez Destroyer (A DT 150, I think) in a very sorry state. Bashed to buggery in all the usual places for a pointy thing and sporting more grime that Stormzy and Dizzee Rascal combined. The wiring is also shot and the pickup wire is severed. But I started playing guitar in 1983 and when I had hair I loved to swoosh it about in a head-banging stylee, so... Plus, I think it was cheap. 

The plan is to send it off to our own Welsh wizard for a re-fin and then to try and clean the rest of it up, maybe replacing the pickup, bridge, electric and tuners in the process. On the upside, the neck appears to be stright (but please refer my limitations above) and the frets are good, if filthy. 

So I'm looking for advice on:

De-filthing the bridge, tuners, neck and frets?
What pots are likely to be in there (metric, Imperial, long shaft, etc)?

And would love a straw poll on suggested finishes (currently leading is purple or orange flake or a more ambitious Japanese, red on white rising sun type of affair). 

Here is the ugly little basket:

 

Jonathangus

McToot said:

And would love a straw poll on suggested finishes (currently leading is purple or orange flake or a more ambitious Japanese, red on white rising sun type of affair). 

This.  Go big or go home.  

Then we'll expect to see it at Water Rats.

McToot

Jonathangus said:

McToot said:

And would love a straw poll on suggested finishes (currently leading is purple or orange flake or a more ambitious Japanese, red on white rising sun type of affair). 

This.  Go big or go home.  

Then we'll expect to see it at Water Rats.

Alas the person I'd love to do it doesn't have capacity for a job so big and fiddly. I think a large coverage of white or pearl white would be really time-consuming. 

Something along these lines is plan B:

LastMantra

Personally I'd probably just get the electrics sorted (or whatever it needs to work properly) and give it a clean and setup.

McToot

LastMantra said:

Personally I'd probably just get the electrics sorted (or whatever it needs to work properly) and give it a clean and setup.

That's worth a wis. I'm crushed, obviously, because I have a bee in my bonnet and I currently have time on my hands, but I think I should be sensible and play the long game. Get it cleaned, working (probably a new pickup to keep my GAS juices working) and well set up and then later down the line go down the refin route when I know* it's a keeper. 




*Ts&Cs apply, naturally

stickyfiddle

Jonathangus said:

McToot said:

And would love a straw poll on suggested finishes (currently leading is purple or orange flake or a more ambitious Japanese, red on white rising sun type of affair). 

This.  Go big or go home.  

Then we'll expect to see it at Water Rats.

And on that note, how about an red-sparkle rising sun...?  

LastMantra

McToot said:

LastMantra said:

Personally I'd probably just get the electrics sorted (or whatever it needs to work properly) and give it a clean and setup.

That's worth a wis. I'm crushed, obviously, because I have a bee in my bonnet and I currently have time on my hands, but I think I should be sensible and play the long game. Get it cleaned, working (probably a new pickup to keep my GAS juices working) and well set up and then later down the line go down the refin route when I know* it's a keeper. 




*Ts&Cs apply, naturally

People pay good money for that look. 

Jonathangus

mikem8634

Speaking in terms of pure aesthestics, I really like the red and white rising sun thing, but it's going through a bit of a re-evaluation, similar to the whole dixie confederate thing.

South Korea's foreign ministry has described the flag as a symbol of Japanese "imperialism and militarism". Meanwhile, a parliamentary committee for sports said it was "akin to a symbol of the devil to Asians and Koreans, just like the swastika is a symbol of Nazis which reminds European of invasion of horror".

It's generally a wise thing to listen to the oppressed in situations like this, but I am nowhere near informed enough to know where the debate is heading.

Just wanted to offer a heads up.

As far as I know, there is no history of genocide in the name of purple flake.

WezV

mikem8634 said:

Speaking in terms of pure aesthestics, I really like the red and white rising sun thing, but it's going through a bit of a re-evaluation, similar to the whole dixie confederate thing.

South Korea's foreign ministry has described the flag as a symbol of Japanese "imperialism and militarism". Meanwhile, a parliamentary committee for sports said it was "akin to a symbol of the devil to Asians and Koreans, just like the swastika is a symbol of Nazis which reminds European of invasion of horror".

It's generally a wise thing to listen to the oppressed in situations like this, but I am nowhere near informed enough to know where the debate is heading.

Just wanted to offer a heads up.

As far as I know, there is no history of genocide in the name of purple flake.

But it sure does look cool




which was a copy of an unlockable guitar on Guitar Hero     It was also done in stick on PVC to be reversible if needed

mikem8634

I am slowly (very slowly) acquiring some skills through various projects. I started out with absolutely zero, but I've had loads of fun making loads of mistakes and asking loads of questions. The whole thing is highly addictive. My advice is just have a go at a few little things. Once you've gotten over the 'sanctity' of the thing and gotten your hands a little dirty, you'll be doing more and more. The first swipe of a sander is the hardest and you'll never be more trepidatious than the first spray of a can, but it's great when it goes right and illuminating when it goes wrong.

Good luck and good score.

meltedbuzzbox

what a small world. I have a much abused Ibanez Destroyer that I am about to restore as well. 
Mines a twin humbucker jobbie that had a tom and tailpiece once upon a time. The previous owner got it carved up to accommodate a Kahler and other various sins of the late 80s.  

meltedbuzzbox

I'm fairly sure your neck is from another guitar looking at the pictures. As long as the scale is good its no drama. 

mikem8634

WezV said:

mikem8634 said:

Speaking in terms of pure aesthestics, I really like the red and white rising sun thing, but it's going through a bit of a re-evaluation, similar to the whole dixie confederate thing.

South Korea's foreign ministry has described the flag as a symbol of Japanese "imperialism and militarism". Meanwhile, a parliamentary committee for sports said it was "akin to a symbol of the devil to Asians and Koreans, just like the swastika is a symbol of Nazis which reminds European of invasion of horror".

It's generally a wise thing to listen to the oppressed in situations like this, but I am nowhere near informed enough to know where the debate is heading.

Just wanted to offer a heads up.

As far as I know, there is no history of genocide in the name of purple flake.

But it sure does look cool




which was a copy of an unlockable guitar on Guitar Hero     It was also done in stick on PVC to be reversible if needed

Yep, it does, got to admit I love it. Top work there, sir, as usual.

I've got a deep desire for a slightly different take on it. A nicely grained ash telemaster, stained a really deep brown, with a gold sun  coming down out of the top rear corner. All slightly aged with a dulled down gloss on top. Nice.

Funkfingers

There is somebody on this forum who would probably buy that Ibanez *as is* and change not one thing about it … except, possibly, cleaning the bridge and soaking it in penetrating oil. 

HarrySeven

Funkfingers said:

There is somebody on this forum who would probably buy that Ibanez *as is* and change not one thing about it … except, possibly, cleaning the bridge and soaking it in penetrating oil. 

And that person is me!

McToot

meltedbuzzbox said:

I'm fairly sure your neck is from another guitar looking at the pictures. As long as the scale is good its no drama. 

Interesting: what makes you think that? It looks pretty much identical to all the DT150 necks I've been able see online. Fits like a glove too... The below is from a listing on Reverb for an '83 DT150, which has the 'X Series' moniker like mine...




Thanks for all of the other comments chaps. 

This afternoon I've stripped it all down and am soaking all the metal bits in WD40. I will need a new pickup surround,a couple of knobs and will need to solder to pickup wires back together. The other irritant is that one of the saddle screws is completely knackered so I couldn't get it of the bridge plate. I guess I'll have to cut it off and get a new one. 

The neck has had an hour of lemon oiling and I even managed to get rid of the mysterious black gunk/paint that ran along the top of the headstock. It's looking pretty decent already.   

McToot

mikem8634 said:

Speaking in terms of pure aesthestics, I really like the red and white rising sun thing, but it's going through a bit of a re-evaluation, similar to the whole dixie confederate thing.

South Korea's foreign ministry has described the flag as a symbol of Japanese "imperialism and militarism". Meanwhile, a parliamentary committee for sports said it was "akin to a symbol of the devil to Asians and Koreans, just like the swastika is a symbol of Nazis which reminds European of invasion of horror".

It's generally a wise thing to listen to the oppressed in situations like this, but I am nowhere near informed enough to know where the debate is heading.

Just wanted to offer a heads up.

As far as I know, there is no history of genocide in the name of purple flake.

You know I had thought of that. I don't want to get into the morality of it all but I would be tempted to ignore it. I mean union jack guitars are still ok (albeit not for me) and we don't have such a great history if you think about it. 

Funkfingers

mikem8634 said:

the flag as a symbol 

All flags are symbolic.

The Swastika was originally a symbol of divinity for three major Asian religions. The original Aryans were brown. Friedrich Nietzsche’s Übermensch was misrepresented - good private hire car drivers would not exist for over a century.

 

Deadman

I think it looks great as is. The red/honey coloured maple combo is lovely.

If it was mine however, I probably wouldn't be able to resist stripping it and doing something a little bit elaborate paint-wise.

mikem8634

Deadman said:

I think it looks great as is. The red/honey coloured maple combo is lovely.

If it was mine however, I probably wouldn't be able to resist stripping it and doing something a little bit elaborate paint-wise.

This.

Me too. Although there is a fine chance I'd ruin it