My attempt at Tyler's BurningWater

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Greetings folks,
My second now-it's-finished post today. Some years ago I purchased a Squier Silver Series from @impmann here, with the intention of refinishing at some point. Originally I planned to do a Chromeboy affair, but that will have to wait. The Burning Water from Tyler guitars is one of my favourite finishes, but a little out of my budget, so why not have a go?

As well as the body refinish, I sanded the back of the neck to bare wood, and re-shaped the profile to be a bit more V-ish. Osmo Poly-X oil went onto the neck, and slinky it now is. I also tried my hand at rounding the fretboard edges, which worked to an extent.

Onto the body. This is how it looked before I died any work. The black paint from a previous owner (not Impmann!) had never really hardened and covered some thick plastic. I had hoped that the wood underneath might be amenable to a burst, but whilst the grain is lovely enough, there were marks all over it as if someone had attacked it with a Phillips-head screwdriver. Similar indentations were on the scratchplate. So that had to go also.

The body

https://i.imgur.com/MHjsWbp.jpeg

Sand-back and adjusting the body carve

https://i.imgur.com/mvRFnE5.jpeg

Filling in the pock-marks. Many times.

https://i.imgur.com/e9q629X.jpeg

First coat of sealer

https://i.imgur.com/6fnWDYC.jpeg

Blue

https://i.imgur.com/0aAmXMr.jpeg

PRS-a-like effect not very well done

https://i.imgur.com/TKwyENb.jpeg

Red on top

https://i.imgur.com/6SIipm5.jpeg

Several colour coats later, I started to selectively sand through the layers

https://i.imgur.com/WofY4dh.jpeg

Layers sanded through, I wanted to add a broken metallic fade, so masking up and a base black coat

https://i.imgur.com/iYUC4Fi.jpeg

Masking off and some hard edges to soften

https://i.imgur.com/heGlDry.jpeg

The body now finished (rounded off with a few clear gloss coats, smoothed, and a final satin coat), it was time for electrics. Initially I used some Creamery Tri-Sonic-a-likes, but these were only a stop-gap before the final pickups arrived. It has been wired with separate tone control for bridge and mid+neck. Different capacitors for each.

https://i.imgur.com/MHT2UdS.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/u2MQ4rv.jpeg

However, I had ordered a set of slightly higher output SC's from the most excellent Stuart Robson of Sunbear Pickups. Beautifully aged with a dark-blue top plate under the nickel open covers. Beautifully packaged, and beautifully sounding.

https://i.imgur.com/wGk6Xeh.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/ognR3Hk.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/yyAb2qA.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/9yfoJdb.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/oxXD5OO.jpeg

Ok, not sublte, but I think it works aestheticaly, and I'm over the moon with the sound and playability after the tweaks. At some point, I am going to replace the frets as I prefer wider/taller. However that would only be to satisfy my curiosity and desire to fiddle.

Comments, critique, queries all welcome :)

Adam
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Comments

  • That really is rather fabulous - well done! 
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    Man alive! That looks so much better than that gloopy black! I’m so glad it’s had so much attention as it was a nice guitar under the clag.

    Nice one!!! 
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    Brilliant job. That looks great!
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    That's an amazing transformation - stunning work. That's always been one of my favourite non-traditional finishes and you've done a fantastic job of it.

    There's just one thing I would have done differently given your parts choices - I would have the 47nF cap for the neck and the 22nF for the bridge and middle - I think that gives a wider range of tones, making the neck deeper and the bridge/middle more midrangy, and makes the neck & middle much more different from the bridge & middle. You may use the different settings for different sounds than I do though.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    I think that's actually better than the Tyler's I've seen.

    Amazing work.
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  • maw4neumaw4neu Frets: 549
    Sweet Axe ! ! 
    Id just like to point out that, despite all the video and DNA evidence, it genuinely wasn't me, your Honour  ! 

    Feedback : https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/58125/
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  • guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 4067
    Calling @DrBob !!!
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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    I'm liking that!

    Glad you avoided the bare bum cheek on the original. Hate that ....
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  • WazmeisterWazmeister Frets: 9448
    Superb, good skills.
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  • KalimnaKalimna Frets: 1534
    axisus said:
    I'm liking that!

    Glad you avoided the bare bum cheek on the original. Hate that ....
    Totally agree, its hideous! However, they arent all like that :)

    impmann said:
    Man alive! That looks so much better than that gloopy black! I’m so glad it’s had so much attention as it was a nice guitar under the clag.

    Nice one!!! 
    Cheers - im glad I waited till I 'knew' what to do with it. The pickups it came with need a repair as one of the windings had snapped. The Sunbears are stunning though, both sonically and aesthetically.

    @ICBM - i will try swapping the capacitors over, it shouldnt take long to do. 

    Thank you all for the kind words - I will try and record some sounds on my phone this week, though I shall get the excuses in early for the quality of the playing!
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  • That looks fantastic. Well done Sir!
    The Swamp City Shakers
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  • normula1normula1 Frets: 639
    That's a brilliant job.
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  • JazzthatJazzthat Frets: 163
    I agree , super skills to pull this off .
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  • DiscoStuDiscoStu Frets: 5382
    I'm not the biggest Burning Water fan (especially with the bare bum) but what I AM a huge fan of is that you tried it yourself and made a fantastic job of it! 
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  • grappagreengrappagreen Frets: 1340
    I'm no fan of the finish aesthetically but I'm in awe of your achievement! 
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  • KalimnaKalimna Frets: 1534
    Once again, I am humbled by your comments. Thank you :) Especially from those of you who arent a fan of the style.

    I really must try and record some sounds this week.

    Cheers,
    Adam
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  • DrBobDrBob Frets: 2998

    Calling @DrBob !!!
    Oh nice work ! Do I score bonus points for noticing that you’ve effectively snuck an extra Tyler finish in there with the cheeky “Jimburst” on the horns ?
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  • PeteCPeteC Frets: 409
    That is pure Rock ' n bloody Roll - nice work @Kalimna

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  • TINMAN82TINMAN82 Frets: 1845
    Awesome, would love a shot of this Adam, interested in the pickups too (obviously). 
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