Definitely a Project - Yamaha Pacifica - Help will be needed

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    Erm, ERG121 ‘heads have lozenge-back gear housings whereas the Pacifica 112 has Jin-Ho or Ping Well enclosed gears and either locator pins on the back or a screw lug at 135 degrees.

    If you expect the vibrato to work reliably, this would be the excuse you need to justify Gotoh or Grover locking ‘heads.
    Be seeing you.
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  • YellowLedBetterManYellowLedBetterMan Frets: 1185
    edited March 2020
    well, thus far I am still £70 under budget and have ordered everything I need bar a 5-way switch and a heat gun, and that switch I might just use one of the ones I have in my parts drawer instead of splurging on a switchcraft or something.

    I reckon I may just have budget for locking keys and a Wilkinson Trem.

    Edit: I have budget for locking keys OR a Wilkinson Trem, unless anyone can recommend some inexpensive tuners?
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • putting on a heavier block from my parts drawer 
    If I recall correctly, the Sung-il block fastening screws are spaced differently from the overwhelming majority of other fulcrum vibratos. Hence, sustain blocks may not be interchangeable. 

    With a Wilkinson 5+1 pivot arrangement, you would need to fill and redrill one screw hole in the body. (The one in front of the low E saddle.)

    If you are going to refinish the body anyway, there is nothing to stop you making all manner of alterations to the vibrato cavity. 
    Is this the kind of bridge you were on about? it looks like there's some lateral wiggle room on 5 of the 6 holes, so I assume so?
    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wilkinson-Vintage-Tremolo-WV6-For-Stratocaster-Guitar-Steel-Block/111289621225?var=410285647000

    I am going all gold on the hardware for this. I think it will look good with the colour I have in mind.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • So, an update.

    Currently very slow going as I wait for parts and tools to come in.

    Mainly waiting on a heat gun or fret crowning file before I continue any further.

    The dyes did come today and though, so I'm going to do some practice runs on some scrap wood for the finish.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • Started stripping the poly off today. It's a real slog trying to get the paint off the sides of the guitar, so I may try acetone or similar paint stripper tomorrow to get the last few areas.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    edited April 2020
    Acetone + poly = wiping up job.  3 

    Ventilate your work space. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • I haven't done the best job of updating here, but the last 48 hours have been all stripping and refinishing. I'm about half way through the Rit dye burst procedure

    Fully Stripped Body:



    Full coat of "fuchsia", then sanded back:



    Then first coat of "Rose Petal Pink", which in reality is very red despite what the packaging would have you believe:



    Just waiting for that to dry before I move onto the final colour - "Rose Quartz"which will go all over. I expect the whole thing to be a different colour once all dye is on and dyed and then the tung oil goes on.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    Good progress, Harry.  Getting finish off is a pain!  

    What's the white stripe?
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  • Just an odd bit of wood I think. I don't know what wood it's meant to be made of, but I can tell by the colour and grain it isn't the same wood and there's about half a dozen different pieces of it.

    Dyeing is done and oil is on. It's lifting some of the dye that hasn't settled and is making the whole thing redder than I wanted. It won't look how I planned but I think it'll still look good.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • Dyeing and oiling is done. I'm going to leave it overnight to see how it ends up but I'm currently 50/50 on sanding it all back and going again with something different.

    It's all turned too red and streaky with the oil on there, so I'm somewhat tempted to just get a vinyl wrap for it or order some nitrocellulose from Northwest Guitars to do it all in shell pink.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • SargeSarge Frets: 2370
    edited April 2020
    Wraps look good for a few weeks regular playing then they can start lifting or the design wearing off.

    The key with stain and oil for me is to burnish the stain as much as possible before the oil, and with a burst rub the first few coats of oil with the burst pattern, working inside to out.
    That's just my experience. 
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  • Thanks for the advice. Part of what I think was the problem was that I used liquid RIT dye, which despite what Dan from Guns N Guitars says, isn't particularly good. It barely seems to penetrate the wood at all and as a result comes off with barely any effort from the tung oil brush.

    I'm thinking of either Crimson's stunning stains for only £7 or so a bottle, or just some good old nitro which blows the budget but looks fairly easy to if a little time consuming.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    What's the white stripe?
    Just an odd bit of wood I think. I don't know what wood it's meant to be 
    Those PACs are usually Basswood. The colour and grain can vary. If the factory finish is going to be opaque, the appearance of the wood spread is immaterial. It is just a way to use up the CNC machine offcuts left over from the posher instruments.
    Be seeing you.
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  • What's the white stripe?
    Just an odd bit of wood I think. I don't know what wood it's meant to be 
    Those PACs are usually Basswood. The colour and grain can vary. If the factory finish is going to be opaque, the appearance of the wood spread is immaterial. It is just a way to use up the CNC machine offcuts left over from the posher instruments.
    Another reason I'm tempted to get nitro on there. I've got some purple stain coming from Crimson guitars that I'm hoping might yield better results but if that's still not to my liking I'll get the nitro when money frees up a bit.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • JazzthatJazzthat Frets: 163
    Your project is looking cool . I too have another Pacifica ( think is 112 model ) and have been slightly modifying a shape of the body . 
    I too want to paint so I will be looking at your progress .
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  • Jazzthat said:
    Your project is looking cool . I too have another Pacifica ( think is 112 model ) and have been slightly modifying a shape of the body . 
    I too want to paint so I will be looking at your progress .
    Pro tip is to not use rit dye and tung oil. Certainly not like I have.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • JazzthatJazzthat Frets: 163
    Jazzthat said:
    Your project is looking cool . I too have another Pacifica ( think is 112 model ) and have been slightly modifying a shape of the body . 
    I too want to paint so I will be looking at your progress .
    Pro tip is to not use rit dye and tung oil. Certainly not like I have.
    This is another chapter I will need to explore . Are you going to sand it down and start again with different products ?
    I was thinking to get valspar paint from B&Q in the colour I want , but not sure if this is a good idea or not ?
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  • Yep I'm going to leave it a few days for what's on there now to settle, and then sand back and go again with Crimson's stain and osmo.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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  • CeeJayCeeJay Frets: 455
    If you want a burst finish, Rit Dye and a blow torch.


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  • YellowLedBetterManYellowLedBetterMan Frets: 1185
    edited April 2020
    CeeJay said:
    If you want a burst finish, Rit Dye and a blow torch.


    How did you get it to stick to the surface? For me the Rit dye seemed to just sit atop the wood rather than sink into it so it inevitably wiped off when applying oil.
    Just so people are aware. I have no idea what any of these words mean.
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