Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Bringing your older offset back to life.
User avatar
niandra3
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:22 pm
Location: US

Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by niandra3 » Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:19 pm

Thanks in part to all you awesome people and the help I received here, I'm finally done restoring/rebuilding my 1976 Mustang. Not sure I can call it a "restoration" as much as "experimentation" because I haven't really done this type of finish before, and it's not trying to look factory original. But this is a guitar I love to play, and I don' t ever see myself selling it so I don't care how much of it is original. Just want to to look, play, and sounds good, and I think I achieved that.

Before:

Image

The previous owner played the hell out of it, and the finish on the neck was worn through in a number of places (and kind of scratchy/uncomfortable as a result):

Image

The initial plan was to refinish the neck with Tung Oil and lock down the bridge. Well.. didn't stop there.

Once it was in pieces, decided to refinish the body with a blue stain (don't really care that it's not period correct, and it was easier than a proper laquer finish). And updated electronics:

This Poly stuff really is as much of a PITA as everyone says:

Image

Tung Oil finish on the neck turned out really well.. super smooth:

Image

Used a blue stain on the body:

Image

Then topped that with Tung Oil. The stain could have been more consistent, but I lucked out and the places where it is light are the places that normally get worn down by playing, so... accidental relic! Looks a bit glossier in person:

Image

Shielded the body cavity, and did this wiring mod that lets you select pickup(s) with one switch, and bypass tone/volume with the second switch. Also new switches, pots, jack, and orange drop cap. Sounds awesome!

Image

Locked down the bridge by using bolts direct into the cigar tube, rather than washers with the original bolts:

Image

Which let me attach the cigar tube flush with the bridge plate (and switched it around so the strings go direct through);

Image

Had to shim the neck a bit to compensate for this and get a better break angle across the bridge. Seems to work well now. Still using the original bridge, though am probably going to get a Staytrem (would love a Mastery, but it costs about half what I paid for this guitar):

Image

Done!! Feels great, and sounds even better

Image

Image

Image

Still shaping a new nut from a bone blank, but other than that it's fully complete! Still need to do a re-fret somewhere down the line, but I need to work myself up to that. Plays fine for now.

Full album with more info: http://imgur.com/a/DKOYw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for the help OSG!

User avatar
MechaBulletBill
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2813
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:16 am
Location: UK

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by MechaBulletBill » Mon Dec 05, 2016 8:11 am

Looks great, very unique. I'd love to hear a demo of the different tone switching options.

User avatar
Zork
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1811
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:01 am
Location: Bremen, Germany

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by Zork » Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:38 pm

the finish is really cool. nice job!

User avatar
niandra3
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:22 pm
Location: US

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by niandra3 » Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:09 pm

MechaBulletBill wrote:Looks great, very unique. I'd love to hear a demo of the different tone switching options.
Yeah I was thinking of doing that. I've got a new Blackstar 1w tube amp on the way for apartment playing, so I'll probably wait for that to come in. Can't use my big 40w tube amp in the apartment, and I want to do this thing justice. I think by changing to the less obvious .022 tone cap, I'm not hearing a huge difference between having the tone and volume on 10 vs. tone/volume bypassed, but there's a little boost. I'll do a demo for sure.

Unique is definitely the word . I've always wanted a blue guitar, and as I said I don't really have the skills for a proper laquer job, but I wanted to do it myself and I think it turned out better than I expected. I also really like light finishes in general.. just got a Faded Les Paul Studio with the satin open-grain finish.. I like to let the wood breathe. The Tung Oil ended up a bit thicker/glossier than I expected, but you can still see the wood which makes me happy.

The locked down bridge has more of an effect than I realized. I'm glad that I have a chance to upgrade/improve all the strings' points of contact.. bridge, tuners, and nut (eventually). But locking the bridge really increased sustain, and it just sounds better too (hard to describe). I lock down all my bridges.. never used tremolo, plus I don't even have the arm for this guitar.

Almost done shaping the new nut. Got some bone blanks and bought a Dremel for the job (for the rough shaping), and it's turning out well. The original plastic nut was pretty ground down.

User avatar
jam007
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 283
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:42 pm

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by jam007 » Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:40 pm

Love it
"Better to fight for something than live for nothing."
General S. Patton Commander 3rd U.S Army

User avatar
Axolotl
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1267
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by Axolotl » Wed Dec 07, 2016 3:08 am

Very original and killer look. If the Sonic Youth signature Mustangs would exist they'd look like this! :)

User avatar
PorkyPrimeCut
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 24464
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:46 am
Location: Leipzig
Contact:

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Wed Dec 07, 2016 3:14 am

Axolotl wrote:Very original and killer look. If the Sonic Youth signature Mustangs would exist they'd look like this! :)
Similar to my first thought.

Frankly, on paper, this guitar sounds awful (maple neck AND blue stain?) but it looks great! Good job!!
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.

User avatar
niandra3
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:22 pm
Location: US

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by niandra3 » Wed Dec 07, 2016 3:19 pm

Axolotl wrote:Very original and killer look. If the Sonic Youth signature Mustangs would exist they'd look like this!
Thanks. Pardon my ignorance, but why Sonic Youth? One one of their Mustangs blue?

User avatar
Mr.K
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 534
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:15 am
Location: Cork City, Co. Cork, Republic of Ireland.
Contact:

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by Mr.K » Wed Dec 07, 2016 3:32 pm

niandra3 wrote:
Axolotl wrote:Very original and killer look. If the Sonic Youth signature Mustangs would exist they'd look like this!
Thanks. Pardon my ignorance, but why Sonic Youth? One one of their Mustangs blue?
Following the look of their signature Jazzmasters I'd say. Stained finish with a black pickguard.

Guitar looks fantastic either way. You did a great job on that neck finish!

User avatar
niandra3
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:22 pm
Location: US

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by niandra3 » Wed Dec 07, 2016 4:26 pm

Mr.K wrote: Following the look of their signature Jazzmasters I'd say. Stained finish with a black pickguard.
Oooo pretty. I somehow have never seen those before. :? :-*

User avatar
threewordname
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 318
Joined: Tue Oct 22, 2013 12:58 pm
Location: Mill River, MA

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by threewordname » Mon Jan 16, 2017 5:02 pm

what brand of stain did you use? it came out fantastic

User avatar
niandra3
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:22 pm
Location: US

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by niandra3 » Mon Jan 16, 2017 5:21 pm

threewordname wrote:what brand of stain did you use? it came out fantastic
Thanks! Used Rust-Oleum Ultimate Wood Stain in "Worn Navy".. that was all they had in the shop. Worked well with the tung oil I put on top (Fromby's). The yellow tint to the tung oil made the end result slightly greenish, but I'm happy with how it turned out.

User avatar
thecolorwaves
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2015 7:20 am

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by thecolorwaves » Wed Jan 25, 2017 6:05 am

Looks wonderful! That stain with the black pickguard is somethin' else.

User avatar
musicmatty
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 144
Joined: Thu Jun 13, 2013 5:31 am
Location: Eastcoast
Contact:

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by musicmatty » Sat Mar 25, 2017 6:41 pm

Stunning 8)

User avatar
Trow
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 7:57 am

Re: Finally done with my Mustang restoration

Post by Trow » Thu Mar 30, 2017 7:29 am

That looks great!

Post Reply