Wesminster Mustang Competition MIJ 1978 : headstock OK
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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- Location: France, French County
Wesminster Mustang Competition MIJ 1978 : headstock OK
Hi everybody !
I've just bought what can be called a guitar, in a sad state... Seller told me it is a japanese matsumoku made for the brand "Westminster".
Last owner has re-finished it in some sort of seafoam green with black repaint pickguard, but it's far from well done...
Let's see what it look like...
As you can see, the pickup covers have been removed, I will buy some new ones, but have to wait to decide if I choose black or white ones.
The bad surprise was the fretboard... Sold to be "used", it is in fact savagely scalloped...
The headstock had been savagely sanded too...
The back :
"Matsumoku Made in japan" engraved neck plate :
And the standard two parts headstock, which is often the case on japanese fender's copies
Well. I really enjoy fender colors like surf green/seafoam etc... But I find this mustang a bit sad, and I don't like black pickguards with light greens.
Look at this tiny part of red paint... A bit of hope... But I'm not sure to know what I will find under this horrible green layer...
I've just bought what can be called a guitar, in a sad state... Seller told me it is a japanese matsumoku made for the brand "Westminster".
Last owner has re-finished it in some sort of seafoam green with black repaint pickguard, but it's far from well done...
Let's see what it look like...
As you can see, the pickup covers have been removed, I will buy some new ones, but have to wait to decide if I choose black or white ones.
The bad surprise was the fretboard... Sold to be "used", it is in fact savagely scalloped...
The headstock had been savagely sanded too...
The back :
"Matsumoku Made in japan" engraved neck plate :
And the standard two parts headstock, which is often the case on japanese fender's copies
Well. I really enjoy fender colors like surf green/seafoam etc... But I find this mustang a bit sad, and I don't like black pickguards with light greens.
Look at this tiny part of red paint... A bit of hope... But I'm not sure to know what I will find under this horrible green layer...
Last edited by tubart on Tue Mar 08, 2016 1:00 pm, edited 5 times in total.
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 147
- Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:07 pm
- Location: France, French County
Re: Mustang made in japan Restoration (Westminster)
Well... The fretboard is really awfully "relic"... Some sort of scaloped work... I don't like the scaloped fretboards, especially when it's so savagely done !
I'll have to level the headstock too, which has some sort of swimming pool at the old logo's place...
Unscrewing the neck, the neck pocket is paint in green..
Mustang bridge, exactly like the US ones
The tremolo doesn't have any engraved logo or brand...
Details of the body :
Even the bridges inserts have been painted...
I'll have to level the headstock too, which has some sort of swimming pool at the old logo's place...
Unscrewing the neck, the neck pocket is paint in green..
Mustang bridge, exactly like the US ones
The tremolo doesn't have any engraved logo or brand...
Details of the body :
Even the bridges inserts have been painted...
Last edited by tubart on Sun Apr 06, 2014 2:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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- Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:07 pm
- Location: France, French County
Re: Mustang made in japan Restoration (Westminster)
The pickups :
Switches :
Controls :
Well, the body is now naked, so I can start so remove the green paint, and see what's hidden beneath...
A small red paint appears in a dig at guitar's back, let's hope that...
The neck :
The "relic" work is really badly done, that's sad for this vintage mustang...
And the headstock is in the same condition :
Hopefully the rear is great !
Switches :
Controls :
Well, the body is now naked, so I can start so remove the green paint, and see what's hidden beneath...
A small red paint appears in a dig at guitar's back, let's hope that...
The neck :
The "relic" work is really badly done, that's sad for this vintage mustang...
And the headstock is in the same condition :
Hopefully the rear is great !
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 147
- Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:07 pm
- Location: France, French County
Re: Mustang made in japan Restoration (Westminster)
Well, now, stop laughing, remove painting !
I'm glad to find some sort of olympic white finish under the layer of green paint ! The previous owner (or at least the one who's painted it in green) did not sand properly the guitar so I've found the original finish under the last painting green layer
Have you seen this? Smells rrreeeaaalllll good... Can't wait to rmove the whole green paint !!!
I'm glad to find some sort of olympic white finish under the layer of green paint ! The previous owner (or at least the one who's painted it in green) did not sand properly the guitar so I've found the original finish under the last painting green layer
Have you seen this? Smells rrreeeaaalllll good... Can't wait to rmove the whole green paint !!!
- Pacafeliz
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Re: 1978 Mustang MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
MIJ comp'stang!!!
cool, fun and (hopefully) rewarding project!!!
cool, fun and (hopefully) rewarding project!!!
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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- Location: France, French County
Re: 1978 Mustang MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
Well, the guitar plays fine, the problem is just the scaloped fretboard... But I think it is cool to show the vintage 70's japanese copies of US offsets.Pacafeliz wrote:MIJ comp'stang!!!
cool, fun and (hopefully) rewarding project!!!
Once the restoration finished, the guitar must be really great !
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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- Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:07 pm
- Location: France, French County
Re: 1978 Mustang MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
So now... The revelation !!! I'm glad, nice surprise !
Even the neck pocket reveals some matsumoku's employee annotation
A photo, just for fun... But I don't like the black pickguard aspect...
So let's remove the awful black paint layer and see what's hidden behind...
a few minutes of scrapper work later
And... A nice white pearl pickguard !!!
Now, I will sand till 2500 the body and the pickguard, and start working on the neck.
Even the neck pocket reveals some matsumoku's employee annotation
A photo, just for fun... But I don't like the black pickguard aspect...
So let's remove the awful black paint layer and see what's hidden behind...
a few minutes of scrapper work later
And... A nice white pearl pickguard !!!
Now, I will sand till 2500 the body and the pickguard, and start working on the neck.
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 147
- Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:07 pm
- Location: France, French County
Re: 1978 Mustang Competition MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
Today I start to sand the body and pickguard, starting with 600 grit till 1200.
Before I start :
Before I start :
- arghdedamned
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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Re: 1978 Mustang Competition MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
it looks better ....
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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- Location: France, French County
Re: 1978 Mustang Competition MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
Far better ; Today I've mounted the guitar after polishing it, to try it live, rehearsal tonight and concert next saturday.arghdedamned wrote:it looks better ....
I will level the fretboard after this concert.
I really like this little japanese mustang, looks great
- justinc
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Re: 1978 Mustang Competition MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
great work! good luck with the fretboard
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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- Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:07 pm
- Location: France, French County
Re: 1978 Mustang Competition MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
Thanks a lot !justinc wrote:great work! good luck with the fretboard
When trying to tune the strings yesterday evening, it was difficult... Then I've realised that I've mounted the bridge backwards...tubart wrote:
- stratdragon92
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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Re: 1978 Mustang Competition MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
Excellent work.
- tubart
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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- Location: France, French County
Re: 1978 Mustang Competition MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
No work today so I take a few time to remove the frets from the destroyed fingerboard using two cutters blades, one under the fret, the other on the fingerboard to avoid other damages. A small part of maple removed from the neck when I removed the nut ... I've cut the varnish with a blade on each side of the nut, but it wasn't enough... But well, it is pretty "well broken", so it might not be to difficult to repair.
Il faut que je replanifie la tête, car en lieu et place de l'ancien logo j'ai une sorte de cuvette de presque 1,5mm de profondeur... :roll: , et il faut que je confectionne une cale à radius appropriée, pour la finition de la touche après rabotage.
I will plane the headstock too, because there is a level diffrence of nearly 1,5mm between the general original level and the ancient decal place...
that's really awful...
Il faut que je replanifie la tête, car en lieu et place de l'ancien logo j'ai une sorte de cuvette de presque 1,5mm de profondeur... :roll: , et il faut que je confectionne une cale à radius appropriée, pour la finition de la touche après rabotage.
I will plane the headstock too, because there is a level diffrence of nearly 1,5mm between the general original level and the ancient decal place...
that's really awful...
- MattK
- PAT. # 2.972.923
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Re: 1978 Mustang Competition MIJ Restoration (Westminster)
You're a brave guy!
One suggestion - use oxalic acid solution on the "dirty" parts of the scalloping. It should bleach the wood back to its natural colour. That way you can sand it less before refretting.
One suggestion - use oxalic acid solution on the "dirty" parts of the scalloping. It should bleach the wood back to its natural colour. That way you can sand it less before refretting.