The '64 that wasn't.... AKA: the Mess-Stang

[JSett]

So, my f*cked up "1964 Mustang that is anything but" that shall henceforth be known as the 'Mess-Stang" (viewtopic.php?f=41&t=119830) is going to have a home refinish now that we've ascertained that it's basically worthless.

Its going to have a matching headstock to hide a couple of cracks (to be repaired). I've stripped off the body and it currently is in this stage:





I've sanded up to 180 as thats as fine a paper as I could dig out. I'll go a couple of stages higher when I get a chance to grab some more paper.

So, colour choices? Whatever it ends up will be subtly aged appropriately in keeping with the guitar. I want to paint it a colour Mustang's dont normally come in. So, no red, daphne or white. I'm also trying to avoid colours I already have on other guitars (Black, BMM, 3TS)

I've popped up some poll options of my current shortlist, happy to take suggestions as long as they're sensible for what is going to be a rattle-can garage spray job All of them will be given a subtle patchy yellowed clearcoat on top so as to look 'mature'

[sal paradise]

I’d buy the Les Paul

[JSett]

I’d buy the Les Paul

Haha, what?!

*looks around confused, still in an Acetone daze*

[PorkyPrimeCut]

From those choices?

Pelham Blue or yellowed Sonic Blue.

[JSett]

From those choices?

Pelham Blue or yellowed Sonic Blue.

Open to other suggestions, that's just a shortlist of ones I've been considering

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Well, I'm a big fan of Candy Apple Red that's heavily yellowed & turned to an almost copper colour. Kind of typically Fender though.

Have you seen the latest Guitar Of The Day episode with the Epiphone Riviera 12 string? That colour - Burgundy metallic, I think, is really fucking nice! Hell, the whole guitar is drop dead gorgeous!!

EDIT - Correction! Burgundy Sparkle, but not the big fat flakes you normally associate with sparkle finishes.

[JSett]

Well, I'm a big fan of Candy Apple Red that's heavily yellowed & turned to an almost copper colour. Kind of typically Fender though.

Have you seen the latest Guitar Of The Day episode with the Epiphone Riviera 12 string? That colour - Burgundy metallic, I think, is really fucking nice! Hell, the whole guitar is drop dead gorgeous!!

EDIT - Correction! Burgundy Sparkle, but not the big fat flakes you normally associate with sparkle finishes.

Ooh, what an unusual colour. Almost orange.

[Bradley-Jazz]

Been watching your other thread with interest and sympathy, though I really don't see this body as being "worthless". It's going to be a great Mustang when done and the murky provenance now takes away any guilt of possibly refinishing a original 64 (I am also not a fan of dark Dakota-ish reds, and would have been agonising about that if it had been mine).

As for the colour, I think it would look great in Desert Sand, with a black scratch plate, maybe aged white pickup covers.

As for colours not on your list, Ice Blue Metallic, going green, is hard to beat for me.

[JSett]

Been watching your other thread with interest and sympathy, though I really don't see this body as being "worthless". It's going to be a great Mustang when done and the murky provenance now takes away any guilt of possibly refinishing a original 64 (I am also not a fan of dark Dakota-ish reds, and would have been agonising about that if it had been mine).

As for the colour, I think it would look great in Desert Sand, with a black scratch plate, maybe aged white pickup covers.

As for colours not on your list, Ice Blue Metallic, going green, is hard to beat for me.

Ah, I know its not 'worthless', I was just being a little glib is all.

I'm with you on the greening-IBM. I had an AVRI62 JM recently in that finish and it was rather lovely. That, the yellowed sonic and, on the darker and of the green/blue spectrum with the pelham are frontrunners

This is steering me heavily...

[BTL]

I think Tahitian Coral would be pretty special.

[SignoftheDragon]

I’d buy the Les Paul

Too soon, man.

[SignoftheDragon]

I love me some surf green, but for some reason the 'heavily yellowed' thought doesn't do it for me.

I'm going for Taos Turquoise for my vote.

[HarlowTheFish]

I voted for Taos (!) Turquoise but only because I can't vote for two things. Either that or Pelham Blue would be my pick.

[noisepunk]

always hard to suggest colors without knowing someone, but, polarizing as they may be, i'm partial to a nice vibrant orange or yellow and think they're criminally underated colors (which happen to look great on something retro-futurist like a mustang).

i also think, given it's history, i'd personally consider just clear coating it, or even just leaving it unfinished (maybe with a light oil) – 1) it's a nice-enough slab of wood, sans putty, 2) the putty is a bit like body scars–evidence of a life lived (and clear-coating over body putty feels a bit punk, especially because it's more than a bit stupid), 3) something poetic about a clear finish on a guitar that wound up hiding so many weird secrets.

[JSett]

always hard to suggest colors without knowing someone, but, polarizing as they may be, i'm partial to a nice vibrant orange or yellow and think they're criminally underated colors (which happen to look great on something retro-futurist like a mustang).

i also think, given it's history, i'd personally consider just clear coating it, or even just leaving it unfinished (maybe with a light oil) – 1) it's a nice-enough slab of wood, sans putty, 2) the putty is a bit like body scars–evidence of a life lived (and clear-coating over body putty feels a bit punk, especially because it's more than a bit stupid), 3) something poetic about a clear finish on a guitar that wound up hiding so many weird secrets.

I know what you mean about knowing someone and suggesting colours. I tend to gravitate towards more muted, darker shades. Less saturated.

I am slightly tempted to just blast it with a tinted clearcoat and run as-is with the electronics upgraded - if anything just to serve as a reminder to double check everything when acquiring an old guitar