Epiphone Explorer Gothic Series Un-Metalling (refinish)

refuogee · 2012-09-17T11:56:05+00:00

Sooo I have had an Epiphone Explorer Gothic series for awhile now, it was my second guitar, bought in my second year of playing way back around 2003. I bough...

Epiphone Explorer Gothic Series Un-Metalling (refinish)

slyd

refuogee wrote: I just want to shamelessy punt Wayne here though, the man is an artist as you can clearly see it takes an amazing talent to do what he does, he is also an awesome, interesting guy so if any of you do have any guitars that need fixing or want to do an overhauling job on a guitar please contact Wayne, the man deserves your support!!

++1 on that ?

Hammeron

Cor blimey! Very nice! Wayne you genius.
It's no less Metal tho, less blackened, but no less Metal.

giggsy

Freak... That is insane. Can't believe that finish - well done Wayne

costafonix

great work as usual Wayne :applause:!!!
going to be fortunate enough to check out this baby 'in person' today

ZarK

Hammeron wrote: It's no less Metal tho, less blackened, but no less Metal.

Love this quote... ?

Hammeron

ZarK wrote:
Hammeron wrote: It's no less Metal tho, less blackened, but no less Metal.
Love this quote... ?

Yeah Zark.
The ONLY way you could un-metal any Explorer would be to paint it pink and put a kitty face on it.....
noooo Wayne, don't even THINK about it... ?

Nitebob

Superb! I have a stripped strat that I couildn't decide on, think I just found the finish to go with!

Neon-Gecko

Nitebob wrote: Superb! I have a stripped strat that I couildn't decide on, think I just found the finish to go with!

Unfortunately when refinishing a guitar, it's a bit of a lucky dip. You never know what you gonna get when you strip the paint off. In this case we got lucky and hit pay-dirt, sometime you're not so lucky and you're forced to go with a solid colour...

21Fretter

Fantastic job. I still really want to refinish my seven string.

P.S. What was your total expenditure?

studmissile

Wow! Beautiful! Superb work Wayne (Neon Gecko)!

But I would go with the white pickguard!

Sleazyd

beautiful axe man !!! ....im a real sucker for the explorer shape .
that guitar looks alot better now in my opinion, I currently have a Dean ZX(entry level) in black with the zebra pick ups (stock) ...Nevertheless she is the best guitar Ive owned and her neck is so comfortable to play... several other guitarist friends of mine are really envious of her playability and sound of the stock pups (especially for the heaviness of Machine Head / Trivium / Testament etc...).

Im also looking to finally getting my long awaited Les Paul in white (13 years of playing / waiting to obtain her) ...and want to refinish my Dean ZX in OW (Olympic White) with chrome/matt black hardware.

Nitebob

Neon Gecko wrote:
Nitebob wrote: Superb! I have a stripped strat that I couildn't decide on, think I just found the finish to go with!
Unfortunately when refinishing a guitar, it's a bit of a lucky dip. You never know what you gonna get when you strip the paint off. In this case we got lucky and hit pay-dirt, sometime you're not so lucky and you're forced to go with a solid colour...

Anyway to make Alder look nice???

Wizard

Nitebob wrote: Anyway to make Alder look nice???

I finished an alder body in Tung Oil and loved the resulting honey colour.

Numerous attempts to stain alder have failed - just look muddy and dirty to me.
Stain is absorbed inconsistently and patchily.
American furniture makers swear you can stain alder though. (tons of commercial furniture in the US in made from alder).
But I failed.

A friend and I made an LP shape body from alder.
Again we tried the staining route - and finally resorted to getting an auto repair shop to do it in BMW maroon.
?
(and that is beautiful!)

Neon-Gecko

Wizard wrote:
Nitebob wrote: Anyway to make Alder look nice???
I finished an alder body in Tung Oil and loved the resulting honey colour.

Numerous attempts to stain alder have failed - just look muddy and dirty to me.
Stain is absorbed inconsistently and patchily.
American furniture makers swear you can stain alder though. (tons of commercial furniture in the US in made from alder).
But I failed.

A friend and I made an LP shape body from alder.
Again we tried the staining route - and finally resorted to getting an auto repair shop to do it in BMW maroon.
?
(and that is beautiful!)

+ 1 to staining alder, it just doesn't look good at all. If anything it just makes the timber look dirty and old, in an unnatural way.

If you can, rather go for a clear tint to highlight the grain pattern. I had some pretty good success with this technique in the past on numerous bodies in both alder and ash.

Clint-Green

PHWOOOOAAAR!! That looks badass...amazing job once again, Wayne!! :goodtimes:

slyd

Clint Green wrote: PHWOOOOAAAR!! That looks badass...amazing job once again, Wayne!! :goodtimes:

+1 for sure ?