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 Post subject: VA-900 Restore Project
PostPosted: Sun 02 Aug 2009 07:11 AM 
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Virtuoso
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Hi all,

I know in previous post that I said I would not touch her right away but could not resist... Had a sunny day for once yesterday so set myself up outside and worked on her all day... This is what she looked like before touching her:

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Now the following pictures are not for the faint hearted... Doing this to a VA900 is clearly sacriledge but this baby was not in a playable state... I spent all day on her, and I mean from morning till very late a night working slowly on her to strip her down without touching the wood at all!... and I do mean that the wood was not touched .....

Here are the results so far:

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This is very time consuming, the results are very encouraging. So far, from what I can tell, will have less body work to do then expected... I set myself up for the worst case scenario and right now am encourage. Will get a professional second opinion once finish stripping her down...

On a different note. I pulled the pups yesterday to peek at them... I currently have 2 MMK 53 in here?!? anyone seen this before? The neck cavity has 0057 writing in there just like my VA800 Ghost.... Sorry forgot to take pictures of that... Will get plenty of chances later...

Let me know what you think!

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PostPosted: Sun 02 Aug 2009 02:25 PM 
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Looking good, bro - gee, even un-lacquered(?) they look good!! How are you stripping the finish back?

My 900 has a 51 and a 63; can't remember which is where though! :roll:


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PostPosted: Sun 02 Aug 2009 04:14 PM 
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Think you´re doin a great job Pierre!!!


John.
Isn´t it the other way around?
A 53 and a 61?
In that case i bet the 53 is at the bridge


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PostPosted: Sun 02 Aug 2009 04:55 PM 
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FWIW, my PE-R60 has 53's. :jammin: ---------------------------------------->


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PostPosted: Sun 02 Aug 2009 07:26 PM 
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Racing wrote:
John. Isn´t it the other way around? A 53 and a 61?


Um, yes.... :blush: yes, it is... :wink: And I think you're right; I haven't taken them out of the guitar for many, many years so the memory is a bit foggy... :roll: :)


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PostPosted: Mon 03 Aug 2009 10:48 AM 
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Corsair wrote:
How are you stripping the finish back?


Hi Corsair,

I'm using a combination of things... Using my handy quitar pick ( the one used on the Kasuga Rick) where the humidity dislodged the finish, a razor blade, a thin hand sharped metal scraper, a plastic scraper, heat gun and striper... the hardest parts so far is the neck.. the finish is real thin and the rounded surface giving me a run for my money....

Corsair wrote:
My 900 has a 51 and a 63; can't remember which is where though!

Corsair wrote:
the memory is a bit foggy...


Them must of been some real good years..... :rofl:


Racing wrote:
Think you´re doin a great job Pierre!!!


Thanks! I'm really putting in the time and effort in this one.. Whant to do a good job... I did some more on it, it is almost completly stripped...

My biggest concern at this point is, do I do the front headstock or leave it... The lacquer is also cracked on the front.... This guitar was really in bad shape, so if doing the front, will have to get some decals made for the headstock....

I contacted a local guy for decals for my Westone Thunder 1A and he gave me an estimate, the guy was way to expensive.... I have not contacted the person Polly (Westone site) refered me to yet since would of prefered someone closer... Will just have to go with trusted sources....

P.

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PostPosted: Mon 03 Aug 2009 12:55 PM 
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I'd be interested as I need some decals for my CS350. :D


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PostPosted: Mon 03 Aug 2009 02:44 PM 
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Frenchy wrote:
I contacted a local guy for decals for my Westone Thunder 1A and he gave me an estimate, the guy was way to expensive.... I have not contacted the person Polly (Westone site) referred me to yet since would of preferred someone closer P.


Polly's source in the UK in a good 'un, Pierre; he did mine for my custom strat and whilst Polly shouted me the decals, she did say that they were very very reasonable indeed! Might be worth a shout? :)

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Quote:
Them must of been some real good years..... :rofl:


Yep.... I think so!! :D

I think in about 1993 I had an urge to swap out the p'ups but couldn't find a set that I liked the sound of: in Dunedin at that time there wasn't the choice there is now!! SO I only got as far as taking the pickups out of their routs - didn't unsolder 'em or anything, just gave them a clean, had a look at 'em and bolted them back in!!

It's gotta be said, my friend, that the thought of going anywhere near my beloved 900 with sharp, steel tools breaks me out in a cold sweat so you're the 'man'; looking good!! :up: :)


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PostPosted: Mon 03 Aug 2009 05:05 PM 
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Corsair wrote:
Polly's source in the UK in a good 'un


Good to hear since I emailed him right after my previous post....

Jorg wrote:
I'd be interested as I need some decals for my CS350


Jorg, will let you know.. I currently need 3 maybe 4 logos for instrument that I am currently doing... In my email, I asked what he would need to reproduce the logos... If pictures of the logo with a ruler underneath and beside it are sufficient like Barry did for my with the westone. I will take some of My CS350 for you...

Will wait for a response from him....

Corsair wrote:
It's gotta be said, my friend, that the thought of going anywhere near my beloved 900 with sharp, steel tools breaks me out in a cold sweat


I know the feeling.... :toopid:

You have to understand that I bought it to restore it... The pictures make it look real nice but this baby was cracked everywhere.... I played it against the others and the sound was also very different, mind you only one pickup working on it properly..... Still, after looking at it for a week and having second thoughts about it, decided to start it to be certain not to change my mind.... Also, just finished stripping 3 other instruments with great success... That gave me the courage to tackle this baby right away...

Here is a sneak peek at her now:

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Only the headstock left to do...

What do you guys think of a purple 900?

P.

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PostPosted: Mon 03 Aug 2009 05:48 PM 
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Noice!!! Hey, are you doing this with all of the knobs and stuff still bolted on?! :-? And you'll have to start looking for p'ups and surrounds too, eh!! What fun you'll have.... :roll:

What sort of nick is the actual wood in? I don't suppose you'd take some closeups of the timber for us , wood you?! (see what I did there...?!) I'm just thinking we've never seen one stripped back and I find it kinda interesting...

Quote:
What do you guys think of a purple 900?


...not even as a joke, man!! That's nearly a sacrilegious offense!! :D


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