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Post by jackstrat on Feb 7, 2009 9:30:08 GMT
Hiya Melp
That is very impressive indeed!! You've a totally unique instrument on your hands now...something very personal and special. Well done sir!
Niall
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Post by growler on Feb 7, 2009 13:32:38 GMT
HI Melp and Forum Members Really impressed with your engraving Melp that it gave me the confidence to have a go myself . I started and it seemed to be going well then I started to get a bit tired , at one point the dog jogged my elbow . Well I got to the point of no return , so I had to complete it , and quite honestly i am glad i did , as I am sure even though it is not as well done as yours,it has certain something? Robin: My wife wants to know is it possible to remove engraving off a metal guitar On a serious note Mel you told me you were going to engrave your guitar a while back, I did not know it was going to turn out as well as it has done ........excellent . I will be still coming over on the 7th March, hope we can still meet up. Regards Growler
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2009 21:30:01 GMT
Growler, nice job, having never been artistic myself your efforts have given me the confidence to give it go myself, I am however a little cautious of trying it on a metal guitar so I shall practice on my Martin, at least then if I dont reach your standards I suppose I could always get it french polished out.
Thanks for the inspiration (oh and Melp, yours looks even better,).
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Post by melp on Feb 12, 2009 15:05:44 GMT
growler,
Nice one! Wow some of those names brought back some memories. Let's try to fix up our meet via email. Hope we can make it happen as I am looking forward to seeing your deco.
regards
Mel
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Post by melp on Feb 22, 2009 16:48:19 GMT
Hi All, I can hardly believe it but the MM Blues refinish is finally over. All the engraving, at least for now, is done rubbed down and cleaned. It has its new National biscuit and Stewmac tuners. Oh yes, and I also polished the neck and headstock. Phew! It has been reassembled and restrung and it sounds great, probably even better in a couple of days when everything has bedded in. I started this project on the 10th November 08, with the paint stripping, and finished assembly last evening (21st Feb 09). I don't know, and I don't want to know, how many hours it took, but it was loads! Just happy to have my guitar back to play. I will add the final notes to the journal I have been writing and get it uploaded asap in cases anybody is interested in the how. The design theme for the front is Bacchus, the god of wine and the inspirer of ritual madness and ecstasy - fitting for a resonator guitar, or what! But as I promised some pictures of the finished guitar... cheers Mel P.S. Its not a easy object to photograph. The engraving looks different from different angles, from some angles it lights up. When I figure out how to photograph it better will post some more.
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Post by thebluesbear( al) on Feb 22, 2009 16:53:26 GMT
WOW!!!!!!
hi this is a work of art a masterpiece well done,id `like to buy you a pint sometime and ask you a few question
al
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Post by Michael Messer on Feb 22, 2009 18:16:25 GMT
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!
Shine On Michael
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Post by Stevie on Feb 22, 2009 19:45:30 GMT
Agreed, Superb workmanship. I'm losing my hair but I take my hat off to you melp!
I'm now waiting for the link about the stripping process......
Stevie
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Post by andys on Feb 22, 2009 21:20:20 GMT
Truly stunning, and it really suits the guitar as well. Well done Melp, its beautiful. To me it puts all those generic engraved resonators in the shade. Totally original, and I bet it sounds better to you as well!!!
Bacchus, a good inspiration IMO. Wine, the perfect accompaniment to a bit of slide guitar on a resonator (He says taking another sip).
Stevie. Stripping these things is the easy bit, both Melp and myself have done it. But that engraving, thats in a different league........!
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Post by jackstrat on Feb 22, 2009 21:49:51 GMT
Melp, That is absolutely spectacular...while the names on the back are something of a personal choice (but beautiful regardless!), the front is the real clincher...both your handiwork and the choice of imagery - beautiful...I especially like the engraving around the fretboard...a lovely touch. You must be very proud, and rightly so sir!! By the way, when do you want me to collect it...?! Ahem... ;D Niall
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Post by melp on Feb 24, 2009 23:45:44 GMT
All, I have uploaded my notes on the re-finishing of the MM Blues 'Bacchus' as promised, it ended up as a small book, to my website web.me.com/melproudfoot/Site/MM_Blues_Refinishing_project.htmlThis is probably way too much information, but I wrote this for myself, if only to remember what I did, how I did it, and why, but it does chronicle the process from the beginning to the end. If anybody has specific questions then feel free, either on this thread PM or if you need to talk then we can arrange a time to Skype or phone. Cheers Mel
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Post by Stevie on Feb 25, 2009 0:30:02 GMT
Melp, thanks for the write up, I know how long it must have taken you to do. I'd still like to strip my Blues but I don't (yet) feel up to dismantling it. Am I a man or a mouse? Give us a piece of cheese and I'll tell you! Stevie.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2009 1:40:21 GMT
What a phenomenal job Melp! I've got a National Style O which of course has the sandblasted palm trees etc. I'd like to do some additionals but now I'm wondering if it is likely to downgrade it's value rather than increase it which I'm sure your engravings have done for yours. Maybe I should sell it and get a Chinese guitar to engrave. I think yours is the best I've ever seen!! Very jealous
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Post by melp on Feb 25, 2009 16:27:45 GMT
Stevie,
If I were you I would leave it alone if I had any doubts, I know how many times I thought I may screw it up during the process.
The only way I made it work was by starting out with a plan 'B', plan B was to take off all the nickel down to the steel if it went wrong. At that point I could have just protected the steel and got on with it. I love the sound of this guitar so much I would not care what it looked like, but obviously would prefer it to look good as well.
So it was a risk, as I said if you are not sure I would leave it. I really liked the grey burst its just that mine was coming off anyway.
Bluebottle, I picked up a tip from Andys, which I think is very much worth sharing. Andy modifies guitars, the wonderful Sollophonic's, tele copy with a cone. I have one they are great! But he will only do the modification, adding a 9.5 inch cone, to a copy. Not to a original Fender and certainly not to a vintage one.
I think this is a good principle, somehow modifying something new is fine, modifying a vintage seems wrong.
I would not even think about modifying your National Style 0, even without the negative impact on its value. These rare instruments are in the "collectors" values rather than the "players" values.
Actually, I would not have thought of re-finishing either a MM Lightening or a Blues, why would you they both look great.
I got mine knowing it was a cosmetic 2nd so it was "self modifying". When the paint started to come off I noticed that the surface underneath looked pretty good, not very polished, like the lightening or andys 14 fret brass blues, but sort of semi-matt.
Once I got the paint off it was sort of just asking for something else, hence the whole engraving thing.
Of course these are just my own views, everybody is free to do his own thing. As for getting a cosmetic 2nd and re-finishing it, well, why not. If you have the time and the motivation. It is a hell of a lot of work, but I found it very satisfying to do, most of the time, and certainly like the end result.
Thanks for the positive comments, its good to know that others appreciate it.
All the best
Mel
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Post by clarke111 on Feb 25, 2009 17:09:05 GMT
Wow Mel, that is a stunning, stunning job. Looks beautiful, I can't believe you have never anything like this before, enjoy playing it now!!
Chris
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