Turning a normal black Gibson V into the Jimi custom one

[Rickson Gracie]

I really like that new jimi hendrix custom shop v that just came out but dont want to shell out $8k for one lol

I was thinking of just buying a new black gibson V and getting the art work done to it and replacing the pickups. I am planning on not changing the bridge although I wonder if thats feasible too?

How much would a custom job like this cost? thanks.

Jimi V Pic

Regular V Pic

 

[gvarko]

I really like that new jimi hendrix custom shop v that just came out but dont want to shell out $8k for one lol

I was thinking of just buying a new black gibson V and getting the art work done to it and replacing the pickups. I am planning on not changing the bridge although I wonder if thats feasible too?

How much would a custom job like this cost? thanks.

Jimi V Pic

Regular V Pic

I thought about trying this as well, with a Goth Epi Explorer. I can't bring myself to jack up a real Gibson. The Goth finish is perfect for painting on.

To be honest, the pattern does not look that difficult to replicate. I would get some good paints and try it yourself. It really doesn't look like the kind of design you could mess up that much and be noticed.

 

[Rickson Gracie]

what would a luthier charge for such a paint job?

 

[TragikRemix]

i was thinking about this with an epi v... there are a few problems, according to the amateur artist i talked to.

the paint on the guitar is already glossed over to hell and back, paint won't stick to it well. it would have to be sanded down and re painted completely, supposadly..

no idea how much, we kinda lost contact.

 

[Druw]

Thats a pretty good idea. But doing it to a gibson when theres potential to screw up? I would use an epi, sand it down and get an artist to do it. Also try searching the net for painting guitars etc, I remember seeing a page about that stuff.
Good luck!

 

[guitarguy1012]

....

Jimi said he used nail polish to paint that guitar... I don't know if thats a good idea or not but thats what the man himself did.

 

[cephus]

Use shelf paper. that's what I did when I couldn't live without an EVH striped strat in 1983. Then in 1984 when i figured out how gay it was, I peeled it off.

 

[beezelbubba]

I was thinking about doing the same thing,but I decided it would be easier to just take some valium and choke on my own vomit!

 

[Light]

what would a luthier charge for such a paint job?

Well, I'd probably charge a minimum of about $1,200. But then, I'm not good at that kind of stuff, so it would take me forever to get it right. I've no idea what someone who was good at it would charge.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Rickson Gracie]

well here's the deal so far. i found a new cherry (not faded) gibson flying V for $599 out the door at my local GC. apparently theyre on clearence. i already put cash down on it.

my local guitar tech (with a very good reputation) says he can repaint the guitar black and do the hendrix design for $625. I will also buy two '57 classic pups @$99 each and im seriously considering the gibson meastro tremolo clone that i found at allparts.com for $110.

so im roughly looking $1500 for the total project and I'll have a guitar that is essentially the same guitar. (well close enough!) i've already seen the real ones go for close to $11000!!

what do ya think?

 

[ocnor]

what do ya think?

I think you must have taken way too many hits of purple microdot to even consider screwing up a perfectly good Flying V with such a fruity looking paint job. The only reson Hendrix thought that was a cool paint job is because he ate hits of acid the same way other people eat Skittles.

 

[Rickson Gracie]

I think you must have taken way too many hits of purple microdot to even consider screwing up a perfectly good Flying V with such a fruity looking paint job. The only reson Hendrix thought that was a cool paint job is because he ate hits of acid the same way other people eat Skittles.

gibson decided to make the design into a custom shop signature guitar and charge $8K for it. gibson, guitar center..etc use that same guitar on many promo material too. i think jimi had pretty good taste.

I think it looks awesome and thats all that really counts.

i always liked flying Vs but hated the hair metal association they had. the hendrix one gets rid of that.

Would you rather I got a mirror pickguard? lol

 

[Clive Hugh]

I think you must have taken way too many hits of purple microdot to even consider screwing up a perfectly good Flying V with such a fruity looking paint job. The only reson Hendrix thought that was a cool paint job is because he ate hits of acid the same way other people eat Skittles.

And he most likely used nail polish as he could sniff it at the same time.

 

[Light]

I think you must have taken way too many hits of purple microdot to even consider screwing up a perfectly good Flying V with such a fruity looking paint job. The only reson Hendrix thought that was a cool paint job is because he ate hits of acid the same way other people eat Skittles.

Screw that. It's his guitar, it is not (and never will be) a collectable, and he can do what he wants with it. Sure, the resale value will be shot to hell, but if the refinish is done well, it will not have any effect on the sound and playability of the guitar, which is of course the most important thing.

Now, I wouldn't do it cause I think it looks awful, but then, it's not my guitar.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[rayc]

It's not a hard design to replicate - being that it's not very good to begin with.
You'd need to, at the very least, sand the area you're going to paint to craete a surface for the paint to adhere to - doesn't have to be heavily sanded just enough to be a non gloss surface.
Besy bet would be to mask the area to be painted,(this can be done VERY accurately with shelf paper, contact etc so that you'd be only blasting excatly where the design'd go), as exactly as poss. & lightly sand blast the working area.
Getting a good, flat finish would be the hard part. Ever painted a design in glass? A Better option would be to use non gloss colour & then spray a few layers of gloss over the top.
Not a difficult job but again, the design hardly merits the effort. You could actually but some really cool paisley contact/shelfpaper/stickers & get a better result OR actually sit down & design your own.

 

[Light]

It's not a hard design to replicate - being that it's not very good to begin with.
You'd need to, at the very least, sand the area you're going to paint to craete a surface for the paint to adhere to - doesn't have to be heavily sanded just enough to be a non gloss surface.
Besy bet would be to mask the area to be painted,(this can be done VERY accurately with shelf paper, contact etc so that you'd be only blasting excatly where the design'd go), as exactly as poss. & lightly sand blast the working area.
Getting a good, flat finish would be the hard part. Ever painted a design in glass? A Better option would be to use non gloss colour & then spray a few layers of gloss over the top.
Not a difficult job but again, the design hardly merits the effort. You could actually but some really cool paisley contact/shelfpaper/stickers & get a better result OR actually sit down & design your own.

Let me guess, you work on cars, right?


Sand blasting and wood do NOT work well together. Sanding on guitars is either by hand or with an orbital sander.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[rayc]

Nah, No cares - just an assumption, (that word again), that it could be done with varying degrees of sensitivity.
OK, no sandblasting. What about light acid etching? Perhaps one of those cute but essentially limited life span little angle/corner sanders?
But like I said Jimi was an excellent guitarist but his visual aesthetics were a little limited - just think about some of tose headband/scarf combinations.

 

[gvarko]

On crack

hendrix design for $625

$625 for that simple design is insane IMO....

 

[episg]

Get someone to do a similar design, then they might bring the cost down cos they dont have to copy it!

 

[cephus]

Here's what I am thinking. In the spirit of Hendrix, do your own design. get a few hits of blotter and some nail polish and make a work of art. Research and see what his actually was like. I bet it wasn't as purty as the Gibson signature version. If you really don't dig the headbanging Vs, what about Lonnie Mack? His guitar is way cooler than that Hendrix one:

http://www.colba.net/~pangaea/images/Blues/LMack.jpg