DC145 Refinish [pic heavy]

[colossal]

Really, really nice job! Thorougly enjoyed the thread and all the photos showing your work. I love orange too.

[Troxy88]

Really, really nice job! Thorougly enjoyed the thread and all the photos showing your work. I love orange too.

Thanks, it has been quite a learning experience!

[Dr. Shrinker]

I think it looks fantastic.

But I would have made the logo a bit bigger. I like big logos.

[kennym9898]

Looks great, I've been wanting to do a bolt kit and this gives me some ideas and also some products to consider.

[Troxy88]

Looks great, I've been wanting to do a bolt kit and this gives me some ideas and also some products to consider.

Check out tdrpi.com as well. They have a ton of information on that forum.

[Troxy88]

I think it looks fantastic.

But I would have made the logo a bit bigger. I like big logos.

I thought about that, but I have a DC700 and I was trying to get the same dimensions from the logo on that guitar.

Really I'm just trying to make it as close to how it arrived at my door step; dare I say maybe even a bit better?

It was important for me to have the logo be as near a production Carvin as possible. I know it is an impossible task but I'd really like people not to know I refinished it myself.

[Troxy88]

Here's the wiring diagram for those interested.

I recommend the service. This cost me $35 and saved me about four hours of time (I'm not a smart man). However, this recommendation comes with one caveat, you have to be a bit patient. They say lead time is 3-4 business days, mine was 7. No biggie.





So basically what we have is a H-S-H config with two concentric pots. The 500k pots are the volume for my humbuckers, and one of the 250k is for the single coil volume, and the other is for a master tone control.

I have three mini-switches. Two are for coil splitting, along with an added 'off' position, so I can use these as kill switches. The third mini-switch is the David Gilmour mod, it turns the neck pick on no matter what position the 5-way switch is in.

I'll be replacing my neck pickup with a SD P-Rail, and the bridge pickup with a SD Jason Becker Perpetual Burn. The AP11 will stay... for now...

Coats 4 & 5 went on a couple nights ago. More to go on tonight.

Some pics after coat 4.

[Troxy88]

Coats 6-10 went on tonight.


Here's after coat 10:







I went a little heavy on the headstock. My decal has a few rough edges. At this point I think I'm just going to have to live with it.

Wet sanding/polishing starts in 30 days. My pickups will be on my door step today.

[apedrape]

wow, looks good so far! if you don't mind me asking, what brand of nitro are you using?

[canon_mutant]

Am I the only one that is getting no actual pics in this thread?

[Randy]

Excellent work!!

I've been toying with the idea of refinishing my old SC90 for years, but since the model has been discontinued I'm less inclined to do so

Just curious; have you been sanding between coats of nitro?

One thing to keep in mind; the pickup routes on older Carvin guitars were too shallow to accept aftermarket pickups without some modifications to the body. I'm not exactly sure when they started using deeper routes, but I want to say it's been fairly recent-- within the last 6-years or so?

Your logo looks really good to me-- a very nice touch!

As you know, most of us here are suckers for photos, so keep 'em coming!

[PastorDave]

That's coming out great!

[Troxy88]

I'm back!

This project was sidelined for a bit. I got busy and just didn't have time to work on it. Then my family got me parts for a Warmoth partscaster... Which ate up my time.

Today I sanded the nitro back, and polished it up. Someone asked the brand of nitro I used. I used this stuff. Bought it at a local Woodcraft store.

Before we get to the pics I will say this. There are some definite imperfections in the finish, but I am pleased with how it turned out. I did not sand back as much of the nitro as I should have. There are still some slight spots that have some slight orange peel, but overall I'm proud of what I've accomplished thus far. It is a darn sight better than what I started with IMHO.

I still have to re-tungoil the neck and clean up around where the lacquer meets the neck. Of course, there's the issue of the electronics as well.

Okay, enough of me yapping. Pics!

[Troxy88]

Excellent work!!

I've been toying with the idea of refinishing my old SC90 for years, but since the model has been discontinued I'm less inclined to do so

Just curious; have you been sanding between coats of nitro?

One thing to keep in mind; the pickup routes on older Carvin guitars were too shallow to accept aftermarket pickups without some modifications to the body. I'm not exactly sure when they started using deeper routes, but I want to say it's been fairly recent-- within the last 6-years or so?

Your logo looks really good to me-- a very nice touch!

As you know, most of us here are suckers for photos, so keep 'em coming!

I did not sand between coats of nitro. It seems the consensus is that it is unnecessary, as each coat will melt into the next.

The pickup routes are a concern for me. I've placed my PU's in the slots, and they seem okay, but the more I fiddle with it, the more I think it'll need some form of modification.

The logo was a big part for me. The final product is pretty good. I have one slight imperfection on the 'C' that I think only I'll ever notice.

This really was a labor of love, and I'm happy it is turning out so far.

[Troxy88]

Little extra guitar porn for you. Here's the partscaster I got for Christmas. Zebra wood on Mahogany. Chamnbered body. This thing sings.

[PastorDave]

Looking good!