First Stage:
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Rebirth and Death of the 1989 MIJ Fenix Les Paul Standard
The Journey...
I bought this 1989 MIJ Fenix Les Paul from a friend back in February 2009. The condition of the guitar was really bad; read on and look at the photos to see it for yourself. But I did notice one thing; the finishing and the body were unscratched and I dare say still in a mint condition. The guitar was truly a musician's guitar whereby the outlook weren't a concern to the previous owners as their only concern was how it sounds. Therefore I saw a lot of potential with this guitar and I purchased it to start my project on restoring this piece of mini antique (20 years is barely enough to classify it as an antique). The following photos below is self explainary of the guitar's condition but captions has been added as extra documentation of this little adventure.
Badly tarnished hardwares
Missing screws and enlarged screw holes for the tuning pegs... Basically it is not working anymore...
Around 20 years of finger grime and stains
More grime
Green tarnish on the humbuckers
Tuning pegs removed
Pick guard removed
Closer look on the fatally rusted screws...
Broken pick up holder and the screws are so worn out that they cannot be unscrewed anymore
Some of the screws had to be unscrewed using a pair of pliers
All the pots (variable resistors) had to be replaced as they are all screeching badly
Last piece of hardware removed for restoration
After 6 days of polishing and around RM80 worth of polish creams and solutions (like Brasso, Autosol and Tarnite)
The patient on the work bed...
Holes plugged (with toothpick, glue and wood putty) and ready for new holes to be drilled
DaySSSS of polishing
All the screws replaced with new shiny ones (almost RM200 worth)
Replacing the input jack and pots
Shiny machine head inserts
3 days of grime removal
A closer look
Even the metal scrub is busted after the 3 days of scrubbing
Machine head back in place with new screws and newly drilled holes
Gibson style tulip tuning pegs
Work area
Original humbuckers sitting on new pick up holders
A rag to protect the guitar while soldering the electronics
Almost done
Almost shiny
Work work
Standing tall
Everything is almost up and running
My room's condition during the 4 weeks of restoration
The almost finished product bonding with it's brothers
Shiny?
More shine
A lil more red
Set neck = transcontinental sustain
Finish
Sexy?
Please say sexy
Now... Spot the problem...
Someone killed it
I couldn't sleep for 2 nights
Because someone broke it... Sigh...
I bought this 1989 MIJ Fenix Les Paul from a friend back in February 2009. The condition of the guitar was really bad; read on and look at the photos to see it for yourself. But I did notice one thing; the finishing and the body were unscratched and I dare say still in a mint condition. The guitar was truly a musician's guitar whereby the outlook weren't a concern to the previous owners as their only concern was how it sounds. Therefore I saw a lot of potential with this guitar and I purchased it to start my project on restoring this piece of mini antique (20 years is barely enough to classify it as an antique). The following photos below is self explainary of the guitar's condition but captions has been added as extra documentation of this little adventure.
Badly tarnished hardwares
Missing screws and enlarged screw holes for the tuning pegs... Basically it is not working anymore...
Around 20 years of finger grime and stains
More grime
Green tarnish on the humbuckers
Tuning pegs removed
Pick guard removed
Closer look on the fatally rusted screws...
Broken pick up holder and the screws are so worn out that they cannot be unscrewed anymore
Some of the screws had to be unscrewed using a pair of pliers
All the pots (variable resistors) had to be replaced as they are all screeching badly
Last piece of hardware removed for restoration
After 6 days of polishing and around RM80 worth of polish creams and solutions (like Brasso, Autosol and Tarnite)
The patient on the work bed...
Holes plugged (with toothpick, glue and wood putty) and ready for new holes to be drilled
DaySSSS of polishing
All the screws replaced with new shiny ones (almost RM200 worth)
Replacing the input jack and pots
Shiny machine head inserts
3 days of grime removal
A closer look
Even the metal scrub is busted after the 3 days of scrubbing
Machine head back in place with new screws and newly drilled holes
Gibson style tulip tuning pegs
Work area
Original humbuckers sitting on new pick up holders
A rag to protect the guitar while soldering the electronics
Almost done
Almost shiny
Work work
Standing tall
Everything is almost up and running
My room's condition during the 4 weeks of restoration
The almost finished product bonding with it's brothers
Shiny?
More shine
A lil more red
Set neck = transcontinental sustain
Finish
Sexy?
Please say sexy
Now... Spot the problem...
Someone killed it
I couldn't sleep for 2 nights
Because someone broke it... Sigh...
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