New PRS Restoration Project - Input Requested

[NoisyDante]

The top will definitely be opaque, I don't plan to do a translucent finish over mahogany. Different story if it were maple.

 

[Erick_S]

Hey guys, been a while since I've posted, it's nice to be working full time again!

I'm starting another restoration project like the one I did last year with the CU22. I just bought a road worn black '06 Standard 22 off eBay that needs a ton of work and I'm trying to decide how I want to refinish it. Being a solid color from the factory I'm not sure of the quality of the mahogany beneath the paint. For all I know it may not have a back on it that I'd want to keep natural, in which case I'd do an opaque color all over.

Another option would be to hand paint a wildlife scene on it, likely of a bison, just for fun. Obviously this is the most challenging.

I've put my initial top ideas in a poll below, you can vote twice so let me know which two sound the most promising. I'm also open to alternative ideas so please post what else might look sweet. Doesn't have to be traditional, could be something crazy.

It will depend on the body. This past summer I stripped a 2005 CE-24 and a 2006 CE-24. Both started out with factory opaque metallic colors. What I found was both were solid, one-piece mahogany bodies. They could have been finished clear, but they weren't especially attractive. Plus, I was already intent on opaque reverse burst finishes.

If it started opaque, it's good bet it's an all-mahogany body. That will make a natural faux binding a little tough to pull off because of how dark the mahogany. I suggest considering a painted faux binding - one my black-to-red metallic burst, it included a faux black binding (based on a Kiesel California Burst finish). I've seen a couple of custom finish PRS guitars with black faux binding it looked fantastic (on platinum, white, red, even egyptian gold). Painted faux binding is not much different than doing regular faux - same amount of taping and masking, just over a coat of color, instead of clear.

 

[BDW60]

Red sparkle with a natural back.

 

[Black Plaid]

How about Gold-Leaf top with natural back!

Make some heads turn. =)

 

[NoisyDante]

It will depend on the body. This past summer I stripped a 2005 CE-24 and a 2006 CE-24. Both started out with factory opaque metallic colors. What I found was both were solid, one-piece mahogany bodies. They could have been finished clear, but they weren't especially attractive. Plus, I was already intent on opaque reverse burst finishes.

If it started opaque, it's good bet it's an all-mahogany body. That will make a natural faux binding a little tough to pull off because of how dark the mahogany. I suggest considering a painted faux binding - one my black-to-red metallic burst, it included a faux black binding (based on a Kiesel California Burst finish). I've seen a couple of custom finish PRS guitars with black faux binding it looked fantastic (on platinum, white, red, even egyptian gold). Painted faux binding is not much different than doing regular faux - same amount of taping and masking, just over a coat of color, instead of clear.

Good call on the binding, I would like it to picture frame the top and I was looking up methods of lightening the mahogany earlier. I saw one method of sorta white washing it with a diluted white chalkboard paint which might be worth trying. I think I’d also tint the basecoat a little darker for the back, neck and headstock to further separate it.

 

[BDW60]

How about Gold-Leaf top with natural back!

Make some heads turn. =)

Also cool. But since I saw that red sparkle Steve Stevens Knaggs, it’s been in my head.

 

[NoisyDante]

How about Gold-Leaf top with natural back!

Make some heads turn. =)

I did think of that, definitely a cool look, though falls short when you can see the individual square sheets people used so maybe not so simple to do well. I do like the idea, and I did some leaf on my last rebuild that turned out well.

 

[NoisyDante]

Also cool. But since I saw that red sparkle Steve Stevens Knaggs, it’s been in my head.

I don’t know if I’m cool enough for red sparkle!

 

[BDW60]

I don’t know if I’m cool enough for red sparkle!

That’s the beauty of it. It’s so cool it elevates the coolness of anybody playing it.

 

[NoisyDante]

That’s the beauty of it. It’s so cool it elevates the coolness of anybody playing it.

That’s clearly what Elton John, Prince and Travis Barker all figured out early on.

 

[vchizzle]

On a standard, my answer is pretty much always pearl white. Because they’re awesome. Plus you can tweak it. Smaller or or larger metal flake, different tints for the pearl. I don’t know the ins and outs of it, but I had a Ford color called platinum tricolor metallic tweaked with smaller flake and a slight variation on the tint. Larry Reshes(paintguy) of BaM forum did it for me. That said, be open to what the wood tells you to do after you strip it. Mine has some sweet figured mahogany under it. I probably should’ve left it natural but had my mind made up already.

 

[MarcWink]

What about going gold top with a tobacco brown back a la Gibson 57 Goldtop Darkback?

 

[DISTORT6]

I’ve seen some…um…”interesting” carvings on some Private Stocks.

 

[Simon Says]

How about Gold-Leaf top with natural back!

Make some heads turn. =)

This... or platinum / silver leaf

 

[Simon Says]

I did think of that, definitely a cool look, though falls short when you can see the individual square sheets people used so maybe not so simple to do well. I do like the idea, and I did some leaf on my last rebuild that turned out well.

Individual squares will only be visible if you wont brush it. I used to watch gold/silver/platinum leaf stuff a lot on youtube 2 years ago or so. I was planing to do one of my strats with it back then

 

[bodia]

I did think of that, definitely a cool look, though falls short when you can see the individual square sheets people used so maybe not so simple to do well. I do like the idea, and I did some leaf on my last rebuild that turned out well.

I had a late 80s CE body for a project rebuild. I did Black Cherry and Gold Leaf. Turned out awesome!

 

[NoisyDante]

What about going gold top with a tobacco brown back a la Gibson 57 Goldtop Darkback?

I'm liking this idea a lot actually.

Individual squares will only be visible if you wont brush it. I used to watch gold/silver/platinum leaf stuff a lot on youtube 2 years ago or so. I was planing to do one of my strats with it back then

I imagine just making sure there are no un-ripped ends would do it. I've seen a few done with the squares visible and though that was a crying shame.

 

[NoisyDante]

Dang, gold top is running away with the votes! At first I was almost positive I was gonna go with seafoam green, might have to save that for a future Swamp Ash Special build.