1965 Jaguar Project Finally Finished

[StevenO]

I thought it was a daphne blue/sonic blue when I first saw it. Looks amazing!

[Regan]

Thanks guys! The color does have a blueish tint to it....especially in the last pic. That must have been the lighting or the camera because it doesn't look that blue. I started not to post it but I was having trouble getting the shine to show when I used the flash. I had to get in front of a big window so the flash would not go off.

The bridge is just a standard Jaguar bridge (original '65). The cover is on it in the one picture. I never play it with the bridge cover on, but I thought it looked pretty cool.

[mikkiki]

that looks very cool! i really love that combination. looks exactly like that guy from arcade fire's jaguar.

[DB]

Beautiful!  That guard is amazing!

DB

[OffYourFace]

what's that black thing in between the bottom pickup and the bridge in this photo?
is that a vintage mute assembly? 

I would say yes...  looks like a new/RI rubber piece was added.

[ohm-men]

Stunning work!!! Superb!!!!

Black thingie must be the Mute's foam I guess. On the old ones it was proun to disintigrating over the years. It's the same material as the original PU foum.

[Stratelejazzuar]

EXTREMELY unhealthy, far beyond sick... 

nice piece of tort, too.

awesome job. all these amateur first-time refin successes makes me more confident that one day, i'll be able to refin a body... thanks for the encouragement!

great job on the photos too!

[Regan]

Hey, thanks! To answer the question about the "black thing between the bottom pickup and the bridge", it is the mute foam. OffYourFace has it figured out! It is a new piece of Fender Mute Foam. My old, original piece did disintegrate. It, along with the origianal foam under the pickups turned into a gooey mess....almost tar-like.....yuk!

I was worried since it was my first refin. (More like scared!) I kept thinking that I should start out on a less valuable guitar. But with all the research I did, I felt I could do it. Heck it had been stripped for so long I didn't think I had too much to lose. Plus I figured if I goofed it up I could strip it and try again.

I have learned so much. I wouldn't be afraid at all to try another one now. It is a lot of work though! And for me and my facilities (or lack thereof) it takes a lot of patience.

By the way, I decided not to clearcoat. I thought I would see how it turned out with just the Olympic White first, and if I didn't like it I would spary the clear later. Of course that would have meant more patience and giving it time to cure again, but I was going to do it. However, I got way mor eshine than I thought I could without any clear nitro, so I decided to leave it. Part of me wanted to clearcoat it, but part of me didn't. I was struggling wwith that decision from the start. I already have a 1980 Olympic White Strat that is now yellow.

What do you guys think? Should I have added clear? Or not?

[Stereordinary]

I say you're good without the clear.  Honestly, in my experience the clear coats are the hardest part!  You have to worry about every little spec of dust that gets in between your gun and the body.  That's not a huge deal of you can get maybe two coats down before any debris shows up, because after that point, you can scrape them out with a burnished razor blade.  But, if you're doing a solid color I don't see why you can't just stop after that and buff it out.  I know my recent Shell Pink refin has very little clear (in fact it's possible that I sanded through it) and it buffed out great.  No problems and no yellowing to deal with later.

Your Oly White looks amazing, it will wear nicely and won't yellow.  I'd say you're done and you got the best of many worlds. 

[Regan]

I like to be reassured! Thanks!

Your Shell Pink looks amazing too! I was wanting to ask you whether you cleared it or not. You must have read my mind because you answered without me even asking!

Regan

[Stereordinary]

Your Shell Pink looks amazing too!

Thanks!  But I must say, your photos show off your glossy-ness better. 

[glimmertwin]

Fantastic job - looks great.  You should be proud!

[jetset]

I say leave it without clearcoat.  I left it off my oly white JM and it shines up fine without it.
-j

[RumorsOFsurF]

I guess I'm a little late on this one!  That looks amazing, Regan...

I know we've all been hearing about your Jag for so long, and it's so great to finally see her in all of her glory. 

Thanks for the pics.  They've all been saved to my hard drive for future drooling purposes.  

[Regan]

Thanks! It did take a long time. I got frustrated a few times. Witithout your all's help I could not have done it! I mean that,.....there is no way in the world it would have turned out decent if I hadn't found this place. Glimmertwin, your post about getting some Fullerplast back in September of '07 is what led me to that stuff at Van Dees. I have to give Bill at the ReRanch a lot of the credit too. His instructions at ReRanch 101 are fantastic!