Mahogany Mustang project on the way

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Snake Hips
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Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by Snake Hips » Fri Sep 30, 2022 7:35 am

Over the last few weeks I have been working on a Mustang body made of some mahogany from old table. I enjoy the idea of taking something that I can be reused with a little work. I started with one of the table leaves which is at 3/4 inches cut and glued to build a ~1.5 thick body. There are always going to be imperfections when using wood like this but I rather embrace the blemishes and work around them vs get hypercritical of my work and the wood.
You can see how large the wood leaf is. I have three this size so more to come with this wood for projects.
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Spare you the cutting and sanding the finish off the original table but this is post glue up and rough cut. I wet the wood to see what it will look like with a clear coat on it.
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What I found when gluing wood like this you will always see a seam. Think 70s Gibsons. I knew this going into it. So the idea is to use a rabbit bit and wrap with a purfling.
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Collection of ideas and guards I am thinking about
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Suggestions welcomed, still on sure of the pickguard I will use.

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AcrylicSuperman
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Re: Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by AcrylicSuperman » Fri Sep 30, 2022 12:40 pm

Not going to lie, I think black really makes that mahogany pop. A single ply matte black might look killer too, but it looks fine just the way it is.

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MattK
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Re: Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by MattK » Fri Sep 30, 2022 1:28 pm

Agreed - one heck of a nice piece of wood, too!
Some of the Fender originals had mahogany bodies too.

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bodhi
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Re: Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by bodhi » Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:16 pm

That purfling is going to look really great! I wonder if there would be a neat way to reference the colors on the top as well? Might be a bit much if there's a lot of it, but some detail?
Jazzmaster project (got a body, placeholder neck, some pickups and ideas)
Tokai Telecaster Thinline with Creamery Pickups Filtertron and Tapped Tele
Blake Mills-inspired Strat project w/ Gold Foil and slide pickup

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BoringPostcards
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Re: Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by BoringPostcards » Sun Oct 02, 2022 3:32 pm

I like the black guard. I love mahogany guitars and mustangs, so this looks pretty sweet.
Got a neck ready yet? What do you plan on using?
Det er mig der holder traeerne sammen.

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DaddyDom
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Re: Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by DaddyDom » Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:27 pm

Love the binding, LOVE the black guard.
So strange how something darker makes the dark wood pop but it does!

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Horsefeather
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Re: Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by Horsefeather » Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:23 pm

A satin black burst around the perimeter with that purfling masked off would be pretty trick. Plus the black guard.

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Re: Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by Snake Hips » Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:53 am

Horsefeather wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:23 pm
A satin black burst around the perimeter with that purfling masked off would be pretty trick. Plus the black guard.
I have not thought of this but I wonder if I could do this with a little leather dye and sanding it back to get that bursting effect.
bodhi wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:16 pm
That purfling is going to look really great! I wonder if there would be a neat way to reference the colors on the top as well? Might be a bit much if there's a lot of it, but some detail?
Ideally I would love to find one of the 70s maple necks.... but I got a cheap china one off ebay. I will take some phones with the neck on hopefully this week.

[/quote]
bodhi wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:16 pm
That purfling is going to look really great! I wonder if there would be a neat way to reference the colors on the top as well? Might be a bit much if there's a lot of it, but some detail?
I think you might be right and now sourcing a one ply guard.

[/quote][/quote]
bodhi wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:16 pm
That purfling is going to look really great! I wonder if there would be a neat way to reference the colors on the top as well? Might be a bit much if there's a lot of it, but some detail?
I was trying to figure this out as well. Let me know if you have any ideas.

Thank you all for the kind words

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AcrylicSuperman
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Re: Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by AcrylicSuperman » Mon Oct 03, 2022 8:58 am

Snake Hips wrote:
Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:53 am
Horsefeather wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:23 pm
A satin black burst around the perimeter with that purfling masked off would be pretty trick. Plus the black guard.
I have not thought of this but I wonder if I could do this with a little leather dye and sanding it back to get that bursting effect.
bodhi wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:16 pm
That purfling is going to look really great! I wonder if there would be a neat way to reference the colors on the top as well? Might be a bit much if there's a lot of it, but some detail?
Ideally I would love to find one of the 70s maple necks.... but I got a cheap china one off ebay. I will take some phones with the neck on hopefully this week.
bodhi wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:16 pm
That purfling is going to look really great! I wonder if there would be a neat way to reference the colors on the top as well? Might be a bit much if there's a lot of it, but some detail?
I think you might be right and now sourcing a one ply guard.

[/quote][/quote]
bodhi wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:16 pm
That purfling is going to look really great! I wonder if there would be a neat way to reference the colors on the top as well? Might be a bit much if there's a lot of it, but some detail?
I was trying to figure this out as well. Let me know if you have any ideas.

Thank you all for the kind words
[/quote]

Well, it's not exactly 70s, but one of these might be what you are looking for?

https://stratosphereparts.com/2022-fend ... -24-maple/

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Snake Hips
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Re: Mahogany Mustang project on the way

Post by Snake Hips » Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:14 pm

Good find on that neck. Wonder if its the same neck shape as the 70's ones

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