Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: neurotictim on January 13, 2008, 06:53:26 PM
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Hey all, I've been perusing the pics around here a lot, and I'd like to fill the Alembic logos on my Epic 5 with gold paint... Maybe fill is the wrong word, highlight is probably better, a thin coat of gold model paint, maybe?
Anyone know of a reason not to do this? Any particular kind of paint I should use to avoid interference?
Thanks.
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Don't think it would interfere with the input signal..what about going to a art/craft shop and using gold leaf..would look much better.
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Good point. I actually have the stuff to do silver leaf, all I'd need to do is pick up the gold paper.
....I'll post pics...
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Please do, the 'Alembic' has worn off my pu's on my MK signature so I may re do with the same
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Will do. Gotta do some heavy-duty cleaning this afternoon, get all the dust off, so I'll probably do it then.
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Allocating my day tomorrow to set-up, gold-leafing and cleaning... Going to give Dean cryogenics a try - I like them pretty well on my P-bass, we'll see what happens.
And I'll be sure to take pics for you guys...
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Spent three hours yesterday cleaning, leafing, and setting up... I've got a bunch of pics, they were very handy with putting the bridge back together, and I still managed to do it wrong twice.
I'll post pics when I get home from work.
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Cool- Looking forward to the pictures~
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Yay for getting this done. This is the stuff I used:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/47761.jpg)
In the process, I found a couple of nice touches along the way...
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/47762.jpg)
...Nifty...
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/47763.jpg)
The sizing (glue) didn't want to work with me, no matter how long I let it set. When I was finally happy with it, after three tries that is, I tried to use the sealer and ended up making a big mess, which I then had to clean up.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/47764.jpg)
That took some of the leaf out, but it's mostly leaf, with a little gold spray paint that I sprayed into the lid - much more realistic than the gold model paint.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/47765.jpg)
It wasn't all that hard, but in the end, I had to fill in some places with gold paint. End result is something I'm very happy with. It even looks good up close.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/47766.jpg)
I'll get a better pic of the finished product when I'm happy with the setup. Currently I'm letting the truss rod adjustments settle for a few minutes, but I think I've got a problem... (Message edited by neurotictim on January 17, 2008)
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Nice job on the gold leaf- what's the deal with the truss rods?
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I wasn't quite done with the setup when I took the pics, and I've never adjusted dual truss rods before... I've done some wandering around here and found out about them, basically treating them like a single truss rod, adjusting them the same amount at the same time, and all that, but I don't know why you can see the threads on the G string side and not on the B side.
Either way, I'm pretty happy with the setup, I've got to let it sit for the night to settle in, then I'll put the cover back on.
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If I remember correctly, this version of the pickup is originally without the gold-leaf. But why not - it looks real nice!
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Looks very good, the slightly ruffled gold leaf makes it look 'antique' neurotictim..you have definitely gave me the push to do the same on mine now
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Thanks.
I would recommend getting the gold leaf paper, as opposed to the shreddings I got... Much easier to keep your work area clean when there's no gold leaf floating around.
FWIW, I got everything I needed at Michael's hobby shop, for roughly $30.
I also didn't mention it, but I replaced the SS pickup screws with brass ones from Lowes. Matches better with the rest of the hardware, and it's also non-magnetic, so it's a win-win. 6-32 round slotted, 3/4 for the neck and 1 for the bridge. I even made sure not to tighten them too much.
Also added gold Proline strap locks.
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Looks Great! I was considering doing the same to my Epic but I was afraid to screw it up. I think I am going to give it a try
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Glad that the project came off OK. For what it's worth, this thread started at the more normal solution for this kind of problem, a paintfill. It's commonly used on golf clubs and other pieces that have engraved or etched markings that you want to highlight.
It's basically exactly what neurotictim asked about at the beginning. You need model paint (Testor's like the kind you used on models when you were kid is fine) and the proper solvent for it. You want to pull the pickup and, in a concealed spot test to make sure that the solvent doesn't soften or damage the surface of the pickup.
If it's OK, then you wipe the logo area with the solvent so it's clean. Then, after it's dry, you use a brush to fill the logo area fully with paint. You want to make sure that the paint fills the entire logo area and it's OK if a little is out on the top of the pickup. Finally, while the paint is still wet, you dampen a cloth with solvent (not dripping wet, but damp)and gently wipe the excess paint off th surface of the pickup. If you do this properly, the surface should be cleaned off and the engraved area should be untouched. Let it dry and you're in business.
At the factory, Alembic probably uses a foil stamping machine to highlight the logo. That foil is shinier than regular paint, but would be hard to reproduce without their setup.
There are actually a class of highly metalized model paints which you paint on and can polish to a shine after they dry. That might give a result more like the original logo, but this kind of paint is in a different (and stronger) solvent that might not lend itself to the paintfill process.
David Fung
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hummmm...GAY.
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Alexandre -
Congratulations on your first post.
Your comment exudes untold wealths of intelligence.
Do you have a point that you are trying to make or did you accidently subscribe to the wrong bulletin board group?
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Well, since one person here has a flair for eloquence, I guess I'll mention that I've gotten round after round of compliments on my beautiful bass, and a couple of discriminating bassists have commented positively on the logo fills.
Thanks for your comment, David, it clears up some things I neglected to mention.
Kevin, as long as you are careful and patient, you'll do just fine. Use my info and David's points and yours will look just as good (or better!)
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Paul; I suppose there is the possiblity that there may have been some kind of language translation issue. I have no idea; I don't know any Portuguese.
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It's ironic, I tried (and failed) to get non-gold-lettered pickups when I ordered my Triple O! just goes to show I guess...
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Tr?s gay, methinks.
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O.K., I admit, I don't get it. Is there something about the Netherlands, Brazil, and pickup paint that was taught on a day I was home sick? Why do we now have two areas of the world commenting on the sexual preference of pickups?
Bill, tgo
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The gay-factor is not so much in the sexual orientation of a piece of musical equipment (and I count three areas of the world commenting on that, not two) as it is in the choice of flashy gold paint to make those large capital letters stand out even further.
But then I did already say that it looks real nice - hm.
I defer to the supreme authority in such matters, Oscar Wilde: Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only beauty.
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Websters originally defines Gay as;
1 a: happily excited : merry b: keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits
2 a: bright, lively b: brilliant in color
3: given to social pleasures; also : licentious
This was added later;
4 a: homosexual b: of, relating to, or used by homosexuals
I think #2 above can apply here. I think the Gold leaf looks Cool, (Using the slang definition that is).
1: moderately cold : lacking in warmth...
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7slang a: very good
Well done Timothy,
Olie
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Olie,
Given the magnanimous emphasis in the original posting (hummmm...GAY.) I would venture a guess that #4 carries the flag for xandaum's comment.
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Adriaan - Totally off topic but I'm interested that Oscar didn't pass comment on those who find beautiful meanings in ugly things... Now they're the people that I want to learn from.
On to less metaphysical things, my Spoiler pups are so worn they don't even have the outline of a logo left. I guess I have no way back.
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Nigel - One could say that, for Wilde, ugly things represent corruption, like the picture of Dorian Gray. The quote was from the preface to that novel, which actually starts with the assertion The artist is the creator of beautiful things.
I guess the zen approach wasn't Oscar's thing. ;-)