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Finally! Actually I finished it back in December, but I slowly got behind in posting these updates. My other posts have centered mostly around the refinishing process, mainly because it was the most time and labor intensive part of the project. But between coats of paint drying, or being sanded and repainted and sanded again….I was also addressing the other elements that needed work.
worn frets
The frets on this guitar had definitely seen better days. They weren’t in terrible shape, but many were grooved and the heights of all the frets were somewhat uneven. So I leaned that the way to remedy this was to do a “fret dressing”. This a fairly straight forward process where you sand all the frets to the same level using a long, very flat sanding block. You then put the crown, or the rounded top, back on each fret with a file. All guitarists should learn how to do this process as it is one of the most significant improvements you can make to the playability of your instrument. There’s some great info on the process in THIS THREAD over at TDPRI. My first attempt at this process came out great and the old Marauder plays better then ever. I also replaced the original plastic nut with a GraphTec Tusq one. I stained the fingerboard black to make it look like ebony using this oil dye from stewmac.
All the electronics, including the pickups were also replaced. I got a new black pickguard from WDMusic and asked them not to cut the slot for the bridge pickup. The original Bill Lawrence single coil that was their was encapsulated in epoxy and not a standard size. So I cut a new opening the size of a Statocaster single coil. This means I have plenty of options to choose from for this pickup location. For starters I am trying out a Seymour Duncan JB Jr., which is a single coil sized humbucker. In the neck position I put a Seymour Duncan P-Rails and used a “Triple Shot” pickup ring to allow me to switch between that pickups 4 different modes. Meaning that now, in the neck position I can have a humbucker, a single coil, 2 single coils in parallel or a P-90. I like the versatility and use the P-90 the most.
I’m really pleased how the whole thing came out. It looks and sounds great and is now getting regularly played again. It’s also given me the inspiration and confidence for more involved projects which I’ll post about soon.
♫ (،◕‿◠،)♪ ♪♪
7 out of 7 ! Yeah! SEVEN STARS !
☆ WONDERFUL!!
☆ AMAZING!!
☆ SPECTACULAR!!
☆ ☆ WOW! & WHOA!!
☆ BEAUTIFUL! !
☆ LOVE iT!!
Thank You! Thank you so very much for your kind, courteous & quick reply John!
Yep! No doubt about it: You Sir are a phenomenal talent!
I would buy the video of your step, by step process! Fascinating is an understatement –
You are right, it is a perfect color combination and i say, this would be a GREAT incentive as Gibson LEAD Display for a WHOMPiNG re-issue!! … Hey, they can use ALL the help they can get right now, yeah!? [ /chuckle! – sigh ]
Now, how’d ya like to do the same loving job all over again on my Isabella!? … think about it! ( wouldn’t be any time in the too near future, but! ) … just say’n – it could happen!! – just imagine!? . . .
Thank you so much again! You really made my day – er, week – wait; you made my year!
On a side note – a very close friend of mine , who incidentally, also had the very same guitar! go figure ~ He of course, being the dear friend he is, knows of my plight w/ the axe, so he took it upon himself to send me this link to the instrument in action.
Not too much to offer in the performance, – but it is classic and even though the performance lacks luster,well do you remember Hocus Pocus!? heh! heh! … Yup! do’n the famous yoddle’n tune – Focus – er, i think that is what they’re call’n it –
Great to see the Maruader in the lights, and try’n as it can, the guys chops are, fairly loose and largly criticized, which i can see why & – oh, yeah; not the best performance [ aHiLkuH! ] heh!
wonder what you will think –
http://youtu.be/LW6v-mqo17Q
Thanks again John , will try and keep up here , and see what you are currently up to.
Again ; Very best of the Season to ya!
– Regards; ٿ☀♫☮♥❀ॐ✿♫✯❤☽♪ ~ ☆ jef ☀
That song is a blast from the past. I remember really liking it as a kid. I may have to post that video to my blog just for the rare Marauder content. Not to mention it’s such an odd song.
It would be interesting to see the Maruader re-issued, but I doubt it will happen. Especially since Fender just came out with their own Marauder. Which apparently is based on a short-lived model from the 60’s.
I’d certainly consider refinishing your Maruader. I’m currently renovating a real old oddball guitar for my Uncle. No name on it, never seen one like it before, but it’s pretty cool. I’ll do a post about it when it’s done.
Take it easy
– John
[…] me the link to this video. As a fellow Marauder owner, he had written to tell me how he enjoyed my articles about refinishing mine. He included this video due to the Marauder content. You don’t really see pro musicians using […]