Asklar wrote:
♥♥♥♥ gorgeous! Are those for personal use, or would you sell some? And how long did they take to make? They look pretty detailed and very professional.
Thanks.
The time it takes to make one depends on whether the guitar comes with a ready finish or not (DIY kits).
I use sanding paper to remove the original finish manually, so that takes from 7-10 hours if the finish isn't like a half millimeter thick, if it is then it takes like 15 hours and my hands become all sore and if isn't fun at all.
Don't ask why I don't use power tools, they don't give the same result so I rarely use them.
After that I do more sanding to fix any weird curves in the wood if there are any, depending whether i'm working on a once finished guitar or a chunk of wood that wasn't coated in anything.
When working with guitars that were finished, I usually don't sand away the primer coat that is under the paint so it's easier for me to draw on and gives a much better result.
The time spent on drawing varies depending on the drawing itself, but the process is lengthy since I first draw in pencil, then do the lines, then erase, fill and spray the first layer of clear coat.
Different layers of clear coat produce different results and textures and drying can take up to a day.
After that I draw the whole thing again to fix any imperfections and give the black paint that solid look, then another layer of clear coat.
Everything is drawn using various pens and permanent markers.
After that the neck and body lay around for a couple of days to dry.
Last step is assembly.
Since I mostly work with old cheap banged up guitars, I replace most (sometimes all) of the original hardware.
I also do some tinkering with the pickups and electronics, replacing magnets and pots to better quality ones.
The whole process from stock guitar to finished result takes between 30-50 hours of active work (if counting the hang-to-dry time it can take up to a week) but can stretch over months due to lack of will to get off my ass.
All of these were first made for personal use, but now I hoarded a total of 9 guitars (6 of them that got these overhauls) and I don't have enough room to store them all, so some of them are available for purchase on my
Etsy store right here.
If interested, prices can be negotiated.