Back to the Future Guitars
- Thread starter mrsmartypants
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EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
What's wrong with your neck? Isn't the Epiphone es345 exactly the same apart from the headstock?
I have the dot version, and instead of the inlayed pearl, it has dots. Plus it doesn't say Gibson. Right now I just have stickers on it. Drives me crazy.
EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
Aaah shoot. Yeah, replacing the neck would be more complicated... It would have been better if these were screwed on haha but sadly it's in one piece! The head is easier to change apparently, it's still a good week of work, with the varnish curing and all though. I'll have him to install the stoptail bar screws and the front jack x)
EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
Okay, so my epiphone is in the hands of the guitar maker now, the weather is crap at the moment, so he won't be able to work on the paint until it's a bit sunny, but he will be starting with what he can do now, do you guys want to have some progress pictures? Could be interesting to post, I'll ask him anyway x)
maton
Well-Known Member
What year is the guitar Emma. It's a replica, or newer release, or old?
Progress photos would be great! Yes please! 'Chandler Guitars' in Kew Surrey, is another good guitar shop, used them for years. I believe they have a good stock of new and old vintage parts. Worth a try. They're nice people in there too. Also, you could try one of the many guitar shops in Denmark Street in London.
EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
Gibson re released the ES 345 a few years back. Epiphone is technically Gibson as they own them. It was a limited edition, not sure what the date of the re issue is though! I bought mine second hand. But yeah, only the headstock is different from gibson, The only reason why Epiphone is cheaper is because they are being built in Asia and Gibson in the USA. But they have the same patents!
Thanks for the heads up, but everything is on ebay pretty much, so that should be easy to find the correct parts! Not looking for everything vintage to be honest, I mean guitar parts have always been consistent throughout the years.
maton
Well-Known Member
I see! Looks nice!
Sure, no worries.
Just thought if you were after a specific part or hard to find piece, it's worth having back up shops to ring or message. Looking forward to seeing progress pictures as you go. Keep up the great work.
EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
I see! Looks nice!
Sure, no worries.
Thanks!The guy was really nice and he showed some conversion he already did, and I'm pretty confident that it will look really good! I am awaiting on some parts, but I am hoping the guitar will be done by the end of the month! I am also looking for the right pickguard, do you know which one is the correct one? There is a gap next to the bridge pick up in the movie, so not sure which one I should get x)
maton
Well-Known Member
That's great! I'm pleased for you. Hope it turns out brilliant. To be honest, I don't know the right pickguard. Couple of guys on here will know i'm sure. MJF movie version of the pickguard looks like a different size?
I know a guy on ebay that custom makes pickguards if you need to.
EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
Well I'm pretty sure I will find the correct one, it's just small bits from the ones I'm finding that seem a bit off. Not sure if pictures or me being picky x)
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There's also something I noticed, the 12th fret has a solid inlay... Might need an extra work for this! I wonder where this comes from, didn't see any Gibson having a solid one... I heard Gibson made a specific guitar for J fox because he was so small, maybe it's a signature thing, so they could recognize that specific gibson from the others?
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You can buy pearl inlay stickers. That's what I did. Use one that is big enough to cover the inlay and use a razor blade to cut it to shape.
EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
Stickers are ugly, now it's in hands of a guitar maker, i might as well replace it, will look much nicer x)
After several years of searching for a gold varitone dial for my guitar, I finally found one on ebay last week. Guess what....it was plastic. Not even good looking plastic. So I decided that was my last straw.
I contacted a company I've worked with in the past and finally their abilities have caught up to my needs and I had them produce an all metal, gold colored varitone dial with a the lettered printed into the metal.
Yes I can get more, but they aren't cheap. I'd have to have an order of 15 to get them at a reasonable price of $30 each. Thankfully I was able to get them to do a one off for me since I've done business with them in the past.
Anyhow, here it is. Hopefully I can get it installed in the next week or so.
I contacted a company I've worked with in the past and finally their abilities have caught up to my needs and I had them produce an all metal, gold colored varitone dial with a the lettered printed into the metal.
Yes I can get more, but they aren't cheap. I'd have to have an order of 15 to get them at a reasonable price of $30 each. Thankfully I was able to get them to do a one off for me since I've done business with them in the past.
Anyhow, here it is. Hopefully I can get it installed in the next week or so.
EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
Can't they just make one more? Haha
EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
Little teaser can't believe how big the epiphone headstock was! Goodthing is that it was so big that he only had to cutout the Gibson headstock pattern he had! I have bought lovely Gibson inlays which are the accurate 60s version, so that should look nice! He's also done a complete fret leveling so it will sound even better now!
can't believe how big the epiphone headstock was! Goodthing is that it was so big that he only had to cutout the Gibson headstock pattern he had! I have bought lovely Gibson inlays which are the accurate 60s version, so that should look nice! He's also done a complete fret leveling so it will sound even better now!
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I need to take it to someone to get rid of the fret buzz.
EmmaInCandyland
Master Member
It's what mine did, like a fret level and crown x) That gets rid of the buzz!
ruscoe
Well-Known Member
EmmaInCandyland, do the strings on your Chiquita thread through from the back of the body? Do you know the make/model of the bridge? Is it a Schaller?
Most Chiquitas I’ve seen for sale have the wrong bridge and the new ones use a “Tune-o-matic, bad-ass style” bridge, which isn’t right either.
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