Gilded Bird - Geo's new Thunderbird related project

[JIO]

"In progress" shot from last night - I tried to see if a flash pic would show the gold dusting... I'll try again! Pg is just a stand-in, will cut one for it today. You can see an Epi Goth T-bird pg along with the white VP - all three shown are different shapes with different screw-holes. (Epi Goth, Epi VP and aftermarket "Thunderbird" pg - and that's only three!)

I'll shoot some 'glamor-shots' once it's strung-up/fully reassembled. Overall considering it being gold-leaf, the look is pretty subtle and understated. It visually confuses in a magical sort of way which makes it intriguing. It's what I hoped for but wasn't sure if it would work. Needless to say, I think it works.

 

[dagrev]

"In progress" shot from last night - I tried to see if a flash pic would show the gold dusting... I'll try again! Pg is just a stand-in, will cut one for it today. You can see an Epi Goth T-bird pg along with the white VP - all three shown are different shapes with different screw-holes. (Epi Goth, Epi VP and aftermarket "Thunderbird" pg - and that's only three!)

I'll shoot some 'glamor-shots' once it's strung-up/fully reassembled. Overall considering it being gold-leaf, the look is pretty subtle and understated. It visually confuses in a magical sort of way which makes it intriguing. It's what I hoped for but wasn't sure if it would work. Needless to say, I think it works.

View attachment 5175984

Very interesting concept!

 

[Reedt2000]

The subtle burst was the right move, softens the leafing just enough that it doesn't look gaudy, let's the "wear" shine through, very classy end result . Will the pickguard screws be black? The steel heads really stick out, otherwise it's killer

 

[JIO]

Very interesting concept!

Thanks - my concept addresses a few dicperit 'looks' - a precious "gold-leaf" look, a distressed/relic'd look, and a smooth gloss finish with fine dusting of gold particles over the theatrical distressing. It visually confirms that distressing/relic'ing(including adding an 'aged' patina) is a device/vehicle to achieve a unique visual appearance, one that isn't attempting to "fool" anyone. It's one of the main reasons people don't like a relic'd finish - they think someone is attempting to fake "actual player wear". While this is technically true, the word "fake" is the problem. In Decorative Arts, the technique is considered "faux" which is French for fake. "Fake" in english ended up having a negative connotation, and "faux" is usually thought of as "arty", at least in the US.

Being an artist - most of the things I do are "arty" I guess! Guilty as charged!

 

[Reedt2000]

"Gildaxe" in red on the pickguard, with the star in leaf?

 

[JIO]

The subtle burst was the right move, softens the leafing just enough that it doesn't look gaudy, let's the "wear" shine through, very classy end result . Will the pickguard screws be black? The steel heads really stick out, otherwise it's killer

Thanks man - you succinctly described what I was after! I'll see what it looks like once I cut the pg as far as the screws are concerned. Maybe even gold would work.

 

[JIO]

"Gildaxe" in red on the pickguard, with the star in leaf?

Interesting - I have a gold T-bird sticker for the black pg, but it's food for thought.

 

[BlueTalon]

Thanks - my concept addresses a few dicperit 'looks' - a precious "gold-leaf" look, a distressed/relic'd look, and a smooth gloss finish with fine dusting of gold particles over the theatrical distressing. It visually confirms that distressing/relic'ing(including adding an 'aged' patina) is a device/vehicle to achieve a unique visual appearance, one that isn't attempting to "fool" anyone. It's one of the main reasons people don't like a relic'd finish - they think someone is attempting to fake "actual player wear". While this is technically true, the word "fake" is the problem. In Decorative Arts, the technique is considered "faux" which is French for fake. "Fake" in english ended up having a negative connotation, and "faux" is usually thought of as "arty", at least in the US.

Being an artist - most of the things I do are "arty" I guess! Guilty as charged!

In the Marines, we used the term "artificial."

When camouflaged uniforms (BDUs) were exposed to the elements for a long time, they would fade in color. The person wearing such a uniform was thought to have worn that uniform in places, like a desert, where the climate would take more of a toll on the fabric than, say, someone working inside all day. Interestingly, one could achieve the same look with a little bleach in the laundry. It's a cheap way of looking like you've actually been out in the field doing something actiony whereas in reality you've likely been a chair jockey in an office. The problem with that particular trick is that the bleach didn't discriminate, so everything got faded, including the underside of the collar -- a place that does not fade when wearing the uniform in the elements. So if someone noticed someone else wearing a faded uniform, and noticed that the underside of the collar was not the original unfaded color, they might announce "This person has artificial salt!" The identified person would then (hopefully) feel embarrassed, and in some circumstances might be told to go change his/her uniform.

We take you now back to your originally scheduled topic.

 

[JIO]

In the Marines, we used the term "artificial."

When camouflaged uniforms (BDUs) were exposed to the elements for a long time, they would fade in color. The person wearing such a uniform was thought to have worn that uniform in places, like a desert, where the climate would take more of a toll on the fabric than, say, someone working inside all day. Interestingly, one could achieve the same look with a little bleach in the laundry. It's a cheap way of looking like you've actually been out in the field doing something actiony whereas in reality you've likely been a chair jockey in an office. The problem with that particular trick is that the bleach didn't discriminate, so everything got faded, including the underside of the collar -- a place that does not fade when wearing the uniform in the elements. So if someone noticed someone else wearing a faded uniform, and noticed that the underside of the collar was not the original unfaded color, they might announce "This person has artificial salt!" The identified person would then (hopefully) feel embarrassed, and in some circumstances might be told to go change his/her uniform.

We take you now back to your originally scheduled topic.

Good insight - thanks for posting! Yah, mostly the term relates to someone trying to "pass-off" something that isn't what it appears to be. That and most people are unaware of Decorative Arts, which is understandable. In the Decorative Arts, anyone who is purchasing distressed furniture or doing interior or exterior 'decorating' which includes aging/distressing is well aware it's artificial, and celebrate the skill of the artisan that executed the look. Just like with guitars, there's good and bad distressing/relic'ing with furniture etc - so one just needs to assess the level of skill incorporated and not write off all distressing/relic'ing based on seeing a bad job.

Examples of Decorative Arts "distressing/relic'ing/aging/patina's" - none of it may be your cup of tea, but many people dig the look.

 

[BlueTalon]

I remember the first time I saw "distressed" furniture. I was looking for a new bedroom furniture in the early 2000s, and one of the salespeople showed me a damaged dresser. It looked like an otherwise new piece of furniture that someone had just stabbed with a fork a whole bunch of times. The guy explained that buying one of those takes away the stress of doing the first damage to an item yourself. To me, it was like shopping for a brand new pre-dented car. I was just completely mind boggled. Little did I know what the future would hold.

I've said this to you before -- distressed and roadworn looks on new gear are definitely not my cup of tea, but you do it as tastefully as anything I've ever seen.

 

[BTL]

@JIO I really love everything you do, and this one is amazing!

It makes me want to get back to the graphic finishes I did early on, before I started focusing on more standard finishes.

 

[Mickey666]

@JIO I really love everything you do, and this one is amazing!

It makes me want to get back to the graphic finishes I did early on, before I started focusing on more standard finishes.

That's probly the koolest tele I think I've ever seen

 

[BTL]

That's probly the koolest tele I think I've ever seen

That's very kind! People really seemed to like the graphic finishes, they just didn't want to own them.

 

[Mickey666]

I'd love to have a Bass similar to that (don't play 6), it's not just the finish, it's the whole look. It just looks classier than your usual tele, I never seem to come across anything like that when I'm shopping.

 

[BTL]

I'd love to have a Bass similar to that (don't play 6), it's not just the finish, it's the whole look. It just looks classier than your usual tele, I never seem to come across anything like that when I'm shopping.

Again, thank you so much...that's very kind!

 

[JIO]

I remember the first time I saw "distressed" furniture. I was looking for a new bedroom furniture in the early 2000s, and one of the salespeople showed me a damaged dresser. It looked like an otherwise new piece of furniture that someone had just stabbed with a fork a whole bunch of times. The guy explained that buying one of those takes away the stress of doing the first damage to an item yourself. To me, it was like shopping for a brand new pre-dented car. I was just completely mind boggled. Little did I know what the future would hold.

I've said this to you before -- distressed and roadworn looks on new gear are definitely not my cup of tea, but you do it as tastefully as anything I've ever seen.

Thank you - I accept your POV and appreciate your kind words regarding my efforts. To tell you the truth, I thought Fenders "Road Worn" series was genius for that reason - how would you know if additional damage/wear was on a used "Road Worn" bass. If re-sold it could be advertised "like new condition" and be very honest /truthful doing so! By the way - this was a very successful line for Fender, not only for that "look" but because they felt, played and sounded great for the price!

A pre-worn finish also addresses the "fetishizing" of an instrument created to be played. I totally understand someone wanting their instrument to be shiny and blemish-free, but real world gigging (if you are a gigging musician) has a way of working against that. In my way of seeing it, stressing out over a nick or ding distracts from the reason one plays an instrument! I have shiny re-finished basses and the ones I play are getting nicks and dings. It doesn't bother me in the least because I don't own it to polish it within an inch of its life, I own it to play it.

 

[JIO]

That's very kind! People really seemed to like the graphic finishes, they just didn't want to own them.

Interesting that right?...

 

[JIO]

@JIO I really love everything you do, and this one is amazing!

It makes me want to get back to the graphic finishes I did early on, before I started focusing on more standard finishes.

I dig it! And thanks Brad - we've both seen and done a lot over the years... I appreciate your kind words and always love watching/following your progress as a builder. Maybe someday we can do a creative collaboration.

 

[JIO]

Blk/wht/bllk pg cut and gold raised sticker installed guided by my '64 II pg - looks good.

Some outside dusk shots - it was misty and gray all day until early evening. I'll take more/better pics soon.

Proud to fly the Epiphone flag - they did what Gibson has failed to do for decades - create a great playing/looking/sounding nearly RI of the original '63-'65 T-bird IV for an affordable cost.

Wilkinson large-plate nickel tuners - these are what originally were installed on the VP and in my opinion look the best.

Distressed AND shiny! Something for everyone! Who knew?

Haven't installed the strap-pegs yet. I'll probably install Dunlop Strap-Loks and include a nice wide black suede strap to go along with it.

 

[BlueTalon]

Thank you - I accept your POV and appreciate your kind words regarding my efforts. To tell you the truth, I thought Fenders "Road Worn" series was genius for that reason - how would you know if additional damage/wear was on a used "Road Worn" bass. If re-sold it could be advertised "like new condition" and be very honest /truthful doing so! By the way - this was a very successful line for Fender, not only for that "look" but because they felt, played and sounded great for the price!

A pre-worn finish also addresses the "fetishizing" of an instrument created to be played. I totally understand someone wanting their instrument to be shiny and blemish-free, but real world gigging (if you are a gigging musician) has a way of working against that. In my way of seeing it, stressing out over a nick or ding distracts from the reason one plays an instrument! I have shiny re-finished basses and the ones I play are getting nicks and dings. It doesn't bother me in the least because I don't own it to polish it within an inch of its life, I own it to play it.

My previous main bass was a three-pickup Warmoth Jazz. It was assembled, set up, and PLEK'd by Mike Lull, so it's essentially a Lull Warmoth. Everything was shiny and new, not a blemish anywhere. Somewhere along the 6 years or so I played it, it picked up a whole bunch of little dents in the back, and a few in the front -- not enough to chip the paint, but enough to know they're there. And several hundred thousand impacts by my fingernails has left a hazy patina under the strings. It gives me a certain joy to see that. I was never under any illusion that it would remain looking new during its entire existence. But I took care of it reasonably well, and I am rewarded with an instrument that I think still looks pretty damn cool.