Ibanez GSR205 New Body Shape FINISHED!!

[Jimothey 125]

This isn’t the build I planned on doing fist but I’m waiting on some veneer for the ‘51 P Bass so I thought it start on this instead

Ive got a Ibanez GSR205 that I don’t particularly like so I thought I’d modify it into more of a Warwick Corvette-ish shape

So I made my template (that ended up looking a bit like Frankenstein’s bride but it should work???)

Made sure the template fitted ok

Cut out the template then had a B******S!!!!!! moment I thought the bottom edge didn’t go over the edge of the cavity 

But it did!?!

Filled the old holes and a few crappy bits round the outside (bloody bearing came off the router bit) and sanded the edge, so next job is sort out the edge of the cavity and start contouring the body.......... 

 

 

Edited April 16 by Jimothey

[ezbass 58]

Colour me intrigued. I look forward to the progress of this.

[Jimothey 125]

17 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Colour me intrigued. I look forward to the progress of this.

I’m interested too on how’s this is going to turn out?? I’m kinda winging it at the mo!?! 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Jimothey

[SpondonBassed 362]

Me too.

Mind you, I was a bit jealous of you having an Ibby body to muck about with.  I am keeping an eye out for Ibby SR bargains at the moment because I really like the shape of some of them.  I'd have smoothed that body off to look like the others in the range.  More sucked sweet than slab of cake if you get me.

Have you plans for the neck?

[Jimothey 125]

 

2 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

Me too.

Mind you, I was a bit jealous of you having an Ibby body to muck about with.  I am keeping an eye out for Ibby SR bargains at the moment because I really like the shape of some of them.  I'd have smoothed that body off to look like the others in the range.  More sucked sweet than slab of cake if you get me.

Have you plans for the neck?

I’m probably just going to dye the fingerboard black and just colour match the headstock to the body and I’m thinking maybe a custom pickguard but I haven’t decided yet??

I bought it a couple of years ago (£45) and never got round to doing anything with it the electrics are shot except for the pickups so I’m just going to re-wire it, 

I like some of the more expensive SR’s but this is just from the gio range so its cheapest of the cheap so that’s why I thought I’d have a go at modding it?! I really like the shape of the corvette and I can’t afford a real Warwick so I thought this build will be just a bit of fun?!,  I’m not going to spend a lot of money on it 

 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Jimothey

[SpondonBassed 362]

They can't do you for it so I'm right behind you in principle.

[Jimothey 125]

 

15 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

They can't do you for it so I'm right behind you in principle.

It’s probably not going to look anything like a Corvette when it’s done anyway it was just the general shape I’m after

[Andyjr1515 162]

Watching with great interest, @Jimothey

We all have those scary 'Oh c**p' moments, by the way.  I've learned to force myself to turn a body round and always look at what's on the other side purely on the basis of the number of times I've routed into fresh air when I was expecting to be cutting wood chips! 

[Jimothey 125]

44 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Watching with great interest, @Jimothey

We all have those scary 'Oh c**p' moments, by the way.  I've learned to force myself to turn a body round and always look at what's on the other side purely on the basis of the number of times I've routed into fresh air when I was expecting to be cutting wood chips! 

That’s what I did I even put the template on the bottom and it looked like I would have had 5mm to spare but I must have put it a bit further up on the top doh!!!! Not too much of an issue tho, I’ve got to rout out the cavity bigger anyway to allow for the pots to move over 

I don’t know if I’m going to veneer this one as funds are a bit tight (the cam belt snapped on Mrs Jimotheys car £££££!!!!) but I have seen some Red Ebony that has taken my fancy?? 

[Jimothey 125]

Hi 

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of a Hipshot D style 2 piece bridge as funds are a bit low and can’t really afford the Hipshot price tag?

[Jimothey 125]

Still not much more progress I’m hoping to do a bit more this week.....

Ive got a bit of a dilemma tho the top horn isn’t  as long as I hoped it would be so I want to cut a bit more out 

But that would mean the neck pocket will be shortened from 100mm down to 65mm 

Which I think is a bit short and won’t really give a lot of support??? I was maybe thinking about leaving the full length of the neck pocket but still cutting the contour longer

Or will that just leave the end of the neck pocket too weak??? 

If anyone’s got any ideas on the best way forward please let me know

[Andyjr1515 162]

Go for the second option.  You need the length of pocket to spread load from the upward pull. The pocket wood itself will be strong enough without the wood from the cutaway being there (think bottom horn of a stratocaster - it's just the same)

[Jimothey 125]

Cheers Andy

I thought it would be ok the second way but just wanted to check 

[Jimothey 125]

I managed to get s few bits done today, I’ve rounded off the body and extended the length of the top horn and routed the cavity out 

It’s all sanded down ready to paint, I can’t decide whether to do it Black or White????

[ezbass 58]

This is going to be good, I can feel it. I like the shape of the lower bout and the reinforcing you've done there. Colour? I think I'd go with white.

[Jimothey 125]

3 minutes ago, ezbass said:

This is going to be good, I can feel it. I like the shape of the lower bout and the reinforcing you've done there. Colour? I think I'd go with white.

Thanks it’s definitely coming out better than I first thought it would, It will kinda look corvette-ish but also a little bit different, I had some black paint so I thought I’d give it a spray but I’m now thinking it should go white 

[ezbass 58]

4 minutes ago, Jimothey said:

I had some black paint so I thought I’d give it a spray but I’m now thinking it should go white 

I think it'll be easier to get a visually nicer finish in white. Plus, you don't see too many white Corvettes (or Corvette-alikes).

[Jimothey 125]

2 minutes ago, ezbass said:

I think it'll be easier to get a visually nicer finish in white. Plus, you don't see too many white Corvettes (or Corvette-alikes).

I’ll get some white in a couple of days and give it a spray

[Jimothey 125]

Just a quick mock up of the pickguard (Not to everyone’s tastes but I like it)

[Jimothey 125]

I found some White so gave it a quick undercoat spray definitely looks better 

Next decision colour matched headstock or leave Maple?????

Edited December 18, 2017 by Jimothey

[ezbass 58]

Nice. Match if you can I reckon.

[Andyjr1515 162]

1 hour ago, Jimothey said:

I found some White so gave it a quick undercoat spray definitely looks better 

Next decision colour matched headstock or leave Maple?????

Lovely job

And matching headstock, I also reckon

[Jimothey 125]

That’s just white primer on at the mo, it still needs a few more coats and flattening but I’ve gotta get some more white top coat (I prefer using cellulose) then clear coat it, I’m too impatient to use nitro 

[Jimothey 125]

It’s getting there!?! I don’t think it’s looking too bad??

Ive scrapped the pickguard idea it didn’t look right 

Hopefully I’ll finish painting it in the next couple of weeks then I just need to get a new bone nut to replace the crappy plastic one and decide where the controls are going?

Edited December 19, 2017 by Jimothey

[Andyjr1515 162]

I think that looks GREAT!

Well done