Korina V Reissue

[DeeJay1500]

Hey whats up guys and gals,

 

I just figured I would post up some info on a refinishing job I am doing on a piece that was given to me to see what everyone thought!

 

Here's the skinny!

 

Its an Epi Korina Flying V 7 String. Awesome guitar, I got it from my bass player as a gift and to be honest, it plays like a beast! Its got a Duncan Invader in the bridge and the stock p/u in the neck. Damn thing screams! I got it in decent shape with the exception of a nasty gash on the top rear corner of the guitar. It was bad enough to cause some discomfort while playing it so I decided to take it on as a refinish project instead of just trying to fix the blemish.

 

Heres the guitar as it was bought.

And the gash.

 

 

So, I decided to do it all the hard way and sand it by hand, took a few days to get it completely clean (I didnt know how much damn lacquer was on this thing!).

Had to remove that grip BS on the bottom of the body. I've ALWAYS hated those things, and I never play the guitar sitting down, and if I do I sit it on my knee classical style anyway. So I filled it in when I repaired the gash.

 

Ok...so originally I wanted to do the guitar in a sunset orange metallic (its a chevy color, it looks like a burnt orange). After hunting and hunting, I came up empty finding the paint locally so instead I decided to do Gunmetal Grey Metallic.

 

I have an Epi Zakk Wylde Les Paul also. Ive been a fan of how the paint on the rear of the headstock comes down into a V leading towards the natural neck. SO I decided to mock that up on this project.

And the front.

 

So now the messed up part. I will admit I am a tad impatient. And this isnt a good thing when dealing with NitroCellulose lacquer. I wanted to put some kanji on the back of the guitar to match up with a tattoo I have on my leg. Unfortunately I had put a coat of lacquer on the guitar a week or so before I taped off the back to do the lettering. The tape fused with the lacquer and left it hazy as hell. I tried to clean it up but it ruined the back of the body.

 

So back to sanding!!! -_-'

 

But this time around I did some more homework into colors. And I found a paint that I was very satisfied with. It is a Dupli-Color Metal Specks paint. Its Burnt Copper. Not exactly the color I wanted originally, but pretty damn close.

 

So as the project sits now!

 

The guitar has a coat of lacquer on it and I am letting it sit for a few weeks to cure before I attempt to sand a little overspray on the bottom of the body. Im gonna give it a few coats over the next month or two. I have a custom pickguard coming from the west coast. Its matte black with silver pinstripes. Also the Jack Plate, V Tailpiece, and Truss Rod Cover are going to be black acrylic. The truss rod cover will have some engraving done on it to give it a little more meaning and individuality. Bought all new controls for it, and im ordering a new TonePros Tune-o-Matic bridge for it in black, and Schaller mini Locking Tuners.

 

Its not a professional finish by any means, lots of little mistakes. But for someone who cant paint to save their *** using automotive aerosol paint I think it came out looking okay. It was never meant to be a perfect job, but I wanted it to be my own...and this guitar has my blood sweat and tears in it so far.

 

Anyway, let me know what you think. Comments and criticism are welcome! I'll update as more stuff comes in and as the project progresses.

[ReneBoedker]

Welcome and congratulations on your guitar.

 

But I don't understand why the former owner refinished it in the first place - the standard colour is so good-looking.

[DeeJay1500]

Thanks!

 

The original owner left it black. I decided for the refinish about a month and a half after I got it. It was a nice color, just all the chips and blemishes kinda got to me. Mostly because i got a nasty splinter in my stomach from that gash in the top! That and I figure it was a free instrument. The material to do the refinish was cheap, and if it gets messed up, I can take it to a local shop and have it done professionally. Im all for the vintage look on it too, but I really wanted something a little more modern looking. Im just hoping that it'll come out like I envisioned it while I was planning. I think it'll be a nice modern spin on a vintage style guitar!