QPX ~ALICIA~

For the whole week, I was quite busy repainting my electric guitar. I started with dismantling every single part of the guitar. Strings removed, disconnected the neck from the body, removed the tuning machines from the headstock, tremolo bridge, pick ups, switch and potentiometers also removed. Then I began the work with sanding the body. It was quite a tedious job. Requires a lot of patient.

The original color of my guitar is flaming red, of which I think is a very dull color. Here's the guitar before my paint job. The picture is not mine, but the guitar inside this picture is 100% similar to mine.

santa cruz - stock color and configuration

After sanding, I masked the whole body, and cut out my desired pattern out of the masking before started to apply black paint on it. While waited for the paint to dry, I sand off the Santa Cruz logo from the headstock, sand it thoroughly until even the black background is removed. 

I continued applying the black paint on the body till the black layer is thick enough to cover the original red color. Once the paint dried off, I removed the masking, re-masked the body, and cut out another pattern from this new masking. Then I applied the white paint on it. Now you notice the pattern is actually a mixture of red, black and white. While waiting for the white paint to dry, I drew my 'QPX ' logo on the headstock. 

Once the white paint for the body is ready, I gave my final touch on the pattern before applying the lacquer paint on the body. Sand here and there, outlining the white pattern with a marker pen and wrote 'ALICIA' on it. It is just a small writing tho somewhere near the bridge. 

QPX on the headstock

the body 

I proceeded to apply the lacquer on both the body and the headstock. I regret that though because I was way too excited and rushing to do it. The surface was not clean and not even ready for the final process. I did spoiled the pattern when I started to apply the lacquer. Hmmm.... Since I was under pressure to finish the paint job by today, I just carried on applying the lacquer. I need the guitar today, badly. 

Used up 3 cans of lacquer paint, still the finishing is not satisfying due to imperfect surface and spraying technique. Still have a lot to learn. Once the lacquer dried, now it's the time to do the wiring. The weekend before, I followed Tzy Wen to Jalan Pasar, looking for replacement parts. I was looking for 2 potentiometers, knobs, capacitor, and a female 6.3mm jack. Bought guitar nut and new strings as well. The potentiometers cannot be found in Jalan Pasar. I bought 'em in Sungey Wang Plaza. 

After the lacquer dried, I started my wiring work. I modify the stock wiring to Ibanez Gio GRX140 configuration. 

After re-wiring is done, tested it, and yeah, everything is working well, in fact, better than the old configuration in my opinion. Here's my 'new' guitar. QPX Alicia

That's all. Can't wait to jam tonight.