Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Kisstrooper
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Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

Seeing as i have mastered the harder to build "NY Groove" Ace guitar the "UFO" guitar is the next up for replication.Picked up an Epiphone set neck Studio Les Paul locally and will be using it as the base for the project, got it home and straight into it woohoo !

Here's one of the 6 originals made by the late Steve Carr, 23 MR-11 Halogen downlights are fitted to a modded Les Paul body with single Dimarzio DP-100 pup, plus a great reference pic of the rear with the cover off ( note this is number 6 ).
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Here's my newly purchased Epiphone for the base guitar.
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Stripped out the electrics and bridge/tailpiece etc in prepartion for the holes that are not required to be blocked out with timber.
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Picked up some of the chrome knobs used on the originals today, easy find !Image

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Genebaby »

Kick ass Tony!!! You the man!
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

Genebaby wrote:Kick ass Tony!!! You the man!
Love guitar projects Vic, found a guy in Melbourne who's an electronics wiz and is doing my flashing contoller boards to order so thats made life much easier for these specialty guitars.

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by shramiac »

Did Ace use this in the 2000s??? I pretty much didn't listen/watch Kiss from 97 to 05!!!
Promises made, crying in vain, all empty. Never accepting the blame and not letting go of the shame. A river of tears, as months turn to years, all wasted. On someone not willing to change.Now only a shadow remains! :(
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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shramiac wrote:Did Ace use this in the 2000s??? I pretty much didn't listen/watch Kiss from 97 to 05!!!
Yep im actually looking for a good clip with him using it to see how the light pattern goes, clockwise or anti.

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Genebaby »

Ace uses it here

[youtube][/youtube]
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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It was great seeing the UFO guitar in action at Carrara Stadium in '01! Looked unreal!
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by 1031 »

Holy mad routers batman.. thats gonna be a great project
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

The halogen lights are 35mm in diameter so i found this cool specialty drill they use for kitchen cupboard concealed hinges and its exactly 35mm and like $9, this project just keeps getting easier as i go ! LOL
Tested it on some pine tonight, perfect fit !

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Kick ass!!!
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Genebaby wrote:Kick ass!!!
What really kicks ass is im off for 4 days from work !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAA

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by shramiac »

You just happened to have a piece of Les Paul shaped pine lying around??? :P
Promises made, crying in vain, all empty. Never accepting the blame and not letting go of the shame. A river of tears, as months turn to years, all wasted. On someone not willing to change.Now only a shadow remains! :(
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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shramiac wrote:You just happened to have a piece of Les Paul shaped pine lying around??? :P
Its just an old pine template for routing out a battery cavity in a Les Paul, just the first bit of timber i grabbed :)

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by PinkWiz »

Genebaby wrote:Ace uses it here

[youtube][/youtube]


Damn, that Olympics video is THE most cringe-worthy thing KISS ever did... godawful haha! :lol: :oops:

Anyway, good job with the guitars dude!
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

I made a scaled template of the custom Steve Carr headstock using this pic and will be able to get the shape out of the Epi headstock but only 5mm shorter so damn close, again no drama or blockers to hault progress :mrgreen:
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Genebaby »

I always wondered about the headstock on that one.
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

Genebaby wrote:I always wondered about the headstock on that one.
I first thought it was V headstock but its much narrower so all good to replicate for the build will just be a tad shorter.

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

Like this,

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by poserboy71 »

So, Are you going to add a piece of wood to the tip of the headstock ???

You are a crazy and gifted motherfucker !!!
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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poserboy71 wrote:So, Are you going to add a piece of wood to the tip of the headstock ???

You are a crazy and gifted motherfucker !!!
I think i may make it slightly shorter than adding a piece, its only about 5mm so wont make much difference.
Its pissing down rain today ( typical im on 4 days off work ) so think i will do so work on this beast today.
Ive had some interest in me making some Ace Flashers so been doing some lights boards in preparation.

You get approx 325 to 350 lights in these depending on the bridge/ tailpiece configeration used.
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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So its a rainy day what better to do that , WORK ON MY UFO !!!

Ok so Epiphone headstock becomes Steve Carr custom with little fuss, so dowl glued into the top tuning head holes stick my template on and start cutting.

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Made a timber block for the top PUP hole, more wood less filler is my motto,
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Its now taking shape, the Bunnings ( hardware store ) guys think im either GUITAR GOD or completly NUTS for cutting up perfectly good guitars and sticking downlights all over them LOL !
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Last edited by Kisstrooper on Sun Oct 02, 2011 5:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Mad, good work Tony, you don't muck around!!!!
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Genebaby wrote:Mad, good work Tony, you don't muck around!!!!
Yep im on a roll thats for sure.

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Kisstrooper wrote: Yep im on a roll thats for sure.
I bet you'd taste good with some man-mustard shot between those buns. :shock: :shock: :shock:


I couldn't stop myself from typing. :oops: :oops: :oops:
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Yes Rick, you have a problem..... :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by shramiac »

poserboy71 wrote:
Kisstrooper wrote: Yep im on a roll thats for sure.
I bet you'd taste good with some man-mustard shot between those buns. :shock: :shock: :shock:


I couldn't stop myself from typing. :oops: :oops: :oops:
One handed??????

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

poserboy71 wrote:
Kisstrooper wrote: Yep im on a roll thats for sure.
I bet you'd taste good with some man-mustard shot between those buns. :shock: :shock: :shock:


I couldn't stop myself from typing. :oops: :oops: :oops:

GULP

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

Its drillin' time folks ,

Used the reference pics for the loactions,
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Drilled & Filled,
Image

More of the same,
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Last edited by Kisstrooper on Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Nice work Tony!
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

Thanks, going to countersink the holes now for a snug fit, looks like the original guitars had the lights siliconed in also have to timber fill where the toggle switch was and the lower volume and tone dials were as there's not meat behind them to drill into.
Some fiddly stuff but its coming together faster than i thought !

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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You are one ambitious Guitar Afficianado Tony!
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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If im playin' in my Kiss band and its flashing away and the crowd loves it that will be reward enough for my labour !

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I hear ya! :mrgreen:
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by KissMyAss »

Holy fucking crap! That UFO guitar fucking rules!! I am in total awe.
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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KissMyAss wrote:Holy fucking crap! That UFO guitar fucking rules!! I am in total awe.
Thanks mate, all the halogen lights arrived today, thanks ebay !

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Kisstrooper »

Bit more work on the modded headstock.
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by Genebaby »

That looks......ACE!!!!!!
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Test fit of the Grover tuners etc, all works a-ok, hard to believe that was an Epi headstock the other day.
I also made that truss rod cover from 3mm perspex and fitted hologram paper behind it, dosent show up in the flash im afraid but looks super cool in person.

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Toggle switch hole blocked in timber. Image

Unwanted volume and tone dial cavities blocked in timber,
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Custom truss rod cover with Mr Frehley in a hologram background,
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Quick mock up of the progress so far

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Looking good so far Tony!!!
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Totally fascinating! Can't wait for the baby to be born :-)
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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This is just great! I can't wait to see the final product :D
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Will do a bit more today during quiet breaks in the Bathurst race, i normally dont move from the lounge hahahahaha

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Rightfully so, it's Bathurst after all :D
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

Post by doublev2 »

great work
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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doublev2 wrote:great work
Thanks, got some work. done today, all 23 light holes drilled, and made the rear mirrored perspex back plate that covers all the electronics, we have a gig looming on the 18th ( just a half hour set at a local pub in the city centre ) so im trying to get this thing done in time.

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Mirrored back plate,

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Noticed on the original the dials were moved up a tad ( away from the halogen bulbs i would guess) so did that as well.
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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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Sanded the body today and laid down some primer to see any areas that need work, getting close now,

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Re: Ace Frehley UFO Guitar Build, yep im at it again !

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This is coming along really well, great work Tony!
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