Project Wunkay Rehab

This was from the G&L Facebook page - CLF RESEARCH CO.:

#projectwunkayrehab intro vid is the on the Tube, so hit the link to see what’s up

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I got started on the neck. At this point, the portion of the board that will be the maple fingerboard has been sliced off,
the two pieces are prepped and I’ve just routed the channels for the dual-action truss rod and supplemental rods.
This neck will feel like the best of old school CLFR necks due to hand craftsmanship but it’ll also be more stable due to technology.

installing the dual-action rod and supplemental rods. Fits like a [glove] cause this bass is gonna punch like a [glove]

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gettin that glue down

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reunited and it feels so good. Got the grain lined up so nice it’s like the truss rod magically got in there.
It’s magically delicious! Actually, I’ve always liked the smell of Titebond glue. Any of you wood workers agree?

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getting started removing the J pickup route. First I’m gonna get out that old foam and see what we’ve got.

The foam peeled right out, which of course left the adhesive goo which sorta melts over years. A few minutes later and we see a pretty clean route. Nice job, whoever did this, but it’s time for this 40 year old soldier to return to being a proper L-1000.

I just pulled some glued up neck blanks out of the old Taylor clamp. Now let me find the one I need...

the neck blank is glued up and now I’m gonna put it in a dehumidified room while I take measurements of the old neck and make some notes.

This neck is gonna have so much woody character and those ghost flames are gonna show up with the finish. Now back to work...

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I need a pencil and Leo delivers. I’ll return it to his drafting table after I take notes for #projectwunkayrehab

Stumbled on a few CLFR workbench top jigs from the ‘70s and ‘80s while trying to find an ancient piece of mahogany for #projectwunkayrehab

How about wooden prototype template for a Stingray guitar? Must be 1975. This is why I can’t find anything. I go looking and something else interesting gets my attention. Ok, return to the dust you old template, I need some ancient mahogany!

1981 wooden prototype template with notes from George Fullerton. It says “this pattern for a 24 fret neck” but I’m gonna guess he meant 24 3/4” scale as this looks very much like the short-lived G-200 guitar that would be launched the same year.

...and finally a beautiful chunk of old mahogany for #projectwunkayrehab. Does it need to be old? Nah, but it’d be a lot cooler ; )

I’m taking measurements of the original 1980 neck

Josh is making a template to buzz out the J pickup pocket

Let the wood chips roll

A few passes through template gives us a peek at fresh cut 40 year old mahogany

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rollin tape to make some deep cuts

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The template got this magic mahogany mining operation started

Josh made about four more delicate passes to clean out the bottom of the J route

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If you follow this account you should not think this is weird ; )

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Ok is this weird? The mahogany chips can wait in Leo’s desk drawer until the project is complete and ready to go back to Rob Wolanski. This way the mahogany chips can absorb massive mojo, even through the plastic bag. It’s powerful stuff, kids. ; )

Josh eyeballing that grain to take a nice slice for #projectwunkayrehab

Almost ready to plug in

Titebond glue massage

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Filling the void

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Josh shaving down the plug Now before you say anything, Josh glued in the plug late yesterday but I just posted today.
It’s not like we just slammed glue in there and half an hour later go at it with a rasp

Josh...dayum son, that’s clean! It actually looks like some idiot just scraped the lacquer off the body but never routed it.
This is good news for the finish repair work ahead

I want to let the plug settle in the body of #projectwunkayrehab before starting paint repair.
But....I need a place to stash it. I want somewhere out of the way but still easily accessible and has
a strong mojo feel. My brain: 1) the cart behind Leo’s office desk, meh, yeah mkay 2) next to CLFR
prototypes from late ‘60s and mid ‘80s, oooh...but nah, guitars 3) on Leo’s drafting chair, duh, too
easy to fall off 4) dark box in the cobweb zone under Leo’s tech bench in the lab. Yep, that’ll do it.
Hang out there with whatever magical or frightening things may be down there. : )

Today we are going to make some delightful maplewood chips following my grandmother’s secret recipe.
When we were children, the sweet scent of grandmother’s maplewood chips wafting through the springtime air
made us all rush to the kitchen house at our little farm on Martha’s Vinyard. I often reflect on those cherished
memories over drinks and maplewood chips with my friend Doctor Evil, whose fondness for his own childhood is
simply heartwarming.

commencing countdown engines on #projectwunkayrehab

Those tuners gotta go somewhere

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now gimme some screw holes for those tuners. Even if they get kinda gummed up with finish
at least they’re perfectly placed pilot holes

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Ok turn over, now we will exfoliate your face...on your head...stock

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Now let’s give it a shave

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Perimeter rough cut. Hey it actually looks like a neck and not just a rectangle

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...and the cleanup cut

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magical maple mojo

I just hit up Ed at G&L Custom Shop about doing localized nitro repair of the filled area. Prep work is the key

chillin after dark

Rough cutting the back shape on #projectwunkayrehab

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Things are shaping up

7:08 of a sharp ball end mill to rough rut the radius. So don’t tell me you want your seven minutes back.
You’ve been warned

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...and some holes for the face dots. Well that was easy

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Looking at this makes me feel like it needs dots stat

I’m rockin those tasty maplewood chips all over my cool G&L shirt from the crew at Musik Wein in Germany

Just a drop of Titebond glue here...

Josh putting the frosting on the cupcakes

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In ya go

Josh putting the sprinkles on those cupcakes

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A few pulls on an old Famco arbor press to seat the dots

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Josh giving those dots a quick shave on an original Leo dead-head sander.

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Josh cleaning up the radius with a 9.5” radius StewMac sanding block. You may notice pencil marks approximately
where the frets go. That’s to help him see where he has covered and where he might need to hit a little more.
It’s called experience, something that you can’t order from StewMac

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almost there...

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I think you’ll find this clip #satisfying like I do

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This update was emailed to the G&L Player's Update mailing list:

Project Wunkay Rehab is in full effect. Rob Wolanski's 1980 L-1000 is getting close to completion. #projectwunkayrehab
Check it out on Youtube:
https://youtu.be/QpjGdAlRPpY

Check out Part 1:
https://youtu.be/Pjfg4TC6T6Q

†The personal name, likeness and signature of Mr. Clarence Leo Fender are property of G&L Musical Instruments / BBE Sound, Inc. G&L is not associated with Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC).
© 2020 G&L Musical Instruments 2548 Fender Avenue, Fullerton, California 92831 Tel (714)897-6766

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