The body is 6’ long. I used an opaque projector to get the basic shape, then worked from my photographs to work the contours with a “cheese grater” made to shape Bondo, then sandpaper.
I discovered the best fiberglass epoxy system at West Marine, a retail store for boat repair. Their dispensers precisely pump resin and catalyst- no guesswork.
I worked from looking at printouts of my photos. For some reason, Steve didn’t want one of his favorite guitars exposed to a sea of styrofoam dust…
The Rock and Radio Museum contained fifty years of Sacramento Rock history- hundreds of original posters, flyers, and photos. • The guitar was never intended to be where it could be touched; the bridge and tuner are foam core covered in mylar film, and the knobs are made of paper.
Not quite finished. No whammy bar or volume knobs at this point. • It only weighs 44 pounds, suspended by two eye bolts securely ‘glassed in to achieve the right viewing angle. The guitar is balanced at the eye bolts, and the neck is stabilized by a single wire to prevent it from swinging horizontally.
After traveling all over North America for many years, the only damage was a bent whammy bar, a missing volume knob, and a hole in the side which I repaired. • After the Mustang 60th Anniversary exhibit closes it will become part of a new display celebrating the mix of California surf music and car culture in the Sixties. • Yes, there will be surfboards. Lots of them.
Rock U: Saskatchewan Science Centre, Regina, Canada
