Indigenous JB4 for Macklay Vocational College

[Andyxlh]

MVC is a school for disenfranchised youth on the mid north coast of NSW in Kempsey, with about 120 students. They have a decent music room, a drum kit, keyboard and a couple of Squier Bullet Strats and my old valvestate Marshall. What they don't have is a bass guitar or amp. I contacted Adam to buy a kit which the students could decorate (they have an amazing art department) and I'd put it together. Adam had a non PBG JB kit on the shelf which he graciously donated, and I'll match that with my Peavey 50w bass amp.
The guitar kit arrived this week. It's a really nice one, ash body, rosewood neck with 70s block inlays.
The body and neck are now prepped for paint, they will go up from here (Sydney) to Kempsey next week for decoration. The artwork these kids do is extraordinary so keep you eyes out for something special! I'll pick it up a week or so before Christmas, and get it assembled and ready for term 1 2018...
Here I have made a few notes in pencil to guide the kids...

[FrankenWashie]

Good on you Andy and good on you Adam also!

[Marcel]

Sounds like a great project... remember to neatly mask off where you don't want paint and let them know why the tape is there.

Are you providing or will there be a theme for the build? Most art has a story (to tell) of some kind behind it...

[Andyxlh]

Thanks guys, I'm really looking forward to seeing what they come up with. Yes I have masked the fretboard and marked the back of the neck with don't paint here. They will use acrylic artists paints, hand applied so no overspray issues. When it comes back I'll give it a couple of coats of acrylic gloss to seal it.
On their photo gallery is Jason with one of his artworks.
http://www.mvwlc.nsw.edu.au/whats-on/photo-gallery/
This is the standard of stuff these guys can do, I really can't wait to see what they make of it!
There's some pretty good musicians up there, and all the music stuff is kept in excellent condition by the kids too.
I guess they will tell me the story when it's done 😊

[Swanny]

This is a great project, Andy! Good on you for taking the initiative!

Adam, you're awesome for donating the kit, there's good karma all round!

[darryl.bellotti]

That’s awesome. Tell the young people to keep it up and I can’t wait to see their progress


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[funkjunky3]

This is such a good idea. Can’t wait to see what they come up with!


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[Andyxlh]

Well I delivered the neck and body, suitable prepped, to MVC in Kempsey this week. The indigenous arts teacher had a chat with me and has organised a team of his students to come in and work on it this week. I'll be passing back through Kempsey on Sunday and hope to pick it up then. Unfortunately my phone has died so I didn't have any way of taking photos when I dropped it off, but I have been promised plenty during the painting.
It will be painted in decent artist acrylic, does anyone know of a suitable topcoat I can apply to this to seal it? Ideally a gloss clearcoat.

[dave.king1]

Great stuff Andy & Adam makes me proud to be part of this community.

I suspect that most acrylics from the BGSFOS or your local SC Auto/Ripco etc will be fine, I used automotive acrylic over Dingotone & artist acrylic on the Tuff Dog

[Andyxlh]

Thanks Dave, I figured that would be the case. I'll pick some up. I have used Cabots poly clear on my guitars, takes weeks to go hard but I like its ability to take some abuse without scratching.