FINISHED - Oh, Well - why not

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Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
edited August 2014 in Making & Modding
Time's tight at the moment so I may well miss the deadline but, what the heck...it could be fun

I've gone for this one: 

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Not fully decided what I will do with it yet, but probably veneer it, ink stain it (maybe a nice bright turquoise!!!), reshape both top and bottom pickguard and maybe put a NASA feature on the top horn (something like attached): 

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We'll see....  Anyway, kit is ordered so can't go back now

Andy
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Comments

  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    Ooh, turquoise and offset...niiiiiccceee :)

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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27345
    :)

    This is better, building up some more competition now!!
    Having trouble posting images here?  This might help.
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  • image


    Here's one I made earlier!


    Bought the same kit a few years ago as a cheap starter to learn about guitars. The only issue I found and others might find is that it seemed to of been pre-treated and some areas did not take the stain as well as others. 

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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    Looks great @jayscrivener !  Just the colour I was thinking of.  Alternative is a Royal Blue (I will use fountain pen ink...) but this would look great with a not-too-OTT veneer...
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    So - it's arrived.

    I chose the 'specific day' shipping option (cost £1 more) and they used DPD...my favourite carrier at the moment.  You get a mail and text a few days earlier confirming the day, then a text early in the morning from the driver telling you the hour and all with options to defer, drop off with a neighbor, etc..

    It arrived safe and sound.

    Good box - easy to unpack without damaging the contents and contents separated which allows protection with the minimum of packing materials...thumbs up so far:
    image

    While the internal routings are a bit scrappy, the outside finish is top quality!!!  You could actually primer paint the top without sanding, if you were inclined...stunning for the price  :

    image

    The back has a couple of stains to sand out (I will be staining this and these probably would absorb the stain differently).  Clearly different shadings of pieces but not bad at all.  Again, the quality of the finish is superb.  Very, very surprising and pleasing :
    image

    Neck looks pretty sound too - bit of tidying up on the fretboard and a fret-dress but the sides of the frets are less scratchy than some 'Fender licensed' necks I've used in the past (where the neck was 40% more than this complete kit!):

    image
     
    Haven't unpacked the hardware yet but I'm sure it will be in the 'cheap and cheerful' category.  I might use it anyway and then upgrade if I like the finished result.

    The veneer I will be using is this.  To my shame (sorry, tree huggers) I have completely forgotten what it is (I've have had it for some time)...but it is nicely understated so the guitar doesn't end up looking like a piece of furniture.

    image

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    I'll be using my favoured stain - fountain pen ink!

    Andy

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  • imaloneimalone Frets: 748
    Nice. Looking at these I'm wondering whether I might go back to my first thought of staining and oil finish too, wood looks pretty nice as you say.
    Joys of living vicariously at the minute.
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    I used to be indecisive and now I'm not so sure...

    ...my original though was something like this:

    image



    ...where the creamy colour would be the veneer stained turquoise.  The question really is about the carving at the upper neck relief.  The whole point of the jaguar/mustang/jazzmaster/etc shape is that top bout.  Would something like this - my similarly pimped Squier VM Jaguar Bass -  be better, ie still using the veneer and turquoise but preserving the 'essential' bit of the pickguard shape:

    image

    What do you think????

    Andy
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    Naaah. I'll stick to my original plan...
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27345
    Your veneering work is quality.  And I remember the red ink stained (SG??) from the other forum.


    :)
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    TTony said:
    Your veneering work is quality.  And I remember the red ink stained (SG??) from the other forum.


    :)
    Flattery will get you absolutely anywhere, Tony   :\">

    In truth, there's a lot of making it up as I go along...
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    So, this is where the cutouts will be:

    image


    I will but doing some similar carving on the back to give maximum reach at the upper frets.  The scoops on the top will be stained the same colour as the rest of the body but will not be veneered.  I'll judge at the time if the cutout stain will need darkening at all.

    I will be creating a switch access hole at the back and putting some filling wood pieces to cover the switch cutout and associated cable run and then veneering over the top of that.

    I will probably veneer before I carve the cutouts.

    Thanks for looking 
    :)

    Andy
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    Before I start to do any real damage, do the rules say anything about having to use the supplied neck? I'm thinking about cannibalising a home-design and using the neck from that. That OK?
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    OK - finally decided.

    Going to:
    • Stick with kit-supplied neck and trem
    • Might get a cheap roller bridge to help tuning stability
    • Going to rip out some Seymour Duncan P-Rails from one of my other guitars to give me a few more sound options
    • Going to fill (starting tonight) the switch route and lead-in (see photo below) and put the toggle switch, plus 2 micro switches, in the control channel.  Might use a 4-hole Jazz bass control plate if it fits.
    • Veneer the body and shaped headstock
    • Maybe do my signature 'swifts' headstock inlay
    • Got some dark turqouise coloured ink but the yellow of the wood turns it green, so I've ordered some light turquoise which should be better
    image


    Andy
     
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    OK - filled the unwanted voids.

    First, made a paper template:
    image

    Then superglued it to a suitable piece of wood and cut it out with a coping saw:

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    Tiny bit of filing to an interference fit; spot of glue; hammer it flat with another bit of wood:

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    Then add a fillet so that I can curve the reshaped fingerboard to the right shape:

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    ...and it's ready for veneering.  Hopefully will be able to do that tomorrow evening.  If not, it'll be Sunday.

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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    The turquoise ink came through today.  Here it is on the veneer:

    image

    I might mix it with a bit of the greener shade for the back, sides and cutouts:

    image

    Getting quite enthused by this project 

    :)
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27345
    Why did you decide to fill the empty cavities - just in case your carving hit the cavity, or something else?
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    TTony said:
    Why did you decide to fill the empty cavities - just in case your carving hit the cavity, or something else?
    Hi @TTony

    No - it's because I will be cutting away the pickguard in that area and veneering the whole of the lower horn.  The veneer is only 0.6mm thick so would be too fragile without something underneath.  The fill didn't need to be that thick but that was the only bit of suitable wood I had handy 
    :)
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    @TTony - something like this, but with the 3 way and 2 micro switches squeezed in next to the other controls:

    image
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    A quick photo update of the veneering.  I can point people to more detailed blogs if anyone is interested  :)

    These are the tools:
    image

    First is to mark out the veneer:

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    Then apply the PVA to veneer and body for 1/2 of the body.  Let the PVA dry for 20 mins.  Spray the back of the veneer with water to balance out the expansion and stop it curling too much.
    image

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    Iron it on (household iron works fine)

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    Rough trim with scissors

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    Further roughish trim with a very sharp knife

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    Apply next half

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    Trim control chambers, etc with a very sharp knife

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    Next post I'll be finish sanding the edges, blending the edges with the top and filling any cracks and chips
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  • Blimey, it look class already mate.

    Definitely on looking like a 60 quid kit anymore! Where do you source your veneer?
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