Hondo II project

Skodadad

This is a Hondo II I recently traded, it came to me in a fetching mahogany with a Bigsby style tremolo sitting on top of the bridge ferules.

I considered leaving it on after a struggle removing the ferules but it doesn't cover the holes and there is no way I would have the skill to patch it leaving the stripes intact. It also left some screw holes which are a concern after filling as I am not sure how much they will show up after staining (suggestions on either bridge appreciated) I really wanted to do something with the stripes but bottled out, its my first time dealing with stain and I don't want to have to try and remove cockups as sanding took ages! I have shielded all the cavities and have linked them all with a guitar string tucked under the tape, I now have continuity from the edge of the jack socket to the edge of the neck pocket. The neck pocket needs some work as it is too big, I plan on using some strips of veneer in there, I also wants some nice marquetry on the headstock.

I have some white wood stain on its way, I am planning to do the whole body in this as I love that limed look but I may have to pay someone to do the stripes for me. My only worry is the neck has a red hue so may look a bit daft, I plan on fitting all decent hardware and pickups. Doing this has made me want to sand down a Squier Strat body but I am worried what wood is behind the black. Anyway here it is so far: 

rpr

Really not sure if this'll help, but theres a few usefull threads on wood veneering in this section - It would cover the screw holes and the stripes if needed or use contrasting veneer if you want to keep the look.

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/4740/ ;

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/6325/  

There actually  quite a few more if you use the search function.

@Andyjr1515 is the man to talk to if you want to go down that route

Skodadad

Cheers @rpr will look now

Andyjr1515

Hi @Skodadad

If you want to fit a Bigsby, why not use a Vibramate?  Then you won't have any large holes to fill...

Nice looking body, by the way.  It depends what stain you're going to use, but if it's a dye rather than a paint, you won't lose the stripes...

Also, sanding off stain, if it doesn't look right, is a zillion times easier than sanding off the original coating  

Skodadad

Ooohhh I wonder if the fitment is the same? That could be very cool thanks @Andyjr1515 I wasn't sure if stain went right into the wood. I'm a total newbie to this stuff.

Andyjr1515

Check on the vibramate site - there will be the dimensions of the fixing positions (it uses the stop tail bushes to fix the adapter onto and then you use your normal Tune-o-matic at the bridge position, or a roller version whatever suits) and also which model works with which Bigsby and which work best with flat-tops or carved tops.

Wood dyes (I use ink...but that's another story...) only soak into the very top surface and a bit deeper for the cross-grain bits such as the tail block end.  The dye will soak into the stripes as well, but just making them a little darker.

 Stains are different - they tend to be like a semi-translucent coloured paint.  These also don't soak in very much but will tend to cover over the stripes, again depending on what kind and how thickly applied.

impmann

Vibramates come with screws suitable for far eastern guitars - I'd be surprised if the centres of the tailpiece screws are that different to a modern Epiphone for example.

Skodadad

The Bigsby copy I have is a bit different I shape unfortunately. It has got me thinking about getting a plate made that sits under it though. Just to cover the holes from the bridge posts and using the screw holes that are already in the body so pureley a cosmetic one.

Skodadad

This is it:

impmann

No you do have to use USA Bigsby units with the Vibramate - not even the licensed ones fit.

Skodadad

Well today sort of started ok but finished worse I think I may have ruined it lol. I started with the white wood dye I bought which was supposedly dilutable by up to 10 parts water, even neat it had little effect and it was starting to look a bit naff do I thought what the hell. I split open two inkcarts from an old printer and sponged on cyan followed by yellow. I dried it with a heat gun then oiled it lol. Not sure if it was the ink itself or lack of patience with ink drying time but the oil didn't seal it, if you rub hard with a cloth a bit of green comes off I guess it's back to the drawing board. Shame as it sort of looks OK.

Andyjr1515

Skodadad said:

Well today sort of started ok but finished worse I think I may have ruined it lol. I started with the white wood dye I bought which was supposedly dilutable by up to 10 parts water, even neat it had little effect and it was starting to look a bit naff do I thought what the hell. II split open two inkcarts from an old printer and sponged on cyan followed by yellow. I dried it with a heat gun then oiled it lol. Not sure if it was the ink itself or lack of patience with ink drying time but the oil didn't seal it, if you rub hard with a cloth a bit of green comes off I guess it's back to the drawing board. Shame as it sort of looks OK.

Oh wow!  OK - there's a lot gone on there...

So....when I said I use ink, it's fountain-pen ink I use...not ink-jet cartridge ink.

But...that looks really cool...>-

No idea what the composition of ink-jet ink is, but whatever it is, if you slap anything on top of it straightaway, it's not likely to set very quickly.  Also, if you rub it before it's set, it is likely to come off onto the cloth.  Just for the time being, don't touch it any more! 

What have you used to put on top of it?   You say 'oil' but exactly what oil have you used?

I'd be very surprised if this can't be sorted...and it does look VERY cool  

Andyjr1515

Just as a guideline, whether varnish or tru-oil, you can usually add, say, three coats over a day.  However, these finishes wouldn't be hard enough to handle / de-nib for AT LEAST 12 hours after the last coat.  

In terms of the final flattening, the norm is at least 2 weeks... 

Skodadad

I used Colron refined finishing oil, it says it's a blend of resins and tung oil. Thats what the guy in b&q said I needed lol.

Andyjr1515

As long as it hardens, even if that's eventually, you have a number of options. See what it's like in the morning...

vaticancameos

Crikey! If that dries nicely and you can put a good dozen coats of oil on that it will look superb!

Skodadad

I'm not sure the oil is right, I did the last coat about 5 hours ago and it feels waxy,. Will leave it overnight as suggested and see what happens

Sarge

Ok, the Colron oil is their Antique Oil rebranded, I've used it a few times and it's essential that you apply each coat as thin as possible with a lint free, folded cloth and 2 coats per day max.
Don't forget to lightly denib with 0000 wire wool after every 3 or 4 coats.


Looks fucking cool though!

Skodadad

Cheers @Sarge, I don't know if it has anything to do with the effect but I forgot to mention I rubbed bleach into the wood before applying the ink. I don't know why, I thought as that was the only thing that removes printer ink it may thin it so it was absorbed. The ink today in the sun looks amazing, it's hard to get a photo but it looks metallic. There us one section on the rear that refused to take dye, I even resanded it but no joy. You can see it next to the control cavity. This is the rear as it looks now. It is no longer leeching any dye even with a white cloth and rubbing but last night's rubbing down did take a bit of colour off. The end grain is a lot darker at the edges but some areas have lovely highlights.

Andyjr1515

It looks GREAT @Skodadad !  Don't mess with it  )  Just add the extra coats of varnish/oil per @Sarge's advice.  The metallic effect will improve as the gloss thickens...

The dyes absorb more into end grain and less into the cross grain...perfectly normal and adds a genuine wood look to the overall effect.  It's why dye - in my view - is much better than a painted stain for this kind of job...

So, just in case you missed it first time...DON'T MESS WITH THE COLOUR...IT'S GREAT!!!! )

Sarge

Lol, taking in to consideration all the wacky steps you took, bleach, printer ink, heat gun etc, it has NO right looking as good as it does!

shows what we know huh.


kudos!