First Build - DC Junior

Sarge

What about drilling to 10mm and use a dremel sanding drum to ease out the hole a touch? 

greggreg66

Do you have a spade bit you can grind the sides down to the diameter you need? Bit down and dirty but might work??

SteveRobinson

I had a look and all my metric anchors are smaller. I have US thread ones that are designed for a 1/2" hole (12.9mm diameter) 

I have some metric inserts 11.2mm o/d which would work with an 11mm drill bit?

PeteC

Thanks Steve.  I am going to order another brad bit and see if it will do the trick.   Just a few days hold up that’s all really.  

PeteC

greggreg66 said:

Do you have a spade bit you can grind the sides down to the diameter you need? Bit down and dirty but might work??

Don’t trust myself to get it accurately placed well enough with a spade bit tbh  !  Need the security of a brad point . 

PeteC

Second thoughts.   I might just buy some imperial Gibson bushings and studs like I used on the first build and use the 1/2 inch brad drill that I have already.  

TJT1979

PhilKing said:

Not all juniors, but all of them are wraparounds

The oldest is my birth year 54 Goldtop, the newest is the @WezV neck through DC with a Mojo Blade P-90.

Wow, that’s quite the collection! Just wondering how the Mojo blade P90 differs from standard P90s? I’ve been looking at the Mojo and also the TV Jones T90. 

Cheers!

PhilKing

It's a very interesting sound.  I'd actually put it more in the staple pickup area, rather than the powerful P-90 (the TV Junior has a BKP Pig-90 in it, which is a totally different beast, but is great for early Black Sabbath sounds).  You can get a lot of range out of the blade P-90, including an almost acoustic tone (which, to be fair, you can get from most P-90's if you use the volume controls).  It is a great guitar, @WezV really put together a very light guitar that sings (it is more of a Melody Maker thickness).  When I was in an old classic rock cover band, I could use it for the whole set and not feel like my shoulder was going to drop off, which was what happened with my 70's LP Custom and Deluxe).  Though I am a great fan of Juniors in general, through the years I've used them live quite a lot.

PeteC

Interesting - I am only just getting used to the P90 ( Oil City Firewatch ) in my junior. I'm so used to humbuckers - its good to be able to get an acoustic type feel with the volume backed off, and even some jazzy tones with the tone rolled off.  I ordered another Firewatch for my second build but now thinking I should have tried one of Ash's other P90s to see what difference there is. 

PeteC

Minor update - a new brad bit finally arrived so the bridge studs are fitted on the Idigbo Junior and intonations is looking very good - Phew !!  

So time for another novice question - I’ve decided to do slurry oil finishes on both juniors - no1 (mahogany)  will be over an ox blood stain and number 2 (Idigbo) be using a tinted danish oil finish.   But I am unsure what to use for both headstocks as I want them both black.    

What’s a good alternative to nitro to do a nice black gloss headstock ?  

I will get round to nitro on the next guitar or two I reckon ( unless I do an Idigbo Tele with an oil finish next which I am considering at the mo ) 

anyway - and top tips for a black headstock finish ?? 

Pics to follow soon - the express amp build has got in the way

greggreg66

If the body is oiled, could you not just stain it black and oil over that? Get a blacker than black lightfast stain and go over that? 

PeteC

cheers,
I did wonder about using black ink / India ink as a stain then oiling or wiping with varnish
(after Andyjr1515's method Ive just been reading about) 

Main thing I am concerned about is preventing the stain on the face of the headstock "bleeding" into the sides of the headstock. 

greggreg66

Ah I see. If nothing else comes to light, and as a last resort, try normal paint and oil over it. I've done it pieces of furniture before, but was going for a different / washed out effect, such as the top on this stool. I painted the timber with standard emulsion, sanded it back with a high grit, then oiled. Might sound bonkers and weird but if it works, it works! Defo test on scrap wood first! And only if nothing else comes to light that's more normal sounding! : )

WezV

I would lacquer the headstock even if it's just a cheap tin from Halfords.  It will also give plenty of options for adding a logo, which oil doesn't

I love an oiled neck, but often lacquer the headstock first

greggreg66

*maybe just ignore my completely whacky suggestion!!!

Sarge

If you're worried about stain bleeding into the sides of the headstock, oil the sides first, or whatever finish you're planning and masking tape over it.
Also make sure your tape edge is well stuck, I use a small 2" roller to really press it down, and take it off as soon as possible. 

MattNovak

PeteC said:

Minor update - a new brad bit finally arrived so the bridge studs are fitted on the Idigbo Junior and intonations is looking very good - Phew !!  

So time for another novice question - I’ve decided to do slurry oil finishes on both juniors - no1 (mahogany)  will be over an ox blood stain and number 2 (Idigbo) be using a tinted danish oil finish.   But I am unsure what to use for both headstocks as I want them both black.    

What’s a good alternative to nitro to do a nice black gloss headstock ?  

I will get round to nitro on the next guitar or two I reckon ( unless I do an Idigbo Tele with an oil finish next which I am considering at the mo ) 

anyway - and top tips for a black headstock finish ?? 

Pics to follow soon - the express amp build has got in the way

You could try a black fibreboard veneer and clear coat over the top? I used it on one of mine, it can be a b'stard to cut but there's 0.8mm versions (I think I used a thicker one). Check out Rothko and Frost or David Dyke

PeteC

Thanks guys.  Lots of option to ponder on.  

Been adjusting the neck carve with some careful sanding On the first junior - it was too much slightly D shaped and is now a much better playing C shape.   

greggreg66

Top work. I adjusted the neck shape on mine and ever-so-slightly over cooked it. Has more of a 60s feel to it now. 

There is one other interesting technique one can do with stain, which isn't too dissimilar to how people do bursts. Using a solvent based stain (like a lightfast stain), put it in a spraygun with low-ish paint flow, dot fan shape, stand a good 80cm away and shoot it in light passes. The stain dries on the surface of the wood and doesn't seep in. You don't get any grain 'strike' (where is goes into the wood to highlight the grain), but instead sits on the surface providing a very coherent / uniform colour. It won't work for your headstock as the oil will mix with it, but it's an interesting one nonetheless.

Looking forward to more pics Pete!

PeteC

Cheers @greggreg66 ;

I don't have anywhere I can really spray here at home.  
There are a couple of disused garages a street away from me and I have been pondering trying to locate whoever owns these to see whether its worth paying them to let me do some spraying there occasionally. Then there's the spraying kit to buy......    I think a good bandsaw is probably my next major tool purchase though so I might stick with rubbed finishes for now and see how many guitars I build this next year before committing to some spraying kit.  @Andyjr1515 and others here seem to manage to do wonderful finished without.