Finished Pics! SG-style in Yew

MLten80

Wow!!
 Agree not to go overboard. Looks like a good coverage as it is
 I'd go with curing it a week or 2 & minimal cut/polish 

  Reflection test made me lol
 

TTony

Andyjr1515 said:

Now, I'm one of those people where, if I drop a piece of toast it always lands butter-side down.  Except when I try to demonstrate that certainty to anyone, when it lands, of course, butter-side up.
 
So imagine my disbelief when this natural aberration that was lurking under the surface: 

...turned out to be 3mm BEHIND where I will be cutting at the end of the fretboard   Well, if that was karma, I clearly must have done at least one unbelievably good thing in the recent past! 

You undoubtedly have

TTony

Andyjr1515 said:

When I saw that photo, my immediate thought was "right, I'm off to get some Ronseal Hardglaze".

And then I read a little more about the technique of applying it in order to achieve that finish, and I decided that it'd probably be a wasted purchase!  I can buy the kit, but the skills needed to use it effectively can only be hard-earned.  I can only guess at the hours you've put in, through the years and many builds, to be able to achieve a finish like that. 

Beautiful.

PeteC

I expect there will be a run on Ronseal Hardglaze now anyway - forget bog paper, bread flour and yeast !!! 

Andyjr1515

TTony said:
When I saw that photo, my immediate thought was "right, I'm off to get some Ronseal Hardglaze".

And then I read a little more about the technique of applying it in order to achieve that finish, and I decided that it'd probably be a wasted purchase!  I can buy the kit, but the skills needed to use it effectively can only be hard-earned.  I can only guess at the hours you've put in, through the years and many builds, to be able to achieve a finish like that. 

Beautiful.

It does, of course, have an element of "tips and techniques" about it, @TTony, but they are fairly straightforward.  

When the formulation of the Ronseal changed, I had to find a different technique to my previous wipe-on method.  But, actually, the new formula is easier.  I use an artist's fan-brush nowadays - and, with the new formulation which is a teeny bit thinner, it is fairly straightforward.

If anyone is interested, I'm happy to do a quick blow, by blow?

TTony

Andyjr1515 said:

If anyone is interested, I'm happy to do a quick blow, by blow?

You really need to ask??

merlin

Andy, it's this kind of skullduggery that makes me want an SG again. Beautiful work. 

PeteC

Andyjr1515 said:

TTony said:
When I saw that photo, my immediate thought was "right, I'm off to get some Ronseal Hardglaze".

And then I read a little more about the technique of applying it in order to achieve that finish, and I decided that it'd probably be a wasted purchase!  I can buy the kit, but the skills needed to use it effectively can only be hard-earned.  I can only guess at the hours you've put in, through the years and many builds, to be able to achieve a finish like that. 

Beautiful.

It does, of course, have an element of "tips and techniques" about it, @TTony, but they are fairly straightforward.  

When the formulation of the Ronseal changed, I had to find a different technique to my previous wipe-on method.  But, actually, the new formula is easier.  I use an artist's fan-brush nowadays - and, with the new formulation which is a teeny bit thinner, it is fairly straightforward.

If anyone is interested, I'm happy to do a quick blow, by blow?

Yes please ! 

TheMarlin

Andyjr1515 said:

TTony said:
When I saw that photo, my immediate thought was "right, I'm off to get some Ronseal Hardglaze".

And then I read a little more about the technique of applying it in order to achieve that finish, and I decided that it'd probably be a wasted purchase!  I can buy the kit, but the skills needed to use it effectively can only be hard-earned.  I can only guess at the hours you've put in, through the years and many builds, to be able to achieve a finish like that. 

Beautiful.

It does, of course, have an element of "tips and techniques" about it, @TTony, but they are fairly straightforward.  

When the formulation of the Ronseal changed, I had to find a different technique to my previous wipe-on method.  But, actually, the new formula is easier.  I use an artist's fan-brush nowadays - and, with the new formulation which is a teeny bit thinner, it is fairly straightforward.

If anyone is interested, I'm happy to do a quick blow, by blow?

Fnar, fnar.....

Andyjr1515

OK - I'll do a run-through of how I apply the Ronseal nowadays later on today for those of you who are interested.  

In terms of yesterday's activities, first thing I did was drill the tuner holes.  Matt was happy with the compromise of strings bending at the nut to retain a more traditional headstock shape.  I always draw headstocks full-size and only when I physically have the tuners at hand!  Been there, done that!



I then started the treatment of the neck.  I will be using the @WezV Tru-oil slurry-and-buff method - fabulous for necks - but recently I've started using Danish Oil rather than Tru-oil (although I still use Tru-oil for the bodies).

Reason is that I've found that over extended playing, the tru-oil necks sometimes get a bit grain-furry where they are most regularly used.  All it needs is a quick rub down with some micro-web or similar to sort it, but I've found that decent Danish Oil applied in the same way gives the same organic silky smooth result, but appears - certainly on the ones I've done this way - to be just a touch longer lasting before you need to re-buff.


The main thing I have found with both, though, is that the wood had absorbed a decent amount of oil before the slurry and buff starts.  I usually apply at least two generous coats of oil to soak in and fully dry first:



And this is how it is this morning, dry and ready for the slurry and buff process to begin - probably starting with 400 grit emery to be applying the Danish Oil with.

This is broadly the colour it will now stay at:


Again, the light stripe of the maple veneer is subtle but really adds to the look of the fretboard join:



I'm pleased with the heel - it is the great, great advantage of through-necks, particularly with slim bodies, in spite of some of the challenges of doing them.  Matt should find this very nice to play.  Oh - and even with the tuners fitted and no body hardware...it balances!  Phew!    

WezV

I took the opposite path with different results 

Started with Danish oil and would reapply twice a year for the first two years to build up patina.   Moved to tru-oil and rarely reapply

Teyeplayer

Love how that thin maple veneer makes the fretboard pop! 

Andyjr1515

WezV said:

I took the opposite path with different results 

Started with Danish oil and would reapply twice a year for the first two years to build up patina.   Moved to tru-oil and rarely reapply

Interesting.  Maybe the way I've been doing it (to add to my many iffy methods ) 

That said, I don't actually have to reapply the tru-oil - it's just a buff up with an 8000 grit micro-web about every year with a well-used guitar.  Mind you, I don't tend to use Briwax as a final stage - do you use that on your neck's too? 

Andyjr1515

Teyeplayer said:

Love how that thin maple veneer makes the fretboard pop! 

Yes - it was a guy at one of the physical Basschat meets they hold each year who was using the standard 0.6mm veneer and I was amazed how effective it was.  At the time, I was using 1.5mm constructional veneer for demarcation stuff, thinking that standard veneer just wouldn't show - but it does and, if anything, looks classier because it is so subtle.

Teyeplayer

Andyjr1515 said:

Teyeplayer said:

Love how that thin maple veneer makes the fretboard pop! 

Yes - it was a guy at one of the physical Basschat meets they hold each year who was using the standard 0.6mm veneer and I was amazed how effective it was.  At the time, I was using 1.5mm constructional veneer for demarcation stuff, thinking that standard veneer just wouldn't show - but it does and, if anything, looks classier because it is so subtle.

That’s definitely the term I should have used, it is very classy.
It’s amazing the visual impact such a small piece of wood can have, really finishes the look. Keep the good work up.

WezV

Andyjr1515 said:

WezV said:

I took the opposite path with different results 

Started with Danish oil and would reapply twice a year for the first two years to build up patina.   Moved to tru-oil and rarely reapply

Interesting.  Maybe the way I've been doing it (to add to my many iffy methods ) 

That said, I don't actually have to reapply the tru-oil - it's just a buff up with an 8000 grit micro-web about every year with a well-used guitar.  Mind you, I don't tend to use Briwax as a final stage - do you use that on your neck's too? 

Yeah, I have always used Briwax as the final step with either oil, and it's the wax I was reapplying every 6 months.


I think it was a variation on a finish technique from Melvyn hiscocks book

WezV

Yeah, it was an adaptation from How To Make Your Own Electric Guitar, third guitar in thee second edition.  Although his finishing chapter also has a paragraph on tru-oil.   
 
The book has pretty much been my Bible since I found it in 1998, so it's no surprise it came from there, and just developed into a more involved process as I did more.

Here is an excerpt.  If @melvynhiscock ;; minds me posting it, let me know and I will remove it.  But it's nice to give credit where it's due.

Andyjr1515

Great info.  Thanks @WezV ;

Andyjr1515

Ref my revised Ronseal method - I'll do a separate thread.  Should be up by the end of the afternoon.

Andyjr1515

Ronseal thread posted