Well, I've got the first two coats of sanding sealer on the necks and the body and sanded them down with 320 grit blocks. Now they're smooth as silk and don't have that dry "raw wood" feel to them anymore. I brought the body to my shop at work and fashioned hooks from two welding rods to suspend it while I put more sanding sealer on it. It worked out great but I had a little trouble applying it to the bottom of the body. I managed to get it all on and some ugly discolorations (due to too light a coat of sanding sealer) finally vanished as it set in.
I ordered the Reranch.com Fender neck amber (2 cans) and the clear coat (3 cans) and expect to start the coloring process by next weekend. This will prove a bit more difficult than the sanding sealer simply because it's a spray on color and I have to be very careful where I do it. I can't do it inside, the fumes would kill me, and I can't do it outside, wild temperature fluctuations and too much dust/dirt would ruin the whole finish. I'm thinking of making a primitive painting booth out of our small bathroom. It's ventilated and I can stretch plastic across the area I need to avoid overspray onto the tile. MUST purchase a ventilator mask for paint/pesticides to make sure I don't kill any brain cells.
The process is easier than I thought. It's the final results that can make you crazy. So far, so good up to this point though. I took all the advice on how to apply sanding sealer and sanding and it turned out quite nice. I'm looking forward to getting the coloring process started. It takes 3 weeks of curing time after the final coat of clear so I've got time to find the stuff to extend the wiring for my pickups and make sure everything is shielded properly.
Wahoooo, let's get this thing done!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
By George, I think he's got it...
Ok, had to delay the finishing process until I got the necks to fit into their pockets and the hole for the neck selector switch routed just a little larger. That was accomplished by just using some 150 sandpaper on the sides of the necks and the neck pockets. It only took a few passes on each to get it perfect.
Found out that brush on sanding sealer was the right thing to do and I'm starting that tomorrow. One coat, let dry 2 hours. Second coat let dry overnight, then sand smooth with no shiny spots. Repeat that process and then it's time for the color coats. I'm going with Reranch's "Fender Neck Amber" for the necks and body. Since I've got twice the necks and an oversize body, I'm going to have to get twice the recommended amount for one guitar but better to have more than enough than to have too little. Same holds true for the clear coat.
Another thing that may or may not be an issue is that the fretboards are still slightly above the body when fitted into their grooves. I'm going to do a rough check by mounting the bridge and then stretching a string across to see if it's really too high or if it's my imagination.
Found out that brush on sanding sealer was the right thing to do and I'm starting that tomorrow. One coat, let dry 2 hours. Second coat let dry overnight, then sand smooth with no shiny spots. Repeat that process and then it's time for the color coats. I'm going with Reranch's "Fender Neck Amber" for the necks and body. Since I've got twice the necks and an oversize body, I'm going to have to get twice the recommended amount for one guitar but better to have more than enough than to have too little. Same holds true for the clear coat.
Another thing that may or may not be an issue is that the fretboards are still slightly above the body when fitted into their grooves. I'm going to do a rough check by mounting the bridge and then stretching a string across to see if it's really too high or if it's my imagination.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
And.........We're Off!
Well, I've learned the basic process of finishing so it's down to gathering the right materials and supplies to start the whole thing. I've got a list of stuff to get and I got some great tips and advice from the finishing forum on Guitar Reranch. A most helpful group of guys who've done this many times themselves and are filled with tons of helpful and useful ideas to keep me from making too many rookie mistakes.
One little hassle is that most of the finishing products are aerosol and can't be done inside due to noxious and potentially hazardous fumes. So I've got that to worry about and I can't do it outside because the temperatures here are too inconsistent. The other problem is that there's entirely too much moisture in the air to make spraying outside feasible right now.
The basic list of materials needed to start is as follows:
Sanding sealer, 2 cans of aerosol
rubber gloves
assorted sand paper in 150, 220 & 480 grits
sanding block
naphtha
masking tape
I can find all the stuff at most any hardware store but the sanding sealer, color/stain and clear coat I have to buy online because they're especially designed for finishing guitars. These are a nitrocellulose product and not available locally. Again, Reranch to the rescue here. They have the complete line of finishing products and even offer classic Fender and Gibson colors to produce a fairly faithful replica. I've settled on a honey/gold finish for the body and a slightly lighter version for the necks.
The first step involves cleaning the wood with naphtha to remove any oils that may have transferred to the wood from handling. After that it's rubber gloves for the entire process to avoid any imperfections in the finish. Then a light sanding with fine grit to ensure a nice, smooth wood surface. Then it's on to applying sanding sealer to "close" the wood to make it ready for staining/painting. There will be 2-4 coats of sealer with sanding between each pass to remove any shiny spots or uneven surfaces.
I haven't found the right color yet for the body so I'm going to take my time before I get to that step. The color I'm looking for is sort of the color you get when you hold a bottle of honey up to the light and then turn it slightly in different directions. When you do, you'll see a slightly darker color emerge as the honey moves. THAT'S the color I want. How abstract is that right? That's what I want and I'm going to keep searching until I find it or learn some trick to make it happen.
The guys on the forum tell me that this hobby is about as addictive as it gets. Even with success you begin to look for new ways to get a better color or a smoother clear coat etc. The overriding assertion is not to rush through the process. The clear coat needs at least 30 days to cure properly before I can actually use the guitar.
Maybe next time I'll try using decals or something unique to finish with. That should be fun!
One little hassle is that most of the finishing products are aerosol and can't be done inside due to noxious and potentially hazardous fumes. So I've got that to worry about and I can't do it outside because the temperatures here are too inconsistent. The other problem is that there's entirely too much moisture in the air to make spraying outside feasible right now.
The basic list of materials needed to start is as follows:
Sanding sealer, 2 cans of aerosol
rubber gloves
assorted sand paper in 150, 220 & 480 grits
sanding block
naphtha
masking tape
I can find all the stuff at most any hardware store but the sanding sealer, color/stain and clear coat I have to buy online because they're especially designed for finishing guitars. These are a nitrocellulose product and not available locally. Again, Reranch to the rescue here. They have the complete line of finishing products and even offer classic Fender and Gibson colors to produce a fairly faithful replica. I've settled on a honey/gold finish for the body and a slightly lighter version for the necks.
The first step involves cleaning the wood with naphtha to remove any oils that may have transferred to the wood from handling. After that it's rubber gloves for the entire process to avoid any imperfections in the finish. Then a light sanding with fine grit to ensure a nice, smooth wood surface. Then it's on to applying sanding sealer to "close" the wood to make it ready for staining/painting. There will be 2-4 coats of sealer with sanding between each pass to remove any shiny spots or uneven surfaces.
I haven't found the right color yet for the body so I'm going to take my time before I get to that step. The color I'm looking for is sort of the color you get when you hold a bottle of honey up to the light and then turn it slightly in different directions. When you do, you'll see a slightly darker color emerge as the honey moves. THAT'S the color I want. How abstract is that right? That's what I want and I'm going to keep searching until I find it or learn some trick to make it happen.
The guys on the forum tell me that this hobby is about as addictive as it gets. Even with success you begin to look for new ways to get a better color or a smoother clear coat etc. The overriding assertion is not to rush through the process. The clear coat needs at least 30 days to cure properly before I can actually use the guitar.
Maybe next time I'll try using decals or something unique to finish with. That should be fun!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Problems already?
Ok, so I knew this wasn't going to be a name brand guitar when I finished but I fully expected that all the parts would fit. After careful inspection I find that the grooves for the necks are too small. That means the necks don't slide into their respective pockets and I have to find someone to grind them out larger and then sand them smooth myself.
Another small problem is that the pickup wires for the 12 string neck are WAY too short and I'll have to extend them and then shield the connection or it'll buzz like mad. Also discovered that the cavity for the neck selector switch seems to be just a hair too small but that I can fix myself. Not really deal breakers either problem but I just wasn't expecting them.
Put together a list of beginning materials for sealing and staining the wood. I'm going to go to a paint store and my local hobby shop to find the exact color stain that I need. Found a website called Guitar Reranch that offers lots of painting and staining products and even gives suggestions for how to achieve the desired color when staining. It's a wonderful website that takes you through the entire process of building a guitar, including shaping the body and neck, and has awesome tutorials on techniques for staining and lots of little tricks that the pros use.
This should be fun! I'll post a complete list of materials and supplies once I purchase them.
Another small problem is that the pickup wires for the 12 string neck are WAY too short and I'll have to extend them and then shield the connection or it'll buzz like mad. Also discovered that the cavity for the neck selector switch seems to be just a hair too small but that I can fix myself. Not really deal breakers either problem but I just wasn't expecting them.
Put together a list of beginning materials for sealing and staining the wood. I'm going to go to a paint store and my local hobby shop to find the exact color stain that I need. Found a website called Guitar Reranch that offers lots of painting and staining products and even gives suggestions for how to achieve the desired color when staining. It's a wonderful website that takes you through the entire process of building a guitar, including shaping the body and neck, and has awesome tutorials on techniques for staining and lots of little tricks that the pros use.
This should be fun! I'll post a complete list of materials and supplies once I purchase them.
Introduction
This is going to be a very interesting but very difficult task for me. While I have been playing guitar for more than 30 years now, I've never delved into building or repair. Guitars are like religious symbols to me and I have a hard time looking at them as a "project" or something taken lightly. Music is my religion and I've always left the repair and complex maintenance to luthiers who are better qualified than I to do that kind of work. My personal luthier is Jerry and he is a wizard. He never ceases to amaze me with his love for guitars and his ability to understand what I'm trying to say when I describe a sound in my head that I would like a particular guitar to make. I gave him a Mexican Tele years ago and just said, "Make it growl". He added some new pickups, rewired for a 5-way selector switch, put in jumbo frets and provided more noise cancellation by rubberizing all the wiring to eliminate hum. I paid $300 for it new and sold it for more than $700 and that is testament enough to his skills.
I've wanted a double-neck for many years but never really wanted to pay the exorbitant price that comes with buying one. I saw the current kit I just received as a Christmas gift on Ebay and thought, "There's the answer to my conundrum." The kit was low cost and looked of decent quality and I decided that's what I wanted to do. Build my own guitar to the specs I wanted (apart from the actual body of course) and then find new and creative ways to use it. I thought at first I would get the traditional SG body that's been made famous by Page, Lifeson and The Eagles but in the end I wanted something unique that I could call my own when it was done.
The first steps will be tentative and include something I've never been really good at: staining/painting. I've not worked with painting wood before and it's a time and labor intensive process. The body is completely unfinished and so are the necks. I've scoured the web for tutorials and videos of what will be needed to finish the wood and I'll probably start next week after I've gathered all the necessary tools and stains that will be needed. I've settled on a honey-blonde finish and some upgraded electronics and I'd like to spend a little more time boning up on the process before I begin. I'm not as shy about the electronics as that's what I do for a living. The hardware is straight forward and doesn't look too difficult so that's not a problem either. To the right are the pics of the raw wood right out of the box.
I've wanted a double-neck for many years but never really wanted to pay the exorbitant price that comes with buying one. I saw the current kit I just received as a Christmas gift on Ebay and thought, "There's the answer to my conundrum." The kit was low cost and looked of decent quality and I decided that's what I wanted to do. Build my own guitar to the specs I wanted (apart from the actual body of course) and then find new and creative ways to use it. I thought at first I would get the traditional SG body that's been made famous by Page, Lifeson and The Eagles but in the end I wanted something unique that I could call my own when it was done.
The first steps will be tentative and include something I've never been really good at: staining/painting. I've not worked with painting wood before and it's a time and labor intensive process. The body is completely unfinished and so are the necks. I've scoured the web for tutorials and videos of what will be needed to finish the wood and I'll probably start next week after I've gathered all the necessary tools and stains that will be needed. I've settled on a honey-blonde finish and some upgraded electronics and I'd like to spend a little more time boning up on the process before I begin. I'm not as shy about the electronics as that's what I do for a living. The hardware is straight forward and doesn't look too difficult so that's not a problem either. To the right are the pics of the raw wood right out of the box.
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