pulaifaz's 2012 Challenge Build Thread -- COMPLETED

[emoney]

Well, on the bright side, if you decide to go on a KISS Tribute Tour, your impression of
Ace Freehley should be spot-on as thinner burns better!

[pulaifaz]

finishing the neck

I sanded the neck using 150, 220, 320 and 400 grit papers then cleaned it with naphta

I sprayed a sanding sealer, an amber toner, and 4 clear gloss lacquer passes - all Mohawk rattle can products





I may have gone overboard with the amber toner and it may be a little bit too dark, let's see tomorrow with better light

I will start finishing the body tomorrow

[pulaifaz]

next I fine sanded the body

since the neck came out as antique amber, I decided against using amber for the body and went with the merlot water based dye



I let it dry, and here was the result



I really didn't like it, so this morning I sanded the top almost fully, which was also a good thing since the fibers were raised by the original dye application. I also read from a finishing book that if you use this technique it is recommended that you first apply distilled water and sand again with the same grit to level the fibers.

Anyway, I went for something warmer to attempt to match better the neck, and applied amber dye and a little bit of the merlot dye on top

I like this much better





I am waiting for this to dry to start with the lacquer routine

[flatfive]

Making good progress, pulaifaz! I like the color you
choose in the end. The guitar is going to look sexy
with the carved top and that color. It will be great to
see it with the clear coat.

[axedaddy]

Nice work, I am loving a carved top Tele myself!

[tklaavo]

I may have said this before, but nothing beats a red tele! Any red, really. Yours looks gooood!

[emoney]

I like that color a lot!

[pulaifaz]

thanks a bunch guys

started applying the lacquer



left the sides and the back with a lighter merlot




now the waiting starts, i am going to start on setting up the electronics

[pulaifaz]

this is a good news / bad news update

I started fitting the tuners and the vintage bridge







started fitting the nut and here's the first piece of bad news, the neck is too thin and on the treble side the first string frets out and sounds chocked



the second piece of bad news is that the oak skunk stripe started to move





besides that, I don't love the neck finishing job - so I will start neck #3 for this build. I will continue fitting everything and do the electronics while I make the new neck



here's the good news, acoustically the guitar sounds great, and I really like how the body is coming after the clear coats

[Dep]

Love the color. Good choice on the redo.

Beautiful work.

Dep

[RogerC]

Bummer about the neck, but nice work on the body.

[bcarter_1]

Originally Posted by pulaifaz

Love the carved top.

[pulaifaz]

new neck - didn't take a lot of photos





I did the truss rod channel a little differently, hopefully this will prevent the stripe to move

[pulaifaz]

Originally Posted by Dep

Love the color. Good choice on the redo.

Beautiful work
Dep

thanks Dep - - I couldn't continue with that neck, should have caught at least the thinness issue way before

Originally Posted by RogerC

Bummer about the neck, but nice work on the body.

thanks Roger

Originally Posted by bcarter_1

Love the carved top.

thanks bcarter

[pulaifaz]

contoured the back









drilled the tuner holes





thinned the headstock

[pulaifaz]

making good progress with the neck


transitions








drilled the fret marker holes and frets



it is nice and chunky, I prefer chunky necks, it still needs some refining

[emoney]

You are just turning into a neck-making-machine! Great work on the do-over and I'm
sure you'll be happy with this one.

[pulaifaz]

Originally Posted by emoney

You are just turning into a neck-making-machine! Great work on the do-over and I'm
sure you'll be happy with this one.

thanks - emoney
this one is going faster, I am trying not to make the same fatal mistakes

I am running out of time, but I will finish

[pulaifaz]

glued the fret markers



sanded and radiused for 9-1/2"




installed the frets

[pulaifaz]

The new neck is almost ready and fitted to the guitar, I still need to make the nut and apply some finish to the neck