My 1st Build

Here are some pics of my first build. I've been gathering supplies, and as much knowledge as I could for the last year or so. It's time to finally jump in feet first. Time for the learning to really begin.

Yes it is purple. The color is a tip of the hat to my Dad. His last stock car was purple.
I'll add more pics as I go.
Comments and critiques will be helpful.
Enjoy!

I sanded through the stain in a couple spots on the top. I might go back, and re-stain/sand to get a better look. I like the color. It's sealer next, and then some clear coats of nitro.

The neck will be finished in amber with clear coats on top of that.
The wood is from USACG.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7263/7655865466_08471c2431.jpg
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Looks like a good start :smile:

Looks great! Love the old stock car.

That decision to go back and sand/re-stain is a tuff one.

That is looking pretty good!!! I like it!

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Pretty nice colour!

Looks great! Love the old stock car.

That decision to go back and sand/re-stain is a tuff one.

I'm not sure if I will restain. I might just leave it. It's a dye stain. I just wiped it on with a rag. When it dried I sanded it back some because it was too dark and you couldn't see the wood grain at all. I got a bit carried away with the sand paper and sanded through in a couple spots.:oops:
I don't know if leaving it look the way it currently does makes it look unprofessional or cool.
I am also not sure what the sealer will do, if anything, to the dye.

I'll ponder awhile on what to do:confused: It's not difficult to wipe some more stain on, and then sand it back for the desired look.

Pretty nice colour!

I got the recipe for the color out of "Guitar Finishing Step-By-Step" from Stew Mac.
It's about 2/3 blue dye mixed with 1/3 of red dye. I just mixed it too strong. Ron Kirn is right about the Sherwin Williams concentrated dyes. They are expensive:!: And a little goes a long ways.

Looking very good!

Looking good..........

I like it.

Thanks for the kind words.

I am gonna' restain and sand the top. Hopefully I'll be happier w/the end result.

While that is drying I'll get some supplies needed to complete my air line for the compressor.
After that it's on to the sealer.

Does anyone know if the dye will bleed into the sealer at all?

After thinning the stain a bit I re-stained the body. I think it looks better. Now onto the sealer.
And I have taped off the fret board, so I can start shooting the neck also.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7253/7667183508_33e457650d.jpg
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I am not happy with the way the stain appears on the wood. I have what appear to be sand paper scratches in the grain. It really bugs me too. I have decided to completely sand off the stain. This body came in good shape from USACG, but the top is not as flat around the outline of the body as it should be. I keep sanding through the edges when using a flat block to sand.

So, wood preperation is key, especially for a project with a translucent finish. I don't know if I'll post pics before or after I start shooting the sealer, and clear coat.

I'll be back!

I am not happy with the way the stain appears on the wood. I have what appear to be sand paper scratches in the grain. It really bugs me too. I have decided to completely sand off the stain. This body came in good shape from USACG, but the top is not as flat around the outline of the body as it should be. I keep sanding through the edges when using a flat block to sand.

So, wood preperation is key, especially for a project with a translucent finish. I don't know if I'll post pics before or after I start shooting the sealer, and clear coat.

I'll be back!

If I may, let me suggest that you take a look at the LMI video "Luthier Tips Du Jour" by Robert O'Brien. There are two that have given me some excellent information and results, the one entitled "Electric Guitar Finish", which you can apply to your project (except for the figure popping stage), and Sunburst Finish. Using shellac or lacquer as a fixative for your color coat provides an even, controllable coloring that will be compatible with lacquer top (clear) coats.

Scroll along the right side of the screen and click on the title to run the short, but informative video.

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/Video.asp

PS, that purple is going to be exceptionally awesome. :cool:

If I may, let me suggest that you take a look at the LMI video "Luthier Tips Du Jour" by Robert O'Brien. There are two that have given me some excellent information and results, the one entitled "Electric Guitar Finish", which you can apply to your project (except for the figure popping stage), and Sunburst Finish. Using shellac or lacquer as a fixative for your color coat provides an even, controllable coloring that will be compatible with lacquer top (clear) coats.

Scroll along the right side of the screen and click on the title to run the short, but informative video.

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/Video.asp

PS, that purple is going to be exceptionally awesome. :cool:


Thank you for the link. I will definitely check it out.

I am not happy with the way the stain appears on the wood. I have what appear to be sand paper scratches in the grain. It really bugs me too. I have decided to completely sand off the stain. This body came in good shape from USACG, but the top is not as flat around the outline of the body as it should be. I keep sanding through the edges when using a flat block to sand.

So, wood preperation is key, especially for a project with a translucent finish. I don't know if I'll post pics before or after I start shooting the sealer, and clear coat.

I'll be back!

On my 2012 challenge build I had the same issue when applying stain directly onto the wood. The effect is beautiful, but you have to sand out all the heavy sanding gouges completely with very fine grades of sandpaper (best with a random orbital sander etc) or the dye soaks unevenly into the wood. Essentially the dye pools in the small groves left by coarser grades of sandpaper and really makes them pop out, colouring the channels in the wood slightly darker than the rest of the surface - and once those lines are there you won't be able to get rid of them unless you sand them all out - any clear coats over top of them just seal in what the dye and wood looks like. Surface prep is key here. Extra time with sanding to get the surface as perfectly smooth as possible will save you so much time and grief when finishing (boring as heck, but necessary if you want a killer finish - time spent sanding saves much more time later on). I had to resand my maple top to get all the scratches out, and the re-dye it, but was much happier with the results after I did.

On my 2012 challenge build I had the same issue when applying stain directly onto the wood. The effect is beautiful, but you have to sand out all the heavy sanding gouges completely with very fine grades of sandpaper (best with a random orbital sander etc) or the dye soaks unevenly into the wood. Essentially the dye pools in the small groves left by coarser grades of sandpaper and really makes them pop out, colouring the channels in the wood slightly darker than the rest of the surface - and once those lines are there you won't be able to get rid of them unless you sand them all out - any clear coats over top of them just seal in what the dye and wood looks like. Surface prep is key here. Extra time with sanding to get the surface as perfectly smooth as possible will save you so much time and grief when finishing (boring as heck, but necessary if you want a killer finish - time spent sanding saves much more time later on). I had to resand my maple top to get all the scratches out, and the re-dye it, but was much happier with the results after I did.

It was an eyesore. A pain in the butt to address, but would have bothered me if I had gone and finished the guitar w/out first fixing the problem.
It's been a long time since I have done any kind of fine wood working. I'm sure this is just one of many lessons to be learned.

Nice colour.

Reminds me of a strat i'm finishing right now. It's just had it's last clear coat, so now the long wait until I can wet sand it nice and smooth.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o81/nickgrigg/DSC02123.jpg
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o81/nickgrigg/DSC02125.jpg

I used water based dye and sprayed the black burst.
The colour really popped once I started applying the clear coats, so i'm sure yours will do the same :razz:

I love the colour. What type of wood is the body?

Nice colour.

Reminds me of a strat i'm finishing right now. It's just had it's last clear coat, so now the long wait until I can wet sand it nice and smooth.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o81/nickgrigg/DSC02123.jpg
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o81/nickgrigg/DSC02125.jpg

I used water based dye and sprayed the black burst.
The colour really popped once I started applying the clear coats, so i'm sure yours will do the same :razz:

I love the colour. What type of wood is the body?

Thanks. It's a swamp ash body with a flamed ash veneer on top

Thanks. It's a swamp ash body with a flamed ash veneer on top

How did you get the cool design in the top?

lookin fine….. but dontcha put nuthin yella on that purple guitar…. less ya wanna make Boris smile….. :wink: I mean it is "SWAMP" ash aint it….. you know what kinda critters ya find in a Swamp dontcha...

Ron Kirn

lookin fine….. but dontcha put nuthin yella on that purple guitar…. less ya wanna make Boris smile….. :wink: I mean it is "SWAMP" ash aint it….. you know what kinda critters ya find in a Swamp dontcha...

Ron Kirn

Yes sir, It is "swamp ash". I hadn't planned on puttin' anything yellow on it. Just gonna put some clear nitro sanding sealer on it, and then some clear coats of nitro.

It's funny that you mention "boris". My wife is half Lithuanian. I tease her a bit about being russian. I'd like her to learn Natasha's accent.

Thank you for the kind words Ron.

How did you get the cool design in the top?

I found the answer. I had never seen flamed ash before. That's very cool.

I just shot the first coats of sanding sealer on the body today. I also sprayed the maple neck w/amber.
Tomorrow, I'll hopefully get to more sanding sealer and maybe start working on the decals for the head stock and body.

lookin good!

Letting the 2nd day of sealer dry.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8445/7762368034_aeaa69c13e.jpg
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For the neck I have sprayed the color and moved onto the clear coats.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8441/7762370596_4f0d8e91bc.jpg
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That's looking great!

That's looking great!

Thank you. I'm hoping it's gonna' sound great too. We will see. I might not find out 'till next year how she sounds if I don't get the finish shot before cooler weather starts moving in. I'm kinda' running short on warm days here in upstate NY.