The Donocaster Project (aka Son of Goldiecaster)

[Lerb21]

For those of you who don't know, here's Goldiecaster:



Some of you might remember that before Goldiecaster was Goldiecaster, it was Silvercaster. Pics.



And now I am building a new guitar... The Donocaster! It's gonna be a as-close-as-I-can-get-within-budget replica of Don's 1966 Silver Flake Tele, seen here.



Not too hard to see what I need to put on there.

The stuff'll be here on Wednesday or Thursday, so I have a little bit of time to plan my next move.

(Oh, and the title of the thread is quite obviously based off of all of Buckocaster's threads. I use the title with only the utmost respect and admiration to my mentor (whether he knows it or not).)

[Lerb21]

For purposes that I am bound not to disclose, I need a headstock design.

I made one and started thinking that it really looked good. And then I was like, "Oh, crap it looks like Ron Kirn's headstock design".





Oh nuts!

(Yes, the above is my attempt at humor. Bear with me.)

[Lerb21]

I was diggin' through the basement a minute ago and I found this:



Well, the saddles aren't threaded and I have no idea how good the pup is, but I got a bridge with steel saddles... close enough for me!

[Lerb21]

It's plain to see from post one ("That I've got a tiger by the tail?","... No.") that Don's '66 has plain black binding. Seeing as I do not have the proper machinery to bind guitars, I'm opting for (my old standby of) faux binding. But I have a new strategy this time.

Once the guitar is prepped and ready to paint, I'll shoot the corners with a couple coats of gloss black. I will then take my painters tape and (carefully and gingerly) apply it to the areas that I want bound. Afterward, I shall add the first sparkling, followed by a coat or two of acrylic. Once the sparkle is securely on the guitar (but not too securely), I'll peel off the tape and continue applying the finish.

Sounds good on paper...

But will it work?

No one knows!

Sometimes when you run outta paint, you gotta turn to this bad boy...

[Lerb21]

Continuing my explanation of my process, let us go to the sparkling itself.

First ya get a brush. Then you take summa this stuff...



And slather it in big ace coat over the guitar.

Following that, you pour a bunch of this stuff on it...



... and you let it dry for a while.

Afterward you come back and scrape off the excess and loose stuff with a brush.

From there on out you continue applying very thin coats of your finish until the finish sufficiently overtakes the sparkles.

After that you sand it flat and buff to that mirror sheen.

Well, that's how you're supposed to do it...

I don't always though.

[Buckocaster51]

Looks like you have a plan...and an awfully big Sharpie!

Are you going to use a basecoat under that polystuff?

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Looks like you have a plan...and an awfully big Sharpie!

Are you going to use a basecoat under that polystuff?

Naturally! (Acting, that is...)



Hooray for silver paint!

I've used this stuff before, and it already has MICRO FLAKE in it!

So we're all set...

I think...

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Looks like you have a plan...and an awfully big Sharpie!

Oh and I thought I'd mention that that Sharpie is a BEAST.

See that binding on Goldie?

That's from the Magnum Sharpie.

Works like a charm... like a charm....

[olaftheholy]

i am so subscribed!

Good luck from over here!!! ;o)

[Lerb21]

No packages today.

But that's alright.

So I'll take my spare time to look at the tape I have.



So.... Blue Painter's tape and some other kind of masking tape. I've used both types before and neither rip paint off... so they're good in that respect.



The painter's tape is approximately 1" across.



The masking tape is 3/4" across.



And now using the binding on Goldie as a precedent...

It's roughly 3/8" across.

Drat.

And I've already scanned all the hardware and craft stores in the area...

I don't think pin striping would work... I think it could tear the paint off...

Well... time for more internet shopping!

[Lerb21]

Just thinking here...



As posted earlier, here is Don's '66 Tele. The binding looks a bit thinner than the binding I have on Goldie, doesn't it?

One could say that it might even be 1/4" thick?

Well I hope it is. That'd make things a bit easier.

Even if I could confirm it, I don't have any funds to buy the doggone tape. Spent all the moo-lah on guitar parts.

So I guess I'll just have to wait...

[Lerb21]

No packages today.

But I do have some 1/4" pinstripe that I tested.



It'll work as my stand in for 1/4" tape.

We're Back In Business!

[olaftheholy]

interesting approach lerb... did you order a new body and neck for the donocaster?
Waiting is hard innit? i'm at the end of my fingernails, waiting for a kit to come in.


Cheers,Olaf

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by olaftheholy

interesting approach lerb... did you order a new body and neck for the donocaster?
Waiting is hard innit? i'm at the end of my fingernails, waiting for a kit to come in.


Cheers,Olaf

Yessir, I ordered all my stuff on Sunday night.

I think most of the stuff was shipped on Monday and my pickups were shipped on Wednesday...

So now it's just a waiting game.

But I've done it before, at least it gives me sometime to think some of my goofy ideas over.

[olaftheholy]

Nice one!

mines here http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home...ml#post1870579

good luck with yours!

[Lerb21]

Hmm, why would someone send something fragile to me?



In a big ol' box?



In a guitar case?

[Lerb21]

It's apparently a T-Style guitar of (cough) unknown origin!



A very nice T-Style guitar I might add!



I already took a tour of it, and it's a great guitar to start out with!

Now all I have to do is change everything about it!



So it begins...

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by Lerb21

Hmm, why would someone send something fragile to me?

You're obviously won a MAJOR award!

(just make sure that you pronounce correctly)

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

You're obviously won a MAJOR award!

(just make sure that you pronounce correctly)

As in "Frah-Gee-Lay"?

Must be Italian...

[Lerb21]

Tearing this thing apart...



Woohoo, necks off!



And some more... more like all...



Notice the location of the screw holes...



The goofy part is that when you put it on, it fits almost perfectly!

[Lerb21]

Notice anything goofy?

Anything that might make one think this body is from the 70's?

[Buckocaster51]

Notchless, eh?

By the way, you are doing an EXCELLENT job of keeping that headstock hidden.

[BAW4742]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

By the way, you are doing an EXCELLENT job of keeping that headstock hidden.

I was just thinking the same thing. Lerb's trying to keep us hanging.

Not gonna reveal that new head design yet?

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by BAW4742

I was just thinking the same thing. Lerb's trying to keep us hanging.

Not gonna reveal that new head design yet?

Actually I still haven't implemented it...

But for this guitar I bought a cheapie and I wanna keep you guys guessing as to what it is.

But I will hit it up with my new headstock design once I'm done. In the late finishing process.

Ya know?

[Lerb21]

As you guys can see, I have the neck all taped up...



And ready to spray.



I love this finisher I use. This is it after 2 coats.



After one hit of Sparkles.

[Lerb21]

Anybody up for a surf green burst?



Cause I got one right here!



After I put on my stand in for 1/4" tape (pinstripe).

Man is it a pain in the arse to get that stuff on right!!! The black color doesn't help either...

After that I sprayed it silver and then...



SPARKLES.

I really screw up putting this flake on, I'm outta shape.

There's gonna be a lotta runs to deal with in the morning.

[Buckocaster51]

You are a monster!

[BAW4742]

That body is shaping up Lerb but that head just keeps getting weirder all the time man!

[olaftheholy]

Looking at the stratlike shape of part of the headstock in one picture lerb's posted and the black nut i'd say it's a xavierre from GFS.
This is only based on gut-feeling and a tiny bit of forensic research.

Originally Posted by Lerb21

Jay better hurry his arse up.

I plan on taking advantage of his new stuff as well.

Mystery solved ;o)

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by olaftheholy

Looking at the stratlike shape of part of the headstock in one picture lerb's posted and the black nut i'd say it's a xavierre from GFS.
This is only based on gut-feeling and a tiny bit of forensic research.Mystery solved ;o)

Shhhhh.....

[Lerb21]

And it continues...



And it continues again...

The worst part is that the polycrylic I use takes two hours to dry.





Patience young Skywalker.

(or was that Yoda)



Patience!

[Ironwolf]

Lerb. Mellow out dude. You're going to have a heart attack before you make 20. Hang that thing up to dry and go fishing, or to a movie, or go on a date. There are those who take days and weeks to do what your pushing in hours. Meditation, contemplation and a nice long nap produce superior results.

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by Ironwolf

Lerb. Mellow out dude. You're going to have a heart attack before you make 20. Hang that thing up to dry and go fishing, or to a movie, or go on a date. There are those who take days and weeks to do what your pushing in hours. Meditation, contemplation and a nice long nap produce superior results.

I wish I could listen to you guys but I'm still at the point in my life where I have to mess stuff up on my own in order to learn that patience is a virtue.

Believe me, I used to be a lot worse.

Right now it's going to be monotonous weeks of me just brushing on a coat of clear every two or three hours for the next 2 weeks.

I've spent enough time that finishing is NOT a point that you want to rush things. Not that any point is, but this is the most crucial (to my knowledge anyway).

Lack of speed is one's friend... I know...

I wish I had a life so I had something to do other than work on the guitar.

[olaftheholy]

Keep up the good work Lerb!
I'm proud of you!!!

cheers,Olaf

[Lerb21]

Only two more sections to sparkle before I can take off the binding tape.

I have a feeling I'll have to touch the binding up with the MAGNUM SHARPIE.



Just gotta keep waiting for this crap to dry...

[Lerb21]

All I gotta do is wait for this last coat to dry and then the tape comes off!!!



Then I'll get to use this guy to 'brush up' (or ruin) the already existing binding.



I'm still trying to figure out why this guy hasn't dried after six hours.

Hmm...

Ah well! I'll just keep waiting!

[Ironwolf]

The more clear you use, and the thicker it is, the longer it takes to dry. Breath in, breath out.

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by Ironwolf

The more clear you use, and the thicker it is, the longer it takes to dry. Breath in, breath out.

Naturally, but I always do my best to use very thin coats...


Ah well.

[Lerb21]

Pinstripe as Tape = Much better than I hoped



Considering that I only put on 2 very thin coats of black paint because I ran out, the pinstripe worked quite well.



All I need to do is run over a couple spots and we'll be good to go.

MAGNUM SHARPIE TIME

[Lerb21]

News: some good and some bad

The faux binding has a been a great success. I've got to put a coat or two on the body since and the things starting to look nice.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that despite me being as meticulous with the headstock it appears cloudy. It is noteworthy to say that the finisher I use is initially cloudy, so perhaps the headstock is simply taking longer to dry. I believe I experienced something like this prior with this finisher. We'll see how it is in the morning.

Tonight will be the deciding time on whether or not this build is a success (well so far, something else bad could always happen ). We'll just wait and see.