New Project: A Pair of Thinlines

[Ironwolf]

I meant to add to my previous post that I entered my first 2 builds in the wood working contests at the Western Idaho Fair. The 'Caster SS took first place in it's division and Best in Show. The Zodiac took first in it's division and a special achievement award. To say the least, since they were my first guitar builds, I'm tickled pink.

[Ironwolf]

Today has absolutely sucked. While trying to clean up the edges of the f-hole binding on the pink guitar I've determined its such a mess that I'm going to have to remount the template, route off the binding, and redo it. I think the trick will be to set it slightly proud, respray a couple of coats of pink on the front and then sand the binding down flush with 600grit paper.



Next, while removing the fingerboard masking on the neck, the Deft stuck, and an area about the size of two quarters pealed off like plastic wrap. It will be relatively easy to repair, but I am, to say the least, ticked off.



And finally, while routing the control opening on the green guitar, the bit jumped and gouged the top. Fortunately the pickgaurd will just, and I do mean just, cover the gouge. The anger meter has gone up to seething. Ah well, nothing to do for it but drive on.

[jwells393]

Guitar building ............ ain't it fun?

[robt57]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Guitar building ............ ain't it fun?

Feces occurs..

Sometimes it stinks very bad. ;)

[Tele Fan]

Those look great!

[Ironwolf]

Well, I routed out the f-hole binding on the pink one and glued in some new binding. Tomorrow I'll start the repaint process and start repairing the headstock of the neck.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Ironwolf

Well, I routed out the f-hole binding on the pink one and glued in some new binding. Tomorrow I'll start the repaint process and start repairing the headstock of the neck.

Don't skip the part where you back off a bit. Sometimes I think pushing and fighting when a small avalanche occurs can cause a more major occurrence of the avalanche. Leave it be for a few days, that works for me sometimes...

I know the feeling and you have my sympathy. ;)

[Bonneville Bruce]

Totaly cool, Wolf. Love those Thinlines!

Bonneville Bruce

[Nick88]

Originally Posted by robt57

Don't skip the part where you back off a bit. Sometimes I think pushing and fighting when a small avalanche occurs can cause a more major occurrence of the avalanche. Leave it be for a few days, that works for me sometimes...

I know the feeling and you have my sympathy. ;)

I agree. Take a break and come back to it with a different state of mind

[BAW4742]

Nice work there Ironwolf. I'm liking these thinlines.

[Ironwolf]

Originally Posted by robt57

Don't skip the part where you back off a bit. Sometimes I think pushing and fighting when a small avalanche occurs can cause a more major occurrence of the avalanche. Leave it be for a few days, that works for me sometimes...

I know the feeling and you have my sympathy. ;)

I've decided to take that advice. Before I went to bed last night I drop filled some of the lowest spots on the pink body and a nick on the headstock. I also brush painted pink lacquer around the base of the f-hole binding where it stands above the body surface (filling in all the little gaps and sealing the edge.

I'm going to let it all sit and cure for a couple more days before I do any thing further.

The weather is in the process of changing from near 100 degrees today to the mid seventies tomorrow, so the wind is whipping quite handily. I'm not going to spray any clear on the green monster tonight as I'm sure the wind has whipped up a lot of dust.

[Ironwolf]

Well, after about a month, I have recovered from the disasters. I have all the parts on hand, the body for the green one could be polished at any time (I'm waiting till the neck is ready though), the pink one is getting clear coated (I'll be wet sanding it today, then about 10 more coats with another wet sanding in the middle) and it's neck is repaired and curing.

I mounted the pink one's bridge and pickguard (black pearl) yesterday in order to mark it for cutting the control opening, I was very pleased, the combination of ballet slipper pink with lots of black trim looks really sharp. The pickups I'm putting in this one are a set of GFS "Hot Lead" L'il Punchers with coil splitting via push/pull pots. I figured that would give Maddy a wide range of sounds for the "music" she likes. The green one is using a set of traditional Tele pickups, Wilkinsons.

I'll provide some more pictures once the assembly process begins.

[scubadoo]

Can't wait to see them. Bizarrely I'm really looking forward to seeing the pink one. Does your gaughter know that you're building it? You must get a shot of her when you give it to her. I wish my Dad had built guitars

[markothefish]

That's some fantastic work so far ... I can't wait to see them with the neck ...

[Ironwolf]

Originally Posted by scubadoo

Can't wait to see them. Bizarrely I'm really looking forward to seeing the pink one. Does your gaughter know that you're building it? You must get a shot of her when you give it to her. I wish my Dad had built guitars

Madeline is my neice, and no, she doesn't know it's being built for her. I've added a little presentation message to the backside of hers, similar to what Marty did on the presentation guitar he recently built.

Madeline is a pip to say the least. My sister has always said she was named Madeline Francis so she won't have to change her name when they send her to the convent.

[Ironwolf]

Limited progress this week due to working 4 to 5 hours of over time every day. I do have the last coat of lacquer on Maddy's and it's hanging now for two or three weeks depending on the weather.

I got the body hardware and neck mounted on the green one. Tomorrow I'll wire the pickguard and Wednesday I'll wet sand and polish it all out and finish the assembly. Then it's off to the shop to have a nut made and a setup. Unfortunately, I don't have the tools to make the nuts; I do hope to get a set for the next one I build.

[Ironwolf]

Well, It turned out I had more time today than I expected. I got it polished and assembled. All thats left is to mount the strap buttons and take it to the shop for a nut and set up.



Patton and Montgomery seem to like it. After work tomorrow I'll try to get some better lit pictures.

I picked up a set of locking tuners, for my next project, in the clearance bin at GC yesterday; they only cost me $10, regular price marked as $100. Sweet.

[Stoked]

Great job Ironwolf! I'm sure you'll love playing that one.

[Singin' Dave]

Perhaps its the light, but those tuners look gold. Either way, that is a VERY sharp guitar! Hope she plays like butta.

And good on you for making one for your niece. Need a nephew?

[Ironwolf]

Took longer than expected, but here are a couple of better pictures. I'll be taking it to the shop tomorrow.



The headstock with a few bits of smutz blown on it.

[mrothacker]

That green one is mighty pretty , I love the top on it !

[scubadoo]

Looks fantastic Ironwolf! The white pickguard has really brought it to life.

[Ironwolf]

I was planning to start wet sanding and polishing Maddy's guitar this weekend, but the more I looked at the repair I did on the headstock tear out, the less I liked it. So, yesterday I sanded the headstock's face back down and started repainting it. It will be at least two weeks before it's ready to go again, so I decided to let the body go ahead and cure some more. Here is a shot of how it looks now, and I've got to say, I'm rather pleased with it.

[Ironwolf]

Got the pink coats on the headstock today. A light sanding tomorrow or Tuesday and it will be ready for a couple or three coats of Deft. Then re-decal and more Deft.

[Ironwolf]

That is much better. Gently sanded with wet 600 grit. Tomorrow I'll give it another light sanding with 800 grit, and shoot it with the first coat or two of clear.

[Ironwolf]

Re-decaled with a couple of coats of clear.

[Buckocaster51]

Cool!

I like the black binding on the pink.

[boris bubbanov]

Great thread, Wuf!

The pink one looks great. I'm sure Maddy will be very impressed, indeed.

I could not spot where you indicated where you got the green to stain the top on your Iguanacaster? Could you repost that, I'm tempted to try that.

Much obliged.

[Westerly Sunn]

Originally Posted by Ironwolf

Re-decaled with a couple of coats of clear.

If "Maddy" grows outta that pink... Tell her I'll take it! Great looking guitar!

[Ironwolf]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Great thread, Wuf!

The pink one looks great. I'm sure Maddy will be very impressed, indeed.

I could not spot where you indicated where you got the green to stain the top on your Iguanacaster? Could you repost that, I'm tempted to try that.

Much obliged.

It's Transfast dye from the local Woodcraft store (woodcraft.com). I mixed a little dark blue and black with mostly Dark Green until I got a color that matched the Forest Green enamel as close as possible. I used water to mix it rather than alcohol, and it took several applications. Applied and sanded back two or three times so that it soaked into and popped the "flame" properly.

[Ironwolf]

Got all the hardware mounting holes lined up and bored and did a test assembly. It's looking pretty good. I'll start working on the wireing for the split pups next. I sanded the body down through 2000 grit over the weekend, so all thats left is another pass with 2000 grit then the auto-polish and finally Meguiar's.

[cdhopkin]

Nice builds...I have a pink Daisy Rock Retro 12 with "stripper dust". If it wasn't for the "female motif" at the 12th Fret I'd probably gig it! lol

Did you have to open out the pickguard rout for the Lil' Puncher?

[Wannabebop]

Absolutely love these two tele's! Beautiful builds!

[Ironwolf]

Originally Posted by cdhopkin

Nice builds...I have a pink Daisy Rock Retro 12 with "stripper dust". If it wasn't for the "female motif" at the 12th Fret I'd probably gig it! lol

Did you have to open out the pickguard rout for the Lil' Puncher?

I had intended to imbed a little stripper dust in the lacquer on the pink one, but on my test strip it looked kind of cheesy to me.

I did have to open the pickgaurd's pup rout a bit, but not much. I used a sanding stick to do it. A few passes on each side, fit, and repeat as needed.

[Ironwolf]

I'm starting to look into what I'll do for my next project. Does anyone have a drawing or template pattern that contains the measurements and hardware layout for a Stratocaster. I'm not looking to make a strat, but I do want to try something with the same sort of pup layout. An exotic wood carved top I'm thinking.

[Stoked]

Here you go. Jwells posted it up a while ago.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...tratBP2201.jpg

[Ironwolf]

Well , the MaddyCaster is finished; at least my part of it. Now it's off to the shop for a proper set up, another polish when it comes back and it's ready for Christmas. As soon as I have them both here at the same time, I'll add pictures of them together.

It finished out at 7 1/2 lbs., the lightest I've built so far. The difference in tone when the pup coils are split is significant, so I got what I was shooting for there.
I just hope the little twerp appreciates the work that went into it.

[Westerly Sunn]

That's a really fine specimen of a thinline, there... Congrats!

[fletch]

Thats a beautiful looking guitar, you did a great job ! I'm sure she is gonna be thrilled to bits when she gets it.

[Ironwolf]

Thanks. Despite the problems, I've had a lot of fun building these.