First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
- ForcedFire
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
Still waiting for the lacquer to finish gassing off, I've wetsanded it up to 800 grit so far. It was really nice out today, had it out hangin' in the shade:
- antisymmetric
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
Looking great, nearly there!
Yeah the waiting can be maddening, I've been rubbing my project guitar down after the long wait, now I've got a couple of sand-throughs, so have to add more lacquer and the waiting continues.
Yeah the waiting can be maddening, I've been rubbing my project guitar down after the long wait, now I've got a couple of sand-throughs, so have to add more lacquer and the waiting continues.
Watching the corners turn corners
- the older brother
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
Looks really great! I love bursts - none ends up the same.ForcedFire wrote:Still waiting for the lacquer to finish gassing off, I've wetsanded it up to 800 grit so far. It was really nice out today, had it out hangin' in the shade:
I also like your "hanger" solution. Smart.
Someone knows where I can find the nearest woodchipper to throw my pieces of junk into?
- ForcedFire
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
I'm sure you guys are getting sick of waiting for the FINALE...
I had a few sand throughs on the sides of the headstock and the side of the body. I got them touched up nicely. Then I started wetsanding the headstock at 2000 grit and right at the end a little water got into a tuner hole somehow and the walnut veneer on the headstock face swelled up a littl . Well I let it dry and buffed it out.
I put the tuners on and installed the truss rod cover. I think it looks fine, really hard to photograph.
I think it looks wicked actually...
After buffing the sides I think I rushed it a little, still smells a bit. I'm going to let the touch ups air out a little more before continuing.
I had a few sand throughs on the sides of the headstock and the side of the body. I got them touched up nicely. Then I started wetsanding the headstock at 2000 grit and right at the end a little water got into a tuner hole somehow and the walnut veneer on the headstock face swelled up a littl . Well I let it dry and buffed it out.
I put the tuners on and installed the truss rod cover. I think it looks fine, really hard to photograph.
I think it looks wicked actually...
After buffing the sides I think I rushed it a little, still smells a bit. I'm going to let the touch ups air out a little more before continuing.
- ForcedFire
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
I strung it up with the ABR-1 on some cardboard bits to locate the tune-o-matic bridge post locations. I played it a bit and does propping the bridge up on cardboard ever make it sound bad!! So mid-range-y, bad sustain, etc...
Today I located the post holes with a brad point bit after intonating both E strings with a mic in a tuner. I drilled down 1" into the maple neck through section and made nice long posts by popping the heads off some 6/32 stainless machine screws. Drilled by hand, bridge fits perfect.
Holy sustain! This guitar is insane. If you hold it at the base of the neck and the butt end strap button after strumming the open strings it feels like it's vibrating your arms off. The most amazing this is if I put my ear on the point near my playing arm it sounds incredibly loud and rich.
Today I located the post holes with a brad point bit after intonating both E strings with a mic in a tuner. I drilled down 1" into the maple neck through section and made nice long posts by popping the heads off some 6/32 stainless machine screws. Drilled by hand, bridge fits perfect.
Holy sustain! This guitar is insane. If you hold it at the base of the neck and the butt end strap button after strumming the open strings it feels like it's vibrating your arms off. The most amazing this is if I put my ear on the point near my playing arm it sounds incredibly loud and rich.
- antisymmetric
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
Excitement is building.....
Watching the corners turn corners
- Perry
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
Great job! If possible, please make of video of how it sounds.
- mick_e
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
Such an awesome build! Are the original rds's very rare? And are they also neck through?
- ForcedFire
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
mick_e wrote:Such an awesome build! Are the original rds's very rare? And are they also neck through?
Thanks guys. RD's aren't that rare really and no they aren't neck through. My build is kind of a mix of RD and firebird with the neck-through, non-reverse headstock, firebird style pickups...
Perry, I will definitely record it. It's not setup at all yet. I'm just testing it with an old nut off a kit guitar and poorly cut bridge saddles from a Gibson ABR1 I got off ebay. I have a new bone nut to cut and brand new saddles to cut for the bridge. I have a little fret leveling to take care of as well.
- the older brother
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
That burst looks amazing!
A tip to not risking the wood to swell because of sand throughs, holes etc, is to use naphta instead of water. The wood don't well with naphta. Use a respirator in a well ventilated place though.Then I started wetsanding the headstock at 2000 grit and right at the end a little water got into a tuner hole somehow and the walnut veneer on the headstock face swelled up a littl
Someone knows where I can find the nearest woodchipper to throw my pieces of junk into?
- PorkyPrimeCut
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
I love this build!!
There's only so much you can talk about when it comes to Fender offsets.
I think the "building from scratch" threads are the most exciting thing about this forum these days (Fenders included of course).
There's only so much you can talk about when it comes to Fender offsets.
I think the "building from scratch" threads are the most exciting thing about this forum these days (Fenders included of course).
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.
- ForcedFire
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
I even bought a big thing of mineral spirits for the job but I just didn't feel like working with nasty chemicals. I was really going light on the water and it was OK. Then I did a couple touch ups on the side of the headstock. The overspray got a bit on the face and when I was sanding the overspray I thought "oh add a little water to make sure the paper slides better", then it was too much .the older brother wrote: A tip to not risking the wood to swell because of sand throughs, holes etc, is to use naphta instead of water. The wood don't well with naphta. Use a respirator in a well ventilated place though.
Anyways, it's all good. It's barely noticeable now that it's dried out. It just looks like the lacquer sank into the grain in a couple spots between the tuners. You wouldn't see it unless you were really looking for it.
The walnut headstock veneer was REALLY porous. I used the timbermate on it and got a nice flat surface. That stuff worked pretty well!
- ForcedFire
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
Ok I pulled it out of the attic. Still a little smelly but much better. It was kind of mildly gummy (not really gummy) when I was playing it. Had lots of fingerprints so I just tried degreasing with some mineral spirits outside. Now the deft smell seems to be gone with just a faint residue smell from the mineral spirits. Maybe all my fingerprints where holding in some solvents or something.
One day I made the mistake of putting it on the roof in the sun to speed things up. I got some blistering from the solvents or humidity boiling out on the back in the darkest area.
I guess I could touch it up or just relic it a little. I've already got some marks here and there anyways!
It plays quite well, I need to fret level and scrape some more glue off the board before finishing the nut.
IMG_0001_2 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr
IMG_0002_2 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr
IMG_0003 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr
The part I messed up with blisters:
IMG_0002_1 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr
IMG_0001_1 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr[/QUOTE]
One day I made the mistake of putting it on the roof in the sun to speed things up. I got some blistering from the solvents or humidity boiling out on the back in the darkest area.
I guess I could touch it up or just relic it a little. I've already got some marks here and there anyways!
It plays quite well, I need to fret level and scrape some more glue off the board before finishing the nut.
IMG_0001_2 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr
IMG_0002_2 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr
IMG_0003 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr
The part I messed up with blisters:
IMG_0002_1 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr
IMG_0001_1 by LITEFORCE, on Flickr[/QUOTE]
- mcjt
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
freaking beautiful, man!
- andy
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Re: First Scratch Build: Maple Walnut neck through-RD
Wow, this guitar is amazing!
Send me western swing vids