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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Dec 15, 2020 21:30:59 GMT -5
This is the last one I did - Padouk and Mahogany. I actually free-handed the dye on the mahogany. Padouk is a relatively oily wood any ways. I don't know how successfully you *could* dye it. The mahogany took the dye (cherry red) nicely. That is some impressive free handing! Does the dye just rub off of the padouk? Maybe the red-on-red just sort of disappears? I always have 3M fine line tape at my bench and would probably use that anyway. I think it might be what PRS famously uses for the faux-binding, but I'm not positive.
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Post by Leftee on Dec 15, 2020 21:39:05 GMT -5
Thanks!
No, that was just how well it turned out. I didn’t have to clean any off the Padouk. I did have to go back and push a little more towards the Padouk in places. I was on a hot streak that day.
It’s about the load in the towel, a steady hand (aka little less coffee) and quite a bit of practice. Over time you get a feel for it.
I won’t post pictures from other days.
Oh, another thought about the ‘douk. It’s a brittle wood and crumbles easily. Use care when drilling.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Dec 15, 2020 22:14:52 GMT -5
Looking nice! Those parts are getting my own pulse going One caution about padauk is the solvent in the finish you use can cause bleeding of color from the padauk across the glue line onto lighter wood. What happens is the darker-colored oils resident in the dried wood are reactivated by the solvent; the darker oils go back into solution and flow, and that can mess up your work. This issue is common in dark oily woods of the rosewood (and related) families like padauk, bubinga, purpleheart, bloodwood, etc. Applying heavy, wet coats of finish can make the problem worse. Generally, this bleeding is associated with gravity, which drags the wet finish and causes it to flow over the surface. This can be avoided by positioning the piece and applying finish in a way that keeps lighter colored woods above the darker woods. That way, gravity drags the finish from lighter areas to darker areas. Here's an example of this problem (red circled areas) on an 8" bowl I made from several exotic woods. I was aware of it going in, and I was very careful when shooting clear lacquer to keep each coat really thin so it wouldn't flow. Yet I still got some color bleeding from the bubinga into the yellowheart.
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Post by LVF on Dec 16, 2020 11:04:07 GMT -5
Looking nice! Those parts are getting my own pulse going One caution about padauk is the solvent in the finish you use can cause bleeding of color from the padauk across the glue line onto lighter wood. What happens is the darker-colored oils resident in the dried wood are reactivated by the solvent; the darker oils go back into solution and flow, and that can mess up your work. This issue is common in dark oily woods of the rosewood (and related) families like padauk, bubinga, purpleheart, bloodwood, etc. Applying heavy, wet coats of finish can make the problem worse. Generally, this bleeding is associated with gravity, which drags the wet finish and causes it to flow over the surface. This can be avoided by positioning the piece and applying finish in a way that keeps lighter colored woods above the darker woods. That way, gravity drags the finish from lighter areas to darker areas. Here's an example of this problem (red circled areas) on an 8" bowl I made from several exotic woods. I was aware of it going in, and I was very careful when shooting clear lacquer to keep each coat really thin so it wouldn't flow. Yet I still got some color bleeding from the bubinga into the yellowheart. Holly molly, Peegoo, that's some intricate work right there. This only shows that it will be a very delicate procedure in doing the finish work the guitar body and I also was not aware the Padouk was so brittle. More caution to be advised and an important reason to have these conversations. The gathering of the information in this thread to me, is invaluable and I thank you all for your contributions. When I finally get the 'body' in, I'll be going back over what has been said here now and in future posts as a guide. Thank you all.
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Post by Leftee on Dec 16, 2020 11:45:43 GMT -5
I never get tired of seeing piccys of that bowl. 👀
Back to Funky,
Yes, I usually mask off the line and I also make sure the rag is not overloaded. I was just getting a bit Chickeny that day. That usually doesn't work out well.
(there's an offering for the filter 😁)
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Dec 16, 2020 14:40:32 GMT -5
I never get tired of seeing pics of that bowl. Cheers, Leftee. Here are another two...while we wait for Ludwig to get all his parts in ^^Dark walnut and maple^^ The other one is a mix of maple, walnut, mahogany, black palm, ebony, acacia, and sycamore. I've got bins stacked on bins full of small pieces of woods like this. The pieces are too small for most projects, but for stuff like this where they're glued together to make a larger piece, it's a good way to use up these small sticks. Discarding even small pieces of these exotics and things like curly/birdseye maple is like throwing money in the trash. But storing it is a hassle too.
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Post by LVF on Dec 16, 2020 17:21:04 GMT -5
I just ordered more stuff from Sweetwater and Amazon. Sweetwater sends candy. Amazon and Warmoth do not. What's up with that.
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Post by Larry Madsen on Dec 16, 2020 17:34:13 GMT -5
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Dec 17, 2020 20:12:29 GMT -5
YouTube was recommending wood turning channels to me for a while, and they are super hypnotic and addictive.
Leftee, what kind of tape? Do you use a fancy fine line tape or just any ol' masking tape? Solvents can be so sneaky, I'd be worried about them crawling underneath, but I guess that is prevented by your care not to overload the rag.
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Post by Leftee on Dec 17, 2020 20:40:18 GMT -5
Just the blue painters tape from Home Despot. And yes, don’t approach the tape with an overly wet applicator.
I’m not in the least claiming any sort of skill here. But I really like doing this stuff.
And every so often I actually sell a guitar and make a dollar.
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Post by LVF on Dec 18, 2020 13:40:51 GMT -5
Today, I'm putting my concentration toward the neck of this guitar specifically, the frets, taking the advice to measure the frets after deciding which one(s) I most prefer between my guitars and I narrowed that selection to 2. My G&L Comanche and my Players Series Tele. Let me just say that I don't really have a preference one way or another when it comes to neck sizes and shapes, I can easily play them all except, I really have a preference to unfinished or satin finished necks as opposed to the glossy ones. Anyway, I broke out my handy dandy Starrett Analog Microminator to attempt these measurements. Referring to the dimensions Warmoth has for the different fret wire, I measured the width of the G&L @ .104 which translates to the 6150, standard, jumbo size. The height was too difficult to measure but, with the width measured, it's easy to say the the height would be .047 for both guitars as the Tele had a width measurement that turns out to be the same as the G&L. So, with that, I will choose the SS6150 fret wire. I plan on ordering the neck around the time the body is two weeks from delivery so by the time I get it, the body should be finished and ready for assembly.
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Post by Leftee on Dec 18, 2020 14:26:09 GMT -5
👍
What radius and profile?
Also, shop their in-stock section. You usually get to choose your frets and tuner holes with those necks.
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Post by LVF on Dec 18, 2020 14:39:05 GMT -5
This is the neck I've chosen right here. I believe it is close to the same as my Comanche as far a specs go. 10-16" radius. As you can see, they will get my business for the neck as well. I was a little surprised that I could find this but, here are the specs to the Comanche: Construction: bolt-on Scale: 25-1/2" Pickups: Leo Fender-designed G&L MFD Z-Coil hum-cancelling Body Wood: Swamp ash on Premier finishes, alder on Standard finishes Neck Wood: Hard rock maple with maple or rosewood fingerboard Neck Profile: G&L #1 with 12" radius and 1 5/8" nut width Nut: 100% natural bone Frets: 22 medium jumbo, nickel, Plek dressed Tuning Keys: 12:1 ratio, sealed-back Bridge: Leo Fender-designed G&L Dual-Fulcrum vibrato with forged brass saddles Controls: 5-position pickup selector, volume, treble, bass (PTB system), mini-toggle expander switch enabling additional pickup combinations of neck+bridge or all three pickups together Case: Deluxe Tolex Even these specs are not quite specific to mine. The neck on mine is birds eye maple for example. Mine is a 2010 model as well. The neck radius on it is 12" The newer Comanches' are a 9.5" radius so, the neck I'm ordering has a radius somewhat in between which is fine.
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Post by LVF on Dec 18, 2020 19:31:35 GMT -5
So, since I'm concentrating my efforts toward what I want my neck to be, I've had further thought on some of the specs I laid out. Thanks, Lefty, for putting a bug in my ear. Starting with the fret radius, I had thought 10-16 for this. But, I like the radius on my Comanche because I never 'fat finger' a string on it and it must be because of the 12" radius. Hadn't thought about the reason I like the neck until looking into what kind of specs I want on my build. So, things and specs are always subject to change as I go. Currently, the specs for this neck look like this: Specifications
Style: Stratocaster®
Construction: Modern Construction
Scale: 25-1/2 in.
Neck Wood:$292.00 USD
Shaft Wood: Roasted Flame Maple
Fretboard Wood: Roasted Flame Maple
Right/Left: Right Handed+ $0.00
Nut Width: 1-5/8"+ $0.00
Neck Profile: Standard thin+ $0.00
Radius: 12-16" Compound+ $35.00
# of Frets: 22+ $0.00
Fret Size: SS6150 (Stainless)+ $25.00
Tuner Ream: Schaller (25/64")+ $0.00
Inlays:+ $20.00
Inlays: Black Mother Of Pearl Dots
Side Dots: Black Side Dots
Pre-Cut Installed String Nut: GraphTech Black TUSQ XL - Earvana Nut+ $69.00
Mounting Holes: Standard 4 Bolt+ $0.00
Finish: No Finish
Another thing I'd been back and forth about is the finish. To finish or not to finish. I'd first thought that I'd like a satin finish because eventually, my hand would polish the neck surface through use and would be excellent for feel as my other guitars with this type of finish have turned out to be. But then I thought, why not order it with no finish because there is something special I want to do with the head stock as far as some kind of graphic and I want that surface to be bare. So, I think I might go that way. With that in mind, what are the pro's and cons of having an unfinished neck?
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Post by LVF on Dec 22, 2020 13:20:54 GMT -5
Looking ahead to the eventual build of this guitar, I'm thinking of set up. I'm OK at tweaking things on guitars when I feel like they need a little something but, I've never done a initial set up on a guitar but, I'm learning about what needs to be done. I've gone ahead and got a string action gauge from Sweetwater for starts. I have a square I can probably use for a straight edge and am thinking I should get some radius gauges as well. Stu Mac has all this stuff as you may know so, that will probably be the source for these tools. I also posses a feeler gauge for...feeling...so, that won't be an issue. I don't want to get too deep into this set up with things like fret files and nut files and such, if that's an issue with this guitar, I'll find some place that can 'plek' it. I think I can handle a truss rod adjustment which will undoubtedly be needed. Anyway, I have tools already that can be used for things related to this project and any other tools like the radius gauges will be handy if my other guitars require that kind of adjustment. Anything else I should be looking at as far a initial set up goes as far as tools go?
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Post by Leftee on Dec 22, 2020 14:16:31 GMT -5
You'll find there will be a couple (or more) high frets. The fret ends will need attention too. Not slots might (more than likely, in my experience) need some work. For a great player, plan on that work. I don't have a radius gauge. Never found a need for one at my level of involvement. Since you're getting a roasted maple neck, no need for finish. These feel quiet nice and smooth right out of the box. You could apply Danish Oil to get the flame to pop a little more. I would probably do that if this were mine.
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Post by LVF on Dec 22, 2020 14:46:04 GMT -5
Yes, Lefty, I suspect I'll find some issues that will need address. I do have some jeweler's files that may be useful with some of this. As far as the finish goes on the neck, I was certain that the unfinished selection would be a good one. I like the idea of this 'Danish oil' but haven't seen any, as of yet, that comes in a neutral shade. I suspect this type would be the best to use if I can find it. Also, I find these radius gauges most intriguing. Measuring device unique to guitar necks. I have a lot of guitars to experiment with to use the gauges on.
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Post by LVF on Dec 30, 2020 12:12:50 GMT -5
I am on the cusp of ordering the neck for this build as the body I ordered is now a couple of weeks out. The neck looks like it will take the same amount of time from ordering it to delivery. Ordering this way is part of my plan during this build as I will have plenty of time to 'work' the body before the neck arrives. Which brings me to what I really want for a neck and how I've gone about deciding what that will be. First, it will be a roasted flame maple neck and fret board. I've read a lot about this type of wood and how it can hold up really well to different conditions which is important plus, it's just cool. I've spent an inordinate amount of time on the dimensions of this neck, playing different guitars that I have to get the type of feel and playability I want in this guitar and it has boiled down to the neck on my G&L Comanche. I had to go back in time to find what this guitar's dimensions are and found it very strange that it's dimensions were listed differently than the present day models. The one that stood out the most was the fret radius being shown as 12 inches. The newer versions have a radius of 9.5 inches listed. That's quite a difference. Not having the gauges needed to measure for this, I ordered what I needed from StewMac. I bought both bridge and neck gauges so that I could be sure of the radius for the neck when I ordered. Measuring the neck on the G&L, it is anything but 12 inches. It is more inline with the modern version of 9.5 inches but actually measures best a 10 inches. I will need to scrutinize more to decide which radius I will choose though. I find it interesting that at this point, there is some controversy over the radius of the G&L neck. However, I think I'll end up with a 10 inch radius in the end. Not to get off subject too much but, since I have these new gauges I decided to check and adjust the string radius on the G&L with 12" radius in mind before I had actually measured the neck radius and so, I made the adjustment to 12 inches. I thought I'd done a great job to this as the action on the guitar seemed lower and and it played so much easier with effortless pressure, no buzzing as well. The thing that bothered me about the adjustment was the the first and 6th string saddles were bottomed out afterwards and I didn't think that should be what the end result should be. But, it plays so nice! Have I discovered something? Probably not which is why I will readjust to the proper dimensions when I finish this long winded post. First though, I'll again, check the radius to be sure and adjust the string saddles accordingly. Then, order the neck with the dimensions finally settled upon. The adventure continues...
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sirWheat
Wholenote
For a better future, play Stevie Wonder for your children.
Posts: 318
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Post by sirWheat on Dec 30, 2020 14:11:28 GMT -5
Note: be careful when shopping at Woodshaft, they are the StewCrack of the woodworking world. Much of what they sell can be had elsewhere for cheaper.
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Post by LVF on Jan 15, 2021 14:45:17 GMT -5
Big Brown Truck coming!
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Post by LVF on Jan 15, 2021 18:12:13 GMT -5
Delivered! Waiting for it to acclimate before opening. 5 weeks of waiting. I've been waiting all this time to make an appearance in some other posts in this forum so's I could do some praising and comparisons with some gems I've seen during these weeks of waiting. Coming soon...
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Post by LVF on Jan 17, 2021 11:46:30 GMT -5
Had to wait for a bit before revealing what was in the box. I have to say this pic is dull in comparison to what it really looks like, red orange in appearance. It is definitely unfinished. I might of had them drill the holes for the pots at least but, no matter... I can drill the 'pot holes' myself ... So, here are the pilot holes. I think Lefty said that the Padouk Chip easily. You are right about that. So is the Alder for that matter but, being careful, I was successful in drilling out the pilot holes so I could render the first... mockup. It should be easy to see what I'm going after with this build. I'm not going for using a pickard so as to accentuate the wood. But, what to do about mounting the pickups? The ones I have are designed to mount to a pickard. I have an idea! I'll custom make surrounds that use the mounting features of the pickups and here is one idea. The surrounds would be in black mother of pearl so, you have to imagine that. This is one design. How would you design a solution for this?
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Post by Jim D. on Jan 17, 2021 14:27:54 GMT -5
Under Google images search for strats without pick guards. Some have small pickup surrounds, some do not. Matter of taste here. That is a pretty body you are using. Looking forward to your build.
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sirWheat
Wholenote
For a better future, play Stevie Wonder for your children.
Posts: 318
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Post by sirWheat on Jan 17, 2021 16:17:02 GMT -5
I vote no on surrounds. I would mount 'em tele neck pup style. That's a nice looking piece of wood, why clutter it up? linkI don't see any channels for the wiring...
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Post by LVF on Jan 17, 2021 16:47:01 GMT -5
Thank you for your replies and advice. I count nothing out. This Strat body is rear routed and chambered therefore, no front [top] channel for wires. Holes are hidden. The ideal [in my mind] surround for this guitar would be an insert molded to the opening with mounting holes for the pickups incorporated and a thin band that would surround the single coils and follow the shape of the openings. If there was something like that available, I would have them in gold chrome. Anybody got a 3D printer?
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Post by LVF on Jan 17, 2021 17:00:29 GMT -5
Wow! were can I get these!! Never mind, found them at Stu Mac. They are the answer!! On order!!
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Post by Leftee on Jan 17, 2021 17:19:15 GMT -5
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Post by LVF on Jan 18, 2021 16:04:20 GMT -5
Lefty, those rings are great but, I think I'm going for the bling. What do you think of this stain? I have to say that the pic is way more saturated than what's actual. I'm not going to say that compared to this, in person, it's dull, but, in reality, what I can see is just awesome and I'm glad I chose to use it. I'll do another coat tomorrow.
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sirWheat
Wholenote
For a better future, play Stevie Wonder for your children.
Posts: 318
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Post by sirWheat on Jan 18, 2021 17:54:55 GMT -5
Looks great! Are you just gonna clear-coat the top?
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Post by LVF on Jan 18, 2021 19:00:29 GMT -5
I will be using the same 'stain' on the front. I'm avoiding use a gloss type of coat. This pic is what the body really looks like shown here in natural lighting. The other one is what it looks like in artificial lighting. Oh, the stain is a clear, neutral coat. Minwax Tung oil. Using it on the front side should produce a little deeper shade of its redish color and the front and back definitely compliment each other, IMO.
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