Muzz Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 Good to see you girls have finally got the bandsaw/scroll saw stuff all sorted out, coz this neck looks amazing so I want to see more progress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 You're the girl! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 suggestion: secure the inlay with either some double sided tape or a drop or two of c/a - whichever you think will release the piece without breaking it score around the perimeter of the inlay with a fresh x-acto blade - make many light cuts, not a few heavy ones you can gently fillet the inlay off with the x-acto once the line is established go as deep as you can with the scoring - it will give you pattern to follow and help eliminate tearout What are you using to do the routing? PLEASE tell me it's a dremel/foredom in a base........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 I am using hand carving tools...don't worry about it,I got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 Inlay is completed,just waiting for the horns to dry so I can sand it off and look at it..because of the necessity of covering the first inlay the horns are not shaped as I would have liked them to be,but hopefully it will satisfy me. The other neck will have no inlay...i will use the brand on it instead.i am "over" the desire to inlay a goat's head on every headstock,it just turned from a pleasure on the first one to a "do I really have to do that again ?" on the last one...I just don't enjoy inlaying I am heavily considering finalizing a logo and having a custom vinyl decal shop print me out a few hundred of them...really would look more pro anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 I've been using waterslide decals that you print out at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 I thought of that,and I even did it once years ago,but my printer keeps screwing up just when I need it most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2012 Back to work Final finish coats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliemc Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 Beginin to wonder about the sound from these, A lot of good maple on the tops there. should be prety groovy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzedd Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Your bud will be most pleased whichever he picks. Fine work. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 I generally don't do mock ups,but I'm bored and I can't buff until tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 looks amazing!! I love natural guitars with all black hardware Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2012 All right,so I got my new compressor in finally so i could finish polishing this guitar up.I need the compressor to keep my sandpaper clean and to blow out the body cavities between grits It doesn't get any lazier than sitting under a tree in the storage section of my back yard sanding a guitar finish with micro mesh.I have Somewhere in Time on the stereo...perfect superstrat building music.Don't hate on me for my pretty legs. This is sanded to micro mesh 2400...the goal is 12000,but there is a lot of work to go before i get all the fine scratches out.This will be the last gloss finish I do for a long,long time.It just takes forEVER to buff it all up by hand and it just isn't worth it anymore.I can do a hand rubbed finish in a fraction of the time it takes to do this,and honestly I just don't think most people even on this site really know the difference.Not that I blame them,at this point I would rather concentrate on getting the woodwork right and keep the finish simple.I have some ideas on doing a nice,durable rubbed in finish that I am going to try. So I had to call it a day here,because I seem to have eaten something that is keeping my close to the restroom...must be that box of beef stroganoff potatoes of the 88cent variety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 25, 2012 Report Share Posted August 25, 2012 This may be the first build I've seen with a nearly fifty - fifty split between the top and body wood. I'm looking forward to your opinion of how it sounds when you're done. I'm hoping it doesn't fall in the realm of one of my favoraite quotes on this site: Orgmorg when describing the soud of his builds using local woods::What does it sound like? It sounds like a guitar. Although, I'll totally understand if that is your final analysis. They pretty much all do. SR . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted August 25, 2012 Report Share Posted August 25, 2012 I'm liking the look of the 50/50 top and back combo. I have some slabs of timber here I was unsure whether to use or not because of the thickness of them, but seeing how yours is coming out now I think it may have tipped me in favour of going with an equal-thickness top and back for a future build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted August 25, 2012 Report Share Posted August 25, 2012 (edited) I agree... I keep a steady diet of the 4 Ms for my guitars while building. Maiden, Megadeth, Motorhead, Metallica. I also fill in with Sabbath, Rainbow, Dio, Judas Preist and Fates Warning. Forgot Bruce Dickinson solo and some Chris Poland stuff... Edited August 25, 2012 by RestorationAD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2012 I am also anxious to hear them.Actually these are just the first of quite a few 50/50 guitars(more or less..the top on these is thicker than the back) I'll be doing.I have a couple coming up that will be Longhi/Cumaru,and those actually will be 50/50...Those will be an explorer and a V though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 So I spent the last two days fitting these tuners...kept scratching the headstock and having to redo the finish.too fidgety lately for my own good. It's not clean yet. Scott,I found these neoprene washers at Ace that work well for thin headstocks.I have one on the back as well,but it's pretty much invisible.Truth is I prefer thin headstocks because of my penchant for Vs because of balance...On future strats I need to remember there is no need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Oh and yes I DID drill through the headstock...twice Never done that before.I have got to start using my drill press for small holes so i don't do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 By the way,I have been trying some different cheap ass finishes and on this one I used Minwax spray poly...and it absolutely sucks.It goes on too thin to even fill 220 scratches,and if you try to get it thick enough to flow out it never seems to cure...and to top it off since it's poly it doesn't burn in to the previous finish so you always have witness spots by the time you level out the orange peel caused by having to put it on thin enough to cure.And by the way it doesn't stick well to ebony... Surprisingly though,the water based wipe on version not only cures quicker,but seems to be more durable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I actually thought about those washers too. I was too lazy to get out of my zone and run over to Ace, so I spent a few hours making something instead.......instead of a 20 minute round trip. That totally makes sense, I know. I hate running errands. I've put a hole all the way through a headstock too. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I have been making a ton of mistakes lately.I can't seem to stay focused.Maybe I need to make sure I eat properly before touching a guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I have been making a ton of mistakes lately.I can't seem to stay focused.Maybe I need to make sure I eat properly before touching a guitar I went through that earlier this year. I tend to work on the weekends in 8 hour+ marathon sessions. To counter idiot mistakes I set my goals for the day, make sure I eat breakfast, stop every hour also making sure I stop for lunch. I have a hard stop when I am tired (If I notice my feet hurting or I spend too much time looking for a tool). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I know,this looks like it's finished,but there are a lot of little things I still have to do.Tomorrow I have to wire it all up and play it for a few days and set it all up.Then I have to unassemble it and add side dots(which I forgot like a dipshit),then polish the hell out of it,make the back cover plate,and reassemble.Of course when I get all that done I will take more pics,including the back,which is really pretty plain looking...No AANJ on this guitar because in all reality it doesn't make a damn bit of difference on a bolt on IMO except to make the pocket prone to cracking because you can't use a plate on an AANJ I put the retainer bar on slanted because it works better that way on this type of headstock.Hard to explain but the thicker strings need to be pushed down more severely than the thinner ones,so this makes the break angle less abrupt over the nut. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I went through that earlier this year. Once again I am glad to know I am not the only one.Sometimes when these things start to go wrong I feel like The Lone Dumbass... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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