jch4v Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Hello, I just wanted to post an update to what I have been working on. This is my first guitar from scratch. I posted pics of the body a while back. Since then, I practiced cutting a neck and then cut the real one out of a piece of mahogany. The headstock shape is a variation of a strat. I cut the neck pocket in the body and am in the process of fitting the neck by sanding both down a bit. I glued together two pieces of bookmatched maple. Then I traced the body shape on to the maple and rough cut it with a bandsaw. Here's where I screwed up a bit. When I traced the body onto the maple, I was figuring that I would try to conserve as much wood as possible so I could use the rest for a headstock veneer. So, instead of lining up the center line of the body with the glue joint on the maple, I shifted the body over as to leave a bit of wood leftover on the side. Big mistake. I was a little pissed when I realized what I did. No biggie though, The bookmatch really isn't that strong and I dont think you can really notice that it is a bit off. The only thing is though, When I was gluing the maple together, I must have gotten some dirt in the join. So, the join mark is really dark. MY question is, do you guys know of any way of lightening that dark line... Bleach perhaps? Then I can just draw a new centerline. Here are some pics of what I have so far: Click here for pics and pray it works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_here Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 (edited) Hello again, jch4v! I can see you have been busy. The only thing is though, When I was gluing the maple together, I must have gotten some dirt in the join. So, the join mark is really dark. MY question is, do you guys know of any way of lightening that dark line... Bleach perhaps? Then I can just draw a new centerline.First off, no, I don't know how to lighten that line. I have something similar on a LP-style body that I got off eBay from a guy who got it off eBay. (Iow, this (now my) 2-piece body doesn't exactly "match" having a similar "line" that your Maple Veneer has). But this won't be a problem for me as I'm gonna paint it a solid color. From your pics it's hard to see just what the Veneer looks like. Are you sure that's (some kind of) "dirt" in the line? If that is what it is I would think it could be sanded off. And I'm assuming that both bookmatches are "level" (flush & flat) to one another; that the "line" isn't due to them not matching (or lining up with each other). I've never used bleach in guitar-making, as I'm basically new to "building"...Iow, bleaching guitar woods is new to me. Hope this helps get the conversation going & what-not. rick ><> Edited October 20, 2004 by rick_here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jch4v Posted October 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Thanks Rick, You are the most enthusiastic person! It's nice. If I can ever be of any help to you... please just ask! I am sorry that I haven't kept up too well with your emails... But I read them all and I appreciate everything you said. As you can see, I have been busy in the basement recently! Take it easy, J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_here Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 No prob, jch4v. I figured you were busy in Yer Guitar Shop! And yes, I may ask for your help later when(ever?) I decide to make a guitar completely from scratch!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jch4v Posted October 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 No one else huh? I guess I will just try bleach! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skr4ped Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Judging from the pics it looks like you wiped off the excess glue, and when it dried the glue shrunk and went below the surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jch4v Posted October 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Nope... the glue join is flush with the rest of the top... just darker. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skr4ped Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 That's weird. You'd think the area around the joint would be dark if it was dirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jch4v Posted October 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Well, it was... but I sanded it. I just can't get down on that line to sand that too! J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!!METAL MATT!! Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 What kind of glue did you use. I think some glues have something in them that reacts with maple when it's drying that makes it look like there was dark grease mixed in when it absorbs in to the wood and this shows on the glue line I've hade the same troble before but not to that extrem. !!METAL MATT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jch4v Posted October 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2004 it was titebond J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_here Posted October 22, 2004 Report Share Posted October 22, 2004 J- If I remember it right, you got this bookmatched-maple at a local cabinet shop (or something like that) for a really good price. I know that on eBay....if you have time to "monitor" it....there are auctions for One-Piece Veneers of various wood types going on about all the time. I've seen em sell for pretty cheap. Search hint for eBay-searching: try "luthier" and/or "project guitar" (believe it or not).....rick..............><> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!!METAL MATT!! Posted October 22, 2004 Report Share Posted October 22, 2004 it was titebond Well then Iam not sure I've used titebond before and never had any problems with it but it might just be your wood has had a reaction to the glue thats all that I can think of maybe you could stain it out with a dark stain like black, blue or red any way good luck!! !!METAL MATT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted October 22, 2004 Report Share Posted October 22, 2004 It's not really a big enough pics to give an authoritative statement, but it just looks like an wide glueline to me. In short it looks like you didn't prepare your jointed surfaces well enough, or they slid apart during glue-up, so there is a gap between them. The solution to your problem would be to cut the bookmatch apart and do it again - obviously not an option here since they are cut to final dimensions already. I say leave it, or inlay a contrasting stripe down the joint, and notch it upto experience. Next time examine the joint very carefully with a bright light behind it - no light should get through. Check it as you glue it up to ensure that the joint stays closed and doesn't creep, and clear away any squeezeout which prevents you seeing how tight it is. There's no shame in a less than perfect joint when you're starting out - it just encourages you to do a killer job next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jch4v Posted October 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2004 Thanks man, you are probably right. I am not really too worried about it anyway. I am probably going to stain it a dark color anyway... No big deal. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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