bigdguitars Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 These are all in various stages, none of them I would consider done or even close, just starting to rough them out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDust_Junkie Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 (edited) The quilt on that one on the right in your third pic is awesome bigd ! Nice work, very clean. It never ceases to amaze me the volume some of you guys turn out. Edited January 18, 2005 by Fender4me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill-Murray Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Hey drak, at it again--- Oh wait, I thought it was drak on another rampage. Those guitars are stunning. Might I ask what the occasion is for?? How much would one of those sell for? Just curious.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 You're finishing chops better be honed to a razor's edge, cuz if you screw any of those up I'm gonna be PISSED! That ultra quilt has me on my knees, really nice. BTW, what the hell are you doing building all those Tele's, couldn't you have built 10 Strats or 10 SG's or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 the ocasion is that I am sick and tired of building for myself. I really want to put a bunch of guitar together and see if I can really push my skills. its tough to learn how to use a tool then not use it for a few weeks not knowing how its running and all of that. Plus you have to test yourself. All of these will go to ebay when they are done. I have collected a ton of nice wood and I just want to started to put them out. I want them all to be perfect, no flaws no mess ups. So far I am having a good start, band saw and sander running good. Got a larger table for my pin router and all that. the only thing I worry about is the finish, and when its warmer out I will be able to spray ten at a time so I can get a good feel of how to do it right... You don;t learn if you don't do it and do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heath Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Hey bigd, what thickness are your top laminates(If they are all different, an average or range value will do). I was thinking of doing multiple guitars at once on my next build just to become more familiarized with the processes. Nice lookin set!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 I was thinking of doing multiple guitars at once on my next build just to become more familiarized with the processes. That would be a classic (and big) newb mistake. You make a mistake on one guitar, you chalk it up to experience so the next guitar you don't make it again. You make that same mistake on multiple guitars, while you're still new and learning, you're screwed, unless you have the budget to afford that many mistakes all at once. Just keep it simple until you get the basics down firm, and give yourself time to learn before you start multiple projects. My worthless .02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 BTW, what the hell are you doing building all those Tele's, couldn't you have built 10 Strats or 10 SG's or something? ← Drak can't stand the thought of anyone having MORE Teles than him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 You make that same mistake on multiple guitars, while you're still new and learning, you're screwed, unless you have the budget to afford that many mistakes all at once. Ha ha thats a great line.... I love it. If you want to practice go get some poplar its not that expensive and go at it. its a good wood to play with, and in the end you might have something worth while. 8/4 poplar runs me ten buck or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heath Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Well, I did a couple pine 2x4 mock ups of the necks before I even glued the neck laminates up for my first guitar. It's pretty funny to have this sap oozing stick with some tuners, a nut, fretboard and bride all strung up. Should have added some electronics to it to hear that 'sappy' tone. I have a lot of white oak i can practice with, the trim in my house is made of the stuff, and i hate it. I also tend to be cautious and patient. I've screwed a number of things up in the past because i got into a hurry. The main thing right now is relaxation, and it helps me do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted February 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 I was working on one of my guitar bodies and for some reason I cut it out wrong, then routed it wrong... now I have a body that is getting ready to become firewood. Some days I should just stay inside and sleep, uhg, will post a pic. #1 is almost done waiting for lacquer to cure #2 maple burl pic is done and looks great just wired it last night I love that tele bridge pickup. -derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8 Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 I was working on one of my guitar bodies and for some reason I cut it out wrong, then routed it wrong... now I have a body that is getting ready to become firewood. Some days I should just stay inside and sleep, uhg, will post a pic. #1 is almost done waiting for lacquer to cure #2 maple burl pic is done and looks great just wired it last night I love that tele bridge pickup. -derek ← You have some beautiful looking Maple there. Do you mind me asking where you get it from. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted February 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 Hi Niel, I get all my maple from Durawoods on ebay. Chuck is a great guy and supplies a lot of major builders out there his wood is so clean and nice. update here is #2, #1 is still drying doing full nitro on that one. #2 is a gift to my hardwood supplier. standard tele config, with alder body all maple 1 piece neck. standard tele pickups, the bridge pickup has the vintage tele tone! other pics... http://www.bigdguitars.com/untitled/IMG_0302.JPG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 Dude, That is frickin gorgeous! What is that finish? I can't wait to get my hands on some sweet wood like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted February 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 thats the wood from this thread: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...5&hl=maple+burl the finish is tung oil thats best wetsanded out with linseed oil the reapplied and reapplied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren wilson Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 It would look better, in my opinion, if you direct-mounted the neck pickup instead of adding that huge mounting plate. Sweet top, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 You're doing really nice work Derek. A few suggestions: if you had dyed that burl with a very dark brown anilyne with a few drops of black droppered in, then sanded it back about 80-90%, the figure would be -way- more enhanced and would enter the realm of insane figure. It's nice as-is, but it could be better, and you could still Tru-Oil over it, even tho I really don't care much for Tru-Oil. The stain/sand back method can be used to a lot of different effects, from leaving the dark stain on very heavy for an extremely 'Metal' look, to sanding most of it back off, for a real subtle look, which is what I would have done with that burl, just enought to set the figure off, but not enough to overshadow the look of the wood itself, and using a dark brown instead of black. Sometimes I mix in a little red with a dark brown, and then a few drops of black...very little, but it makes a difference. Don't get me wrong, it's really pretty, and the construction methods look very solid, but I know how much potential is locked away in the grain of that wood, and you really only coaxed maybe 40% of it's potential out of it using the Tru-Oil over clear. Just a little friendly critiquing. It will certainly be a fun competition this spring, you are getting better all the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 I think I agree with drak. When I first saw that peice of wood I was thinking it was going to be like the best tele i've ever seen. Now dont get me wrong, that is an AMAZING guitar. But I think that the figure of the wood could have been brought out soooo much more if you used a different finsih. It is sweet though. I've always wanted a tele thats all burly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted February 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 never had that tought drak.... I have another set that I will try that on... I like tung oil cause it leaves a good feel hardens nicely, and is forgiving when you make a mistake. my nitro #1 is a pain in the arse, very hard to spray when you dont have the dedicated space Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 Just remember that the stain/sand back thing is very flexable once you get comfortable with it. I'll dye one big piece, sand it all back to a point, tape off a section, sand some more, tape off another section, sand the rest some more, then apply the color and check out the different results, so you get a handle on what different amounts of sanding (oe wiping) yields you. Then I'll use a different piece, start over, use a completely different color as the first dark color, like dark brown, dark brown and some red, red and black, man, it's as wide open as your imagination is. Using black is usually the entry point, it's where most people start, but you can use any color at all. You can dye yellow, sand back, then clear coat over a nice piece of Maple to get a completely different result, or dye dark orange, sand back, then apply weakened yellow for the beginnings of a cherry sunburst with enhanced grain. I think a lot of people who only play with it once or twice never really realize how much you can bend and twist the results depending on how much or how little you sand (or wipe, if you're doing it that way) back off, what color you use to do the initial dying, and what color the wood is starting out, they all have their hand to play in the final result. For example, burled Maple (like yours) is usually a very dark reddish color, so you can't use anything lighter than the wood itself is, so you can't use yellow or orange...and you can usually only do the one dark color and sand that back because the wood itself is so dark and colorful, it gives you your second color right there, there is no need to apply a second color coat, just do the initial, sand back, and you're done, and you will bring out all the amazing figure in the burl and still be able to enjoy the natural color of the burl too. It's really a fantastic art when you start to really dig into it, the possibilities are as varied as a person could imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted February 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 I know what you are saying my #1 has a blue dye first then I added black to shade it in... I always test on the wood first, just never put the burl and dye together, figured that the color might hit one piece different than the other and I would not like that... Will try it on the next burl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 Usually the only time you have to worry about something like that is if the wood is spalted in spots, or the wood has spots or areas of a different texture, cluing you in that those areas might absorb dye differently. Besides that, burled woods dye just fine, done it dozens of times, but with dark woods like burls, I will usually only use the first dark dye, sand that back really thoroughly, and that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 hey, I must say that your skills are getting better by the truck load, I do think the same as Drak, and since you must have quite a few pieces of that burl laying around, thats the opportunity to test your staining at. I did the same on the scraps that was left from the body of my 7 string, and it turned the way that I wanted. I havent used burl yet, can't get to like it much, I am loving this quilt. and I'm on the look for a thick flame maple, am about to e-mail chuck to see what he got over there. I wish I had the budget you do man, I will be insane right now staining all those beautiful pieces of wood. Are you having trouble with th enitro? What are you using, I havent had any problem with mine and I'm just using DEFT, even when I spray too thick and it runs, I just tilt it the other way around and spray over to make the run just lay flat on the almost dry area on the other side. Post a pic of the blue one you are talking about, I love blue guitars, especialy figured one, here is a pic of mine in my thread. Can't wait to see more progress! Great Job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RRVCustom Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 just saw that tele, and i must say, wow. even tho i usually hate all things fender (too overcopied/overplayed/overrated), that is one gorgeous guitar. great work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted March 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 yea drak you are right about adding a dye to a burl. I have yet to sand this one back but it makes the burl jump http://www.bigdguitars.com/images/teleburl_000.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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