Project Saga

[AlGeeEater]

I'm sure some of you at the "Other Forum" have seen this, but I though I would post it here. Remeber that REALLY junky job I did on that Saga kit? One day I just had the urge to strip it down and re-paint it. While I was at it, why not do some body mods? I did some carving on the horns and the top. Might do a back cutaway thing. So here are some pics:

Lower Horn:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01357.jpg

Upper Horn

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01354.jpg

Here's the body with what I can all "AlGee Top" Still need more carving around the treble side though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01378.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01372.jpg

Finish wise, I was thinking of doing a Prussian Blue(Drak knows what I mean ) body with some free hand light blue flake-ish flames. I am really going to be pushing my limits seeing as how my airbrush skills arent that great, but I WILL be practicing I also got the idea of putting "AlGee" on the headstock lit up in LED's. If you guys have anymore ideas, let me know please!

Thanks

P.S.-Comment's and suggestions welcome. I won't be back to the shop until sunday, but I expect to start spraying Monday/tuesday

I ALSO did a veneer removing tutorial. If you guys wan't, I will post it.

Edited August 5, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[Maiden69]

Just one Idea, if it is a solid color, why don't you plug the holes for the stop bar and make it string thru?

[AlGeeEater]

Just one Idea, if it is a solid color, why don't you plug the holes for the stop bar and make it string thru?

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Hmm, that sounds like a good idea. I was never to fond of a stop bar. I think making it a string through would give it a more classier look.

Here's the kit and my EVH before it became an EVH

P.S.-Removing a veneer is crappy work. I think on Sunday I am going to fix the lower horn(make it more -even- with the top horn) and carve the body out more.

Also, what does everyone think about the top?

Edited August 5, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[Jehle]

I like the top so far. I have yet to do such a big carve so I have to wonder what you did to remove that much wood. Rasps? Planes? Lots and lots of sanding? That's what I did for my last project. Took ages but the results were surprisingly smooth and consistent.

[AlGeeEater]

I like the top so far.  I have yet to do such a big carve so I have to wonder what you did to remove that much wood.  Rasps? Planes? Lots and lots of sanding?  That's what I did for my last project.  Took ages but the results were surprisingly smooth and consistent.

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I just used 100 grit sandpaper on my random orbital. Give or take a small arch in the body already, but 100 grit took the wood down FAST. I'm pretty sure the sandpaper I use is aluminum oxodized or something like that. It works great on wood.

[Maiden69]

Yeap, sand paper on the RO or DA will make fast work of the wood for carving, that's what I use, or if you are very handy with a grinder, you can get a 100grit flap disk and use it, the only problem is that you have to have a smooth touch, to much pressure and you can go to far down or burn the wood.

[AlGeeEater]

the only problem is that you have to have a smooth touch, to much pressure and you can go to far down or burn the wood.

←

Or create uneveness in the carve which will take long as hell to sand even

I'm going to start carving soon. Still trying to recover from my sunburn

[AlGeeEater]

OK, the top has been finished. Looks good to my eyes. I will take pics tomr when I get the camera to see what you guys feel about it. I havent plugged the holes yet. I hope to get around to that and drilling for the ferrules tomr. I have been practicing all day today. So far it's turning out good I a still a little stumped on how they stay in the holes. After reading BigD's tutorial, I STILL don't understand Any help?

[jer7440]

If you drill the ferrule holes to the recommended size they should push in kinda hard. They should be hard to get back out.

[Maiden69]

If you drill the ferrule holes to the recommended size they should push in kinda hard.  They should be hard to get back out.

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Not realy, because when you paint it will fill the holes with paint, and then when you push the ferrules in it will crack the paint. Once you finish painting you have to run the drill bit before inserting the ferrules. And on this type of carve body you can't use bigD's tutorial

[Drak]

1. I think you did a -great- job carving it out.

2. I don't know what the big deal is with string thrus, I like 'em, but I like stop bars too.

Stop bars give you the ability to adjust the string tension, which will be removed with a string-thru setup.

I have nothing against them, but I don't see the big deal with them that everyone seems to make out of them lately. I mean, just because you CAN do it doesn't mean you SHOULD do it. I think it's a fad really.

3. If you've only removed veneer once, I don't think you should do any sort of tutorial on it.

Personally, I don't think anyone should be doing tutorials on anything that they've only done one time, that seems completely ridiculous to me.

Tutorials should be done by people who have done things NUMEROUS times, who have tried many different ways and found the BEST way to do something, and have become proficient at the task. Just doing it once still parks you in the newb catagory to me, what could you possible learn doing something only one single time?

[AlGeeEater]

jer7440-I was thiking about that too. This has got my brain in jumbles.

Maiden69-What I plan on doing is taking a soldering iron preheated, put the ferrule in the hole(not all the way) and maybe kissing it for 3 seconds to soften the finish. Then once the finish gets hard(but is still soft) I will tap it in with my fret hammer. And redrill the holes of course .

Drak-Thanks Personally, I have always wanted a string thru guitar. The tele i'm going to start MAY have a string thru TOM(or maybe I will do a regular tele lol). I think it looks cleaner without this huge chrome bar on the guitar(even though I like stopbars too).

This was actually my second time removing a veneer. My mom asked me to remove one off an old table(which I used an iron on with the steam settings on).

You are right, but it truly isnt -that- hard. It literally took my 10 seconds to get the feel of it, but we all have our opinions, and I really appreciate yours.

Maybe I will do it 100 more times and THEN do a tutorial on it

Actually, as I was trying to fall asleep last night, I realized doing ferrules on a carved top is impossible huh? I mean, I gues I would have to flatten out the but of the guitar where the ferrules would go?

Thanks for the help so far. Pics soon!

[AlGeeEater]

Picture time!!

Here's the body as it is now. All of the macihne sanding is done, and all that's left for me to do is sand the top by hand, sand the bevels on the horns and sand the sides:

A better shot of the top(you can see that black strat in the background I painted for my cousin ):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01391.jpg

Lower horn(made some adjustments, lets see if you can tell what I did to it )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01394.jpg

Upper horn(Still needs some smoothing out, there's one freakin' bump that wont go away :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01395.jpg

The stop bar holes plugged:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01393.jpg

^^I still don't know if I should sand that area dead flat for the ferrules though

Look the guitar is floating.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01397.jpg

I think if somebody tells me whethere or not I should flatten the area around the stopbar, I will get on that and probaly drill the holes today.

Thanks.

Edited August 8, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[jer7440]

One thing you need to consider is that the strings are going to break over the TOM at a different angle with a string thru than they did with the stop bar. If you put the ferrules in the same line where the stop bar was it might be too steep. the strings might come off the saddles and hit the back side of the bridge.

Does that make any sense? I really like the carve by the way!

[AlGeeEater]

One thing you need to consider is that the strings are going to break over the TOM at a different angle with a string thru than they did with the stop bar.  If you put the ferrules in the same line where the stop bar was it might be too steep.  the strings might come off the saddles and hit the back side of the bridge. 

Does that make any sense?  I really like the carve by the way!

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Yeah, I think so. What you are saying is, I should PROBALY drill closer to the bridge, because the less of an angle, the easier the strings will fall off.

I think

Thanks, I love the carve too. The thing looks -hot- with the hardware on (I just did a quick mock up)

Edited August 8, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[jer7440]

Actually, I think you need to drill farther from the bridge. Other wise the strings will go over the slots in the saddle and then hit on the frame of TOM or the part that supports the saddles.

[AlGeeEater]

Actually,  I think you need to drill farther from the bridge.  Other wise the strings will go over the slots in the saddle and then hit on the frame of TOM or the part that supports the saddles.

←

Yeah?

I guess that would make sense. I was hoping to use the plugged holes as a guide. To me though, I think where the stopbar went should be fine for a string thru no? Maybe a little farther back to make up for the height?

Now you got me confused

[jer7440]

Sorry for the confusion. Maybe this drawing will help.

The top drawing shows what happens if the angle is too steep coming off of the bridge.

The second drawing shows a more shallow angle. To get the more shallow angle you may have to move your ferulle holes farther away from the bridge.

[AlGeeEater]

Sorry for the confusion.  Maybe this drawing will help.

The top drawing shows what happens if the angle is too steep coming off of the bridge.

The second drawing shows a more shallow angle.  To get the more shallow angle  you may have to move your ferulle holes farther away from the bridge.

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AH! I kinda get it know. I am going to sit the bridge on the guitar, and take some string and see what a good angle is.

[jer7440]

exactly. put the bridge on and just make sure your angle is good. Using the old stop bar holes may work, but it may not.

[AlGeeEater]

exactly.  put the bridge on and just make sure your angle is good.  Using the old stop bar holes may work, but it may not.

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OK. Now all I have to do is find the exact center of this thing Possible flatten the area where the ferrules will go to. I dunno. One step at a time

[AlGeeEater]

The strings appear to be fine from where the stopbar used to be. The angle isnt THAT steep, but I think I am going to drill a little farther back.

I'm mocking up the guitar now to deal with any action problems which may occur(from taking off the sealer, veneer and sanding the body.

[AlGeeEater]

Mock up shots:

(mmm strat in the background again, looking good )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC01401.jpg

Me likey

[Jehle]

So how are you going to refinish it? AlGee-burst?

[AlGeeEater]

So how are you going to refinish it?  AlGee-burst?

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I was thinking a "Prussian Blue" with some light blue flaked flames on top of it. Then, maybe "AlGee" in bold Tahoma font ghosted on the front somewhere. It would be the same color as the flames. I'm not to sure about the flames though.

Maybe some airbrush work too(If I get any better at it )

Edited August 8, 2005 by AlGeeEater