guitar2005 Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Love it... but why paint the front of the guitar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Nice build, I like the wood appointments like pickup rings and stuff - just one question though - if you're just painting the top, why the sides as well? I would have thought if you're painting the top it's a highlight, with the sides and the top painted it's like the back is supposed to be the highlight, which just doesn't seem right - unless you're going to paint the back as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted July 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Love it... but why paint the front of the guitar? I've always wanted a vintage cream guitar, but I love the look of figured maple. With what I've done, to me at least I get the best of both worlds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Nice build but i would try work out a way to play it backwards because the back is so pretty =D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted July 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 "Nice build, I like the wood appointments like pickup rings and stuff - just one question though - if you're just painting the top, why the sides as well? I would have thought if you're painting the top it's a highlight, with the sides and the top painted it's like the back is supposed to be the highlight, which just doesn't seem right - unless you're going to paint the back as well?" I painted the sides as well as the top to cover the glue line that runs around the entire body where I glued the body sections, (wings), together. Also, I never was a big fan of neck through guitars that flaunt the look of being a neck through guitar. The only thing you would have seen if I wouldn't have painted the sides would have been where the bottom strap button would have been, but I still never really cared for the neck through look, so I painted the front and sides to cover that up with a color that I've always liked. I used the flamed maple because of the beauty of the wood. With the flamed maple trim on the front with the vintage cream colored paint, and the flamed maple back with the cream binding, it blends the front and the back together. If you're playing it, you know that the back is natural wood, anyone seeing the guitar from the front only won't see it unless you turn away from them so they can see the natural wood on the back. Hell, maybe it's just me, but I like the idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skiye Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 nice build. i like the idea of the "wings." i can already hear the sustain thats a good solid construction. what kind of pickups are you installing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted July 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Thanks for the kind words. Just from tapping the guitar, the wood rings like a wooden bell. As far as the pick-ups, all of the electronics for that matter are all Gibson, except for the three way switch, and it's a Switchcraft switch, (used by Gibson as O.E.). The pickups are '57 Classic Humbuckers. I used all authentic Gibson parts for the electronics in the correct range whether it be the Ohms for the pots., or the microfarads (sp?) for the resistors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skiye Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 awesome. going all classic, i like that. what kind of paint/base did you use on the top? not the particular colour, but oil, latex, etc... i know you would want to use a paint that wont compramise resonance, so what do you feel is the best paint for guitars? (maybe i just havent found my way to the correct forum for this type of info yet?) i dont mean to bombard you with questions, haha, for that i apologize. *goes to search forums for painting* lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted July 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 What kind of paint? Well, it isn't paint, it's pigmented nitro. lacquer. The primer, (white) was put down and sanded so I could find all of my flaws. I sprayed it again, scuffed it, then shot the color coats. All of the primer and "paint" were purchased from ReRanch; http://www.reranch.com Bill's primer is the best I've ever used, and the color coats went on like nothing. If you get a chance, head on over to http://www.reranch.com/reranch/viewforum.p...5db86013959214e As for the clear, it's Deft gloss nitro. lacquer from Lowes. On the first guitar I made, I used the gloss nitro. from Stewert MacDonald, but it is expensive, ($9.00 - 10.00 a can), and then you pay for shipping and if you live in Ohio with Stew Mac as I do, you have to pay tax as well. The second guitar I made I used Minxax nitro. lacquer from Home Depot, and it was half the price as the Stew. Mac lacquer. The Minwax and the Deft are both about $4.50 a can, and I see no difference in the two of them as compared to the $10.00 can from Stew Mac. I'm not digging on Stew Mac., nor am I affiliated with either Home Depot or Lowes, but when I can buy two cans of nitro. lacquer from a well known store/source and it's a widely known brand such as Minwax or Deft and it's half the cost, well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skiye Posted July 7, 2008 Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 interesting. thanks a million for the links...greatly appreciated. i suppose i need to read a bit more about the process somewhere. my next, and first, wood project is going to be a bass, i am just seeking some ideas. gorgeous work my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted July 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 If you go over there, look for the ReRanch 101 tutorial, read it like 100 times, then print it out to keep while your doing your finish. Great stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted August 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 It's been a long time since my last post, but I have been working out of town and have had almost no time to work on it. These are the first pictures of the mock-up. Here it is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Is that TV Yellow, or is the lighting and flash messing with the color? FWIW: I'm not digging the flamed maple with the light paint color. I'm not sure I'd like it with dark paint either, but with a light color, there's not enough contrast. But, you know, whatever floats your boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 why did you paint such nice woods? sorry, I'm a big fan of natural and translucent finishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted August 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 Is that TV Yellow, or is the lighting and flash messing with the color? FWIW: I'm not digging the flamed maple with the light paint color. I'm not sure I'd like it with dark paint either, but with a light color, there's not enough contrast. But, you know, whatever floats your boat. The color is Fender's Vintage cream, and the flash does mess with it as does all light but sunlight. I used the natural wood to match the back, and I also wanted something subtle not really a contrast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted August 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 why did you paint such nice woods? sorry, I'm a big fan of natural and translucent finishes. I've never been a big fan of the look of a neck through that shows the neck through on the front. Since this has no cap on the front, and I've always wanted a Vintage Cream guitar, I thought this would be the best thing to do... paint the front while leaving the back natural to show the neck through there and to show off the flamed maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 i agree, i cant stand seeing that maple be covered up like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted September 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 (edited) Here is a picture of the three that I've built so far. In the middle is my son Dillon with my first build, the Flamecaster, my fiance's son Nick on the right with my second build, the Beatnick-Mojocaster, and me on the right with my newest build an L.P. Edited September 1, 2008 by J_48_Johnson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted September 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 All right, the final pictures are in! I got the nut slotted, sanded, and lubed, fretwork done, intonation, tuning, truss rod set, and the pick-ups adjusted, (more on that in a minute). It is as quiet as a church mouse when plugged in, playes very well, and sounds smooth with the Gibson Classic '57's and the electronics I put in. The sound is fat and round especially when in the middle position with a bell like ringing harmonic. Beautiful indeed. What I liked about building my own neck was the freedom to do what I wanted. The open book design at the body end of the fretboard, and the gold trimmed garnet as the 12th. fret side marker were just a couple. Choosing the wood I wanted for the neck and fretbaord, using the truss rod I wanted, the style and design of the neck profile and nut width are a few more. I need to be able to adjust the pickups so they are away from the strings more. The springs that come with the pick ups are long, too long (I thought), so I cut about 1/3 of the off. WRONG! Now the pick up tension is too loose and it lets the pick up become sloppy in the ring and it sometimes hits the strings. I got onto Stewart MacDonalds web site last night and ordered springs the same length as mine were before I cut them. After I get them, I'll tear it apart and put them in. As most of you know this was my first neck build. Although it came out very well, she's a little chunky. It is going to take some getting used to going from an Ibanez Wizard II neck profile to a Louisville Slugger neck profile. In the bottom of the ninth with two men out and one man on, I'll take this Les Paul log every time! 8) 8) 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heggis Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 I need to be able to adjust the pickups so they are away from the strings more. The springs that come with the pick ups are long, too long (I thought), so I cut about 1/3 of the off. WRONG! Now the pick up tension is too loose and it lets the pick up become sloppy in the ring and it sometimes hits the strings. I got onto Stewart MacDonalds web site last night and ordered springs the same length as mine were before I cut them. After I get them, I'll tear it apart and put them in. I had this problem when I replaced my Epiphone Les Paul stock pickup with a Kent Armstrong one. What I did though, was to take the springs from a couple of old pens I had, and that worked perfectly. No noice at all, and the tension was fine. Heggis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 wow, why such an incredibly thick pickguard and truss rod cover? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_48_Johnson Posted September 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 I'll agree on the truss rod cover, and already have plans to thin it down as it would look better, but the pictures don't do the pick guard justice. I went back and looked at the picture but it really doesn't show it very well. The pick guard is tapered from the bottom edge to the top edge that's against the pick up rings. You can see it a little, but the pick up rings are about a 1/4" tall, and the pick guard is thinner than they are tall at that side. It turned out very well. Good eye picking up the thick truss rod cover though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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