Stealthcaster

[7even X²]

Well theres really not of build pictures to put up. I find that trying to shoot Rosewood in a Basement apartment with low lighting and a 3.2 mega pixel camera, to be damn difficult. I do plan to take some better pictures when I start the finish. I hope to have better camera by then.

Here is where it is to date:

East Indian Rosewood Body Strat style

East Indian Rosewood Neck with a Brazilian Rosewood Fretboard

6230 Stainless Steel Frets

Graphtech Graphite nut

Shaller Mini locking tuners

Gotoh - Wilkinson VS-100 Tremolo

Aged White Fender Samarium Cobalt Noiseless Pickups

Smoked Lexan Pickguard

(1) S-1 Vol (2) Push/Pull tone.

5-way Superswitch

Custom wired with over 20 combinations without changing the stock look.

All gold hardware

D'Addario Flatwound Jazz 10s

I still need to find someone in my area that can do really fine detailed inlay work for my logo

Then I am going to either go with a Dutch oil finish or Nitrocellulose finish. (Leaning towards Dutch oil)

I will try to take some more pictures this week as time permits.

Also, I have a question to those of you that are really into natural wood finishes.

Is there any way to lighten Rosewood up? Not much, I would like to just get it a few shades lighter so it doesn't finish out so dark.

Thanks

Mike

[avengers63]

You can try to bleach it. Experiment on some scrap if you decide to try.

On a different note, that looks.... rich. Why did you go with flatwounds?

[7even X²]

You can try to bleach it. Experiment on some scrap if you decide to try.

On a different note, that looks.... rich. Why did you go with flatwounds?

I went with flatwounds for recording (and also because I like the feel of them)

The flatwounds put the attention on the sound of the notes without the sound of string drag in the mix.

I take it by "that looks.... rich." your referring to the cost?

Yeah, it was kinda ugly.

In fact I would go so far as to say, I wish I had carried a Vaseline jar with me when I decided to start this project. It would have made the whole, extraction of moo la from its orifice, a tad bit easier.

I built this guitar for recording. It will not be spending its life in a trophy case somewhere, looking pretty and collecting dust. I plan to abuse it daily.(I mean that in a good way)

Thats not to say I don't value it, and wont use all due diligence in keeping it safe from damage.

However, I built this to use and enjoy as often as I can.

[WezV]

would like to just get it a few shades lighter so it doesn't finish out so dark.

then why make it our of rosewood

it looks damn cool, if i had gone to the expense of all that rosewood i would want it looking like rosewood - just finish as it is with a light coat of oil. Ita ctually quite a light piece of rosewood in the body anyway and i think that grain looks great

[avengers63]

I agree with Wez. It's your ax and you can do what you want with it, but I'd leave it as is.

By 'rich' I actually meant like a big piece of chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting and chocolate pudding ripples in the cake and a big glass of chocolate milk to wash it down with. So rich you'd get a cavity by looking at it. Dark brown wood with gold hardware does it for me.

[zyonsdream]

I really like the lexan pickguard. Makes the guitar a shade darker but still lets the grain pop through! Nice! What's the weight like on it?

[Xanthus]

Sahweet! I like it a bunch! I agree, it definitely looks "rich" to my eyes too. I like the fact that the pickguard is a bit see-through too.

Would you mind giving us a rundown on your wiring combinations? 20 different combos sounds a bit gratuitous

Flatwounds is an interesting choice as well. I've been meaning to get a set and see how different they sound then regular strings when playing some metal. The only flatwounds I've played are on the jazzboxes at my guitar teacher's apartment. Where did you get the parts from? Did you make the body and neck yourself?

[psw]

Very nice look and I wouldn't do anything to it...perhaps aged instead of white parts may have looked a bit better...but these will age in time so...no problems...white may have been ideal to really pop out, as you say the photo is difficult to tell true colours and effects.

It should also age well.

I like the massive switching options without the clutter...do you have a wiring scheme you used. How did you get hold of the S-1 switch...?

Otherwise, a real beaut...GOTM maybe?

pete

[tim290280]

I like the highlights on the fretboard, gives the guitar a cool look.

I agree with the oil finish. Keep it with that rich chocolate look and highlight the rosewood.

[kiem]

rosewood usualy gets lichter due to licht etc... most rosewoods ive seen atleast, like the realy dark purplish indian rosewood. Give it some sunlight for a some time and it can ( also depending on what type of finish i guess) turn to light brownish.

EDIT:

or put the guitar under a UV lamp if you dont want to wait for a year or more...

Edited May 2, 2008 by kiem

[7even X²]

Sahweet! I like it a bunch! I agree, it definitely looks "rich" to my eyes too. I like the fact that the pickguard is a bit see-through too.

Would you mind giving us a rundown on your wiring combinations? 20 different combos sounds a bit gratuitous

Sure. I will do my best

Parentheses are used to show the switch grouping theme.

+ = Parallel * = Series - = Out-of-Phase

MsB = Middle Series Bridge

MpB = Middle Parallel Bridge

MsB= Down

MpB= Down

1. B

2. B + (N)

3. B * (N)

4. (- B ) * (N)

5. (N)

MsB = Up

MpB = Down

1. B

2. B + (N*M)

3. B * (N*M)

4. (- B ) * (N*M)

5. (N*M)

MsB = Down

MpB = Up

1. B

2. B + (N+M)

3. B * (N+M)

4. (- B ) * (N+M)

5. (N+M)

MsB = Up

MpB = Up

1. B

2. B + (M)

3. B * (M)

4. (- B ) * (M)

5. (M)

Flatwounds is an interesting choice as well. I've been meaning to get a set and see how different they sound then regular strings when playing some metal. The only flatwounds I've played are on the jazzboxes at my guitar teacher's apartment. Where did you get the parts from? Did you make the body and neck yourself?

No, I have made a few in the past but these I can't take credit for. These are Warmoth

In fact a good bit of it just come from them.

Body

Neck

Frets

Nut

Tremolo

Jack plate

Machine heads

Straplocks

All the hardware

In fact the only thing I didn't order from them was the pickguard , pickups and wiring. The pickguard I cut just for this guitar. I made a template out of a tracing of a Stratocaster pickguard and then made a raise mold by cutting a piece of masonite to the Stratocaster template and then mounting that onto a piece of 1/2in ply. The I just let my dremel plunge router do the rest.

The pickups are only temporary, I plan to put my own hand wound pickups in it (when I get off my lazy arse to building the set for this guitar)

they will be noiseless as well. I want to wind a set with the acoustics of the guitar in mind. So it may take a few rewinds to get what I want, but I will do my best to do the wood justice.

Very nice look and I wouldn't do anything to it...perhaps aged instead of white parts may have looked a bit better...but these will age in time so...no problems...white may have been ideal to really pop out, as you say the photo is difficult to tell true colours and effects.

It should also age well.

I hate to be an "I told you so" but if you look at my original post, you will note that you overlooked the part where I said that I used aged white pickups. The knobs are as well. The photo I thought showed that well enough but I am used to looking at the actual guitar. I am sure that clouds how I perceive the picture to some degree.

I like the massive switching options without the clutter...do you have a wiring scheme you used. How did you get hold of the S-1 switch...?

I bought the Pickups and the S-1 switching system complete on ebay it was the SCN pickups, S-1 switch and the rest of the fender components mounted in a white Perloid pickguard.

As far as the wiring Schematic is concerned, I don't give out my wiring designs until I am happy with them. I am close with this one, but I still have a considerable bit of work, yet on it.

Otherwise, a real beaut...GOTM maybe?

pete

Sorry, I don't mean to be a smartass but what does GOTM mean?

Im new to this forum and not sure of the termanolgy being used.

rosewood usualy gets lichter due to licht etc... most rosewoods ive seen atleast, like the realy dark purplish indian rosewood. Give it some sunlight for a some time and it can ( also depending on what type of finish i guess) turn to light brownish.

EDIT:

or put the guitar under a UV lamp if you dont want to wait for a year or more...

Thanks for the tip Ill try it. Also in my next post I will show you the difference between what it looked like when I got it vs. now. I think everyone will see what I mean about wanting to lighten it. Really the only part I want to lighten is the fretboard. You can no longer see the really killer figuring that was in the first post. that is what I wish to lighten more than anything. I will let the pictures tell the story. I have to wait for a non rainy day here in the Seattle area to take a picture of it so that you have a good comparison. might take a few days

[Mickguard]

=However, I built this to use and enjoy as often as I can.

Well, then. Better get a couple extra vaseline jars.

[7even X²]

Here is the difference between the body when it was purchased and now.(2nd picture) For the neck, look at my original picture of it in my first post and you can see all of the detail in the fretboard.

Its all lost now as can be seen by the 3rd picture..

Man I really see what your talking about. My camera really sux. It does make the pickups and knobs look white and not aged white.

Oops, my bad on that one. I guess if you want this to look closer to correct, you will have to adjust the colors until that looks like proper aged white. Then the photo will be in the corect colors.

Here is one last shot of the whole thing.

[psw]

Thanks...I am sure the photo's don't do it justice.

GOTM = Guitar o f the month competition here at Project Guitar, see the announcements section to get the idea, just a thought...

cheers... pete

[7even X²]

Thanks...I am sure the photo's don't do it justice.

GOTM = Guitar o f the month competition here at Project Guitar, see the announcements section to get the idea, just a thought...

cheers... pete

Wow, then thanks for the GOTM comment. I take that as very high praise, however in this situation I don’t feel I qualify for or deserve any such thing as I purchased this body and neck instead of cutting this one out myself. I hate to say it though, cutting Rosewood isn’t my idea of fun, I made a rosewood body some 15 years ago and I think it wasted (seriously dulled) ever saw blade in my shop before it was finished. so I have to admit that I would have most likely never made that combo myself. It is damn pretty though.

Thanks again for the complement. I only hope the end of the project brings as much praise.

Mike

[7even X²]

Again, I still have the same question, how to lighten it. Without a scrap to test on, I am a bit scared to try bleaching it. Is there any other methods out there other then the bleach and the UV sugestion?

On the UV bleaching technique, how good would a commercial style metal halide do for that UV idea? I have a 1000w one outside the garage I could bring into the shop and hook up. How controlable is it. Will I be able to see it as it changes it or is it something that takes days?

Thanks again for all your help and praises!!

Mike

[7even X²]

I could really use an answer to that question if anyone has it. I need to finish this guitar soon.

thanks

[7even X²]

Anyone?

[Maiden69]

Bleach would be the only way I would go. But you have 2 pieces from different trees there, so one might be lighter than the other, like one is darker right now.

[7even X²]

Ok, I was really hoping to learn more about the UV method but I am not ruling out bleach just yet. I did have a few questions though if anyone can fill in the blanks. What is the method for bleaching wood like this? Do I cut the solution? How is it applied? How long do I leave it on? Etc…

And I am still really interested in learning more about this UV method and what it entails. I want to pick what I feel I am going to be best at and safest with. So if anyone can help out explaining either and/or both methods, I would really appreciate it. Or if there are some good links to resources.

Thanks again for all the help so far

[MAGGOTBRAIN]

I have nothing to offer for the UV method. As far as bleaching...

Without a test scrap I would not attempt this.,.,Plus youd be exposing that beautiful wood to lots of moisture when you

neutralize the bleach.

peace

jack

[Mr. Preston Swift]

I myself don't know much about the UV stuff BUT I know for a fact you could find more information on the UV method over at the OLF

www.luthiersforum.com

I know there are a fair amount of UV finishers over there.

[the telecaster kid]

Please, for the sake of all that is holy do not bleach that guitar. It is absolutely gorgeous, and it is rosewood, bleaching it would by horrendous. If you want a lighter guitar, build a body from ash or alder or one of the many other light colored tonewoods, but please god don't bleach that rosewood. For the sake of my sanity.

[ToddW]

Not sure I'd risk bleaching it either, and I don't like dark woods in general. If you do decide to try and bleach it, You could mask everything except the inside of the control cavity and bleach that. Two part wood bleach +/- adding some oxalic acid after application would certainly lighten it and probably show the grain pattern more, but . . .

Can't find any good info for you where I am now, I'll pull out my Flexner book and a couple of others later and see if there's anything in them that might help.

Regards,

Todd

Sorry, nothing in Flexner specific to rosewood bleaching.

Todd

Edited May 30, 2008 by ToddW