The Dragon

[avengers63]

One rule I try to follow is let other people experiment with their guitars. That way you learn from their mistakes or suscesses rather than make your own.

Any chance you can provide the dragon drawing for the cutout, so we a can use it. LOL

Since the original plan was to paint it, I had no real fears in experimenting with the process. If it didn't work, it'd be painted over, so nothing was lost.

Here's the image.

[Woodenspoke]

One rule I try to follow is let other people experiment with their guitars. That way you learn from their mistakes or suscesses rather than make your own.

Any chance you can provide the dragon drawing for the cutout, so we a can use it. LOL

Since the original plan was to paint it, I had no real fears in experimenting with the process. If it didn't work, it'd be painted over, so nothing was lost.

Here's the image.

I knew you were just playing and I guess experimenting for the rest of us, LOL

Thanks for the Dragon, Now I have to make sure I dont loose it.

[avengers63]

...channeling the Rolling Stones...

I see my gui-tar and I want to paint it black.

No wood seen any more I need to paint it black.

[komodo]

My experiences with furniture and this process has alway been to use the Tanic acid within the natural wood to do the conversion. Why oak because it is loaded with Tanic acid and will naturally turn color.

This is my experience as well. I have a jug I keep with steel wool, old nails, etc and when I want to use it I pour some vinegar in there and let it stew for awhile. This is applied DIRECTLY onto the wood and the tannins IN THE WOOD react with it. By applying a powder/liquid mixture you actually defeat the best part of the process. In essence you are still applying some form of dye mixture, instead of altering the actual wood itself. The last cabinet I did was from oak and when i painted this mixture on, it looks a deep brown. When the clear goes on it gets MUCH darker and looks like ebony or rosewood almost, and its very hard to tell that it is oak! The greatest benefit is that it is so luminous, and doesn't look applied at all, but like a different wood.

[Narcissism]

Mmmmmmmmmmm beautiful black. I personally would have done a red bass coat and "accidently" sanded through on the edges in a few places Not to say that this doesn't look pretty freakin' sweet! I also never would have known there was a control cavity in the wrong spot if you hadn't told me lol. Good coverup!

[avengers63]

I also never would have known there was a control cavity in the wrong spot if you hadn't told me

Part of being a good wood worker is being able to completely hide your mistakes. We all make mistakes, and we all need to know how to either fix or hide them.

binding the neck

The slots were a pain to clean out. I didn't want to give them another couple passes with the fret saw for fear of accidentally widening the slot. I used X-acto knifes, specifically the back of the blade, to scrape all the gunk out.

I was a little anxious about binding the headstock because of the tight curves. As it turned out, it was easy as pie. From having bound a number of Formica/Tele bodies, I kinda know how much heat the plastic can take, so it was a lot easier than I thought it'd be. The hard part was actually forming the inside curves, and that only because of the heat from the gun made it nearly impossible for me to hold the binding in place as it was being softened. Clearly, I got it figured out.

[avengers63]

binding the body

[Kenny]

this is starting to come together very very nicely! cant wait to see it assembled

Kenny

[Woodenspoke]

Starting to come together, looking goooood.

[Woodenspoke]

Starting to come together, looking goooood.

[anderekel]

John, I think it's starting to come together....

It's lookin' great. The binding really add's a lot to it.

[Dean]

I did not know Wood studdered...

[avengers63]

Apparently, he REALLY meant it.

[Prostheta]

I also never would have known there was a control cavity in the wrong spot if you hadn't told me

Part of being a good wood worker is being able to completely hide your mistakes. We all make mistakes, and we all need to know how to either fix or hide them.

I disagree. A good woodworker factors out the margin for error, and doesn't make mistakes within their expertise. Below that level, you learn from your mistakes and hopefully develop into a good woodworker. Just saying. Sorry for the full quote. My mobile browser editor is somewhat limited in big textbox edits.

<edit: cleaned up post>

Edited June 3, 2009 by Prostheta

[avengers63]

The thing is, Pros, we ALL make mistakes once in a while that there is no real reason for us to make. Call it carelessness or not paying attention or whatever you want to call it: they happen even when they shouldn't.

Regardless of why they happened, fixing and/or camouflaging them is still an essential skill we need to have.

[Woodenspoke]

I disagree. A good woodworker factors out the margin for error, and doesn't make mistakes within their expertise

I have never met a woodworker who does not make mistakes, its part of the job. Yes you can limit your mistakes because of repitition and proper peparation. A really good woodworker knows he has made a mistake and fixes it without making a big deal of it. Then doesn't tell anyone about the mistake because its part of the process. If someone says they dont make mistakes get out the lie detector, LOL

"I never make the same mistake twice, its just the new ones that get to me" SPOKE

[westhemann]

I make mistakes but I plan them out ahead of time and come up with the solution beforehand...saves time...

[Narcissism]

I make mistakes too. Then I enter them into the Corvus build-off.

[avengers63]

I make mistakes too. Then I enter them into the Corvus build-off.

Some would say the Corvus itself is a mistake. Clearly, you, Dirge, and I disagree.

Honestly, my Corvus is the most comfortable guitar I have. I think it has a lot to do with the poplar body and headless design. It's extremely lightweight and fits very nicely against my body.

[Prostheta]

I disagree. A good woodworker factors out the margin for error, and doesn't make mistakes within their expertise

I have never met a woodworker who does not make mistakes, its part of the job. Yes you can limit your mistakes because of repitition and proper peparation. A really good woodworker knows he has made a mistake and fixes it without making a big deal of it. Then doesn't tell anyone about the mistake because its part of the process. If someone says they dont make mistakes get out the lie detector, LOL

"I never make the same mistake twice, its just the new ones that get to me" SPOKE

That was my point really. I don't think it's a case of "any good woodworker". Once your experience covers all the processes, and you are capable of doing the required steps with confidence and the knowledge to do it correctly, that's when you can factor mistakes out. Given a learning mind, you'll achieve perfection once you've made every possible mistake, once. Good woodworkers don't take chances or risk the workpiece. I class Perry, David and a couple of others in this group."the first step in avoiding a trap is knowing of it's existence". Not disagreeing with you Spoke, just defending good woodworkers or at least the upper echelon. :-D

Edited June 3, 2009 by Prostheta

[avengers63]

I just couldn't resist one last mock-up before laying the finish.

FWIW: These pics were taken on the 23rd. From that point on, it's been laying the finish and letting it cure. I had a major setback with the top though. There was a bad reaction between the sanding sealer and the water-based poly. The finish got really dark, but only in some places. I had no choice but to strip it off and start over. Today I'll be applying coat #4 of 5. Tomorrow is #5, then it sits until Monday at the earliest, maybe longer.

[SJE-Guitars]

Ooooooh I do not like those white pickup rings!

Personally I think black rings would suit the body far more . . I know there is the white binding but I think there is a bit too much white for such a dark body.

[WezV]

i like the red wood with white binding and white pickups. that works in a kinda retro way. not sure the dragons or the neck fit in with that

that said i like the dragons, red wood and white binding together - just not with those pickups and tailpiece.

overall i think its coming togetehr in quite a fun quirky way - obviously that wont appeal to everyone. i would be interested to see how it looked with different pickups

[Drak]

I agree with everything Wez said.

But taste is a personal thing, and anything you want to do is fine since it's yours.

My (taste) differences:

I think 2 black covered pkps would have been far more appropro, the three white pkps look totally out of place and dilute the quality of all the other hard work that was done to it.

They sort of blast you in the face.

Red and black equals heavy sex appeal, while white equals cleanliness and purity.

They just don't really go together on a subconcious level.

Even three black pkp covers would look better, although I still feel 2 would have been better suited to making the instrument more handsome, and honestly, I never saw the need for 3 pickups in the first place on any guitar, it's superfluous to me with all the sound shaping controls out there today.

I mean honestly, what is the need of 3 P-90 pickups placed like that from a tone perspective?

To stick them there just because you can is not a good enough design decision.

The placement of the controls looks to me like they were decided on because of the dragon cutouts.

I may be wrong, it just looks like that to me.

I'm all for fancy-dan soundholes, and those look beautiful, but in the same breath, they shouldn't interfere with the logical placement of controls.

When designing an instrument, the person playing it and how the person interacts with the instrument is extremely important, the interaction of the person to the instrument (to me) should come before placement of add-on features.

That is how a guitar becomes a wall-hanger instead of a player, like someone who builds a beautiful 13 pound guitar...no one is going to want to play it, and play it well and enjoy it, no matter how pretty it is, or how much work went into it, or how fancy the woods were that were used.

Building a guitar is like making a good stew or soup, all the ingredients must have a reason to be there to accent the final product, and everything in proper proportion to the other ingredients involved.

It looks like you have the makings of a good chef. You have access to good fresh ingredients, you have a good kitchen to cook in, you've made some good dishes before, but I think it's your blending (design choices) of the ingredients that needs a little more scrutiny.

But, if you're the only one eating your dish and you like it, then that's all that matters.

If you want to serve your dishes to the public, I would re-think your ingredient list a little and ask yourself why you are adding certain ingredients, and whether those ingredients are going to add to your dish or take away from a dish that would have been excellent otherwise.

But it looks great, I love the red/white, and would have liked to see more black, black and red always look great together.

[RestorationAD]

Chrome P-90s and black rings.

I had some issues with sanding sealer, laquer, and padauk earlier this year. I wonder if I am missing something info about finishing Padauk?

As for the control placement... I agree with Drak. I do not place my volume knobs close because I hit them when I play but this looks a little extreme.

Still John you have come a long way and should be proud of this build. Very Nice work.