Ryan_Machiavelli Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 Hi there, I'm new here but I've been reading up around here for the past week and this site sure is helpful. I have a few questions and don't want to step on anyone's toes, so I come with a peace offering. http://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=stratbp2201.jpg I don't know if this goes against any rules or so, but I came across it while doing some research and thought it might benefit others that are on a budget. And please be advised I am on a budget: I am a full time student and work full time as well, not to mention a proud husband and father. I don't have much time to fiddle on my guitars anymore but when I do its usually in the recliner when I'm off from work watching my daughter play in her crib. My guitar is a Fender Toranado, which I bought without seeing but was for $275, so I couldn't pass it up. The offset body is pretty hard to play in a comfortable position, and I'm out of school for the summer and itching for a project. I don't really ever plug any guitars up so I was planning on routing it and going all out but figured it'd go unused. I was going to use either plywood or some other wood with a grain to practice working on should I ever making another guitar. I stopped by Home Depot today and saw some 1"x12"x3' poplar that was labled Lumber Application : N. The guy I asked said he'd worked there 12 years and had never had anyone ask him what it meant. I think I saw an episode of This Old House that mentioned application coding based on the quality, knots, etc. Anyone here know? Lastly, here is a quick MSpaint mockup of what I'm hoping the end result will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stereordinary Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Hi Ryan and welcome to the forum! Your "peace offering" is way cool and I saved myself a copy, so thanks for that! I have a Toronado too, and I love it. I can't imagine why you think the offset waist is uncomfortable, but hey, to each their own. I also have a Jazzmaster and it's my favorite guitar. Seriously, don't rout it though! Sell it to me, or let me make you a body or something first. Sounds like you have little free time. That's something else you and I have in common. So where are you at with you build and what could we help you with? You have you plan, but I failed to grasp your experience level and where you're at in the planning or building stages. Do you plan to make the neck too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan_Machiavelli Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 The Toronado is fine except when I'm sitting back in my recliner (which I usually am when playing) and I raise my long dancer's legs close to me it jabs me in the leg and I can't get comfortable. My first guitar was a strat copy so and I didn't know I'd miss it as much as I do. I'm not touching it. I play it but its more or less a collectors item for me now. I'd like to know if lumber labled "Lumber Application : N" would be suitable to make a body from. I was going to look at making it have removable pups via a Dan Armstrong plexi but I'll probably have to wait until I'm out of school for that to take shape. As far as experience I've made robots for Battlebots-type events and such, so I think I know my way around a shop. I'm making a parts list and watching some stuff on ebay right now, but I suppose I might make this a build diary as I go along. Thanks for the support! Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Poplar is great for a body. It's light, east to work, middle-of-the-road tone, and inexpensive. All that being said, I don't know if I'd go to a box store for the lumber. You'd get a much better deal and selection at a local lumber yard. That being said, if HD is where you want to get it, it should be fine so long as it's clear, flat, straight, and knot/crack free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAI6 Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Not to mention "dry"...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ae3 Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 I have a plan similar to that but for an old school (square heel) Ibby JEM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BVNichols Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 I think the N in "Lumber Application : N" stands for "No". I've noticed on several HD products they use Y and N as descriptors. I'd just go with what avenger and RAI6 said and choose your board carefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Ross Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 For the same price as Poplar, you can pick up some Alder, a common wood for guitar bodys. Look for a hardwood (not flooring) supplier in your area. Usually "lumber yards" just sell construction materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razbo Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Try doing a websearch on Exotic Woods + YourCity (or variation thereof). I did recently and found a store very near me I never knew was there. I still have to to go have a look around, but based on their website and a quick phone call, it is quite promising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan_Machiavelli Posted June 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 I'm not going to be putting any pickups in it since I hardly plug in the electrics I already have. Its more for jamming and fiddlin' on at night after work/school. With that criteria I'm trying to be as frugal about this project as possible. I think I'l get these 2x4's and matchbook them. http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores...tegoryID=500153 I know 2x4's aren't literally 2x4 in. anymore, but their specs state they are so we'll see when I make a trip back over there. Once I have the body cut I'll fill it with this wood filler. http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores...540985+10342002 Once that is sanded down I'll be ready to paint. I've looked over several paint tutorials and I believe it goes like this (correct me if I'm wrong) 1) primer 2) coat(s) of paint 3) clear coat(s) I'd like a nice metal flake on it but my tendency towards being a tightwad leaves me trying this route: http://www.fakeplasticrock.com/2008/12/31/...aul-faceplates/ Any suggestions on what kind of sandpaper to get? From what I've looked at 200 and 600 grit are pretty standard, but if anyone had any suggestions they certainly would be welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 The link for the lumber doesn't work. You do not want to use the Elmers or any other kind of "Wood Filler". They expand and contract at a very different rate then the wood does. They will become very visable through your paint, very quickly. The purpose of wood fillers is to fill nail holes in trim and such. Home Depot or Lowes or any other chain lumber store is the last place I would buy wood for building a guitar at unless I could not find wood anywhere else. Search google or use woodfinder to locate a hardwood dealer near by. It will be the same price or cheaper than Home Depot. Poplar or oak or maple from Home Depot is always more expensive then from a saw mill or hardwood dealer. Secondly and more importantly Home Depot wood is rarely dry or straight. Even though they call it kiln dried, it still has a very high moisture content and will move around a lot and will result in a less than satisfactory guitar. As for the faceplate, you do realize those are replacement face plates for a game controller and are not meant to be used on a real guitar. They won't even be the right size for a full sized guitar body, and they have all of the holes cut in them for the game control knobs and buttons and such. Then you still have to figure out a way to attach it to the body. Unless you are doing an oil finish all paint finishes run about the same price if you are using spray cans. A can of metallic paint is usually the same price as a solid color if you get dupli-color auto repair paint. Spray can finishes usually run about $30, and that is including abuot 4 cans of clear coat. For sandpaper, 100 grit is great for rapid material removal and then you'll need to progress up to at least 320, 400 is better, to remove all of the large scratches and smooth everything out, then you are ready to paint. After your clear coat has fully dried, if you are using spray cans let it sit for at least a month. It will feel dry after a few days, but that is only the top layer, it is not fully dry yet. Then you will need 600 or 800 to start and move up to at least 2000 wet sandpaper and then polishing by hand or get micromess sandpaper and go all the way up to I believe 20,000 grit to get a good polished look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan_Machiavelli Posted June 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 The lumber is a 2 In. x 4 In. x 92 5/8 In. piece of Premium Whitewood. I know they are for Guitar Hero controllers (vomiting icon) , I was referencing the glitter process for a cheap metal flake look. Thanks for the sandpaper info and the heads up on the wood filler. Anyone know an alternative to fill in wood grain? I was thinking Bondo but the Autozone in town only sells the large buckets of the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 You should read the finishing section,I think you will find it very informative.. Seems alot of us use CA glue as a sealer/grainfiller...as well as two part epoxy,shellac,etc... None of us use Bondo...not to say nobody has...it does work,but it does not soak in and become part of the wood like CA does... I started using CA because Drak never stops talking about it...and good thing too,since it is so superior to most methods... Anyway...Drak has posted many times about how to do it,but I will shorthand it for you step 1) buy medium viscosity CA glue...stewmac sells it in quantity...other places as well step 2) spread it on with a business card thoroughly...watch the fumes,they suck. step 3) sand until smooth step 4)repeat steps 2 and 3 until wood is completely filled and wood is smooth as the skin of a 20 year old beach bunny... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Premium whitewood sounds like a fancy name for premium grade white pine. Not bad stuff, but you run into the common pine issues such as pockets of sap. Plus lke has been said, Home Depot wood is rarely completely dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan_Machiavelli Posted June 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 I'm up late and tired as hell submitting paperwork online. Submitting tax info online is almost worse than taxes themselves... I'm going to a local lumber yard in the morning to see if they have a cutoff piece of poplar I can grab. We'll see how it goes from there... I keep flip-flopping back and forth on whether or not to go all out on this project. Like I said, its intended use is to be played unplugged in a recliner, but damn if I don't want to go electric. If I do, I'm hoping to go for the brightness of a strat with single coils sortta sound (a la Explosions in the Sky if you've ever heard of them. Great instrumental stuff there) and alot of warm humbucker rock sound. So I was thinking of 1" poplar capped with 3/8" mahogany pieces. I'm worried if this is going to be a muddy sounding pipe dream? I know the best way is to test it, but was wondering if anyone has experimented with this combo or tried this experiment. Other ideas running through my sleep deprived mind: 1) Padouk to replace the poplar? 2) Exotic Woods on Ebay seems to have some good prices, but what about tonal quality of some of the more alternative woods (purpleheard, bloodwood, etc.) that warmoth doesn't have information on? What do they compare to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stereordinary Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 ...a la Explosions in the Sky if you've ever heard of them. Great band. One of them plays a Toronado. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 1) Padouk to replace the poplar? 2) Exotic Woods on Ebay seems to have some good prices, but what about tonal quality of some of the more alternative woods (purpleheard, bloodwood, etc.) that warmoth doesn't have information on? What do they compare to? 1) Be aware of a couple of padouk's characteristics. A) It works pretty easily, but creates an obscene volume of dust. As it ages, it WILL turn from a vibrant orange to a darker brown with hints of orange. If it's the pretty color you're agter, don't get too used to it. C) VERY open grained, so filling will be necessary for a glass-like finish. None of these traits are necessarily bad or a reason NOT to use it. 2) I'm NOT an expert - this is just my observations and should be taken as such. There seems to be a correlation between the open-ness of the grain and the tone. The more closed the grain, the brighter the tone seems to be. I can't say that there's any validity to this, but that seems to be what I've noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 The openess of the grain doesn't seem to matter too much I don't think. Walnut is considered bright, just different than maple and is pretty open grained. Northen ash is very bright and is open grained as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan_Machiavelli Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Still haven't made it to the lumber yard (work stuff), but I tried to print out the strat template I posted in the first post. I went into photoshop and created a new image that is is the same height and width that the blueprint reads (12.9375"W x 18.0625"L) and then stretched it to fit. However when I print it over it is noticeably smaller, about 10-15% smaller. I printed it on my home printer off of 4 separate sheets but think if I take it to Office Depot they might print it off on one sheet, maybe that will make the difference. Anyone have any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan_Machiavelli Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Got a nice piece of inch thick 8/6 poplar today at a local mill. Its rought cut with no knots. How do I go about drying? From what I've read its all relative to your shop/work environment, i.e. temp. and humidity, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan_Machiavelli Posted June 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 (edited) stereordinary- PM sent. Im selling my Toronado so if anyone's interested I'm going to put an add up in the classifieds section in the next day or so. EDITED TO SAY: Found out I got laid off yesterday so this project is definitely delayed. Edited June 20, 2009 by Ryan_Machiavelli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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