westhemann Posted October 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2011 It's funny cause I talk about this stuff all the time. It is a catalytic varnish by Sherwin Williams called "Sherwood water white".It was suggested to me as a substitute for Nitro when I was asking for Nitro in Sherwin Willams...it actually does feel and act exactly like nitro,except while spraying it can be a bit temperamental.I have used it on a few guitars now,and I just wonder if Auto Poly isn't easier to spray(I think it probably is.) Couple that with a Gladwin paint store 30 minutes away just full of auto poly,and I just wonder why I should not try it. The upside of the Varnish is that it is very easy to level,sand,and buff.....and it is very tough(again,similar to nitro)..and it never yellows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Wes, that is looking superb - I love your treatment of the heel. That said, the gap in the top would bug me, I'd be very tempted to inlay a line of veneer to match the back, or mask and spray a pinstripe of black lacquer, which will be indistinguishable from an inlay. If you go the latter route you can always spray it after a few coats of clear, and it will be totally reversible if it doesn't work. PS: The comments about clean work are spot on - this has looked surgical throughout - good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Thanks Setch,good to see you around again,oldtimer I was dreaming about a girl holding black pear wood veneer last night,of all things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 I got my final coats on and started my micromesh cycle,but it is damn hard to see shiny spots on a white maple top Anyway,I think I should get it buffed out this week and assemble it next weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menapia Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Oh dear I like that I like that a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 So assembly and polishing are taking forever..at least I got the headstock assembled,but my truss rod cover is a fail,I will have to redo it.Luckily I have plenty of phenolic sheets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 What grade of phenolic is that? Good enough for fingerboards? I'd love the opportunity to experiment with alternative materials like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 What grade of phenolic is that? Good enough for fingerboards? Umm...it's the paper based stuff...X or XX I think...I just use it for truss rod covers,control cavity covers,etc.I got some 3/32" thick and 3/16" thick. I have thought about using the 3/16" stuff for fingerboards combined with a really stiff neck(this stuff is not stiff),but I just really haven't run out of ebony yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 Got the truss rod cover sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 Where do you get your 3/32" phenolic? I can only seem to find the black paper grade in 1/16" and 1/8" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 http://phenolic-sheets-rods-tubes.com/x-xx-xxx-phenolic-sheets.htm The 3/32 is just a close measurement... .188 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 Oh wait..that's not the one,those are tan..hang on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 http://www.polymerplastics.com/composite_xpc.shtml This one may have it in black..it isn't where I got it though...I had a computer crash and lost my bookmarks and I can't seem to find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 A little hardware preview Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Cool, thanks! Looks super nice with the black hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chops1983 Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 This is gonna be a looker when she's all finished Wes!!! Good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Almost there...tomorrow is the soldering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Nice view, very nice color combination, very well done. Very artistic. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 I must say I will be glad to be done with this one so I can clean my kitchen and have it stay clean..until after Thanksgiving when I start my super thin Cumaru multi scale Explorer and my Cumaru SG with some sort of top I have not decided on yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 So it's complete.Here it is,blemishes and all.If you can't spot the blemishes,I am not going to tell you where they are,but I will say the GFS stuff is nice,for the most part,but the black finish is not glossy,it's flat...which works well with this one,but I don't know if I will use them again because of that.the "crunchy pats"(pickups GFS)sound very sweet and really nice,but I think I should have bought the higher output.. So,yes it's done,but next weekend I am going to trade out the bridge pup for something with a bit more balls,most likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 until after Thanksgiving when I start my super thin Cumaru multi scale Explorer and my Cumaru SG with some sort of top I have not decided on yet Not to mention at least three others I can think of that still need finishing. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 I wouldn't hold my breath on the birdseye Lp,the limba explorer,the ash rebuild,the ESP F copy,The tineo singlecut,or the handful of necks blanks I have ready to go.They are all complicated builds that are going to need my full patience and attention,unlike the MS explorer which is just going to be a "natural" finish with no pore filling and only a thin satin coat of clear... The others are going to have to wait until I re-style my finishing process into something I can get predictable results with. Apparently I only thought I had a finishing process figured out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 There's nothing better than a little set back to push us out of our comfort zone and force us to learn something new and improve our skills. Other than the line you pointed out and a tiny paint chip on the stop tail, no blemishes are showing up in the pics that I can see anyway. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 Other than the line you pointed out and a tiny paint chip on the stop tail, no blemishes are showing up in the pics that I can see anyway. It was a thousand times worse before I redid the top.now it is just small discolorations and witness lines on the sides. ,but it plays so well and feels so great I don't care.the neck and frets are all 100%. On the bad side the pickups are no doubt going to need to be swapped.They have awesome chord definition but not nearly enough balls for chunk... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 Okay,I ordered a GFS "power rail" for the bridge..super hot ceramic with wide rails.Supposed to retain the PAF warmth but with a fatter bottom end and higher output.I still want to retain the GFS status of this one and to have a fair test I need to try the pups that are meant for metal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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