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First Build - The "Nozcaster"


Norris

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19 hours ago, Mr Natural said:

now we are talking!

looks like glass mr Norris. absolutely beautiful.

you have got to be stoked about that.

 

 

18 hours ago, ScottR said:

That's purdy!

SR

Thanks chaps! Yes it is coming out well, but s-l-o-w

I made the mistake of setting a mental target date. Well that has gone out of the window (it won't be finished in time for the basschat.co.uk Midlands "bass bash" meet this Saturday) - so now we're back in the calm zone and... it takes as long as it takes!

So the next step is to order yet more lacquer. I think that has cost more than the wood did in the first place!

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17 hours ago, Prostheta said:

Yes, it can soon add up. Is it rattlecan or component? The former is an especially-expensive option. For what you'd pay on 3-4 cans of lacquer, you could consider buying a couple of litres or more, and that would last you many builds.

Yes, rattlecans. The cost would have probably paid for a new compressor, if not the other spray equipment. There again it's my first build and decent spraying equipment is a fairly major investment for the rate at which I'm knocking them out  <_<

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I saw this in the flesh on Saturday (then went straight away for a few days, hence the delay in response).

Ladies and gentlemen, it is simply SUPERB.   Here was a very poor shot of what is a very good build:

IMG_0726.thumb.JPG.5cc763b6f4d256e0bb7f0ab74eb802ff.JPG

 

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm pleased with what I do.  But the sheer quality and precision of this above is just mind blowing.  

And when @Norris went through the things he didn't think were quite right, I giggled a lot....a LOT....and then tried to find a rooftop high enough to fling myself off :hyper

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Sooo so cool man (referring to you last sunny glossy pics) !!!  

So since we are on the subject of waiting for a finish to harden before buffing, I will be spraying my guitar bodies this week. My plan is to spray, then store my bodies and necks in front of my shop heater at night, and in my car interior during the day for sunlight / greenhouse effect heat to accelerate the hardening in mild heat, not over 100 F (38 for you across the pond).  

I have been doing this for many years, which is why I built a huge shelf under my shop heater, but never did guitars.  Can you experienced builders see any potential problems with that?  My first thoughts are that it might accelerate off gassing of trapped moisture in the wood, if there is any, and possible additional shrinkage / warping, but not really affecting the finish, except hardening it quicker.   

 

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On 2017-5-16 at 5:09 PM, Andyjr1515 said:

I saw this in the flesh on Saturday (then went straight away for a few days, hence the delay in response).

Ladies and gentlemen, it is simply SUPERB.   Here was a very poor shot of what is a very good build:

 

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm pleased with what I do.  But the sheer quality and precision of this above is just mind blowing.  

And when @Norris went through the things he didn't think were quite right, I giggled a lot....a LOT....and then tried to find a rooftop high enough to fling myself off :hyper

Stop it - you'll embarrass me! :blush

Thanks for the compliments though :D

On 2017-5-16 at 5:14 PM, Prostheta said:

Agreed. It is absolutely excellent; a great show of persistence and ability.

I think that's the key - persistence :D. The ability comes from having some great guidance, not least of all from the inspiring PG community!

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Whilst I do think the community is great for advice, ideas and solutions I think you're probably doing your course instructor a disservice on some level there....! haha :D

Seriously though, this is a great build however you slice it. Has it well and truly got you bitten by the bug yet?

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17 hours ago, Prostheta said:

Whilst I do think the community is great for advice, ideas and solutions I think you're probably doing your course instructor a disservice on some level there....! haha :D

Seriously though, this is a great build however you slice it. Has it well and truly got you bitten by the bug yet?

OK, I'll rephrase that a bit then. PG has provided some fabulous inspiration & encouragement and my instructor(s) has imparted the skills & advice to achieve what I have done so far.

It's certainly bitten me enough to start a second build, and I still haven't finished designing my own bass yet, or indeed the arch-top bass I have in my head for build 4, or the one after that... :D

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11 hours ago, Mateyboy said:

OMG! I think I'll give up now! Great work!!! :hyper

Thanks

33 minutes ago, Prostheta said:

This is not an option.

Absolutely not!

Edit: And while I'm posting, I'm still slapping lacquer on the neck - it's probably more awkward than the body was. The body has been hanging for some time - it's nearly time to start the final polish up on that

Edited by Norris
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  • 2 weeks later...

The body has been hanging for 4 weeks now, so I thought I'd take a look prior to starting the polishing. I was rather surprised to see a very slight ridge on the top join. I have flatted the top more times than I care to recall during the preparation, dyeing & lacquering!

20170606_074727_zpsixqv0mcu.thumb.jpg.7ca843c637eca6c95ba469415fe64ffe.jpg

(That took quite a few attempts to photograph btw!)

I took it to class last night to consult my instructor. He reckons it should polish out - it's certainly < 0.1mm. The worst affected bits will be under the bridge anyway. I can only guess that the body has dried out a little further - even though it's been kept in the house throughout the build (apart from a few hours after each lacquering session, but then brought in over night)

I'll start on the micro mesh soon and see how it goes.

Edited by Norris
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It's been my experience that nitro keeps shrinking for months if not years. Mind you, it gets about 98% of the shrinking done in the first few weeks, but the last two% go on for a long long time. Some of that on yours may be glue shrinkage/creep in addition to the nitro.

SR

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12 hours ago, Prostheta said:

Huh, if those were slip matched pieces I would sort of expect that on some level. How was the glue line? Nice and tight?

Yes, nice & tight. Also it was glued together in Sep/Oct 2015 (!) so has been together a long time.

I'll start polishing and see how it goes :)

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I've seen it more on multi-piece bodies where the growth rings don't meet at the same angle, or where one piece has tighter rings than the other. The difference in movement with moisture and heat can telegraph through a soft finish easily. This isn't my field of knowledge though really.

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I have several showing up in my black Explorer. Again, the glossiness and contrast make them seem larger than they are, yes. I know for a fact that those are down to randomly-selected pieces of timber expanding and contracting at different rates.

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We have a pair of asymmetric knobs

20170607_215635_zpsmdmjz3ej.jpg

That's ash capped with flamed maple - made from offcuts of the body wood.

I've since given the ash a coat of the black grain filler - I'll try to get that sanded back tonight and see if it needs another coat or two

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5 hours ago, Norris said:

That's ash capped with flamed maple - made from offcuts of the body wood.

I've since given the ash a coat of the black grain filler - I'll try to get that sanded back tonight and see if it needs another coat or two

Since you are treating the ash like the back, are you dying the maple blue to match the top?

SR

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18 hours ago, ScottR said:

Since you are treating the ash like the back, are you dying the maple blue to match the top?

SR

Dyeing the whole knob to match the body. Boy that grain filler takes some sanding back on something as small & fiddly! One is about there, the other barely started :D

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