Couple of Small Jobs

[Andyjr1515]

Just gearing up to the next big project.  In the meantime, in between a few more domestic duties, I've done a couple of smaller jobs - 

A veneer job on this:

And a pickup conversion prep on this:

 

The veneer job was to put a figured maple top with a white-maple demarcation and then gloss finish. 

And that has reminded me - (literally) years ago, I started a tutorial here on veneering.  And I never finished it!!!!  With lockdown continuing, I PROMISE to try.

So this will be just a pictorial skip through.

Here's the kit I use:

I usually use a UK PVA wood glue, but thought I'd see how Titebond performed

1st job - thumbnailing the cavities and screw holes...otherwise you will NEVER find them all again!

The body and veneer is coated with the glue and left to dry.  It then becomes an iron-on (normal domestic iron on hot works just fine):

So white maple demarcation is done:

This has given me an indication how much maple is going to shrink, so for the top layer, I overlap by that much.  Then same process:

And we're ready to stain (this whole process can be done in a single afternoon!)

You know me and ink...

Stained and sanded down to the demarcation:

Bit of gloss (standard polyurethane varnish brushed on ) and reassembled:

And the back

And the owner is very pleased

I'll post the pickup change result soon

 

[PhilHill]

Nice job. Congrat's on that.

[Bizman62]

40 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

And the owner is very pleased

Who wouldn't? If you know one I'll send my 92 yo mother to teach him(her) some manners after Rona has left the building.

[ScottR]

That came out lovely Andy! How did you clean up the excess glue? Sandpaper?

And does that thing have a carbon fiber neck?

SR

[Andyjr1515]

11 hours ago, ScottR said:

That came out lovely Andy! How did you clean up the excess glue? Sandpaper?

And does that thing have a carbon fiber neck?

SR

Thanks! 

Yes - Status have made their business around carbon fibre necks.  They've been around for quite some time and have quite a loyal following.  Their early offerings were no truss rod but later models offer them.  This one was trussrod-less and played beautifully.

Glue-wise, yes, you just sand along the edge and the curve of the body creates the smooth line and shape of the veneer overlay for free

I mentioned that this was my first try with titebond used in this way.  Actually, for sureness of the bond, this was less sure than the more PVA based wood glue I usually use.  

But for sanding off - especially as the veneer tapers to nothing at the edge - was easier with Titebond because it dries harder.  The PVA dries with a more rubbery character and so is less easy to fully clear at the edges.

I don't do much veneering nowadays, but Titebond do actually do a cold veneer glue.  I will get a bottle at some stage and see how it fares with the iron on method but in the meantime will return to my preferred PVA.

[Andyjr1515]

So the other small job?

A pickup conversion on an Ibanez bass body from two soap bars to a passive P-J arrangement so filling and routing for the pickups and filling the battery box chamber.

With basses, you always need the actual pickups before you start - especially with Jazz pickups.  There is no such thing as a 'standard size' Jazz pickup.  Even Fender Jazz pickups can be different to Fender Jazz pickups.  So if someone tells you 'Yeah, it's OK.  It's a drop-in replacement' just hit them with a plank and then ask them to reconsider what they just said

Happily Dan, the owner. was able to send me the pickups he wanted fitting and the bridge too, so I could line up properly.

I took off the corners and edges of the original pickup routs to make it easier for Dan to achieve an invisible overspray.  I remembered to notch the bottoms of the mahogany blocks to allow access to the new cable runs:

Then fitted, glued, planed and sanded the top blocks:

I pencilled in the string runs and aligned the pickup covers to suit:

The - because you know I hate using router templates - started with the lugs and corners:

Then used a forstner to hog out:

Tidied up the edges with a chisel and then just used a top bearing trimmer router bit to get the chambers to their final depths.

Double check that they all fitted:

...and finished off putting a block in the old battery box chamber:

 

He's promised he'll send me a pic of the repainted and reassembled bass

And the next thing on the list after a respectable amount of decorating and shed repair is

the Guitar Bouzouki!!!!

Timbers already ordered and excitement growing

 

[ScottR]

49 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

the Guitar Bouzouki!!!!

SR

[JGTay]

Excellent work Andy. 

Really looking forward to seeing the guitar bouzouki project