Blackstrat86

Well, I donno where to post this, but im mighty proud of it...So I thought I should show it off to other luthiers...

http://forums.tabcrawler.com/attachment.ph...=&postid=118604

http://forums.tabcrawler.com/attachment.ph...=&postid=118602

Its got a months worth of work in it, and far to many mistakes..and no finish, yet...Maybe next time, it might be closer to perfection.

Why do you want to bend the frets? Is the basic idea to dig the edges in first the press the center in? I use the stewmac fret press system and it presses frets in smooth and even and has radius calls to bend the fret when pressed so? why bend? If you dont use the fret press, I atleast advise using the arbor press chuck in a drill press, the press is soo sweet, beats the hell out of hammering them in!

Thanks alot! But does tung oil work well on Necks? does it leave a raw wood feel to the wood or, a smooth feel? Im more concerned about using some sort of oil on the neck, Im starting to trust myself with laquer.

Is there a oil that works well on necks? Will tung oil? Ernie ball Music Man uses some sort of oil and wax mixture...Is there any mixture of that type that i can use on a neck that will give me a clear appearace over a colored neck? Or a slightly dark tent to maple? I just finished a mandolin so, I might deside to oil it.

PS are there any good tutorials on rubbing on tung oil? If not does anyone have any tips? Does it work with painted bodys? I have only seen tung oil natural bodys..

How much does it cost for darren to clear a body? I have no trust in myself to do that so...I need alternatives Darren does great work in deed...

Usually Dots are most common on even the fancyest A5 style mandolins.

Im looking for floral patterns i could use on guitar and scale down to mandolins if i chose so...I have headstock inlay patterns...more than i need really.

So far I have come up with not thing I sapose that isnt the most common thing to come by

Can anyone give me a link to a site with Guitar/Mandolin fretboard inlay drawings? I can find plenty of pictures of them on acutal guitars but, its rather hard to draw those out.

The first A5 Style mandoline is about done and, I gotta start planing for the next project to be a little fancyer!

Is the artwork a Vampire D(cartoon anime thing?) picture?

It looks like that vampire guy, thats just AWSOME.

Great job, what RG model was it before?

Amen Ben, I've studied Darren's technique for years and have a bit better understanding on how he achieve's his particular style, but that doesn't mean I'm going to rush out and do it (course the fact I did a couple of years ago helps).

I personaly would strip my MIJ strat and swirl it in a heart beat if I trusted myself to clear coat it properly...I have no clue what the best paint/clear coat combo is...I think that if you swirled your own guitar, you would be less picky bout the outcome..I would never expect a ATD quality swirl, But heck I like some of those strait up and down swirls...All those colors, Its all good...

P.S. Someone tell me the right paint/clear coat combo to use...Someday I would like to swirl a guitar, And id like to know what im doing....

Im not to sure Darren wants to share that little secret He is one skilled man

I do think the "secret" has been let out...But I read HOW to swirl years ago, and Im 14 so years ago was during my wee little kid years. But Understand most people dont even want to swirl a guitar, If they do they still send it to Darren im pretty sure...

Im just curious to what the best paint/clear coat mixture is.

Sapose I swirl a guitar using plastickote oil paints, What do I use to clear coat it? Any tutorials on how do them? How safe is it to use spray can clear coat finishs?