stoo

I don't suppose you know if Gibson ever made a '65 non-reverse firebird III with a toggle switch instead of a slide switch?

Thanx guys thats exactly what I needed!!

stew

I have an old firebird with 3 P90s 2 volume and 2 tone controls and one 3way switch. Does anyone know the factory config. for this setup. Right now the center position has the middle and bridge Pups in parallel.

thanx all

stew

How's about

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=...,190,42996&ap=1

That "E" looks close!

stew

I'm finally down to the very last step before assembly. I tried Mcquiars cleaner-wax but I think it has a mild abrasive in it that leaves the finish worse than before I started waxing. What's a good (best) wax to use on my waterbased poly finished baby!!

Thanx all!

Stew

As before "I'm no expert", but 2 things when it comes to masking.

Mask in such a way that the paint (clear, whatever) doesn't build up too much. Then when it comes to removing the tape it comes away clean and doesn't "break" the finish.

If you're gonna wet sand, the wood could use a little paint/clear to seal it up so it doesn't absorb any water and expand and crack the finish.

Don't ask how I know these tips...:-(

stew

I'm no expert... but satin has the same base material as gloss with some sort of suspended material in it. Least that is what the Varathane people told me. So what ever you did with the gloss coat....same deal. Should say on the can!

stew

So how the @#^& do you wet sand a maple top and keep the water from getting into the wood around the pot and post(bridge) holes. On the head it got into the maple veneer and I got a small crack in the clear coat. I think the top nut on the tuner will cover it OK. On one of the bridge holes the wood swelled and I got a few ripples in the clear extending 1/4" out! Man...I never expected so many problems....what next :-(

I'm no expert but I'd say.. no fill needed on the figured maple..but if the back is mahogany then yes fill it! If the back is a tighter grained wood then maybe you can get away without.

stew

Will soon be mounting my SD pickups in their rings and the tuners on the head. Any recommendations for screwing in those tiny screws? Should I drill a pilot hole first and if so what size? I guess I should buy a new small phillips screwdriver too eh?

Thanx all!

stew

Well..I'm just nearing the end of a project where I used Varathanen(flecto),a water based polyeurothane. This is my first guitar build so I don't have any experience with nitro.

It goes on thin. I've used 8 cans to date, leaving a 1/3 or 1/4 in the can. It seems to dry and harden quickly. Sands well and polish with little trouble.

I had to put dozens of coats on over the dye job on the maple top before the sand paper showed no dye. I don't know if this is what is refered to as burn through or not but it seems the new coat would seep into the preceeding coat and the dye would migrate into the upper layers. I think this what makes this product "unnecessary to sand between coats".

If you use this product be sure to look at the bottom of the can. I bought two cans that said "gloss" on the label and top but said "satin" on the bottom of the can!!!??

see ya

stew

@Setch

400 is the first step for me. Then 600 followed by 600 wet and finally 1200 wet. I was then going to use a polishing compound of some sort,swirl remover then wax. The guitar is finished with Varathane(flecto) a water based polyeurothane. 1200 was the finest I could find at the local autoparts joint.

thanx

stew

Hi everybody!

Doing the final sanding with 400 grit. Comming along fine but the clearcoat was heavily "orange peeled". Sanded mostly flat but there are still a few tiny shiny spots that are hard to sand out. Will these show up after the 600/1200 wet sanding and polishing ect. is complete? They are just pin head sized and I cannot feel them with my finger tips.

Thanx all!

stew

Thanx Guys! I'll go look at the display rack again down at Lordco Auto supply. I don't mind buying one pricey bottle but I didn't want to buy a course, medium and fine all at $15 each.

BTW It's finished with Varathane(flecto) which is a water based polyeurothane so I don't know where it sits on the hardness scale.

thanx

Stew

Got the guitar to the 1200 grit wet sanded point. I checked at the local auto parts shop and the Mequiar's course,medium and fine polishing products are like $15 each!! Does some one know of a cheaper alternative? Turtle brand rubbing compound is $3.50! I even tried toothpaste, yes that's right tooth paste! and got surprising results

Thanx all!

stew

I'm finishing my guitar with GLOSS poly and the neck in SATIN poly. The satin doesn't have that sticky feeling you are refereing to.

I know Behr makes a white wash pickling stain ,or something like that.

http://www.behr.com/behrx/act/view/product...Stains&catId=24

If you check around on the Warmoth site under neck woods they mention which woods they consider do not "need" finishing. For the most part they will not warrenty a neck that has not had a sealed coat.

Hi everyone! Since this seems to be the the forum where I hang out the most, I thought I'd wish everyone a very merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

I'd also like to thank everyone helped me out with all my questions! The LPdc is sitting here "hardening up" for a finish job in the new year.

Best Wishes!!

Stew Wright

Hi everyone.

I'm finishing with Varathane waterbased clearcoat in rattle cans. All was going..um..Ok. Lately I've noticed several pinholes have developed in the finish. I figured successive coats would fill them in but that doesn't seem to be happening.

1. What causes this;

air bubbles that burst as the finish dries? Little pockets of solvent( not shaking can enough?)

2. will they eventually fill in or should I sand them out? Should I spot fill them (there's dozens of them :-( )

thanx all

Stew

HI!

Is there a good method for sanding a carved top guitar body. The sanding block I'm using doesn't work too well on the hollows and rounds.

thanx all

Stew

Hi !

Should the neck and body be finished individually and the mating areas be masked off then bolted together at the end. OR in the interest of a seamless joint, bolt them together then finish.

thanx all

Stew

Thanx guys!

Ya..I just set on there for the photo. I'll be sure it goes on right when the final assembly happens!

Stew

M69.

I thought long and hard about that. Probably fretted(no pun intended) more on this decision than any other. The green I used is so strong (dark) that I decided that a touch of black might make the whole finish to dark. I did put on 3 coats of green before sanding back. The pics don't show it well but the dark part of the figuring is really quite dark, almost black.

Whew!! I think I just convinced mySELF! :-)

Stew

Dave.

Grain filling on figured maple was never mentioned on any of the several tutorials i read. I think it might interfere with the sexy light tricks the maple displays. Plus maple has little or no fillable grain/pore. IMHO.

stew