troyw

Yep, I'm going to the more natural satin finish on the neck...how long do you wait before you put the tuners on?

Well, the neck is pretty much done. I'm adding a few extra coats to the headstock cause I had some bad spots to remedy but it's about done. I've read that it should cure for 1 or 2 weeks after the final coat and before steel wooling it. Does that mean don't touch it at all? The reason I ask is that I talked to Bernie today and the body is coming out monday. I want to do a mock up before I start the body finishing so I can drill the bridge holes, etc...plus I just want to make sure everything is a snug fit before moving forward. In order to do that though I have to put the tuners on so I can sting up the two Es and line up the trem. (wilkinson 6 hole) Do I need to wait two weeks to do that? That's gonna kill me cause i'm ithcin' to get this bad boy going! i'll post pics of the body as soon as I get it. T

Guys - I'm not or never planned to do any "restoration" I like it as is...I just wanted to see about clean up...guess I titled this post wrong. Wez - The replacement PUPs are a Dimarzio super distortion on the bridge and PAF in the neck. Southbound - I'm starting to think you're right...I've got it sitting on a stand in the living room....never gave it a second thought but after the posts,I'm wondering it I shouldn't lock it up somewhere. I'm working on a strat build right now so that will be my "bang around" guitar once I get it done. This one is going back in the case.

Wish I had the original PUPs - Not that I'd install them but I'd hang onto them with the guitar. Had them for a long time but it was 31 years ago that I changed them out so god only knows where they are. I know it's worth money so I wouldn't do anything crazy to it anyway...why mess with perfection. just thought some clean up might be in order. Especially the pickgaurd. Thanks for the reply! Troy

This is my first guitar that I bought new in 1977 - As you can see, it's been well played! I am just getting back into playing again after quite a few years and wonder what, if anything I can do to this without messing with the value of the guitar. As you can see from the photos there are quite a few nicks, dings and scratches which doesn't really bother me so much as the dingy yellowed PUPs and pickguard. I replaced the PUPs back when I first got it and wish I'd held onto the stock ones (***, I was 17 at the time) Everything else is stock. What would you all do with this? Thanks, Troy

Hey all! I started on my build and wanted to get a thread going to post my progress as some of you have suggested. Here is the Carvin neck I got before I did anything to it. It's a "rock hard maple" neck with a rosewood FB and graphite nut. Nothing special to look at here just a reference point. I know the fretboard looks like crap in these shots. I had a few spots I needed to sand where there were some minor scratches and I didnt wipe it down well enough before I snapped the shots. Here is the neck after about 7 coats of tru-oil. It looks really nice and feels great. I have a few problem spots on the headstock in the front. Seems to be puddling up in some areas especially near the nut and the top. Not sure why cause i've been really careful to wipe off the excess with the grain at the end of each application. I keep knocking it down with steel wool but it wants to come back for some reason. does anyone know if Carvin seals their necks with anything or just sands them smooth? I'm going to do two more coats on the neck today and then let it cure. I might have to do a few extra coats on the headstock depending on how it looks after these ones. Now it's a waiting game for the body...coming from Bernie Hefner. (I know, I know, Don't hold my breath right?) He said it should be going out in two weeks when I talked to him a week and a half ago so we'll see... Still trying to figure out what I'm going to do for color on the body. I want to dye or stain it black to enhance the grain...then sand back and add the color over the top. I've had mixed signals about what I should use (stain or waterbased dye) I've been told that dye will be blotchy on ash but I've also been told it won't. Flexner had an article on "battling blotches" and stated that Ash doesn't blotch much so I'm still trying to figure what to do. more later...

Thanks Todd - I've been reading some articles by Flexner too. Funny thing is that I was reading one last night about "battling blotching" (Aug 28th 2007) and he says that ash doesn't tend to blotch. Which is the opposite of what most people have told me in forums. "In woods such as pine, spruce, fir, aspen, poplar and alder, blotching is almost always quite ugly. In woods such as cherry, birch and soft maple, blotching is usually ugly but can be attractive. In woods such as walnut, curly maple, bird’s eye maple and most burls, blotching is usually very attractive. Woods such as oak, ash and mahogany don’t tend to blotch." I do understand that the maple James is working with is a totally different animal than the swap ash, but I just like the idea of the grain being nice and black and then whatever color or colors I go with light over the top. it's not the grain pattern that I'm into but more oft he over all look and the way the colors interact and blend, ect... Thanks again for taking the time with this newbie! Troy

Thanks guys! The holes are there for the tuners themselves - I just need to line up the tuners so I can drill holes for the set pins. Since the Carvin head stock has a nice little curve to it, (see pic from link posted above.) there's no place to line up the edge guide which has a template for where to drill the set pin holes. I think I've got it figured out. Just have to eye ball it so it's esthetically pleasing and go for it.

There is a curve in the head stock so there's nothing to line the edge guide to. See here: https://www.carvinguitars.com/catalog/guita....php?model=bolt

I'm trying to get my tuners installed on a Carvin BN and the edge line guide that hey give you to drill the holes for the pins doesn't seem to work out with that neck...since the headstock has a curve to it, there isn't really anything to "line up" the edge with. Can someone help please....sooner the better as I'd like to get these holes drilled so I can start to oil the neck. Thanks! Troy

Todd, you're right but that was only because i heard that dye wouldn't work...since Doug seems to have had some luck with dye and ash, I was just picking his brain a bit....I'm just trying to figure out the best way to get a similar result to the video I posted with James Condino. (see link above)

Sorry - do you mean that once I wet the cloth or pad, to blot out most of the liquid and then apply? Do I need to do this with the first coat of black to darken the grain as well? In the video I mentioned, he didn't wet the wood until after popping the grain, which is why I ask. I'm assuming this is because he sanded most of it back. Am I off here?

Hi Doug - thanks for the response. This was my original intention was to use waterbased dye and wetting the wood really well before doing the "color coat" (after popping the grain with black) Here is the video I saw that inspired that thought: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Ski...e.aspx?id=30182 I know that he's working with maple which is a totally different wood than what i'm going to be working with. I'm getting a lot of feedback saying this isn't the way to go with ash though. I don't have any spray equipment so I'm stuck with applying whatever I use by hand. Have you used this method with ash and, if so, did you take any additional step to insure that the color would go on evenly? BTW - I went with the tru-oil for the finish figuring it could take a little more abuse.

Hey Todd - thanks for the link...I too a look but it looks like he ran into the exact problem I'm trying to avoid. Uneven finish on the second color. Guess I'll continue my search for a work around or a good method.

Hey Todd! (That was my brothers name too - ToddW) From what everyone has said here and other places, Waterbased stain isn't a good choice for ash. based on what I want to do (original post) what do you think? I've been told it will get blotchy on the ash - i know about soaking down the wood first and thought that would help with streaks and blotches but I'm not getting feedback that would indicate that so far.

I got the oil! Went with the Tru-oil....now i just need to figure out what the best method of coloring is. Since aniline isn't the popular choice for ash, I guess I'll have to use an oil based stain. My thoughts are this stain black to pop the grain and sand back apply the color coat of lighter transparent black apply the oil. Or would it be better to pop the grain oil with color such as trans tint mixed in for a few coats finish with clear oil. Anyhow, I've got my oil...so we can end the tung VS tru debate...now I just need thoughts on color methods that will work good with ash and oil. Thanks to all!

Not a bad idea....you just "hit it out of the park" arrr arrr!

Quarter - that is one Beautiful steel! WOW! Can the method you've described above be used when staining or dying the wood? If so, is the color done prior to or after filling? I'll soon be working with an ash body and want to do some color on it before I oil it....any tips there? Thanks, Troy

Yeah, I'm slowing learning that Tru-oil is probably the better bet for the body especially. My only concern is that I don't want shine...I want a dull/satiny finish. I've been told though that I can take care of that with some steel wool after the final coat. The other thing is the dye...I'm also hearing here and other forums that water based dye on ash might not be as good an idea as a pigment or oil based stain. With these types of stains, can I still use the same technique of doing a first application and sanding it back to enhance the grain pattern? I want to get the grain a nice dark black and then sand it back and go over it again with a more translucent black or black/red tint. Thanks to all who chimed in here...keep it coming this is good stuff...

Hello All, I'm doing my first build with a Carvin BN maple neck and a Swamp ash strat body from B. Hefner. I want to oil the entire guitar and have been reading so much info on both Tung and tru-oil that I have info overload! Here is what I have in my mind. The neck will stay the natural maple and oiled. For the Ash body, I want to use Black aniline dye using a first application to "pop" the grain. Then sand it back and add a Lt. black wash over the whole thing...kind of a "ghosty" look. Then I want to oil the body for a nice natural finish. A few questions... 1. Is either oil better for my project? I also want it to be as durable and moisture resistant as possible. From what I've read, it looks like the big difference is that the Tung soaks into the wood where the tru-oil lays on top. It also seems like the tru-oil has a tendency to gloss. Will either resist sweat and "contact wear" better than the other? I especially concerned about the body since they usually take a bit more abuse than the neck. 2. As mentioned i want to color the body with water based dyes. Is this my first step? Also what type of prep do I need to do to the ash? I've been reading about fillers and sealers. Do these go on before the dye and, if so, will the color be excepted the same? What is best to use as sealers or fillers if I need to go that route? The neck seems extremely smooth and hard so I'm probably good there but I know the ash is to be grainier with more pores to worry about. 3. If I decide I like to RAW look and the more natural grain do I just go from Dye to Oil? I'm really hoping for some help on this as it's my first build and hopefully you guys can save me some time or mistakes that are going to be a PITA! Any feed back and tips on this project would be really helpful. Links to good tutorials and tips are welcome too. Thanks in advance! Troy

Thanks to all...I ended up saying "to hell with it" and buying a 60 style swamp ash body for the build. I didn't think the work to sand off all that nasty finish would be worth it om the squire body...

Yes, I did read all three - just wondering which method would be better for the squire. I read some place (maybe here) the chem is not the best way for a factory finish.

I am preparing for a guitar build and I'm using a cheap fender (squire) body. It's currently red and I want to get the finish off enough to where I can dye and tung oil it. What is the best method of removing the finish? I have read that factory guitar finishes are very hard to remove with chemicals but the idea of sanding the entire thing clean isn't so appealing either. I would appreciate any feedback that can be offered.

I'm buying new tuners for an upcoming build and wanted to input on these two models. Sperzel TrimLock OR Wilkinson EZ LOK The guitar will be a strat body with a Carvin bolt on neck. Probably a vintage 6 hole wilkinson trem. Feedback please..thanks! Troy

What about the Wilkinson 6 hole trems...anyone have any experience with these? I was told in another forum that this might be a good choice for the strat body without haveing to make any mods. Thanks, Troy