Andyjr1515

Oooooo now there's an idea... If I go out and buy Lego, MrsAndyjr1515 would have no idea I'm buying more tools! Worst thing she might think is that there's an illicit MasterorMistressAndyjr1515 somewhere about, but the consequences of that wouldn't be anywhere near as severe....

In the above photo after installing the fretboard dots, the eagle-eyed will see that the dots at the 12th look a bit squiff. Once I had checked - yes, one of the dots was 0.5mm out. The visual impact of this was doubled with the 11th and 12th frets being so close to the dot so it had to be fixed. In my press-drill, I used a 1.5mm router bit to achieve a zero-runout centre hole: Then drilled out the new position with a brad wood bit: New position and sliver of the old dot: The sliver was removed and a new dot put in with epoxy and ebony dust: Next was side dots. I had some green luminlay stick leftover from a previous project. 3mm brad bit for a c 2mm deep hole, drop of cyano, push the stick in: Then stick cut off with a razor saw. After tidying up it looks like this: I've got a small dint in the neck to sand out and just a tidy up of the upper bout to neck join, then I can start the final wipe-on varnishing. Now got to firm up and source the varitone-style selector stuff As always, thanks for looking and for your encouraging comments, folks

Back to the bass, I've darkened the central neck stripe in the body a little: I've scraped the dye off the maple fretboard demarcation veneer: Installed the dots: Put in the frets: I'll tidy up the fret-ends but then can do the final finish coats. I'm going to use the same approach I tried out on my double-cut junior 6 string: Add a few more coats of tru-oil, lightly slurried and buffed (slurrying the set oil itself rather than the stain underneath it) Then gloss varnish with my usual wipe-on thinned bog-standard polyurethane varnish Next task is trying to find a numbers dial for the 5 position chickenhead knob!

Just a slight diversion ref @Prostheta 's query about Timbermate. I think this is readily available in US? More specialist in UK but easily obtainable. I use the 'medium/dark stainable' most. It looks like this: It will take stain to an extent once applied and dried, but I pre-stain it. It will mix with pretty much any stain or dye you might be using - in my case usually ink. In this example, I was staining a very open grained veneer: Then sanded off, then stained as normal: Used as a grainfiller, I do the same - ie, pre-stain in the finish colour - but water it down even more and apply with a soft cloth. A bit like mixed plaster, it thickens in the pot as you are using it, but unlike plaster, you can keep adding a bit more water to keep it usable - it will still set like rock when dry. I've had that one small 250ml tub for years. Once opened it eventually sets like rock. But to use it again, I just add a little water, leave it 30 mins, scrape out as much goo as I need and start all over again as if it was brand new.

Now you're talking the language I like

I like the 335-style very much. I like the slimness - Hofner Verithin comes to mind. I've cut access panels in a few semi-acoustics ... life is far too short to go stuffing things into f holes!

Beautiful job!

By the way, I'm sure I've said it before, but I love the teardrop detailing. Nice design skilfully applied....

Hi, Norris Only just caught up with your progress on this. Looks fab The misalignment of the holes at the back won't, of course, be seen. I've seen a good explanation somewhere of how to do through holes (I think you drill from both sides and meet in the middle but there's a trick so that the two sides line up with each other). I'll try to find it for your many future builds

Welcome! Watching this with great interest. Veneering is pretty much where I started and if this is your first attempt, I am very impressed with the results you've got. The headstock bodes very well for a great end result Trying to spray outdoors in UK is a major PITA! Full marks for your tenacity....

Showed Pete the progress - and also his wife who is actually paying for it as a 'special birthday' present. They both love the top. I will put a touch of tint in the final varnish coats but he loves the figuring and overall vibe. Talked through also the back sides and neck and Pete has opted for doing it as I have it. I need to redo the body part of the neck through - the lighter grain makes it a bit too pink - but basically can get on with the finishing. Have ordered all the bits for finishing it (except the controls - still researching that) so hopefully I won't be held up too much waiting for parts and components

That looks the dog's whatsits!

This - they both have enough clear on to fully normalise the shade. All that will happen is that the figuring will enhance further with the more clear. I could tint the final coats of clear a touch on the top....

Here's the conundrum. The back - fully stained - is, I think, pretty much the colour Pete is after (cautioning that it may look different on your screens anyway). However, as you can see, it hides all of the contrasts of the different mahogany, the walnut and the wenge On the other hand, the top - lightened to expose the figuring - then turns distinctly more red and away from the purple tinge, even though it's the same stain: But to get the purple tinge risks losing that figuring.... I'm inclined to stick to my guns with the top, but the back...how about just strip the neck and neck thru back to mahogany rather than the whole of the back and sides?

Yes - it's been ages since I got some (because a tub lasts for ages!) but they stocked the full pre-coloured and stainable ranges when I last visited. Shout if you want me to get you some.

Which - having done the first pass - probably isn't the right thing to do. The colour is spot-on to Pete's spec. The trouble is, it is such a saturated colour, it pretty much hides all the features and is almost worse than just a solid colour spray job. So I think the answer is going to be stained top and natural back and neck. My bigger concern is that the same issue loses almost all of the figuring on the top, which just looks like badly applied stain. I will sand down the high spots and see if I can lighten them without losing the base colour Pete is after. None of this is a major issue as I will just treat it as an extra fill and sand stage. I'll take some shots later today to illustrate the comments Oh....and I've found contact name at Diamine inks - fade resistance info request email has been sent

Yes - it's sold under the Metolux name here (although the Timbermate name is on the carton). I found it in the Johnstones Paint decorators supplies branches.

Yes. Mixed some stainable Timbermate quite thin with water and a few drops of ink, wiped on, let dry and then sanded off. I've done that just now and applied the main stain coat. I'll see what it looks like in the morning

I prefer the bludgeoning the little devil out of its hiding place with a blunt chisel and a big mallet...

Just caught up with the revised top! WOW! Not even worth guessing what it was going to be like...this is brilliant

Thanks, Scott. Yup - inking the whole thing.

Nah - no good trying to photo the sample - but it's fine. This time it's a calligraphy ink so there shouldn't be any concerns about fade (I know, @Prostheta - I STILL haven't contacted Diamine. I will! I will!). Besides, it will see Pete out whatever...especially if he carries on looking as peaky as he did the other practice The ink is the one on the right. It looks NOTHING like this when it's on the wood but adds a touch of blue/purple to the deep cherry-red. The one on the left is the ink I used for my double cut LP Junior. I glued the faceplate to the headstock and did the final shaping. All of a sudden, it's ready for the finishing to start :

Now there's a bit of luck.... Just before going out for the day, I decided to lay down a couple of base stains to work on this evening. I came across a raspberry calligraphy ink (usually very very good for colour fastness - think Lindisfarne Gospels) at the back of my stash of bottles. I won't know until I've put some varnish on top of it, but I think it's going to be absolutely perfect by itself. I'll post a shot in the morning assuming I can get my camera to reproduce something at least vaguely similar to what I have in front of me

I'm pleased that I checked last night that Pete's concept of cherry-red is the same as my concept of cherry-red because it isn't quite the same. The mix I'd originally come up with is, along with the toning effect of the dark mahogany, pretty close to the modern Gibson colour but Pete is after a stronger purple tint to it. I've got some decent offcuts of the top and back and LOADS of tones of ink. I've got some thoughts of what will do the trick and will do a bit of experimenting this evening

Welcome and NICE .....