Richy's #3 - The Blasteroid
Well this hobby has quickly spiralled out of control. I really enjoyed building my first 2 kits and was itching to start something else. I'd had my eye on a couple different kits and had a few different ideas. The way I'm going i think i'll get to the other kits sooner rather than later :rolleyes:
Basically i really wanted to build an Ash Telecaster with a maple neck and a humbucker in the neck position. At the time there wasn't any Ash tele kits available so i sort of put it on the back burner. Then i start to see pics of the Fender Meteora pop up all over the place and can't help but think i could totally make a JTL-1 kit look like one of those.
So here we are: The Blasteroid
First off i want to say how impressed i am with this kit. It really is a fantastic piece of wood and the fitment of the neck could not be better. It was almost too nice a piece of wood to do what i had planned for it but i decided to keep on going.
Straight out of the box i started to draw on what i wanted to cut off
https://i.imgur.com/dRlVhcb.jpg
Won't be needing these holes anymore. Titebond and toothpicks.
https://i.imgur.com/UEsGyc5.jpg
The grain on the back is really nice. This kind of made me think twice about painting it.
https://i.imgur.com/ecuee6q.jpg
Marking out the upper contour.Started on a hard block with 40 Grit and worked my way up to 240 grit
https://i.imgur.com/SFpNl4r.jpg
Powder guide coat helps show the line as i sand
https://i.imgur.com/KXJAle9.jpg
Contour finished and now deciding what getting cut off
https://i.imgur.com/0eJdbAi.jpg
The point of no return. I ended up shaping the upper horn with a sander instead.
https://i.imgur.com/rN2jW3n.jpg
I left a little more shape on the lower horn than there is on the meteora.
https://i.imgur.com/XtAPdml.jpg
Timbermate and blue dye
https://i.imgur.com/xo8lOBf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/bOdFYwH.jpg
Blocked flat
https://i.imgur.com/VM5AioG.jpg
Now Blue stain
https://i.imgur.com/qCum4NI.jpg
Blocked again to pop the grain
https://i.imgur.com/p0LBO00.jpg
Mock up with the new bridge. Had to fill the old bridge holes.
https://i.imgur.com/D3eCBWZ.jpg
Some application tape to draw the new pick guard on. I didn't want to put pencil on my finish sanded body.
https://i.imgur.com/JDuTPnx.jpg
First rough template
https://i.imgur.com/yu678Dh.jpg
Cut out for Humbucker
https://i.imgur.com/ieHU9Qi.jpg
Still needs some shaping
https://i.imgur.com/3yDC9db.jpg