Maddog's STA-1

[Andy40]

No rush Maddog, you'll be hitting the 2 year mark soon enough.

You can use the micromesh pads after the last final coat cures when you get to polish her up.

[Maddogm]

I've started staining the face of the headstock black, though it's not looking like the maple will get as dark as the body (I can accept that). I still need to decide which neck stain use on the rest of the neck/headstock. I don't think I want to go colourless based on my current guitars. Is there an example of what each neck colour looks like around the forum anywhere? only mission beach has an example photo.

I'll try and post photo's tonight

[Maddogm]

I've got 3 coats of stain and 3 coats of intensifier on the body:


and 3 coats of stain on the headstock:


loving the colour on the body, wondering if I should do another coat of stain on the headstock

this is the rough colour on the neck I'm aiming for, does anyone know which dingotone will be closest?

[wazkelly]

Hi buddy, unfortunately your headstock face is too smooth & shiny to take much more colour from that stain. You could rough it up with some 120 and try again or use a solid black spray can.

As for the neck I have only used TO and that stuff would get very close to the colour in the above shot.

[Maddogm]

I'm not too fussed about getting the headstock a deep black, just dark enough to provide some contrast to the gold hardware, still have the intensifier to go so it should get a bit darker. Definitely prefer to have grain showing and it a bit "faded" than to spray it.

Atm I'm just happy the finish has stayed in good nick after the weather went to 30 degrees and bucketing rain the day after I put the most recent coats on.

[wazkelly]

Fair enough. Tough weather conditions and hopefully there may be a sufficient break to allow time to do some more work on the finish.

[Maddogm]

So either my working on my guitar affects the weather or I need to look at the forecast.

I put another stain coat on the headstock last night as well as the first final coat, today it started raining again today. 68% humidity in my airconned lounge room



like the look of the headstock, ready for intensifier.
will need to paint the truss rod opening black at some point. I have a black Posca which might do the trick.

some of the final coat was a bit lumpy (Mk II) for the most part it looks fine:



but there is a spot that's a bit patchy on the back but I'm no sure if thats just the drying process (it's been around 24hrs)



Also with neck moving along I need to make a decision on my logo

[wazkelly]

Looks familiar and have experienced that myself several times on a couple of earlier builds. You may need to do a gentle wet sand with 1200 to 1500 to smooth things out once that layer has had plenty of time to cure and then try and put down another super thin coat or two before going for a final polish.

Too many coats at this stage seems to end up looking like that last shot.