Third build - Custom Single Cut

[Alexej]

Another build, that I really desired to do is a single cut, one humbucker, les paul kind of style guitar. Inspired by the ESP Ltd Black Metal line, but wanted to color the guitar black with visible wood structure....
And well, the kit arrived today...Overall they made what I asked them to do, but...



Holes (poti) are drilled, where should be none and placed how and like what again?...
the neck pocket is also too deep for the neck...have to put some veneer inbetween there I think...



The veneer on top of the body is not glued properly...dont know what to make here...syringe injection of glue?...
or just sand the veneer down...



And I do not know, why the humbucker routing has always to be THAT big (seen only one size humbuckers in many guitars), and I also wanted direct to wood mounting, the shape of a humbucker, not the hole you cover by mounting rings...



I understand the price quality issue, but there could be at least some kind of perception...But the factories just do what they want...

Maybe it should cost more, but give a better result...

Overall I like the shape and the feeling of the wood...going to rescue the stuff, I suppose...but it is not very satisfying to be honest...

[Trevor Davies]

Hi Alexej,
It is hard to know what to do here - Send it back or try to make it work? If you are really not happy then complain to Pitbull and see what happens. The veneer and the neck pocket are big issues, and you should be compensated for that.

You have probably waited a long time to get the kit and want to start a build.

[Alexej]

Thank you Travis, I think there is no right thing to do here just looking forward and find a solution...

Sanding down the veneer on the bodytop could be an option, or even replace it with another one...it will be black at the end anyway...

About the neck/body...some veneer in the gap could help I suppose...

Considering the whole custom shop issues I will keep the kit...and first I have to finish the IB4 Bass kit...so I will start to solve the problems later this year

[Alexej]

I came upon this finish...



Does someone know the technique, how to achieve this, or is it just a matter of wood? I tried to find some information...
What I came upon is that you "sand" out with a metal brush the softer woodparts and the hard parts stay, so you get a kind of relief...But it must be a whole piece of wood with interesting grain that gives the opportunity I suppose...

[Trevor Davies]

Hi Alexej,
FrankenWashie or Ig0r was doing this - Check out his build diary at https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post220184.

Ash wood could be used to create that finish.

[Alexej]

Hi Trevor!
Thank you, that is exactly what I would like to try out some day!

[Alexej]

Went on with this project. I had to remove the veneer from the body, for it was not properly glued. And now I am going to put a new one, that will be on top and back of the body. For the back it worked out quiet well so far. With the curved top it will be a bit more challenging, I think. But I am following a nice tutorial for gluing the veneer to the body, I really can recommend that one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKatM7sEQA











I had no softener for the veneer, so I used some oil to get it a bit softer. After it was in the press for a day I went on with gluing. So far so good. Now I have to sand the glue, which came through the thin veneer and cracs and holes within the wooden structure. Then I will move to the curved front...

[Trevor Davies]

Looks great! What type of veneer is it?

[Alexej]

Thx Trevor!
It is an "oak burl veneer burr wood", about 1mm strong. It was not easy to find a veneer, which is big enough to cover a body in one piece.

[Alexej]

Well, the veneering of the curved top did not work as expected. I think that too much glue wanderded into the "valley" parts and made the veneer bulge in kind of waves. Actually I somehow do not hate this effect but of course i would prefer having it smooth and plane...Now I think about removing it or keeping it...but I kind of like it and am also not sure how I could prevent it, if I do it a second time. So atm I am more about to go on with the result...mixed feelings about that...





If I move on, I want to keep the wooden color on front and back, making them matt transparent varnish. Coloring the sides and the neck black, giving the headstock same wood veneer. Black hardware and strings through body are planned. But first have to remove all the glue...