ES5V first build

[wazkelly]

Makes sense to let stain coat have several days to dry and cure before starting on any top coats.

[DarkMark]

Amateur mistake- don’t tape up the neck pocket before you have marked the position on the neck which needs to be taped up.

[DarkMark]

Seems like the angle of the body attachment is slightly wider than the end of the neck. When the neck is flat against the back side of the body attachment I get a gap at the join under the fret board. When the neck is flat against the other side of the body attachment (the shorter face) I get a gap at the back of the neck. Should I try and correct this by sanding the neck where it joins? And if so, which surface would I sand?

[DarkMark]

Ok, so eventually I decided to sand the neck join (is it called the heel?) on the flat back surface (opposite side to the fret board). I didn’t think I would be good enough to match up the curved surfaces on the other side...I don’t even want to think about it. Neck and body fit hand in glove now. Hopefully not too much effect on things later on. Back of the body sanded. Stopped there as the kids are driving everyone bat guano crazy. One step closer.

[Simon Barden]

No, you should be fine. You've got a floating bridge, so getting the intonation right isn't a problem with a slightly adjusted neck position.

[Fretworn]

Mine has similar issues. The route has gone clean to the bottom so there was a lip that caught the bottom of the neck preventing it going right in. Also the bottom and back of the heel are at right angles, which doesn't work with the neck relief angle. You will need to make sure that the neck relief angle doesn't end up too extreme or too flat, or you will have issues with tuning and intonation.

[DarkMark]

Thanks folks, if it wasn’t for the floating bridge Simon I think I’d still be sitting here thinking about it. Hope you work out your attachment issues Fretworn, angle changes to the neck have been at the forefront of my mind.

[DarkMark]

I’ve given Waz’s clear coat brushing method a go on a test burst, and although initially I thought it was working, three coats in and the original brush strokes are visible. I’ve just brought some spray on acrylic to coat a decal and I had an idea (dangerous, I know). If I can clear coat over a decal covered in acrylic, why can’t I clear coat over timber coated in acrylic? Will this seal my burst without messing it up?
Experiment number two underway.

[wazkelly]

Might be brushing technique? 2 brush coat is enough and then switch to rag.

Clear acrylic would also do thhe job.

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[DarkMark]

Ok, perhaps I need to work on the technique some more. Here is a picture of what I mean. This is the original non-overlapping brush strockes. It’s not diabolical, but it’s there. Do you see the appeal of my spray acrylic idea?