MetalMatts Surfer Girl Stratocaster

[MetalMatt]

Well after the fun of my first build I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next project and even though I had planned on slightly modded/custom Iceman for the next one I thought I'd get a bit more practice in with a standard kit before that.

I've ALWAYS wanted a SeaFoam Green/Maple fretboard Stratocaster so the Wudtone Surfer Girl colour is the next best thing I reckon. At this stage the only modification I'll make to this one is replacing the black fret marker dots for abalone ones - dunno how much trouble I'm going to get myself in with that mod but I hope it comes off ok!

Anyway, my Pitbull brown box of goodies turned up a couple of days ago and now sits waiting for me to get into it.

More to come...

[Brendan]

Sounds great - keen to see the process. Tim has just replaced the fret marker dots on his YB-4 so give him a holler and see how he's going about it for some tips... There are also a few step by steps on inlays around so I'm sure you'll be in good hands.

[gavinturner]

Hey Matt,
a surf green strat sounds like a great build! I'm looking for a model myself to produce a cool surf guitar, and a strat is a great choice. I am very interested to see how the surfer girl Wudtone comes out. Are you thinking a thick coat, or very translucent? For my taste the example on the site is just a little too thin. Good luck with the build and keep us posted!

Cheers,
Gavin.

[wokkaboy]

Hey Matt,
good choice of colour surfer girl. Here's a pic of my build couple of months ago. I tried to keep the colour dark as possible so only mixed about 2 coats 2 parts surfer to 1 part white mix, but rest of the coats were 100% surfer girl.
Good luck with the build and look forward to photos as it progresses. If you got any more questions about surfer girl just ask !
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/n7svl-Surfer-Girl-Close-Front.jpg

[stan]

Looks sweet wokka, good luck with it Matt

[MetalMatt]

Looks great Wokka, very nice guitar!


Quote from gavinturner on August 2, 2013, 06:02
Are you thinking a thick coat, or very translucent?

Well I hadn't really thought that much into it yet but now you mention it I think I'd want it as full colour as I can get it. Can anyone see any reason I couldn't just use straight surfer girl and no white mixed in at all?

Anyway, I did an initial mock up the other night and there a bit of an issue with the scratchplate affecting where the bridge will sit for the right scale, so I'm waiting from my cheap and nasty rotary tool kit to come from Ebay ;) so I can modify the scratchplate a bit. In the mean time I had a shot at replacing the black marker dots with the MOP/Abalone dots and it came out ok I think. Bit nerve racking drilling into a perfectly good fretboard let me tell you!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/oldval/stratocaster/stratneck1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/oldval/stratocaster/stratneck2.jpg

[dingobass]

No reason at all!
The white base is there so you can adjust the colour to choice.
Nice job on the dot inlay :)

[MetalMatt]

I think I'll make an executive decision on the night in regards to the colour ;)

Just while I've got you DB (and others with the knowledge) I ordered the vintage yellow kit for the neck on this build so do I use that vintage yellow on the fretboard as well? On the Telecaster I had the colourless finish and used it on the neck AND fretboard, but not sure if this will be too 'yellow' for the fretboard (even though it does say to apply it to the fretboard in the instructions)??

Options/opinions/tips appreciated!

[Fretworn]

From a purely aesthetic point of view I think the fretboard of a maple neck should be the same colour as the body. Other may disagree.

[MetalMatt]

Fretboard the same colour as the body? Or same colour as the back of the neck?

[DanMade]

I think he ment to say neck.

You would want your maple fingerboard to be the same vintage yellow as you have on the back of the neck.

I had vintage amber ordered fot the neck on my ST-1, but I ended up just using the neck top coat. I thought the neck colour would clash with the body colour(Dark Amber).
Just a clear coat on the maple necks looks nice and clean. I'm really happy with how mine came out with 3 coats of clear. It's has a real smooth and fast feel to it.

As for a surfer girl coloured fingerboard, that would look a bit different, I'm sure somebody somewhere has tried it.

[MetalMatt]

Not much to report on the build at the moment, got the first 2 coats of vintage yellow on the neck/fretboard and drilled the neck and bridge holes on the body before sanding commences (hopefully tonight).

I DID however buy some toys, I mean tools ;)

Ordered myself one of those Katanas and the Little Bone, aswell as a notched straightedge and fretboard protectors (for polishing frets) and some bone nuts ;) Could have bought myself another guitar kit for what all that cost but it will all be worth it in the long run if I can get the necks/frets on my builds to feel good.

[dingobass]

You wont be disappointed with your toy purchases :)
The Katana is freaking brilliant, I love mine...
Tip: Get your sweaty hands on a roll or two of Stikit sand paper from Stewmac, it is perfect for the Katana and general sanding jobs! Man I love sandpaper......

[WeirdBits]

Quote from dingobass on August 14, 2013, 21:45
[...] Man I love sandpaper......

DB, the first step is admitting you have a problem...

[Gavin1393]

...and before anyone asks DB, the stuff you get from Bu....Bu.....yes, that shop can hardly be described as sandpaper!

[keloooe]

Yer, Gav is right, the "paper with crap on it" from the big green Bu place is the last thing you want for a kit as awesome as PBG, I used some StewMac sandpaper on my LP, no clogging (unless you sand a ton of binding), and it sticks to any sanding block (or your hand for tight curves!!!) to make the job a whole lot easier!

[MetalMatt]

OK! Finally finished my Surfer Girl Strat (bar the setup) - pics are pretty rubbish under the fluoro lighting so I'll take some proper ones on the weekend if the sun comes out, but here they are anyway..

Standard PitBull kit except for the Abalone fretboard inlay/markers and a bone nut

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/oldval/stratocaster/strat1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/oldval/stratocaster/strat2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/oldval/stratocaster/strat3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/oldval/stratocaster/strat4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/oldval/stratocaster/strat5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/oldval/stratocaster/strat6.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/oldval/stratocaster/strat7.jpg

[stan]

brilliant result Matt, where did you get the headstock logo done?

[wokkaboy]

looks great Matt, well done, you mustn't have mixed any white in the surfer girl as your finish looks darker than mine. Love the vintage yellow fretboard really suits the colour, and the fret dot markers add to the look.
Looks like you are ready to build the iceman !

[MetalMatt]

Quote from stan on September 18, 2013, 08:51
brilliant result Matt, where did you get the headstock logo done?

gday Stan, I'm a screenprinter and we use CorelDraw/Adobe Illustrator vector programs at work so designing something and getting it artwork ready is very easy for me, from there I bought some waterslide decal paper from a candlemaker's website (someone posted the link on these forums once) and just printed it out on my laser printer. I love adding the headstock logos as it just lifts the look and feel of a guitar so much - if it looks professional enough I reckon it makes the guitar look more professional. (and Pravus Guitars is the name I've chosen for my guitar brand if I ever get around to making my own ;) )



Quote from wokkaboy on September 18, 2013, 10:27
looks great Matt, well done, you mustn't have mixed any white in the surfer girl as your finish looks darker than mine.

funnily enough I mixed in ALL the white because I wanted it lighter but it really didn't seem to change it much - but that's ok as I'm happy with the result - the photos may also not be doing the colour justice.


Quote from wokkaboy on September 18, 2013, 10:27
Love the vintage yellow fretboard really suits the colour, and the fret dot markers add to the look.


When I first started staining the neck I thought 'gee this is just way too yellow' - almost cartoonish, but as the whole thing came together I grew to love it. I probably wouldn't do the abalone markers again with the vintage yellow as they are plastic and the yellow stained them somewhat but I sort of dodged around them and they look ok.


Quote from wokkaboy on September 18, 2013, 10:27
Looks like you are ready to build the iceman !

ahh I don't remember ever posting about an Iceman??! ;) You must have been talking to a certain Telecaster admirer about some enquiries I made? ;) Hehe yeah I do hope to do an Iceman soon with a few simple changes - Adam was very accommodating with my wishes - currently saving up the cash for that one! Just got to start and finish the Vintage Blonde Strat next, then the Les Paul, THEN the Iceman ;)

[wokkaboy]

Matt your 1st comment in this post page 1 (August 1st) you talk about getting practice builds before the iceman.
Really you used all the white in the surfer girl. I used about 1 part white and 2 parts surfer girl but its probabky the camera used varies the actual colour.
You are the Matt in Canning Vale aren't you ? I may be mistaken

[MetalMatt]

haha well I'm a dill! I had forgot I even mentioned it, and in this thread no less! Good to see one of us is paying attention ;)

Actually from memory I used straight green for my first coat, but it was quite transparent, so after that I just tipped the whole amount of white into the green bottle and applied the rest of the coats like that. I do remember expecting to see the green turn very creamy white after I added the white but it didn't, however I think the white made the green a little more opaque - so all in all it turned out just how I wanted it - hoping the Vintage Blonde is also the same.