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12-08-2013, 03:12 AM
Chose the ST1 for my first build with Dark Onyx finish. Two quite different pieces of timber joined just above the pickups probably meant a solid colour might be better but the grain was interesting. A bit of mystery as to what it would look like exactly, but the idea of a black body with the grain highlighted had an appeal. I was fairly sure that the pic of the finished guitar on the dark onyx web page at pitbull was in the wrong place so I was going off the sample colour photo from wudtone.
First pic is out of the box and then the sanding began - repeating the db mantra. Found a place near the neck that was quite shiny, so attacked with a wire brush and sanded some more. Basswood is very easy to work with.
Wetted it down and could not find any glue marks, so went to the first deep colour. Let that dry for a day and repeated. Not as dark as I thought it would be, but the grain was standing out beautifully.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/h777f-FILE0006.JPG
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/orlos-FILE0010.JPG
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/rddh7-FILE0012.JPG

Brendan
12-08-2013, 04:50 AM
Cnkxu - great to have you on board and the ST is looking hot! Bit of grain, lots of colour!

Gavin1393
12-08-2013, 05:05 AM
As you continue to apply the Wudtone the colour will get deeper and richer. That's the beauty of Wudtone...

robin
12-08-2013, 06:11 AM
Welcome to the PitBull Family Christian.

I don't recall seeing an ST-1 in Dark Onyx, of course I could be wrong, so I am looking forward to seeing how you go. It's already looking good. Most importantly enjoy the build.

Cheers
rob

12-08-2013, 06:24 AM
Thanks for the responses.
Great to have the encouragement.

12-08-2013, 06:29 AM
Thanks for the responses.
A couple of days later and the base coats start, light sand with 0000 steel wool between coats. End grain takes quite a bit of color, so I tried not to apply too much there but it is very black on the edges except where there is a transition in the grain. These pics show first coat, second coat and about five or so coats (lost count). Not getting any darker now, so I think that is about it. Nice and smooth and some great shades from blue to grey. I can see why they call it onyx.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/atb14-2013-07-30-12.04.11.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/z8zu8-2013-07-31-14.13.08.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/z3n2h-2013-08-11-14.20.46.jpg

gavinturner
12-08-2013, 07:27 AM
Wow, looking great! Can't wait to see the finished product.
Any special plans for the build, or will you be staying stock with the hardware, pickguard etc?


cheers,
Gavin.

Tim
12-08-2013, 08:23 AM
Welcome, and the build is looking good. Look forward to the final product.
Tim

stan
12-08-2013, 10:37 AM
great start, looks slick

phloggy
12-08-2013, 11:29 AM
Nice. What colour pickguard are you going for?

13-08-2013, 06:20 AM
When I saw that the dark onyx was actually quite a light color, I thought a pearl pickguard would be suitable and also as the body was routed for humbuckers a HSH arrangement would make sense. Tell me what you think. I also have the white SSS from the kit and a plain black will arrive soon with two humbuckers and a single pickup.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/30a83-2013-08-12-18.08.06.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/0yxv6-2013-08-12-18.18.40.jpg

Gavin1393
13-08-2013, 07:27 AM
Red tortoise shell...... ;)

Fretworn
13-08-2013, 11:09 AM
Go the pearl.

Brendan
13-08-2013, 11:54 AM
While I'm not a big fan of the Collywobbles, gotta go plain white - keep it classic...

gavinturner
15-08-2013, 09:28 PM
Go the pearl IMO. Will look awesome against the chrome humbuckers. Build is looking great!
Cheers,
Gavin.

phloggy
15-08-2013, 11:02 PM
I'd go pearl as well. The white looks good, but it's a bit generic.

Tim
15-08-2013, 11:17 PM
Pearl all the way

keloooe
16-08-2013, 12:11 AM
Either pearl or get yourself a good piece of tortoiseshell!

stan
16-08-2013, 01:14 PM
i like the pearl one

18-08-2013, 01:05 AM
Applied the silver highlights across the grain and it seemed to be quite thick when it dried, so steel wool right back until smooth and took off some of the more obvious silver streaks, then applied the first top coat very thin. Apologies for the camera quality, hands are still shaking from all the sanding. Flash shows how the silver sticks in the pores of the grain.
First photo is before the steel wool and second and third are after the first top coat.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p4208-2013-08-17-12.32.11.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/201tp-2013-08-17-12.56.37.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/6677t-2013-08-17-12.56.50.jpg

Bass Guy
18-08-2013, 01:27 AM
This looks fan-blinking-tastic!

Definitely go with the pearl guard now.

18-08-2013, 04:01 AM
Thanks everyone for the support, encouraging comments and advice.

This is turning out to be a very enjoyable project. One of those ones that you do not mind taking your time, avoiding the rush and letting it happen. But you can take that to extremes.

Thought I would show you what's under the guitar project - my workbench project that turned 21 this year. I started building it in 1992 when we were living in Sydney. I went to the timberyard with my cutting list and asked about wood - the gruff answer was "Wood is for burning. We supply timber." I bought a load of undressed hardwood, redgum and river gum and started cutting it to size on the Triton sawbench - a fantastic device for ripping and crosscutting that has probably saved me many fingers and eyes. Arrived at the point where the top was mostly together and then it sat for a while. We moved back to Melbourne and eventually, I constructed the legs from Oregon and mounted the top without fully completing the end pieces or the vices. I had cut everything to size and test fitted it all but had not glued it all together except for the longitudinal pieces of the top. I even mounted a metal vice to the top for metalwork and then proceeded to spill cutting fluid, machine oil and filings all over it.
Before the guitar, I thought I had better get organised and finish off the bench, so after finally finding some suitable wood vice screws, I completed the tail and side vices, made the benchdogs, removed the stains, filled the holes, sanded down the top, and finished off with Danish oil (which I should have done many years earlier as the timber had shrunk across the grain by a considerable amount but all the joins were solid. The endpieces are bolted and fixed with dowels for which I had drilled all the holes and test fitted right at the start and I was surprised how much shrinkage there was but a bit of drilling and rasping and it was all good).
It was such a pleasure to finally finish the bench that I am trying to treat it with respect and not just abuse it and use it for storage like it had been for many years. I think that is the key to any project - treat the tools with respect and they will do the right job for you.
A shot of the rest of the man cavern which I will move onto cleaning up when the guitar is finished - Yamaha YZF750R with 1000 motor and Aprilia RS250 daily rides, one of the Yamaha RZ250/350 projects and the race car to be completed - VS Commodore built by Dencar and HRT that never made it to the V8 race series.
Sorry for digressing, but you have to do something while the wudtone dries. I could start on the neck but do not want to create dust until the body is complete.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/3f6ql-2013-08-17-15.16.17.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/8n80o-2013-08-17-15.19.08.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/06c5w-2013-08-17-15.18.10.jpg

Bass Guy
18-08-2013, 05:50 AM
Busy chap, what with the benches, bikes and Strats... Great story!

stan
18-08-2013, 01:06 PM
coming along well, and that bench is a beaut!

25-08-2013, 03:05 AM
Third and final top coat for the body. Still quite a bit of the top coat left in the bottle, only used about half. Have I applied it too thinly?
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/60t8e-2013-08-24-14.59.18.jpg

pablopepper
25-08-2013, 03:44 AM
Can't help with your question, but I love the colour. Love it.

25-08-2013, 05:28 AM
Thanks pp. Just saw your gloss TL-1. Magnificent. And your headstock got me thinking of options.

Gavin1393
25-08-2013, 06:32 AM
/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from cnkxu1 on August 24, 2013, 12:05
Third and final top coat for the body. Still quite a bit of the top coat left in the bottle, only used about half. Have I applied it too thinly?
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/60t8e-2013-08-24-14.59.18.jpg

No, DB is just a bit heavy handed on the pump when he provides you with the paint....plus he doesn't want you to run out!!! This is why there is usually paint left over unless your name starts with 'P' and ends with 'est" and that's only because he tells us he drinks the stuff!

25-08-2013, 06:37 AM
A fanciful headstock idea embodying a profile reminiscent of a pitbull - a small curved fretsaw cut on the end, some sanding and a bit of dremel carving - black stain in the nose and mouth.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/j7i15-pitbull-headstock.jpg

25-08-2013, 06:39 AM
Reminiscent of Snoopy now I look at it again - needs a bit more work to give it a bit of attitude. More of a snarl and drop the nose a bit.

25-08-2013, 09:05 AM
/No, DB is just a bit heavy handed on the pump when he provides you with the paint....plus he doesn't want you to run out!!! This is why there is usually paint left over unless your name starts with 'P' and ends with 'est" and that's only because he tells us he drinks the stuff!

Thanks Gavin. Might mean I have enough to redo a painted black strat copy after stripping. It certainly is frugal to apply.

27-08-2013, 06:17 AM
Had a look at the timber under the strat copy I mentioned. It is actually wood - refer to my story about the trip to the timber yard. Body is actually made from ply and the gloss paint covers everything - just makes me realize how good these kits are by comparison.
I guess everyone is ignoring my fanciful headstock but just to make sure, here is another one.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/t2bc5-st1-headstock.png

Brendan
27-08-2013, 10:54 AM
Maybe talk with DB re getting some offcuts of maple and put something behind the tuners as ears?

28-08-2013, 07:34 AM
Good idea Brendan. I thought a slot at the top holding a couple of picks would make it look like ears. Not.
This is the minimalist approach with just a line suggesting a mouth. I think I am capturing the essence without it looking too stupid.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/822t2-st1-headstock.png

01-09-2013, 04:13 AM
A lot of planning, a bit of shaping after making a jig for routing, a huge amount of sanding, and the neck and headstock are ready for base coat. The maple is certainly nice to work with but the rosewood is difficult to remove all scratches and glue. Might wet it down and sand a bit more just to make sure.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/155u4-IMAG0432.jpg

gavinturner
01-09-2013, 05:33 AM
Looks great! What did you do to your nut?

Cheers,
Gavin.

01-09-2013, 06:12 AM
Have not touched the nut itself Gavin, except to clean a small amount of dried glue around it on the sides and top of the fretboard. Why do you ask? I was going to follow your instruction after stringing to see if it is too high by checking gap at first fret while holding down third for each string. Still some time to go until that step.

01-09-2013, 07:39 AM
Decision time again. I had planned vintage yellow for the neck, but the black hardware I have chosen and pearl pickguard (still waiting on a darker black pearl pickguard but the plain black shows the idea) suggest maybe the neck and headstock should also be dark onyx. Gavin's red pearl suggestion would suit the vintage yellow or the dark onyx. Or I might use the red pearl for another build with a red stain followed by black base. Possibilities are endless.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/t9m8i-2013-08-31-19.33.24.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/5ulve-2013-08-31-18.52.07.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/sfir5-2013-08-31-19.32.09.jpg

DanMade
01-09-2013, 08:59 AM
Lots of options. You must of spent more on pickgaurds than you paid for the kit, lol.
I like the first pearloid one looks hot. Then again the red one does too, and an all black stealth look with the different shades of black would be pretty cool.

Either way you go your a winner. Have you considered a non coloured neck finish, just clear.
I would probably do the headstock in BMW and clear on the neck.

Tim
01-09-2013, 09:17 AM
Mmmm red looks awesum..
Pearloid looks wicked.
Black looks ultra cool.
Do like the red....

01-09-2013, 10:03 AM
Dan, lots of cheap stuff available from ebay, probably seconds and excess stock but suits my purpose. Only spent about $100 on almost three guitar builds worth of pickguards, pickups, machine heads, tremolos, 500k push-pull pots, string retainers, strap buttons, screws, copper shielding. Helps if you are handy with a soldering iron and can rewire things. I can get it going with cheap stuff to give a basic idea and then upgrade as required.
I am probably going to stick with the black pearl and vintage yellow neck and headstock according to the original plan. I can always swap back to some chrome bits to lighten it up. But the red does have a certain appeal.

DanMade
01-09-2013, 11:14 AM
Cool, that combo sounds great.

I figured you must of got a few bargains on eBay. :)

12-09-2013, 09:48 AM
Back again after finding my account had been deleted. Thanks Adam for the explanation and the quick response.
Just saw Glenn's tele removal of plastic nut and it got me thinking about a bone nut and Gavin's comment. Might as well investigate doing it properly, so I will delay the neck finish. Maybe post a few more mockup pics this weekend of all the variations I have available.
I also have my copper tape now so I can start shielding the cavities.

cnkxcu1
11-02-2014, 05:18 AM
Been away from the project for a while with other distractions but I have now completed the neck and shielding of the ST1. Stuck all the copper tape wherever I could. I put a small bolt and nut with the bridge earth wire through from the rear to the front and that connects the front and back cavity shielding and the wire on the bridge tensioner, so I do not have to disconnect the earth wire if I remove the pickguard. Covered the underside of the pickguard with aluminium foil, rearranged all grounds to a star arrangement connected to a tagstrip mounted on a pot body to hold all the earths to prevent ground loops with a separate shield earth, added a 0.47 uF high voltage capacitor from shield to earth to prevent electrical shock from faulty amps, added separate capacitors for neck and bridge tone and rewired the switch so tone controls are independent and there is no middle tone control. Should withstand anything except a direct lightning strike.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/08v9h-IMAG00011.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/50a39-IMAG05261.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/6r0n8-IMAG05271.jpg

gavinturner
11-02-2014, 11:11 AM
Wow great work on the shielding and electrics. Can't have far to go now!

cheers,
Gav.

cnkxcu1
11-02-2014, 08:57 PM
Thanks Gav - I can make a project last years. Just discovered the pickups are grounded through the signal earth wire, so a change to the cable with two cores and a shield. Then I started thinking should I rewire to make the pickups switchable from humbucker to single with a push pull switch for the tone pots. No, stick to the plan and get it finished.

gavinturner
11-02-2014, 11:15 PM
Well, a build is a double edged sword. You want to finish it so you can play it, but you don't want to finish it because building is so much fun. Know exactly how easily you can drag it out!

Cheers,
Gv.

Brendan
11-02-2014, 11:26 PM
Nicely done! Dumb, ludite question - "0.47uF high voltage capacitor from shield to earth" - just running a wire from your earth via the cap to your shielding?

May be the photo, but is there a loose strand of wire on your middle tone pot where your cap is joined?

BTW - love the black hardware on the black body.

cnkxcu1
12-02-2014, 09:28 AM
Gav, also picking up so many ideas for the next build, it is hard to resist incorporating them all into this one.

Brendan, I will try to draw up a schematic and post, but as far as a description goes: the high voltage cap is underneath the tagstrip and hard to see - it goes from signal ground to the shield which then goes to the strings, so any mains voltages that might appear on the signal or signal ground because of an amp fault will not be presented to the strings as the cap isolates them. The two tone pots each have a wire coming from the switch and a cap that goes to signal ground. I insulated the legs of the capacitors as they travel a fair distance and I did not want them touching anything else. There is a little bit of the cap leg sticking out where I have not trimmed it yet on the middle pot. Signal ground is the tagstrip terminal on the right and has the two caps, the signal grounds from the three pickups and a black wire going to the volume pot. I have not connected the output yet and that will have the live signal on the middle position of the volume pot and signal ground on the black wire.

Brendan
12-02-2014, 10:51 AM
Sounds great - always looking for ways to improve what I do! Learning daily here!