Where do I go from here?

So I started my first build- an LP with a spalted maple top. The online instructions on sanding said to sand and then sand some more. And then when you think you are done, sand some more. I did all this with the appropriate grades of sand paper then used the 0000 steel wool as directed. After I did this I realized that I had sanded about 25% of the maple veneer off(it would have been nice if someone had advised me on this potential problem). I went ahead and started to stain the body with Wudtone Carmine Gypsy Red. The color is pretty nice, but now I'm seeing "rough" spots on the guitar, mainly where the sanded off veneer meets and blends into the underlying wood. Any suggestions? Will these resolve when I place the final top coat on? Kinda frustrated at this point. Please advise.

Hey there Kim. Sorry to here about losing the cap! I did that on my Esb-4 build and it's pretty devastating. I went for a solid colour after I realised that the stain was going to look terrible. It's not all bad though because I love the finish I got.


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Well 1st up i must say if you had a good read of the forums you would of read of all the problems people have had sanding through the thin caps, myself inclusive and i was aware of the problem in the beginning. Having said that, the reference to sand and sand again would be referring to solid bodies, but i guess it would be easy to misinterpret

You can never do enough research before you start, and you can do what your doing now, and thats ask before beginning the task and during it.

Try some corrent colour filler, thats how i fixed alot of problems, another idea is take a good picture of the top post it here and see if someone has an idea to help you.

If i want happy with the top i would put an 80 grit sander through it and go solid body, or you can try some subtle repairs like i did, or go for a solid finish.

Seems I will need to do a specific sanding thread for veneer tops...

Hi Kim, you should have done more research as Tony suggested and read some other build diary threads of the spalted LP kits. Just about every build diary with a veneered kit builders are warned how thin the veneers are.
If it's your first build I suggest a solid paint. Sounds like the veneer will be too hard to repair.
Also if you had started a build diary chances are someone would have warned you how thin the veneers are.
@ DB good idea to have a sanding guide for veneered kits.

Hey Kim, sorry to hear about your situation. Very frustrating indeed and unfortunately there may be no chance left for recovering the spalted top.

Maybe best to sand the lot off as that gives you more options other than doing a bodgy repair to save what's left or reverting to a solid colour.

Post some pics of the top so we can see the problem areas and then we be be able to offer some suggestions.

I know this will come as small consolation, but your email inspired me to go to the only decent lumber yard in Miami and buy a two foot by two foot piece of plywood with a maple veneer. I need more practice. I have practiced on all the scraps I had around. In the process, I have discovered how easy it is to sand away or damage the veneer. For example, I discovered that it will not stain if I have hit it with anything finer than 220 sandpaper. If I use 400 and then later try to rough it up enough with 220, it is amazingly easy to go right through veneer. Even if the veneer looks like I have not gone through it, it may still not stain properly....

I have run out of scraps, but still need practice. So off to the lumber store before I FUBAR the body.

I'll look forward to DB's tutorial, and hope he does it while my project can still benefit.

I really feel for you Kim. On the bright side as others have suggested, its a really good excuse to paint it a solid colour. Have a look at Darthdamos ESB4 build diary. The solid paint finish turned out beautifully, although I imagine at the time must have been extremely frustrating.

On my LP-1SS, I used the sanding mantra on all mahogany parts but was so ultra paranoid about the veneer I did no sanding at first, used timber mate and generously applied that, then sanded that back carefully with 240, 320 and 400 to achieve a semi level surface. Then I went no further with sanding.

With my Flame top Tele did only a very light brush across with 240 grit as I figured the top coat would act as grain filler and level things out. So far so good and thankfully avoided any sand through however when wet sanding after 6 - 8 top coats I did partially go through in some patches around the edges. Thankfully it only stripped a tiny bit of stain and none of the grain.

Seriously believe that a warning needs to come out with each of these kits as this website does not encourage forum membership sign-up before purchasing or ordering anything, and once kit arrives the excitement factor takes over and before you know it we end in this place. Such warning should be on the website page for each of these kits along similar lines to level of soldering difficulty. For example, Spalted, quilt or flame veneer tops should state not so good for beginner or first build as higher level of experience appears to be necessary.

These couple of simple fixes would solve many problems before they occur.