Factory 2nd PRS-1S (1/2 Spalted)

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to my second PBG Build Diary. I have just finished off another ST-1 this week (one that I call the Flash*), so to keep me off these Queensland country streets and out of trouble, I have begun the process of bringing out the latent beauty in this factory 2nd. I am kind of travelling without a map on this one - there is no great plan for it. I am leaning towards an aging process like Kenfu did for his LP-1S in November 2015 GOTM (still scratching my head how he did that black mirror finish on the back) but instead of a black tint, with a bit of pink like Silky Oak wood. If I get the funds approved from the Minister, I think I'd like some Zebra Entwistles in there too ;)

So I thought I'd start at the top this time (normally I go straight into sanding the body) and I have decided that unlike Wokks PRS-1S demo headstock (which is great btw, but similar to the original PRS headstock shape) on the PBG website, I would use another curve (I've used one on a LP-1MQ, called '39').

The photos of 39s' headstock so you can see the curve, the Flash I just finished (with a crazy SSH setup**) and the PRS-1S headstock with the marking for the curve and the finished product are over at:

http://www.redswanguitars.blogspot.com.

This is so that I am a good PBG Forum citizen and don't take up too much space on Adams' servers with my ordinary photos. =D

Now I can't promise that this will be a quick build, but I will do my best to make it interesting. ;)

PS: If in the travels of this build anyone gets an idea for a name for this baby, let me know. So far (I suspect because I have 4 kids who are all loving the Superhero movies/TV shows out atm...) I have other electrics named the Ghost Rider, Booster Gold, the Black Widow and the White Lantern.

*Not as in Flash Gordon, but as in Jay Garrick, Wally West, Barry Allen etc.
**The unique pickguard was wonderfully cut by Pablo Pepper. Much thanks to him.

all photos are good mate, we love pics regardless of quality, sounds like a cool project

OK. Thanks Stan. Just didn't want to be that guy who uses up more Mb than he should.

Before and after shots...

Attachment 11411Attachment 11412

Cool headstock and definitely worth putting up

We are here to support each other, not judge

OK, here's part 2... So my eldest son was sick all last night and as a consequence, my wife and I were up early. I don't really know what she got up to, but I went to my newest girlfriend ;) I finished the headstock off by about 9am. This involved sanding with some 320 grit, moving to 400, to 600 to 800. Then I went to Axe Wax the rosewood fretboard. All was good till I turned it over to make sure none dripped over to the curved neck bit (does that have a proper name?). Well the stuff dripped over there, so instead of slightly tinting the neck, which was my plan, I just rubbed the stuff all over it. Came out OK too. I set it aside to soak in and later today I did 1 coat of Tru-Oil. I'll sand and Tru-Oil the neck at least 2 more times.

Then came the body - 'cause I was on a roll. I started sanding the thin veneer (it looked like it was 1mm thick in the neck pocket) with 600 grit. I used a whole sheet before moving to 800. I then thought, this is smooth enough for some dye. I went with a really light pink. 2 coats of that, then another sand at 600 to try and bring out the chatoyance above the spalting (near the horns). Then I hit it with some light grey (black diluted with metho) and did 2 or 3 coats. Then another sand. This time 600, then 800. Then a darker grey, followed by yet a darker grey and a sand at 800. Then I mixed the small amount of reddy/pink left over with the grey/black and gave that 3 coats. Then I sanded 600, 800, 1500. Admittedly, I couldn't feel the difference between 800 and 1500 but I still did it anyway. Lastly, when the metho had evaporated etc. I gave it a thin coat of Tru-Oil. The photo you see is with out sanding after the Tru-Oil coat. The camera colours are reasonably close. The main thing is I can see the pinky hue at the top (although in the photo it's almost non-existant) and the oldish wood colour at the bottom. I can also make out some striping at the sides and I think the colourisation process has accentuated the spalt marks really nicely. I'm hoping that with a few more Tru-Oil coats and sanding in between, the stripes will come out more.

Started 8:00am.
Guitar work, ate, cups of coffee and did some other stuff in between guitar stuff.
Finished 5:30pm.
If only everyday could be like this...
Attachment 11421

So, it's a few days later and I found my camera (no mobiles out here mate, no reception [even though we live an 1 hour from Toowoomba - grrr]). Let me catch you all up. The most important thing is we had nearly 20mm of rain. So I elected to do 'veranda work'. That is, guitar work on the front veranda. I think I got quite a lot done since the last post. I learnt how to use Shellac. That's probably the most important thing. I used both a rag and a sponge. I prefer the rag method. I also added some alcohol based dye (medium brown) to the shellac for 3 coats over the top of the initial 3 coats. The first 3 turned out to look more like dry honey on the basswood back. Yuck. But the brown worked a treat. I then gave 2 coats over the back of the neck for colour consistency. When the body was dry, a day later, I turned my hand to my least favourite subject when building guitars - electronics. As it so happened, it all went tickety-boo. I very much appreciate the wiring diagrams on the PBG site. Easy to understand and I got it right the first time round. I hate trouble shooting. The rest was just like putting Lego together - knobs, bridge posts etc and ferrules. They all went in nicely except for 2 ferrules on the back. They kept falling out so I just CA glued them all in. Below are photos of the fruits of my labour. Note that the pickups aren't attached yet. My plan is to do that once the neck is glued in. Attachment 11532Attachment 11529Attachment 11530Attachment 11531

Coming along great. I think everyone should keep a spare PBG kit around for rainy days ;)

Yes agree and like the subtle spalting on this baby. Oh it's also raining today and I'm home alone so workshop it is... Lol

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Yesterday I put what turned out to be a bit too much Titebond Original onto the neck pocket. So after some extra hands helping wipe down the excess, I was able to clamp it for the recommended 24 hours (Titebond recommends this for wood that is going to be stressed. I figured stringing it up would stress it), then 24 hours no clamp regime. I did cheat a little bit by lightly stringing the 2 E strings. This was so that I could line up the humbucker rings properly. To my eye, that all turned out well. Now we just have to wait till I can string it completely and then set the action and intonation. BTW, you may recognise the pickups. They are from another good man on the forums - vh2580. Thanks Victor Hotel 2580 :)

Attachment 11656

looks good Ndroid, looks like you are on the home stretch now.