Richy's #2 - LuLu Es-1

I've been really late putting this build diary up. I bought this kit as something to play around with while paint was drying on my first pitbull build. As we all know it seems like 75% of guitar building is waiting for things to dry or things to arrive in the post.

I wanted to build this guitar for my daughter Lucy who was born in December 2017, In fact today is her 1st Birthday. Obviously it'll be a fair old while until she can play it but atleast she can listen to Dad bash around on it for a few years first :p

This is my first time working on a semi hollow and also my first time working with a veneer and binding.

There's some gaps in my images as sometimes i'd just do random things to it and forget as it was the back burner project.

Received in August. I was a little nervous when i first saw the box. Opened it expecting the worst but it was perfectly fine inside.
https://i.imgur.com/kzyb84t.jpg?1

Started with the back of the neck. Was testing out some stain trying to achieve the picture i had in my head. The mixing ratio wasn't right here. This is why i used the neck for practice as it wasn't a big deal if i had to sand it. (Rather than having to sand veneer)
https://i.imgur.com/yh0fZ5r.jpg
A little better
https://i.imgur.com/FUZPoOM.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/tSP5yAr.jpg

The following day i knocked it back and reapplied more stain.
https://i.imgur.com/CUNHMVi.jpg

Then at this point i thought i'd try putting the stain in some clear nitro to see if it'd add the depth i wanted.
https://i.imgur.com/bGn3kAS.jpg

Feeling pretty confident with my staining method i decided to move onto the back of the body.
https://i.imgur.com/DFROG7Z.jpg

Masked out the binding to try and save myself some work later on.
https://i.imgur.com/rW3ZHOp.jpg

Initial coat. I didn't stress too much about the edge of the burst as i knew i was going to be doing a spray burst over the top of this.
https://i.imgur.com/6PgjD7d.jpg

After spraying. I also added Black around the outside
https://i.imgur.com/vHKOsFx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6ZRtC5C.jpg

This is after i've added a couple coats of nitro clear over the top to seal it all in.
https://i.imgur.com/0iB2kdb.jpg

Onto the top. You can see the sides done here. I must have totally missed taking photos of that stage.
https://i.imgur.com/djpP1dB.jpg

Same deal as the back. If i could go back to this stage i would have just removed the veneer as i prefer how the grain in back looks to the faux flame.
https://i.imgur.com/xRzNwIu.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Yjkqvyu.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/HclCgd4.jpg

Unmasked the binding to see how it looks with the colours. Decided i wasn't a fan and put the black burst over the top of it. I kept the binding on the sides of the body.
https://i.imgur.com/o136pkF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cNWuieZ.jpg

So now the boring stage of continually adding a couple coats of clear each day for about two weeks. I've lost count of how many coats this thing has on it. Between it and my SG Jr i used almost 6 litres of nitro clear and about 4 litres of thinners.

https://i.imgur.com/cNWuieZ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/eVAiHsF.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/EAgL18z.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/F1RRwrS.jpg

Touching up a few little binding scraping mistakes

https://i.imgur.com/hvBiu7j.jpg

More clear

https://i.imgur.com/XZjQXqh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/h1r4tQR.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Xj81lLz.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5Fs2gPY.jpg

This is with a colour matching light to simulate sunlight.

https://i.imgur.com/HUt7JSL.jpg

Starting to get smoother.

https://i.imgur.com/fcsEjNs.jpg


While all that was happening i tweaked the headstock shape slightly.
https://i.imgur.com/Dqcezdn.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/soVlr2i.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/r84FwMv.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ji9GdTk.jpg

Had a go at making a truss rod cover out of some Wenge and Maple veneers. I added a vinyl decal and buried it with clear coat. I decided not to end up using this as its about double the thickness of a normal TRC and it looks too bulky on the headstock.
https://i.imgur.com/lfLESgZ.jpg

Stained the headstock

https://i.imgur.com/v1xAmSM.jpg

The vinyl i used is holographic so you get a few different colours as the light hits it.

https://i.imgur.com/Ohp7kIn.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/QR7FSsy.jpg

Mock up

https://i.imgur.com/pik2QbJ.jpg

Back of the neck nearly done

https://i.imgur.com/BBHlZ6Q.jpg

Decal added to headstock, and Standard bell TRC

https://i.imgur.com/5kbtBgZ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Gqh99uq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/mU72FFM.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/l5uVXTu.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/5zQo0zx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/byUT8Dt.jpg

LOVE THE COLOUR! I agree the back looks perfection. Have you done a headstock inlay? Super cool Richy17.

Starting the polishing process. I did this mostly dry as i was worried about water getting inside the F holes.

https://i.imgur.com/iZvcFLo.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/FRtSMaB.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8R7eVxz.jpg

Made these to help hold the body while i did the sides.

https://i.imgur.com/eVShZmY.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hqkH9Q9.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ACgQaPq.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rr5iaDr.jpg

When i first bought this kit i said I'm not going to upgrade anything.

https://i.imgur.com/kiv9C4f.jpg

I didn't take many photos during the wiring. I was too busy swearing :mad:

https://i.imgur.com/zhh11Uy.jpg

Complete dry build before glue. Wasn't taking any chances with the neck alignment on this one.

https://i.imgur.com/UyNmV6N.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8cfm4NZ.jpg

Neck glued on.

https://i.imgur.com/VkzU20d.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/a8rbZaR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/FHL3p7z.jpg

Bought a case for it as i didn't want dust getting inside this one while it was stored at my work.
https://i.imgur.com/kaRnYN6.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/AWhymLt.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/G767JfQ.jpg

I still have a few things i want to do to it before i can call it finished but its not far off. I'll be finishing the Blasteroid first before continuing with this.

Wow. Stunning work on the burst. Very nice.

Wow. I have never ever seen this colour on a guitar. Nice work

Those Alnico 2's are going to sound sweet

Im in love with this thing, beautiful rich purple. Fantastic job!

man o man, that is a thing of pure awesomeness :D

Really unique colour choices. Looking awesome.