Good idea, although I rather wait until I receive and cut the new black pickguard...Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankenWashie
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Good idea, although I rather wait until I receive and cut the new black pickguard...Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankenWashie
Yes.....that will work nicely..
Well I did the mock build (with the original white pickguard):
Attachment 24903
And a closer look on the body:
Attachment 24904
Although I really like the way it turned out - I will need to relic the other parts as well (the pick guard which is less of a problem than the hardware and the neck...), so i guess I will leave the relic for my next build and finish this one as intended, Ultra Marine blue with 3 ply black/white/black pickguard and EMG-P active pickup.
Cutting the pick guard was easier than I taught, using a combination of Jigsaw, Hacksaw, and files, I got it pretty close.
Attachment 24978
Two questions:
1. Is there a Dremel bit that I can use to do the 45 degree angle?
2. What is the most primitive way to cut out the pickups cavity? (I have no router...)
Thanks
Great job on the shaping Shimmix!
You can mark out your pup positions and the mask off around them with tape.
Put a drill hole near one of the corners and use a coping saw to rough out the basic shape, staying well inside your guidelines.
Once you’ve got the bulk of it out you can use your dremel to get closer to the final shape and hand files and small sanding blocks to square every thing up to the final size. It’s either that or get an Ozito trim router or Ryobi 400w from the big green shed. I think th y are about $90.00 at the moment. (I’m assuming you are in Australia here).
The bevel will be tricky without a router, but from memory you can get 45 degree bits for the dremel and a small “router ish” attachment to hold the unit straight up and down. You’d want to set up a very stable work platform and a spacer around your scratch plate to keep the dremel level.
Good job on the shaping!
I'd use the old pickguard as a guide for the location of the pickup holes.
Thanks Simon!,Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankenWashie
I found in Amazon a set of Dremel bits, including 45 degree angle on some routing bits and a routing attachment, So I think i better wait for it to arrive (due in a week) - I'm living in Israel, BTW.
I painted the body today, 2 layers of Ultra Marine blue- wet sand between layers
Attachment 25005
Attachment 25006
If you look closely you can still see the grains, that will prevent me from achieving this glass like shine I'm after,
so I guess I will need to go over the entire process again, sand it back to the bare wood, refill, shellac, the whole nine yard.
Using orbital sander will work? (I mean it will make my life much easier for sure, but will it leave marks on the wood?)
Thanks
A random orbital sander is normally fine, a straight rotary one will tend to leave marks. This is where you find that you should have used at least one more coat of grain filler, as it makes this part so much easier. Something to remember for your next kit!
You can either go the whole way back, or you can build on what you've already done and sand back until you are almost back to the bare wood, and then spray more blue over the top, and use the existing paint to help fill the grain lines. Then sand back to a similar state and respray. Repeat this until you get to a flat surface with a uniform colour and you're then ready for the clearcoat.
Thank you Simon!,Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
I will try that. I hope it will turn out as I want.
I know I shouldn't rush the process, but as I go along I can see the finish line around the corner (especially today, I got the pup I ordered), a little bit more patience that's what I need right now :)
You'll get there. It's always going to take longer than you think.
Thanks JohnK :)Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnH
What a horrid few weeks it's been!
Working on weekends only is making this process very long, especially when you do newbie mistakes :mad:
To make a long story short, after I sanded the first coats of color, I repeat the process (filling, sanding, shellac,primer,color) and I started to get the gloss I'm after.
Applying a thin coat of lacquer - it really started to look amazing, I left it to cure over night, and in the morning I applied a second coat of lacquer but this time I applied a heavier coat and the lacquer started to run, after a few hours when I tried to wet sand my running mistake I ended sanding some of the color underneath.... what a drag!!!
Attachment 25443
Attachment 25444
This time I decided to strip all colors down to the wood using Owatrol DSP-800.
Attachment 25447
After about 40 minutes going over with a spatula - I managed to remove all color (almost)
That's how it looks after refilling, sanding and shellac:
Attachment 25445
Attachment 25446
Waiting patiently to Friday so I could apply the color again.
This time I will take my time... besides I heard that 3rd time is a charm :D
I had problems with my finish as well. Had to sand back some areas. It was an irritating detour that stretched a few weeks and really slowed the build process. But in the end I learned a few things, got the problem got sorted and I'm back on track.
It'll be the same for you. I've been watching your thread. Your build is gonna look amazing. And in the end the marine blue looks like it'll be great.
Just wanted to send some positive vibes your way!
Never sand back too soon when you have got a run. Let the finish dry for a couple of days. Thicker paint means that the inside bits of the run are still wet when the surface feels dry. The solvent in the paint/lacquer will soften the layers underneath, so when you sand through the hard skin, the sandpaper catches the softer paint underneath it and drags it out, leaving a pit in the finish. So just give it time.
I find it's easiest to apply all the coats of one colour (as you are almost bound to get at least one small run with each coat), then wait for that to fully harden before sanding down all the runs together. Any sign of the paint/lacquer still wet underneath the thick run areas and just immediately stop and wait for another day or so.
It's so easy to get impatient. But as Rook said, every mistake is a learning opportunity and there isn't a single person here who hasn't stuffed up at some point. Almost everything is recoverable, you'll get there.
I can only echo what Simon said, giving it time to really dry is the key to a great finish, regardless of runs. It saves you time in the long run.
I know it is excruciating when you just want to put it together and play! :D
Thanks!! positive vibes are always welcomed :),Quote:
Originally Posted by rook
I'll sure learn from every mistake (other wise it's just a waste of time...)
Thank you Simon. I love your comments, I learn a great deal from them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
You got that right :) I'm dreaming of the moment I will play it :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic Mountain
It's going to sound amazing with the EMG active P-Bass pickup
Hi Shimmix, just catching up with some threads and tripped over this one.
Ash is probably not the best timber to be used for a solid colour as the grain definition is very strong and dominant which requires a lot of sealing to prevent the contours showing up later, as was evident on the back in an early photo of the initial blue coats.
I have only done one Ash body in a stain and no experience in solid colours, but it looks like many, many coats of primer may be required to achieve an overall flat finish.
Cheers, Waz
Could not agree more WAZ. I am sorry...but I just don't understand the attraction of a high grain, open pore timber, to be used under a solid painted finish????Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
Basswood is fine for that. Actually Basswood comes up nice under stain and natural oils/wax finishes.
Buy a starting point that offers the least problematic outcome. Sealing and covering all that grain in an Ash Body would only appeal for a full gloss clear finish...over natural or stained timber....but not over a solid colour.
Why do this to your self????
Thanks Waz!Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
As this is my first kit, and I'm learning as I go, and I also had this pretty clear idea of how I want the bass to look like, I chose Ash over Basswood probably because I'm more femiliar with it (I have a few guitars made of Ash), any way I think it turned out pretty cool in the end (I put it together and did initial setup - still need to level and crown 3 buzzing frets) and also sounds great to my taste.
Attachment 25900
I will upload a video once I will finish up the setup.
That looks good. Nice colour too!
Have to agree with Andy, nice colour combo.
Hopefully no shrinkage over time to expose the typical Ash grain underneath.
Thanks Andy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andyxlh
Actually t turned out quite similar to what I envisioned :)
Thanks Waz!Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
Will have to wait and see (again this is my first paint job, the previous bass I build- my first one ever, from scratch - had a Tung oil finish (wood combination walnut on top of Wonga)
I have a question regarding fret buzz.
most of the frets are great - no buzz, pretty leveled and pretty good job over whole.
I have 3 frets that are buzzing - the 7th buzz on the second D string, and the 11th & 12th are buzzing on both the second D and third A strings.
Is there a way to deal /level/work only on these frets, or should I do a complete work re-leveling and crowning the entire frets on the board?
Thanks
You can try tapping them with either a soft-faced hammer (brass, plastic or hard rubber) or a lightly with a normal hammer and a bit of wood on the top of the fret.
Note that it's the fret after the buzzing fret that's likely to be proud/a bit too high, so for the 7th fret buzz, tap the 8th fret (and so on).
That may seat the fret a bit lower. If that doesn't work, you can just try and work on individual frets, but I think it's easier (and more likely to get a good result) if you do all the frets together.
I've become a tad OCD with the frets using that '3 fret level' gadget.
I found that not every individual fret is necessarily uneven all the way across.
Therefore I'm checking across the fret in roughly 6 places (it's a guitar) and only marking where it's actually rocking.
[edit] Then using a small file to address the marked areas.
My thinking is that the radius sanding block a bit like chemo-therapy....using a sledgehammer instead of a little finesse.
cheers, Mark.
Thanks Simon and Mark!
I will give it a try (first individually and if that won't work I will do all of them.
Hey good people,
I'm building an electric guitar body to a set neck I bought a few years back on ebay.
I need help with what routing bits I need for this job.
I mean everything from routing the body shape (to my template), the pickup cavities, neck pocket and binding.
Thanks
Shimmi