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Hi Wokka
Yes I did grainfill prior to applying primer as my initial intention was to just granfill and then clearcoat but I may have sanded to harshly in a few areas for some pores to still remain. I did attempt using goof off and just basic sanding to remove the glue but it didn't even make the slightest of differences, the glue appeared to be soaked into the wood rather than sitting on top of it. I'm currently rubbing wood filler with my finger into the pores and it's working great. I'm expecting to paint it blue by Friday.
Cheers, Joe
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no worries Joe, yes good technique only put grain filler in the pores so the sanding is a mnimum. Hope you get to paint it tomorrow
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Just make sure you use a true grain filler rather than wood filler, as grain filler is a much finer product and you'll struggle to get good results with wood filler (meant for much larger holes). You may need two applications to fully fill all the pores.
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Update
I've done my best to fill every single pore possible and if there's any left I'm sure it will be filled by the clearcoat that is to come. In terms of the colour of the body I will be going with a Dulux Duramax metallic dark blue and for a clearcoat I might go with Dulux Duramax 2 pack clear gloss.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/dulux-du...paint_p1400741
If i paint the body blue tonight I will show pictures of that tomorrow
Cheers, Joe
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Hey Joe don't rush the build, let the grain filler dry overnight
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So after applying more grain filler and primer I've ended up successfully filling the mahogany and most of the spalted maple.... yes there are still a bunch of pores left on the spalted maple and it's driving me crazy. The pores are not very deep whatsoever and I feel I can get away with not filling these pores but I'm not taking any risks.
I'm not exactly a fan of pickup rings, especially the ones that came with the kit so I've decided to attach a pickguard! I know for a fact that IB style S and SA series guitars have never been manufactured with a pickguard, and nobody online sells modified pickguard for these guitars either. I took my chances and purchases an IB style RG pickguard that is ever so close to fitting. The holes for the pots on the pickguard do not line up with the holes for the pots on the body itself (as expected) and the pickup selector rout does not line up at all it is so far out of line that it doesn't even sit over the existing control cavity rout on the guitar. Of course I could just rout a new cavity for the switch but for the pocket to be deep enough for the switch I'd have to rout through to the other side of the guitar meaning I'd also need a custom made cavity plate. I don't own a router and I've been told a dremel tool would do the job so it looks like that's the way I'm going.
I will provide some pics not long after this initial post.
Cheers, Joe
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Might be easier to PM pablopepper and ask if he can cut a custom one to fit. That would save the dremel or routing session and you may even have a greater choice of pick guard colours to choose from or run with a clear acrylic one.
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RGs come in two styles. The most common one is with a top-routed control cavity with the pots and switch mounted to the pickguard. The other is with a rear routed control cavity with the pots and switch mounted to the wood and a pickguard with big cut-outs that fit over the knobs and switch. Your pickguard is for the former style, whilst I've got an RG with the latter style.
Attachment 22645
I'd suggest that you think about getting a similar style pickguard made to better match the guitar.
With your current pickguard, the extra depth created by the guard means that the pot shanks and switch screws are unlikely to be long enough to fit. Also, the switch slot will need to be lengthened slightly at each end to allow the switch full travel (and in positions 1 and 5, the knob might prevent the switch from travelling fully if it's shaft is on the short side).
As Waz said, PM Pablopepper and he could make you a custom scratch plate. You might need to trace/shade the cavities on a piece of paper and send it to him in order to get the dimensions correct. The real problem is the curve of the guitar body. You'd want a really thin flexible guard in order to curve it well, but that would mean a less secure mount for the pickups. You/Pabs might be able to glue another layer under the guard in just the pickup area in order to provide some re-enforcement.
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Even if I bought a pickguard that has cutouts for body mounted pickups, knobs, and a switch, I'd still encounter problems. The pickup rout on the body and pickguard do not align, the pickups routs on the body have a smaller amount of wood separating them, compared to the amount of plastic separating the routs on the pickguard. I can get the bridge and middle rout in line with the pickguard but the neck rout is out of whack by about 3mm. The knobs and switch do not align with the holes, I'm not sure a pickguard with cutouts would align either but you've got me thinking Simon, I can custom order a pickguard with cutouts from a guy in the US that offers an option of sending a cardboard replica of the pickguard to you just to be sure it lines up with everything before he even creates the actual pickguard.
And I've also discovered Ibanez Roadstar pickguards that look like they might fit?!
P.s Simon i know what you mean about the pickguard being flexible enough to cope with the curve of the body. It is 3ply and did ok with the test fit, I could maybe just cut the pickguard in half where the point of stress is and even line up the switch and just drill new volume and tone holes rather than adjusting to the already existing holes and routing a new cavity for the switch.
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Update on fitting pickguard
I've decided to go for a single coil in the neck rather than a humbucker as this would eliminate the process of routing away such a small section of wood and besides, I prefer a single coil in the neck position the majority of the time anyway.
Routing for the switch and pots isn't necessary as I just used a drill to remove massive chunks of wood, yes it looks sloppy but its hidden by a pickguard and it's not that sloppy.
Cheers, Joe
