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Great advice, Wokka. I was thinking of just spraying the back to see, since it wouldn't be seen as often as the front, but trying a smaller area around the neck plate where it can be hidden is an even better idea. The paints are the same brand, so that shouldn't be an issue. Given the battle that I've had with this one, if I get a half-decent result it will be better than I expected. :)
It's aliiiiive!
Attachment 23014
A couple of weeks ago, I thought I had pretty much destroyed the finish on my JK-1. It looked awful. Inspired by my success on the matching headstock, I went back to work on it with some sandpaper and made it look worse. :) Last night, I followed the advice of Sonic and Wokka and decided to try the clearcoat on a small, easily hidden spot. It looked so good there, I decided to extend it out a little as a test, and the result has me almost giddy about this project again. The clearcoat really made this thing shine and enhanced the color-change properties of the paint, which I thought I'd mostly lost through the sanding process.
Clearly, it still has a lot of flaws in the finish (most of my own making), but I finally feel back on track with this one. Thanks, guys.
It might be a bit offtopic but may I ask the question about these MM-xxx guitars. I am thinking of getting myself an MM-1S.
So the story is a year ago i had a palm injury. Long story short, i usually play strats and tried Les Paul type guitar recently and I cannot play it. I need a really thin strat type neck and Les Paul had a very think one. If I am not mistaken it is called C-profile neck on strat and D or V profile neck on Les Paul but I might be mistaken here.
So is the neck thin there?
Also are the humbacker supplied 2-3 wires or 5 wires one? (I might plan to install a splitting scheme there)
thank you so much!
P.S.
https://www.fender.com/articles/tech...ape-is-for-you
http://www.deluxeguitar.com/137/fend...-stratocaster/
Nice one, it is amazing how much clear will lift a paint job.
As the JK-1 cures and I continue to add TO layers to the MM1, i find myself with not much to do but stare at them while something is drying. Unfortunately that led me to uncovering a problem on the MM. Noticed tonight for the first time that the screw holes for the neck were slightly crooked. Started measuring and, sure enough, the top outside hole will be pretty danged close to the edge of the neck - probably about 1/8 inch from the edge. Looks like I'm going to have to plug and drill a new one.
As I continue to watch paint dry, I went to work on the JK-1 neck last night. I was a bit surprised to discover that it's a 24.75-inch scale as I thought most Jacksons are built on the 25.5-inch scale. Anyway, I had to notch out a new straight edge since my previous one was 25.5-inch. I ended up putting a needle file through part of my thumb in the process, but managed to get it done.
Next problem: I've adjusted the truss rod as far as I feel comfortable and there still seems to be a very slight backbow to the neck. I'm hoping that the string tension will take care of it when everything is put together. I started work leveling the frets, but still have a bit more to do this evening. I'm a little concerned that I can't get the neck completely flat for that, but I guess I have to work with what I've got. I'm toying with the idea of trying to replace the fret markers, but don't know if I have the courage to drill them out.
In other neck-related issues, I've also confirmed that I'm going to have to plug and re-drill all four screw holes on the MM-1. Definitely a little nervous about that, but after looking at it and messing with it a bit, I've come to the conclusion that there's no way around redoing all of them. The top set of holes is at an angle and too close to the edge of the neck and the bottom set is too far in.
So, light coats and not rubbing it in so much seems to be the key on this build for the Tru-Oil finish. I've been trying that for the last week or so, with a couple of 1500 wet sands, and I'm starting to get that glassy feel on the top. I've still got a ways to go with it, but at least I think I'm getting there. Thanks to everyone who offered advice on that.
Other than the Tru-Oil finish on the MM-1, work is at a bit of a stand-still. I've got both necks leveled and polished, the JK-1 body is still curing before the final polish. I ordered some waterslide paper this morning to start testing with decals, so that's up next. I have them designed, just have to figure out how to make them work. I tried a trick with packing tape that I found online, and that looked awful in my tests, so I'm hoping the waterslide paper will do better.
About another week or so on the JK-1 cure, and then the work begins again in earnest.
Good to hear things are working out fine for you.
Spy, doing fret Dots is fairly straight forward if you have a drill press and a set of brad point drills. I usually drill them out undersized and the last bit of the dot will pop out as a ring of plastic using a dental pick or similar. Then I put a bed of Timber mate in the hole and press the new dot in, the excess will squeeze up the sides and fill any gap, wipe with a damp cloth to remove the excess and its done. I've not had one fall out, but you could put a tiny drop of supa glue on the edge if you felt it was needed.
You could do it with a normal drill bit ( the brad point ones are easier to get dead centre) and a hand drill if you are very careful.
Not a lot of work done on these in the last week, as I was on vacation and really turned off the world completely. Did sort of start a new project a couple of days before I checked out, though. Bought a cheapie Warlock off eBay that I stripped down with hopes of reliving my '80s rock dreams. :)
Last night, I started to pull down the JK-1, which has been hanging to cure for close to a month now. It mostly looks good, but I did notice that there was a bit on the back, near the crotch of the V that feels, for lack of a better word, a bit gummy. I'm guessing that means it hasn't fully cured yet, so I left it hanging for a bit more. Hope to get back into the swing on these in the next week or so.