"Blue Heeler" Bondi Blue GR-SF1: Pt1 Aspirations, Procrastinations, and Consequences

Hi, All.

First, my apologies in advance to anyone bored by my loquaciousness. Can't help but be wordy. For those of you who endure it, I hope you find the dialogue at least mildly amusing and informative. That's the nice thing about knowing other people's stuff-ups after all! :p

Aspirations

My initial purchase of this Gretsch-style was motivated by a desire to have a Bigsby-style tremolo arm and trapeze. I wanted it to have chrome hardware and pyrographic decoration; Namely, the famous 'Great Wave off Kanagawa', and finished in blue and tan Dingotone products.

It went wrong from the start, but was all my fault. :D "What went wrong?", you concernedly ask. "How were you so foolish?", you gently enquire.

Procrastinations

1. I was so cock-sure that I'd start the project immediately that I declined to wait for the chrome hardware to come back in stock (maybe 6 weeks later) and deviated from my original inspiration by substituting with gold hardware. Never mind. It'd still look good enough with gold I told myself ... though I intensely dislike the maintenance of gold surfaces.
   
   • NOTE: PBG's Adam (PitbullGuitars) very kindly let me have the more expensive gold hardware at no extra cost! Many thanks to you, Adam. *Many* thanks!
   
   
2. I lost my 'mojo' and didn't start the project until Jan 2020, a full 2 years later! "Gosh, that's a long time!", you may justifiably say.
3. During those 2 years, I kept contemplating the pyrographic design. I'm insufficiently skilled at artsy stuff so drew up a paper 'community notice board' request for a capable artist's labour in exchange for some money or the pyrographic tools that I'd buy for the job. Never put the ad up, though I did buy a nice soldering iron to do the pyrography ... but it would take me so-oooooo long because they're simply not hot enough and aren't designed to run at their highest temps for very long. Pyrography step abandoned.
   
   • NOTE_1: I was intending to get this professional burner which, at the time, I thought was AUD $399 but is currently AUD $299 for the Razertip SS-D10. I might've jumped at $299 back then and may yet (too late for this project!) do so for future projects or to lend to artsy family members; See the SS-D10 on this page, https://suewalters.com/RazertipBurners.html
   • NOTE_2: Use your favourite search engine to source images related to a "guitar pyrography" query. Some fantastic stuff there. Do you personally know an artist who could visually transform your next kit to the "next level"? Wish I did. There are heaps of geet-tars with famous faces such as Roy Orbison et al upon them. The sound-hole's location typically impinges upon the subject's visage with "a ruddy great hole". Therefore, 'good taste' probably dictates that you don't put a "JFK" image on the top. It was in fact in 'bad taste' that I actually mentioned this obvious issue.
   
   

Consequences

So I commenced sanding the neck and body this month (Jan 2020) after having resigned myself to zero decoration -- no, not decorated with "zeroes"! -- and deciding upon the "Bondi Blue" stain kit from Dingotone. Real progress at last. I used 360 grit wet'n'dry, but also 1200 grit to smooth it somewhat prior to staining. Let me (kindly) know if using 1200 at this stage was, in general opinions, a twit's approach.

Unfortunately, the neck setting glue had probably expired from being left for 2 years instead of 30 days. It'd never been opened until Jan 2020, but had the consistency of the primary school non-toxic, almond-like smelling, *great-tasting* "Clag" brand glue. Yes, of course I've tasted it, and deliberately at that! I was a kid too, you know. :o Adam (PBG) advised it was best to get some fresher glue. To enlighten even the younger folk to Clag (though they probably ate it extensively in their own childhood days) see https://images.officeworks.com.au/...clag...150g.jpg

NOTE: Despite my insistence on literally paying for my own lazy-inspired misadventure, Adam very kindly provided me with a new pot of glue. Once again, Adam, dear sir, I am grateful to you.

In the next thrillingly boring (oxymoronic) instalment: Pt2 Real Action, More Disappointments

Real Action

Today, Tuesday 28/01/2020 I took the next step and applied the first and second coats of "Bondi Blue" stain from my kit bits!

More Disappointments

"Huzzah!", you all cry ... and then perhaps some of you -- as I do now -- cry again, only this time yours are mock tears, for the blue stain isn't as *intense* as hoped for. Tears are mock-style because it (hopefully) only happened to me and not to you. That's the nature of sympathy sometimes.

Photos #1 - #5 are of the first coat. They're in some 3pm Queensland sunshine, sans bushfire smoke tint, to hopefully make it easier to see coloured versus un-coloured grain contrasts. It literally took 1/3rd of the stain bottle to get this far.

Photos #6 - #9 are of the second stain coat. Basically, this was performed within 30 minutes of the first coat. Despite the absence of direct sunlight to highlight the blue tint, you can see that the colour is not intense. I'm 2/3rds the way through my liquid stain at this stage.

Photos #10 and #11 show vastly inconsistent stain absorption around the heel and neck/headstock join. I'm not concerned. I think it'll add to the character and individuality of the guitar in the end.

Don't read this next statement as a criticism of Dingotone nor PitbullGuitars' (paraphrased) claim that "there's enough stain in each bottle to complete any of the PBG kits". Frankly, the acoustic kit's surface area is larger than the more popular(?) electrics, and natural blue colouration sources seem more rare in this world. I'm sure we have very intense chemical ones though! Unfortunately, we can't take scrapings of a celeste-coloured sky and boil them down into a more concentrated form. There's heaps of sky to spare, after all. Still, it might be a worthwhile consideration to indicate on the website that the blue stain will not be as intense per volume in comparison with more readily sourced reds and yellows.

The very grey images (#7 - #11) are not directly sunlit and seem reminiscent of lime-washed timber furniture, aged cedar roof shingles, and sun-struck split hardwood fence railings from an outback cattle station. Ah, what inspiration!

I here decide to apply no further stain to the sides nor back. It's all for the front. "I wanted some tonal contrast between the sides and front anyway!", so I tell myself. Honestly, no petulant tone should be implied when reading the "I wanted" mental dialogue.

I mentioned inspiration. That grey-ish blue-ishness with tan-ish ... -ishness put me in mind of Straya's quintessential blue cattle dog! ... and hence I had an appropriate name for my build; "Blue Heeler"

So let's see if I can get 2 or 3 more stain coats for the top out of the last 3rd of the bottle. I'll be waiting between coats in the hope of better stain penetration and resultant contrast.

[time elapses]

It's been 3 hours since the first coat, so I'm going to apply the third on this balmy 28 Celsius Brisbane evening ...

Here endeth the first part of the story, but not the first self-taught, self-suffered lesson.

Coming up; Pt3 Stainings, Forget, Regret, The Wrong Dog, Dismay

Stainings

Staining regimen on 26/01/2019
1) 3:30pm (natural dry)
2) 4:00pm (short rest from first coat, cold fan-forced dry afterward)
3) 6:30pm (cold and warm fan-forced dry afterward)
4) 8:30pm (cold fan-forced dry afterward)
5) 11:00pm (1200 grit quick sanding just prior)

You can really feel the wax(es) with each subsequent coat. However, the 5th coat is barely darker than the 2nd which, in turn, is barely richer than the 1st.

With the light sanding before the 5th coat, I intended -- more like hoped, actually -- that it would golden up the parts that didn't absorb stain well without affecting the parts that did a reasonable job of sucking up stain. I don't think it did much either way, good nor bad.

So I'm letting the stain settle in for a few days now. I propose to use the stain intensifier this Friday or Saturday. At this point I'd like to note that the colouring is still reminiscent of a blue heeler, or even a pair of faded blue denim jeans with tan stitching. 8)

Forget

Wed 29/01/2020 2pm

Whoops! Forgot to leave it a few days (ya' twit). Instructions forgotten. However, the stain layer felt nice and dry from gorgeous Brizvegas weather -- "beautiful one day, perfect the next!" ... drought the day after, ravaging and raging bush fires subsequent to that -- and I was motivated to apply the first intensifying coat. One word. Regret!

Regret

"We share your grief!", in sympathy you declare. So allow me to elaborate upon my regret;

I'd happily come to terms with the unexpected "faded denim blue" hue ... my "blue heeler" stain outcome. Wifey loved the idea too. A big plus! But the intensifying coat is, in my opinion -- in conjunction with the Bondi Blue stain -- simply a 'bedarkening' of the stained area. The grain is still visible, but even more muted, and the already too subtle blue is effectively greyed out. Some tan colour remains. The intensifying coat seems to love sticking to the binding more than the stain did. :(

The Wrong Dog

So now my Blue Heeler (a fine and purposeful beastie) has been transformed into a Silky Terrier! The wrong dog! Oh, woe ... all that wavy grey fur, similar to myself. Upon reflection, however, it's a more apt dog breed to describe my guitars. "Why, pray tell?" thou incant.

• I don't work them like a cattle dog gets worked
• I usually just put it on my lap and "pat" it a while ... infrequently
• I brush/strum its "stringy" fur and sing it some songs (some original, some covers, some drivel, and all poorly executed)

Dismay

This harkens to internet matters, my voicing expressions of dismay. It's really more a wish-list of changes I'd like to eventually see on the websites. Administrators, please advise if you'd like me to move this part to a different thread, or similar. Thanks.

What I'd really need/like to see on the PBG and/or DingoTone websites is not only photos representing each bottled product in the kit -- there are a few stain kits lacking photos -- but also some constant, controlled environment images depicting, at least, items ii., vi. and viii. from the list below;

• i. the raw guitar top timber/veneer
• ii. a single layer of stain
• iii. multiple layers of stain
• iv. first intensifying coat (wet and/or dry)
• v. multiple intensifying coats (wet and/or dry)
• vi. first finishing coat (wet and/or dry)
• vii. multiple finishing coats (wet and/or dry)
• viii. *** a special example of Bondi Blue finishings without the intensifying layer(s) ***

Perhaps the website could bundle these images together in a matrix on a single page. For example, colours across (or down) and layers down (or across).
NOTE: Kudos and thanks to Adam and DB for the two instructional videos about stain kit application. Yet, both videos (imo) failed to record the timber grain highlights and colour due to too sharp angles and reflection. Sorry to point it out, but the videos themselves I felt were "grain-killers", like high-gloss finishes decried in one of the vids.

I believe making new videos that truly showcase the staining kit's potential by using good lighting and higher resolution (Full HD minimum) to display the wood grain would be a great asset. The same lighting and resolution could be used for the still matrix images for consistency, comparability, and predictability, making expectations more realistic. Showing potential, but also limitations. The Bondi Blue image depicted a result that wasn't feasible on my guitar body's timber and probably shows stain without the intensifying layer. A little misleading. I feel I shouldn't need to trawl through BYOG build logs to be made aware of the improbable colour outcome.

Following dismay comes rays, not of hope, but of a different acceptance: Pt4 Positives, Differently, Irony

Positives

29/01/2020 3:40pm

There are positives to the "bedarkening" though that deserve mention and retrieve my sodden form from the funk. :( The dark grey actually looks *rather good*, and in particular, on the back and sides because there's no feature grain to flaunt. Going a few layers darker will make the gold hardware "pop" more. Also, the headstock looks better in juxtaposition with the body already because the neck was more blue than the body. Looked incongruous.

Differently

However, I'd even (retrospectively) consider not staining the neck at all if using the Bondi Blue. Just keep it natural with a finishing coat or coats. Perhaps this is something for other Bondi Blue experimenters to note.

Irony

Another "full circle build irony": I got the Bondi Blue because they were out of the "Black Stump" stain kit! Now it looks more like what I thought I saw online at BYOG as Black Stump but may simply have been Bondi Blue with the intensifying coat. (sigh) Such a roundabout route taken to get to where I was going ... :eek: A little mock-worthy, really.

Next intended update subjects a few days away: Pt5 More Intense, Too Intense?

Hi Grant, that almost took 2 cuppas and a full packet of Tim Tams to read through all of that!

I understand where you are at as my 1st & 2nd builds were done using DT and I also live in this glorious part of South East Qld with lots of the humidity that we have been experiencing lately. Therein lies one of the biggest problems to deal with when using DT - Humidity. The finish is quite soft and needs many days, sometimes a few weeks between stain or intensifier coats for it to work properly. Something you may find out more about when you get around to doing the final polish or wet sanding stages.

But if we back things up a fair bit, the initial problem was probably through oversanding the kit. From all the threads I have read on Bondi Blue they all share a common theme of lack of colour absorption and the best way to solve that is minimal sanding to allow the stain some chance of penetrating into the open wood fibres. 240 Grit should be the place to stop, in fact 180 sanded "as smooth as" is possibly almost too well done. Think medium rare steak rather than well done.

Sounds like you have used up most of the base stain and just have intensifier left? On mine I found the intensifier added a bit more 'zing' with each coat applied and did in fact add more depth to the base stain colour plus it tends to take on a different hue as the applied coat cures, something that usually takes a minimum of 7 days in perfect low humidity, stable moderate dry temperature conditions. If you really want the "Bondi Blue' look, and can be bothered, that would require a full strip and sand back with 80, 120 & 180 grit plus a fresh bottle of stain to give it the best chance of soaking up some of that precious colour.

Lack of photos makes it hard for us to provide comments or guidance on what to do next or whether the consensus is to leave as is or keep going on your plotted path.

Hope this helps in some way.

Cheers, Waz

First coat outcome
Attachment 33517Attachment 33518Attachment 33519Attachment 33520Attachment 33521

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

Hi Grant, that almost took 2 cuppas and a full packet of Tim Tams to read through all of that!

I understand where you are at as my 1st & 2nd builds were done using DT and I also live in this glorious part of South East Qld with lots of the humidity that we have been experiencing lately. Therein lies one of the biggest problems to deal with when using DT - Humidity.
...
If you really want the "Bondi Blue' look, and can be bothered, that would require a full strip and sand back with 80, 120 & 180 grit plus a fresh bottle of stain to give it the best chance of soaking up some of that precious colour.

Lack of photos makes it hard for us to provide comments or guidance on what to do next or whether the consensus is to leave as is or keep going on your plotted path.

Hope this helps in some way.

Cheers, Waz

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Thanks so much, Waz, for your speedy and informative reply! :D Greatly appreciated. I would've tucked into a Tim Tam pack myself if they were in the house ... 8(

Working on bunging photos in right now. Yes, a long read, and with no photos either until now. Hard going.

I'd considered potential error in too fine a paper grade, but decided to "go for it". Difficult enough to get me motivated. I'd also reasoned to myself that the 400-ish grit would facilitate an enhanced inability for the less porous wood to absorb and thus (hopefully) produce the contrast that I did eventually see on the top prior to the intensifying coat.

Noting your avatar; my guitar body looks a bit "gunmetal grey" currently, and will possibly continue to improve in its resemblance with more intensifying coats.

I'm probably going to storm ahead with this build -- although taking more time between coats herein -- because it still actually looks good, I think, and will get better. A better reason is specifically to *avoid* buying more products and sanding away ... over and over.

Your advice shall be heeded! By mine own self, if wise, and by others who learn from others' experiences! :D

Best regards
Grant

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Honkenstein

Attachment 33517Attachment 33518Attachment 33519Attachment 33520Attachment 33521

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Looks a bit more Blue Rinse than Blue Heeler in those shots. Could darken up a bit more over time.

Second stain coat
Attachment 33522Attachment 33523
Attachment 33524Attachment 33525Attachment 33526

Second stain coat of the heel
Attachment 33527
Prior to intensification after an overnight dry of 5 coats of the stain
Attachment 33528Attachment 33529Attachment 33530
Intensification test area
Attachment 33531

Intensification test area cont'd
Attachment 33532
Intensifier first coat. Goodbye, Blue Heeler. :( Hello, Silky Terrier. :{
Attachment 33533Attachment 33534Attachment 33535

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

Looks a bit more Blue Rinse than Blue Heeler in those shots. Could darken up a bit more over time.

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Hehe! Sounds like you're calling my old-man guitar an old woman with blue rinse hair!!! (gasp) You'd be justified in your assessment too. :D

More Intense

Haha! Fooled myself again. Applied the second intensification (aka "bedarkening") coat the next afternoon instead of Fri/Sat. "Why would you do that, you impatient person?", you are compelled in your wisdom and experience to ask. Well, it's because ...

I had smeared such a thin layer for the first coat in order to (unsuccessfully) not destroy the Bondi Blue hue that it felt sufficiently dry/cured by midday the next day to add a second -- and I heartily propose a *final* -- intensifying coat. Needless to say, the Bondi Blue has vanished ... almost utterly. It's now certainly a *charcoal* guitar with a mysterious and barely discernable blue undertone.

Photos #20 - #24 show the 2nd intensifying coat's test and completed stages, but also a preview of some gold hardware sitting on top. I expect the finishing coats will improve the contrast with some timber gloss and depth. Have to wait and see.

Too Intense?

I don't think so. As the photos show, in indirect daylight the body's still rather grey instead of black. Indoors it will surely appear darker, and in intimate lighting of a gig maybe darker still. No, I don't do gigs. I have neither the skill nor the inclination to make a living "the hard way"! :D

I didn't put a second intensifier layer on the sides! It was deliberate too, in case you wondered. I'm hoping for some tonal contrast between top and sides and finisher coats to enhance this further. We'll eventually see if it turns out that way.

Subsequent to this is: Pt6 A Long Wait, First Finishings

Hi there, watching with interest. got me with your Blue Heeler hook ;)

Take a look at my Blu Heeler JBA-4

https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post157963


good luck with the build.
Regards
Guvna

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Guvna19

Hi there, watching with interest. got me with your Blue Heeler hook ;)

Take a look at my Blu Heeler JBA-4

https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post157963


good luck with the build.
Regards
Guvna

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(exasperated gasp) Why doesn't *mine* look like that? :confused: Oh, yeah. DT blue. :D

Hi, Guvna

Thanks for sharing your build. Yes, I was hoping/expecting a blue such as yours. Now I know I'd need to use a different product. I don't really regret the way mine's turned out though. Black-ish was always high on my list of colours. I also feel that my first kit *should* be fraught with unknowns and whoopsies. Being a little lazy by nature, and preferring matte and natural finishes, I'll probably use DT for my next build as well. Even consider not staining it, though that'd be a hard temptation to pass up if the next is Strat or Tele based.

Your teal 'tar looks very nice, and I, like several others would like to further express my appreciation of the headstock decal. "Noice!"

Best regards
Grant

Test areas with 2nd intensifying coat
Attachment 33538Attachment 33539

Completed 2nd intensifying coats
Attachment 33540Attachment 33541

Preview of gold hardware prior to clear finishing coats
Attachment 33542

Photos #25 - #29 here

The gold hardware will be your saviour on this build as that looks pretty good to me.

Not much blue colour left behind but what it has done makes it look like some aussie bush timber. I would encourage you to keep going with at least 1 more intensifier coat to build a bit more depth and shine.

Cheers, Waz

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Builds rarely turn out the we initially plan and somtimes the end result can be a pleasant surprise.....glass half full approach.....

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

The gold hardware will be your saviour on this build as that looks pretty good to me.

Not much blue colour left behind but what it has done makes it look like some aussie bush timber. I would encourage you to keep going with at least 1 more intensifier coat to build a bit more depth and shine.

Cheers, Waz

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

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Thanks again, Waz. Talked me into it. Depth and shine are appealing. May as well use up the rest of the "squid ink in a bottle" too! :D I'll probably only coat the top but will likely get 2+ more coats with what's left. I'm not sure I'm prepared to go that dark though.

Still, I have to wait days between coats at this stage so there'll be plenty of time to reconsider.

Ta, mate. 8)
Grant

PS - Oh, my! Your TL-1AR GOTM entry and ES-1 Runner-up GOTM are beautiful! Some 40 TO coats on the TL. How much time did that take? (no need to tell) I used to have a Kalamazoo-made 1971(?) ES-355TD-SV. It was too beautiful and I was unworthy. My workmate and I "juggled" it between us. Basically, I bought it off him with the promise to sell it back to him when flush again. The first thing I really heard him play on it was a virtuosic rendition of Hendrix's Little Wing down at Brisbane's "Blue Note Bar" in the late 90's, still in his Blue groove prior to detouring into Jazz. I'd love to hear Ewan sing and play again. Died a couple of years back.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Honkenstein

Thanks again, Waz.
...
PS - Oh, my! Your TL-1AR GOTM entry and ES-1 Runner-up GOTM are beautiful! Some 40 TO coats on the TL. How much time did that take? (no need to tell) I used to have a Kalamazoo-made 1971(?) ES-355TD-SV. It was too beautiful and I was unworthy. My workmate and I "juggled" it between us. Basically, I bought it off him with the promise to sell it back to him when flush again. The first thing I really heard him play on it was a virtuosic rendition of Hendrix's Little Wing down at Brisbane's "Blue Note Bar" in the late 90's, still in his Blues groove prior to detouring into Jazz and Gypsy Swing/Jazz. I'd love to hear Ewan sing and play again. Died a couple of years back.

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Here's a link to what may actually be my old guitar. Everything looks right. However, at the time it didn't have the tremolo arm, and the stereo was disabled (but a set of instructions left in the body cavity to instruct how to convert it back to stereo. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/124064205425

Another workmate borrowed it and marvelled at its unmuddied tones at higher gain. I see the price has gone up from the AUD $1700 I paid for it ...

The case's exterior condition looks right, but the interior lining looks less dark than mine. To own that guitar again ... (sigh)

... and that dark line running from the bridge pickup to the binding looks familiar! Tried to sell it on consignment at "Joe's Guitars and Retro" (or something like that) on the Sunshine Coast around about year 2000 for $3000, minus his 20% cut. Didn't sell. He gently chided me for not cleaning and shining the gold myself! :D

Considering the price you paid for the guitar...
Nowadays you'd be forking out more for just the case!

Attachment 33544

CRAZY!

cheers, Mark.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Honkenstein

Some 40 TO coats on the TL. How much time did that take?

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Plenty of time! Would have been less if body didn't fall off the workbench and land face first on the concrete garage floor when doing a final polish. That set me back about 4 weeks or more. Best not to take count of time or how many coats as it is all a lesson in patience and perseverance. The build will eventually let you know when it is done.

Note that you end up with far less than 40 coats thickness once it's been sanded down and polished, and each coat is very thin.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by king casey

Considering the price you paid for the guitar...
Nowadays you'd be forking out more for just the case!

Attachment 33544

CRAZY!

cheers, Mark.

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Crikey!!! Extortion!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by king casey

Considering the price you paid for the guitar...
Nowadays you'd be forking out more for just the case!

Attachment 33544

CRAZY!

cheers, Mark.

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Loved hearing your sax-work, Mark! Started reminiscing a bit, thinking in terms initially of some Ska by Madness, and some Kirk of INXS, and finally wondering if Baker Street was on your repertoire using soft sax for the vocal parts. But listening to some of the older stuff was great; specifically a little rock(-a-billy?), jazz, and the unforgettable Benny Hill theme. Hehe. Did it make the WW Moorabbin seem a little ... unseemly? Heh. "Rat-bag manager banned busking". Your passers-by appeared happy with your work though. :D

Keep up thr rootin' tootin'! 8)
Grant

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

... Would have been less if body didn't fall off the workbench and land face first on the concrete garage floor when doing a final polish ...

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Oh, my. That is disheartening. Sorry, Waz. Was windy up here a couple of days back when I last laid the intensifier. Stood the body on its neck joint to catch a breeze -- which it caught too well -- and went for a tumble approximately a "cubit" to the rough tiles below. Never mind. A cubit is only about 18" and the body is only lightweight without neck and shiny bits. No apparent harm done and a small lesson learned along the way.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

The build will eventually let you know when it is done.

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How "sage"! :D I like this approach/sentiment/concept.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

Note that you end up with far less than 40 coats thickness once it's been sanded down and polished, and each coat is very thin.

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You make it sound almost like a partial exercise in foo-tilly-tea! :D ... but I know it's not. Such glorious finishes are not happened upon without care and effort. Puts me in mind of artisan panel-beaters when they actually really did "beat" panels and heat/quench/shrink them. Probably only get that work on Roll Royce Silver Spirit vehicles and such these days. Let me know if you know this to be untrue.

Simon, I'd like to thank you, Waz, and Mark for weighing in on my little project and giving encouragement. Rumour was that it was a great forum for support. I can feel it for myself now. Cheers to all 3 of you! I be humbled, sirs. Humbled.

Best and warmest
Grant

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Honkenstein

Loved hearing your sax-work, Mark! Started reminiscing a bit, thinking in terms initially of some Ska by Madness, and some Kirk of INXS, and finally wondering if Baker Street was on your repertoire using soft sax for the vocal parts. But listening to some of the older stuff was great; specifically a little rock(-a-billy?), jazz, and the unforgettable Benny Hill theme. Hehe. Did it make the WW Moorabbin seem a little ... unseemly? Heh. "Rat-bag manager banned busking". Your passers-by appeared happy with your work though. :D

Keep up thr rootin' tootin'! 8)
Grant

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G'day Grant-Honkenstein (great name).

Thanks for giving it a listen.
Karaoke Version finally released the best Ska tune.
I'll shoe horn this one into my rep.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdgg5iVDtfM

The galling thing about this branch of Woolies is that
busking is mentioned on their website as an attraction.
The branch in South Oakliegh recently hired me to actually perform in the store.

It's the luck of the draw.

Good luck with the guitar, Keen to see how it turns out.

cheers, Mark.

I've made two blue stain guitars now - 1 "violin style" bass pb, 1 not (my personal bari uke).

It is a very elusive color, tougher than any of the rest. http://amarkinstruments.com I'm very much a novice, but I can easily say when somebody says "I want blue" I say "that means paint, and I don't like to paint."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by agus

I've made two blue stain guitars now - 1 "violin style" bass pb, 1 not (my personal bari uke).

It is a very elusive color, tougher than any of the rest. http://amarkinstruments.com I'm very much a novice, but I can easily say when somebody says "I want blue" I say "that means paint, and I don't like to paint."

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That is one "blue-tiful" bass! I like that whole array of 5. I and my wife both enjoyed your comment concerning women not kidding about "leopard". "D

Thanks for sharing.
Grant

PS - That green is a very appealing colour too!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by king casey

G'day Grant-Honkenstein (great name).


The galling thing about this branch of Woolies is that ...
...
busking is mentioned on their website as an attraction.


cheers, Mark.

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How apt was that link, Mark!?! Loved it for hinting at the bully-ish nature displayed, and the fact that it was their advertising theme song two winters ago! Still, I hope you get some more gig time with them, to your advantage. :D

History about the name, "Honkenstein": Mum and dad told me that I made it up when I was 5 or 6 yo back in the early 70's. Dad band-sawed me a "Gumby" style character out of a half-inch(?) thick sheet of polyurethane at his workplace. I named it sometime after receipt. As far as we know it was an original name, made up by mine own childish self. However, I can't help but suspect that I was influenced by names or words I'd already encountered in my few talking years. If anyone, it would've been dad himself influencing.

Innyhoo, when I first started PC gaming back around Y2K, I was reminded of the name and have used it as my gaming nickname ever since. There are a number of "fake" (hehe) Honkensteins out there now. :D

A Long Wait

Well, I actually managed to wait 4 days before adding the next intensifying coat! (pats self on back)

During this time, the left-over intensifier in the ramekin evaporated a little. The result was a thicker application/coat ... and significant darkening. I gave it a light 0000 steel woolling prior.

3rd coat significantly darker and only applied to top, neck, and head
Attachment 33564

Sides will remain as-is with 2 coats for a tonal contrast
Attachment 33565

The back still looks nice and dark from its 2 coats and will not get a 3rd, but note that the back looks so much darker from this angle than it does in image #21, so it's not a fair comparison really
Attachment 33566

Head and neck get a 3rd coat, and I like it, but the photo reveals that I accidentally wiped off the wood what was close to the nut ... and it seems I've put some unsightly blackened fingerprints on the fingerboard! :mad: Let's pretend it's extra-ebonising of the ... umm ... rosewood. :D
Attachment 33567Attachment 33568

Question 1.: What's going to be a nice way to get rid of most of;

• the darkening of the binding and inside the f-holes?
• the smudges of intensifier on the glueing surfaces of the set neck?

Please advise, thanks, good sirs.

First Finishings

A furphy. Need to wait days before considering the finishing coats.

At last, you say: Pt7 A Longer Wait, Cain't Wait No Mo', First Finish

Removing stain from binding is a pain but personally i would use a stanley knife blade and gently scrape. Don't be tempted to use steel wool or sand paper as that risks cutting in to the finish beyond edge of binding.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

Removing stain from binding is a pain but personally i would use a stanley knife blade and gently scrape. Don't be tempted to use steel wool or sand paper as that risks cutting in to the finish beyond edge of binding.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

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Thanks, Waz. Got a reply in before I finished editing! 8)

So use of solvents isn't recommended then, I gather?

Nah, Solvents could leach into the existing finish.

Scraping the surface of the fretboard (with the grain) with a sharp Stanley knife (box cutter) blade or single sided razor blade may get some of the stain off. A good scrape never goes amiss on a rosewood or ebony board. Cleaning/rubbing with lemon oil may also help. Lemon oil will also darken the general appearance of the board. As Waz says, wait until the end and scrape the plastic binding clean then, so I'd wait to do the board at the same time.

Beveled Oboe Reed Knife for binding scraping. It makes it fun, and won't slice the crap out of your fingers. You can wrap your fingers around the blade and it won't cut you, but sharp as F*** for scraping. I literally wrap my fingers around the blade, and use my thumb as a guide against the top of the surface (sorta like a router guide).

As always, the more you spend the better the blade, but like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Rigotti-Reed-...0669386&sr=8-4

Quote:

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Originally Posted by agus

Beveled Oboe Reed Knife for binding scraping. It makes it fun, and won't slice the crap out of your fingers. You can wrap your fingers around the blade and it won't cut you, but sharp as F*** for scraping. I literally wrap my fingers around the blade, and use my thumb as a guide against the top of the surface (sorta like a router guide).

As always, the more you spend the better the blade, but like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Rigotti-Reed-...0669386&sr=8-4

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Thanks, Waz, Simon, and Agus for the options. Much appreciated.

I actually don't mind the "smokey" look that the binding has now. I might try to clean some off, but I'm not particularly concerned. What worries me more is that gents such as your good selves will think ill of me for not going all-out on this, my first build. So, will bypass solvents, will try a little Stanley knife blade scrape. Will also bypass the reed resurfacing tool as a ... luxury item. :P

Because the intensifier went on somewhat thickly, I'll be giving a little wipe down tomorrow -- unless you think it should stay on now that it's there and seems pretty evenly applied?

Best regards
Grant

Hey @honkenstein Simon helped me a lot a year ago and I am deeply grateful. My best advice would be DO IT. GO FOR IT. and then after it is done, and everybody looks at it and says "wow - that is AMAZING!"

I don't care **HOW** good it is, you'll still look at the ONE blemish somewhere that you didn't expect.

Something that was beat into me as a young musician when somebody said to me "wow great solo" after a show in college. I said "Eh, thanks, but I screwed up a lot, wasn't that good" and walked away.

The head of the music college overheard that, pinned me against the wall. He was smaller than me, furious, and my drill sergeant in a manner of speaking.

"GRIEBEL, I'll tell you this once, and you get it good. NEVER F***ING FADE A COMPLIMENT. It demeans the person that gave it to you and makes *them* feel stupid. Ask yourself, were they better or worse for you pointing out you were out of tune on bar 33? THEY DID NOT KNOW. Get better, sure, but never ever fade a compliment. EVER."

Since that day, decades ago, I have lived a life of NEVER FADE A COMPLIMENT about anything. Bread. Bacon. Cakes. Whatever. NEVER fade a compliment. You are gonna have a fine guitar I am sure.


My mistakes in git building are visible at www.amarkinstruments.com ... I try to get better every build. I guess it is like golf, just trying to beat the last game.