A Completely Innocuous LP Kit Build

[Edit: Amending this to ensure a couple of things are stated: This is a Non-PBG kit. The opinions here are not affiliated with or representative of PBG or any staff. Also will be amending pictures henceforth to be appropriate to this forum, my apologies that they weren't before, and will focus just on technique and so on]

Hello again!

So had some inspiration a few weeks back, and have set things in to motion. Time to put together an LP kit

Obligatory arrival and impressions pics:

Attachment 34062

Attachment 34063

I'm super duper happy with the Spalt top. Still got some flame, and a not-super-crazy spalt through it.

Attachment 34064

And likewise with the fretboard. I like the grain on it a whole lot.

Attachment 34065

I got a bit concerned by this at first, thought it looked a bit sloppy, but test-fitting the neck in there it fits together and covers it up properly.

Attachment 34066

Yup that's some excess glue alright. Haha

Happy with how it's looking so far though.

In terms of the other details, I haven't locked in pickups yet, but I'm keeping an eye out to see if I can snag a set of Ibanez or PRS pickups second hand, but haven't had a lot of luck in finding 4-conductor ones. Ideal scenario is finding a set of Kiesel Lithiums though. Most of the hardware will just be stock for now, but I'll be going 1V2T, 2-in-1 Series/Split/Parallel for the pickups (since I managed to find an On-On-On 4PDT toggle that used to be in my RGD), and a Series/Parallel for the in-between.

Also going to be trying a different finishing style out. I saw a thread elsewhere on the net a while back about someone finishing their guitar mixing some oil colours with Tru oil, so I'll be working with that idea. I was torn between going Green or Blue, so I'll be aiming for Blue, and if the mixing the Blue in leaves it leaning more towards Green, that'll still be within my goals.

Nice. I keep telling myself if I build another guitar (and I probably will), it's going to be a LP-style guitar.

Top looks nice on yours. Looking forward to seeing it progress.

Nice one, where did the kit come from?

Cool spalty flamey top on that kit. I'd also love to know where it came from. Have fun with it!

Hey guys, I found it on eBay, I'll look see if I can find the store name a bit later

Neck glued, and drying right now:

Attachment 34101

I believe this is the stuff that the other post suggested, and it's what I'll at least be trying to make the blue juice for it

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If this does go through smoothly and anyone does plan to use a similar method: Gotta be picky with the colours. Some of them are 20 bucks, some are 110. Eep.

Also, not going to go through with the Kiesels at the moment. I'm getting a set of Artist Bullbuckers, and at a later date will swap a set of Kiesels in. Or PRS.

I'm a little concerned about the idea of using oils as a staining method. Artist oils can take years to completely dry out, one of the benefits to painting with them is the slow dry time, which really lets you do beautiful blending. They tend to skin and then take a really long time to completely cure.

That said, being thinned out and using a really good compatible clear coat, I can see it working. I have a tonne of high quality artist oil paint so I'm very curious as to how this pans out!

I guess I was a little worried too, but I didn't come up with it myself so that makes me a bit less hesitant. From what I saw last night the Oil more or less acts to cure the Paint faster.

On that topic, I did a couple of quick tests last night on a spare piece of pine I had. Not the greatest analogue for either Mahogany or Maple but I just wanted to test ratios, and techniques. You can do it either by going paint straight on to wood, pushing it around, and then oil on top, which thins it out to more like a stain. Or you can straight mix them.

These tests were small amount of Blue mixed in, large amount of Blue (basically JUST enough oil to mix it in properly). The small amount test does border more on green and isn't much of a colour change, but the large amount looks fine.

Attachment 34116

And this one was Blue on, then oil on top. I think I'll be going with this, but I'm gonna test a couple more layers of oil on top and see what happens.

Attachment 34117

Turns out I can't resist making things purple...

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God the lighting in my garage is awful... But yea since I had some left over after my Headless kit, thought I'd opt for this.

So it's only the back done purple, and there is justifications for it. 1) I'm not as certain how the Blue will go on the Mahogany, 2) I'm not sure how much that little tube will cover, 3) A darker colour on the back will make the lighter blue pop a bit more, 4) The purple stain I have goes on a bit easier, and will be easier to scrape from the Binding. And 5) I just like purple.

Attachment 34119

S/S/P Toggle hole drilled.

Doot doot first layer of paint on.

I opted to do this by rubbing the paint across, then Tru Oil on top

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So yea, didn't come out like the Manganese blue that it was, more of a Denim blue

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Headstock matches pretty decently, bit more than the pictures show

Plan for the next layer is to do it as a mix, rather than Paint then Oil. I think that'll help it go on a bit easier

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Also gonna be more sensible for a change and prep most of the wiring outside the guitar

The colour scheme is growing on me. It feels really 90's. I used to have a set of these as a kid

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ef/1c...2a3865dbe7.jpg

and of course the famous 'jazz' design (it'd be super fun if you worked this in somehow)

https://i.redd.it/twwgwxlqerk01.jpg

Always nice to see a different approach.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sonic Mountain

The colour scheme is growing on me. It feels really 90's. I used to have a set of these as a kid

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ef/1c...2a3865dbe7.jpg

and of course the famous 'jazz' design (it'd be super fun if you worked this in somehow)

https://i.redd.it/twwgwxlqerk01.jpg

Always nice to see a different approach.

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Ohhh, I can see that. I dig that colour scheme on them too haha

I've got something in the works to add on top, so I'll have to pass on working that theme in this time around. Also a neat design though. Turquoise and Purple go together nicely

Just for future reference, amine leather dyes are the favoured stains of many high end luthiers.
They are cheap, available at craft shops, concentrated and can be thinned with alcohol so it doesn't raise grain and the dye will eventually penetrate glue spots. Although it does take a bit of spot staining.

I glanced at this and and for a split second wondered what model of Vox amp that was!...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e1d5a245dc.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SamSquare

I glanced at this and and for a split second wondered what model of Vox amp that was!...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e1d5a245dc.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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A sliding vox

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tassieaxeman

Just for future reference, amine leather dyes are the favoured stains of many high end luthiers.
They are cheap, available at craft shops, concentrated and can be thinned with alcohol so it doesn't raise grain and the dye will eventually penetrate glue spots. Although it does take a bit of spot staining.

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Do you mean something like these? https://www.shoeproductsaustralia.co...er-dye/ANGLDYE

Definitely something to keep in mind for next time. I do like to experiment with different things, and this method caught my eye this time around.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SamSquare

I glanced at this and and for a split second wondered what model of Vox amp that was!...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e1d5a245dc.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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HEH, yea I can see that. Very big amp that also keeps flies out.



Got a couple layers of just Tru-Oil on the top now, and it's really brought it to life. It's come up more of a vibrant blue now. Purple on the back also has got a couple of layers of oil too, and it's not come out quite as dark as my headless, which is nice! Pictures tomorrow when the oil's dry and the sun's out.

FWIW, I used Angelus Leather Dyes on my PRS-1TS kit and was happy with the result as well as the process.

I'm sure you're already aware, but I'll mention it anyway, Tru Oil is notorious for turning blues to green over time.
It's well documented here and other forums. Hopefully you won't be surprised or disappointed if this happens with yours.

This is an in-progress photo of my build from 2018. Analine dye and about 8 coats of Tru Oil (IIRC):

Attachment 34135

https://media.giphy.com/media/L8XuphFGqlSfe/giphy.gif

Nice technique, but you'll probably get those pics removed (unless you remove them or blank out the rude words), as it is a family-orientated forum. You may also draw a certain company's ire towards PBG as well.

Hey Folks, please don't post Brand Name logos (or F Words), thanks.

Did I miss something??? :confused:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McCreed

Did I miss something??? :confused:

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A cool logo. 😎

It included the F bomb and a brand name. 🤭

Clearly relating to the innocuous part in the thread title, but maybe got it the wrong way round?

Alright, so yes adjusting my last post. And have edited my initial post to make sure I'm being totally transparent with it. This is a representation of my opinions, and no-one elses. But we'll also be keeping that part out of future posts too

Waterslide decal paper was from Eckersley's. It was an interesting thing to deal with because the decal goes clear in water, then dries white again (but a different white from what it originally was). But it reacts favourably to Oil finishes (the instructions say spirit or oil based varnishes, but I suspected Tru-Oil would work as a result.

Attachment 34185

Also unlike a lot of Waterslide decals I saw online this one: 1) didn't need a clearcoat to seal the ink in, and 2) didn't need to be printed reversed. The paper waterproofed the ink on its own.

Oh but I should also note: In some of my tests, and on the final decal, it did need a couple of coats of Tru-oil before it went fully transparent.

Test decal for reference (the white circle was just the backing side of the paper, i got worried that I'd printed on the wrong side initially lol):

Attachment 34184