Zebrawood Tele - Build # ??? (Lost count)

Isolation therapy time. Should be able to claim this on health insurance as psychiatric care.

Just placed my order for DTZ-1 Zebrawood TL (https://www.pitbullguitars.com/shop/...ic-guitar-kit/). Went with the standard chrome hardware, bone nut upgrade, and threw in a set of Tonerider Hot Classics while I was at it. I'm just planning on hitting this with a gazillion coats of tru-oil and finish it with some renaissance wax. This will be my first kit where I've had to shape a headstock so need to hit Bunnings for a coping saw before they shut down.

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Good on ya m0j0! Look forward to seeing this progress.

I'll throw a couple of comments out there and you're welcome to do with them as you like.

The headstock can be done with a coping saw (lots of folk here have done it) but if you're going make this guitar building thing a habit, maybe spring for a Jig Saw. You can get a decent Ryobi at B's for 70 bucks (or for $40 get an Ozito).

With the Zebra wood, it tends to run on the heavy side (from what I've been told) so maybe consider doing comfort contours (forearm & tummy) as a bit of weight relief. Also, if you haven't played a tele with them, you don't know what you're missing. I'll never own another standard tele without the contours. (and I don't have a huge gut)

Lastly, if you're truly going for a "gazillion coats of tru-oil" you won't need any wax. Tru Oil will polish up as glossy as you like just wet sanding with Micro Mesh (down to 4-6000 is plenty).

Coping saw went well for me (apart from some cramping!). Even if I was doing 10 guitars I think the coping saw would be OK since the rate I build would keep things spaced well apart. But if I was doing 10 headstocks a week then jigsaw for sure.

I have always been intrigued by the zebrawood. Didn't know it was heavy though.

I don't believe that it's proper zebrawood, but possibly ash (or similar) treated to give that stripy effect. PBG do at least one guitar with a true zebrawood veneer and it's quite different.

https://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-co.../GS-2Z-005.jpg

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

I don't believe that it's proper zebrawood, but possibly ash (or similar) treated to give that stripy effect. PBG do at least one guitar with a true zebrawood veneer and it's quite different.

https://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-co.../GS-2Z-005.jpg

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That’s correct the Zebrawood guitars are Zebrano. They are dyed cottonwood, something like that.

Thanks for all the comments and tips. I got myself a coping saw. Already have a jigsaw in my arsenal but I'm scared it will be too heavy handed and I'm very likely to stuff it up with a tiny little incorrect movement. Think I'd prefer the slow and steady and the accuracy of the coping saw.

After sitting at the Aus Post distribution centre 15km away for the past week, the kit finally turned up to my place. Still waiting for the tru-oil to turn up because I stuffed up and ordered Birchwood Casey Genuine Oil by mistake and I'm not willing to risk experimenting to see if it will work. Might just save that stuff for some odd woodwork project in the future.

Here's the kit just opened up. Sure wish it turned up before that very long weekend with nothing to do.

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I love the smell of an unboxed guitar in the morning

I'd be interested to know how much the body weighs if you have a scale that can do that. I do like the look of them.

Been a bit busy building a fence so this has just been sitting in the box for a few weeks, but now it's time to make a start. First stop, cutting out the headstock. Wasn't happy with the first draft so drew a second one with a bit of extra real estate. Glad I didn't just jump in there and hack away.
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Originally Posted by McCreed

I'd be interested to know how much the body weighs if you have a scale that can do that. I do like the look of them.

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I just put the body on the kitchen scales. Body by itself with no hardware etc = 2.24kg

Was a bit nervous at how rough it looked after the initial cut...
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But, I hit it with a file, then some 120 followed by some 220. Still got some fine sanding to do but I'm not totally unhappy with it. Had to sand a little bit further than I'd liked near the neck due to my blade cutting a bit too deep in the wrong direction, but it shouldn't be too bad.
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Mine looked much rougher after the first cut, so you have done pretty well there.
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You cleaned it up nice! And regardless of species, your axe looks cool ;)

Progressing through the oil coats. I did manage to drop it out of the vice and have it bounce off concrete (more than once) a few days ago. There was plenty of swearing followed by a couple of hours of sanding to try and hide all the nicks, dings and scrapes.

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Deleted because I broke a rule.

Looking good.
Sorry to hear about your vise misadventure. Looks like you recovered well from it.

Just curious, can you tell me how much the body weighs?

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Originally Posted by McCreed

Looking good.
Sorry to hear about your vise misadventure. Looks like you recovered well from it.

Just curious, can you tell me how much the body weighs?

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I did reply to this question previously but it got lost on the previous page in the middle of my other ramblings. Body by itself with no hardware etc = 2.24kg, although it's possibly slightly lighter now with the amount of sanding I had to do post bouncing :p

Thanks m0j0.

I understand your position on the logo, but don't be surprised if a moderator pulls it down. I think there's a rule about it some where, but I may be wrong.

There is. Can you remove it M0j0, before a mod does?

Been there, done that, with the dropping a nearly finished body business. I feel your pain.

With the logo in that position, you'll really need a button-type string tree for just the top E and B strings, just forward (nut side) of the G string post, in the early 50s style.

Left this to cure for a while and got sidetracked on other projects. Finally decided to give it a wet sand and polish but the wet sand kinda ruined the finish so I cleaned it up and gave it a few more coats and let it sit again. At this stage it was smooth enough for me so I skipped the wet sand and went straight to the polish. It's far from a factory finish, but good enough for me.

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Put it all together last night. Simple solder job in this kit. Only about 8 solder joints in total as most of it is pre-wired. I've blurred out the offending headstock logo for the sake of posting here.

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Needs some work on the action and intonation. The switch is also a bit dodgy - thought I'd somehow stuffed up the wiring as I had no sound at first, but a jiggle of the switch and I realised it must have bad/loose contacts internally as it does this in every position. Might just have to shell out for a better switch and swap that out but it'll do for now.