2nd build: STA-1M

Nothing to report yet, other than I've ordered the kit, waiting for the big boat from China to arrive in Freo. This is a project for my 11yo daughter, who has been playing classical acoustic for a year-and-a-half now, and who will be better than me at guitar in general within a year or two if she continues (it's still "work" a lot of the time...).

I managed to pique her interest with a custom build, and we've narrowed down to the ST-style, but with a dark red and black treatment similar to this TL, and also taking some queues from Mark's latest build.
Attachment 36586

I'd also like to have a go at replacing the fret dots with these lovely things, but not sure how to acquire for a reasonable price+shipping.

That's the price for 12 dots, so enough for a 21-fret neck with 2 spare, or a 22-fret neck with 1 spare dot.

As they are Allparts dots, it may be worth emailing Realparts and asking if they could order them (as they sell a lot of Allparts kit). I they come with their next Allparts shipment, you may only have to pay for Australian shipping.

Good idea, will do.

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Some red options at Australian MOP Supplies - stone dots.

Oh cool, thanks! Not as nice in the photos as the Allparts ones, but a good back up option, and much cheaper.

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That’s a cool looking guitar. I admit to not being a fan of the look of the Tele headstock so this appeals to me. I think Mark’s build was inspired by McCreed’s Tele which is stunning.

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Originally Posted by DarkMark

I think Mark’s build was inspired by McCreed’s Tele which is stunning.

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This one.
Attachment 36592

Seven strings? Hmmm now that's different.

cheers, Mark.

Well, I'm not building a tele, or a 7-string, but I do like pretty colours...

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It begins.

Ordered way back when. Received a bit delayed after the August/September shipment. Moved house. Did house things. Now making a feeble attempt to get a Christmas present ready...

80 grit sand and a bit of bastard filing, then damp cloth to see if anything interesting popped. Nothing interesting popped.

https://i.imgur.com/4VwydsB.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/M8EaHfo.jpg

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Look forward to watching your build.
Since I'm not building anything new for a while, I'll have to live vicariously through others!

How the body weight of the ash?

Clocking in at 1.7kg for now.

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Originally Posted by dozymuppet

Clocking in at 1.7kg for now.

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That's pretty good! My ash TL was 2.4kg at the start. (before contouring and additional weight relief.
You should finish up with a very reasonable total weight.

Now get crackin'!!!

Missing a few progress shots, but applied some ebony timbermate grain filler, sanded back. Then a coat of diluted black FW prooftint, sanded that back. Then have applied three coats of crimson artists ink.

Pretty happy how it's turning out.

https://i.imgur.com/1A1L2f7.jpg

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That's looking good dozy.
Sorry I didn't find that U-beaut mixture, but seems you've done just fine without!
Look forward to seeing that with a clear coat.

All good. I actually went to timbecon on Friday, but they didn't have the U beaut stains in stock... So that forced my hand to get cracking with what I had.

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Is that alcohol based ink?

That colour looks great. Well done.

What is the brand of the artist ink?

It's Daler Rowney FW Artist Inks, crimson. Acrylic, not alcohol based.

And four days later...

Thanks!!! :p

Just in time for an update, about 8 coats of TO and 1 go of steel wool in...

https://i.imgur.com/mTXSdSS.jpg

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I'm liking that

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Originally Posted by dozymuppet

Just in time for an update, about 8 coats of TO and 1 go of steel wool in...

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Looking good dozy. Only 38 more to go.

cheers, Mark.

That is a very nice colour.
Are you going for a smooth glossy look or the rustic timber look like Gibson's "worn" finishes?

I think I'm going with where I end up, to be honest :)

But as smooth and glossy as I can get it over the next week.

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My client is not a purist, but we're both happy with this.

https://i.imgur.com/WXF6nQC.jpg

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That looks nice and balanced - I like it. Good choice.

I tend to be a traditionalist, not so much a purist, but I think that works well too.

That’s a nice looking red colour and tease of what the fret board looks like.

Well this is odd. Two of the same looking wire coming from the volume pot. Not sure what to do now. Yellow I assume is earth to bridge, but not sure which black wire is hot to output, and which is earth.

https://i.imgur.com/UUdzWYz.jpg

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I reckon one goes to earth on the jack whilst the other would go to the tremolo claw.

cheers, Mark.

I’m afraid I’m not familiar with Strat wiring, but both of those black wires go tot eh chassis of the pot, so they’re both ground. I would imagine that one goes to the output jack ground, and the other to bridge ground. The red one connected to the left side lug of the volume put would be the input from the switch, and the yellow one connected to the middle lug would be the output to the jack.

Please take all that as a (barely) educated guess though. As I say, I haven’t wired a strat.

What jonwhitear said is correct.

Thanks gents.

I've surrendered the mad rush to the finish line, but at least I know what's what now. On the plus side, my client was buzzed to see it half constructed, and I now have a reprieve until New Year's... Time for another 20 coats of Tru-Oil.

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Assembled, strung up with kit strings, and initial intonation done.

https://i.imgur.com/9Kt8dWI.jpg

Also, probably not a great idea to assemble after having a couple of cool refreshing beverages... (I was very confused about the action, and thought the truss rod might be borked)

https://i.imgur.com/dOM2bYT.jpg

All good now, and the client is very happy. She got to plug it in and make some noise. I'm resisting picking it up and playing, as I want her to "own" it.

Tré cool! She should be very happy with that!
I like the headstock shape.

Looking good. Well done.