New project guitar

Damn you FB Marketplace!

I've been wanting to do something for a while now, and yesterday my impulse buying took over...

This Squier Affinity Tele popped up and fit my budget as well as aligning with my intentions.

Attachment 39653

I have all the parts I need (all which I have accumulated over several years and multiple builds) with exception to a string-though bridge which I ordered today. Pickups will be a set of Fender Gen 4 Noiseless. (love the Gen 4's)
I'll change all the electronics as well.

I plan to refinish the neck with my own satin poly. It has a factory "satin urethane" finish but I hate the way it feels.
I'm undecided on the body finish at this time. I want to contour it and modify the neck join, but I think I'll just do the string-through first and play it that way for a while. Surprisingly the slightly thinner body is already an advantage with the upper fret access.

It's only 3 months old and as new but for a small chip in the finish near the neck pocket. A part from slightly high action, it plays quite well already. Neck pickup is horribly muddy though.

So this will scratch an itch without diving into a full build.

Oooo Score!

Yeah, I had convinced myself a while of NO MORE GUITARS, but being of weak constitution, I have failed (again).

In my defence I have one other guitar up for sale...

One in... one out... that's the same thing isn't it???

Pretty sure that's rule #17 in the Domestic Harmony Handbook.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by McCreed

Yeah, I had convinced myself a while of NO MORE GUITARS, but being of weak constitution, I have failed (again).

In my defence I have one other guitar up for sale...

One in... one out... that's the same thing isn't it???

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I mentioned this concept to the bride. She’s still laughing.

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Originally Posted by dozymuppet

Pretty sure that's rule #17 in the Domestic Harmony Handbook.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

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There'll be no new ones here for some time, I've just spent large on bits for the new race car and I will be in deep doo doo when a couple of pallets turn up

Well it's now just pile of parts, so easier to hide the evidence!



Spent some time today just checking fit for my aftermarket bits & pieces. Most everything will drop straight in or go in with very minor adjustment. I was happy to find there is adequate depth in the control cavity for the CRL switch. No routing required.

Should have it plugged in and playing before the end of the week. Mrs. McCreed is away with work all week...

While the cats away...

The take home message here is...

Yeah, I had convinced myself a while of NO MORE GUITARS, but being of weak constitution, I have failed (again).

In my defence I have one other guitar up for sale...

One in... one out... that's the same thing isn't it???

One guitar for sale does not equate to one guitar sold. Total number is + 1.

Well it's now just pile of parts, so easier to hide the evidence!

Mrs McCreed does not know.
As a number of wise forums members before me have said, “Sometimes it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.”
Keep up the good work 😉

I've had some time to play this guitar after an initial pickup swap and proper set-up. I really do like it, and have shortened the "to-do list" on mods.

I posted in a couple of other threads about using my new saw rasp, and asking Ozzbike about using FW Golden Teak. These both have been in relation to this project.

I decided to just dress and profile the heel right back to where it meets the body and forgo the re-shaping of the pocket. The slightly thinner Affinity body and new heel shape actually make for good comfortable access to the upper frets more than expected.
My original also scheme involved comfort contours and a full refinish, but given how light the Poplar body is I'd be concerned about neck-dive if I removed that much material. Also, in the end I like the colour and couldn't be arsed doing a refinish when I still have a scratch body build in the back of my mind.

The other day I stripped and sanded back the neck (bye-bye Squier logo), re-shaped the heel and stained with a couple of coats of FWGT. Following my discussion with Ozzbike, I was going to hit it with some Tru Oil today (pre-poly) but my bottle had skinned over, so I shot it with a few coats of shellac.

The shellac has a lighter amber colour than Tru Oil, but spraying it gave me a pretty good build so got a decent amber hew on top of the golden teak. Unfortunately the weather is not cooperating this weekend (looks to be a very wet Easter Sunday & Monday) so too humid for finishing. Hopefully get back to it midweek.

I've also decided to keep the stock top-load bridge, although I did switch the saddles to solid stainless steel block ones I already had. I do like the feel of the top-loader (my first & only). This, despite buying a brand new string-through bridge and set of ferrules! (Oh well - save them for the next one!)

I'll post some pics when it's done. There will be very little cosmetic changes, but it will play and feel a whole better. I guess that's the important part!

It's funny how ideas change, but stoked that it's working well for you mate. Those parts won't go to waste knowing you

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Originally Posted by Bakersdozen

It's funny how ideas change, but stoked that it's working well for you mate. Those parts won't go to waste knowing you

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Thanks BD. You can never have too many spare parts!

In the meantime, here's an in progress pic of the neck for now:

Attachment 39953

The Tele neck is a rosewood board and still masked up, so just showing the back for now. Pretty happy with the colour.
Speaking of spare parts, the ST neck on the right is next on the list. That will get a re-radius and re-fret. Then I need a body to put it on!

I had a couple sets of neck screw ferrules, so I decided to risk drilling the countersunk holes and piss off the neck plate.
A nice sharp 14mm 4-fluted Forstner bit did it perfectly.

There is a small indented line in the finish at the top from the neck plate, but this exercise was more about extra comfort than aesthetics. It decreases the thickness at the join by 2mm, which actually makes a noticeable difference in the feel at those higher frets.

Attachment 39999

Great job! Love the colour too

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Originally Posted by Bakersdozen

Great job! Love the colour too

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Thanks!
Yes, the colour is one reason I opted against the re-finishing idea. I could probably match it, but why bother?

One thing I was reminded about when I drilled the recesses for the ferrules, is just how thick the factory polyester (polyurethane) finishes are! The combined sealer and finish layers on this is approximately 1.2mm thick!

Edit: Fun fact - that's 5.5% of the body thickness!

I could never match that just doing a single-pack lacquer.

I like your way of thinking McCreed, new guitar and sell one off.. ;) It's got to the stage where I'm looking on market place too. Can't see anything that really takes my fancy in kit guitars atm. The one I really want isn't available to October.
Might have to start selling more too..

Really keen to see how this guitar finishes up McCreed! Side question: I think it was you that put me onto the Cabots clear?

Thanks Rod.
The only flaw in my system is I still haven't sold the one I have listed! D'oh!!!
I've had a fair amount of views (Gumtree & FBMP) but not even one inquiry (not even a stupid low-ball offer).

Hopefully the weather will start to dry up a bit after tomorrow and I can get back to finishing the neck. April-May-June are usually my prime months for finishing as I don't have an indoor climate controlled area to spray. Off to a soggy start!

Not sure about the Cabot's clear, but it is what I use in my gun. One day I want to try some water based 2-pack poly, but it's still fairly pricy.

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Originally Posted by McCreed

One day I want to try some water based 2-pack poly, but it's still fairly pricy.

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Yeh it is... But then again so is decent 2k automotive clear. The water based marine 2k I'm using is about $56 for half a litre :mad: .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McCreed

Thanks Rod.
The only flaw in my system is I still haven't sold the one I have listed! D'oh!!!
I've had a fair amount of views (Gumtree & FBMP) but not even one inquiry (not even a stupid low-ball offer).

Hopefully the weather will start to dry up a bit after tomorrow and I can get back to finishing the neck. April-May-June are usually my prime months for finishing as I don't have an indoor climate controlled area to spray. Off to a soggy start!

Not sure about the Cabot's clear, but it is what I use in my gun. One day I want to try some water based 2-pack poly, but it's still fairly pricy.

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That’s only a minor flaw really..😆
I know what you are saying about the weather, same here on the Gold Coast.
.. but I’m still spraying Cabot’s clear in a can from Bunnings. Can’t go wrong with it. Thinking of using it as a deodorant now...I love it!

Weather wasn't too horrible today, and I decided I want the face of the headstock in gloss with the rest in satin.

So I broke out the airbrush and got some gloss poly on there. The coat is still wet in the photo, but it gives an idea of the finished colour. I'm pretty happy with the tone. So that's 2 coats of diluted FW Golden Teak; 3 coats of blonde shellac shellac (also sprayed) and 5 coats of gloss poly.

Attachment 40016

Hoping to get the satin all done tomorrow.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McCreed

Weather wasn't too horrible today, and I decided I want the face of the headstock in gloss with the rest in satin.

So I broke out the airbrush and got some gloss poly on there. The coat is still wet in the photo, but it gives an idea of the finished colour. I'm pretty happy with the tone. So that's 2 coats of diluted FW Golden Teak; 3 coats of blonde shellac shellac (also sprayed) and 5 coats of gloss poly.

Attachment 40016

Hoping to get the satin all done tomorrow.

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Looking really good mate! Love the tone too..👍
Do you use your airbrush all the time for guitars? Or a normal spray gun..

Tidy work there, Sir!

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Originally Posted by Rodc

Looking really good mate! Love the tone too..👍
Do you use your airbrush all the time for guitars? Or a normal spray gun..

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I used the airbrush here because I only needed a small batch of gloss poly for such a small area. Plus the airbrush cleans up a bit faster when I'm done than my other two guns.

I'll use my .8mm touch-up gun when I do the rest of the neck with satin. If had chosen to do the whole neck in satin, I would have just used the touch-up gun. I've been spraying exclusively with guns/airbrush on guitars for about 2 years or so now.

I haven't done a burst on a guitar yet, but the airbrush is perfect for doing it when I've mucked around on scrap timber.


Also, thanks BD!

They say a picture is worth a thousands words...

...and let me tell you, none of them are nice words!!!!

Attachment 40036

effing bug!!!

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Originally Posted by McCreed

They say a picture is worth a thousands words...

...and let me tell you, none of them are nice words!!!!

Attachment 40036

effing bug!!!

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Bugger.!! (Pardon the pun) thought that thing only happened to me..

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Originally Posted by Rodc

Bugger.!! (Pardon the pun) thought that thing only happened to me..

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It hasn't happened to me in a while.
I should have known I was tempting fate when I posted about it in someone else's thread recently.

I was able to extricate the wing with minimal damage, and strip sanded the spot. I spot sprayed a bit of poly there, and it's drying now, but I can see I'll have to do that a couple times to get it buried properly :(

I was able to remove the bulk of the little bastard (including a leg that came off) with little to no marks, but that wing...

Call the guitar 'Little Wing' as a Hendrix tribute. ;)

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

Call the guitar 'Little Wing' as a Hendrix tribute. ;)

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Or Little Bastard Wing!

Did Jimi ever play a tele?

Good to see you back Simon.

He's supposed to have borrowed Noel Redding's Tele on a few recordings. But if you read all the various guitar forum reports, he'd have played it on almost every major hit!

A quick image search online doesn't yield any photos of him with a tele.

I once saw poorly photoshopped pic of Jimi with a Les Paul though. (probably on the LP Forum!)

I quite like this one.

Attachment 40046

The lack of any cutaway when worn reversed would mean poor upper fret access, so unless he had a left-handed guitar, it wouldn't be a guitar of choice for him. But the Purple Haze solo was probably done on Noel's Tele.

A video on the subject (which I haven't watched yet).

https://youtu.be/I3EnTck1WUE

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

I quite like this one.

Attachment 40046

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I could just imagine Jimi playing one of those pink "Hello Kitty" Strats, since he was known to have a wonderful sense of humor.

Ya see... this is what happens when you hijack your own thread!!!


I was working on a guitar somewhere in here...

:o

What about a Hello McCreed Telecaster? :D

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

What about a Hello McCreed Telecaster? :D

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LOL!

I could spend waaaaay too much time running with that idea!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

What about a Hello McCreed Telecaster? :D

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An idea like that deserves its own thread! “Hello (insert name) telecasters”.

Well I managed to fix up the bug damage, and then got 3 more coats on (mostly) without incident.

With the second coat, a tiny but longish bit of lint (like a single fibre) made its way on to the headstock (about 1cm from where the friggin' bug wing was! :mad:). Luckily it had an end that was just sticking up a wee bit, and I was able to extract it with tweezers.

After that I did one more coat and decided I had pushed my luck with the Finishing Gods far enough...

I'm happy with the end result though. Now comes the inevitable waiting we all love. I'm really looking forward to getting this back together and playing again.

I've also just started on another neck that is getting a re-radius followed by a re-fret followed by another re-finish! Lots of "re-" going on here!

See??? No bugs!!!
Attachment 40050

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McCreed

Well I managed to fix up the bug damage, and then got 3 more coats on (mostly) without incident.

With the second coat, a tiny but longish bit of lint (like a single fibre) made its way on to the headstock (about 1cm from where the friggin' bug wing was! :mad:). Luckily it had an end that was just sticking up a wee bit, and I was able to extract it with tweezers.

After that I did one more coat and decided I had pushed my luck with the Finishing Gods far enough...

I'm happy with the end result though. Now comes the inevitable waiting we all love. I'm really looking forward to getting this back together and playing again.

I've also just started on another neck that is getting a re-radius followed by a re-fret followed by another re-finish! Lots of "re-" going on here!

See??? No bugs!!!
Attachment 40050

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Nice recovery mate..🤙
That waiting game is a pain.
I sprayed poly on for 4 days while it was raining. Only left it for 2 and sanded it and polished it up. Today I fitted all the hardware. I’m hopeless at waiting for clear or paint to cure..🤦*♂️
Re: radius? Never even thought of that. Do you use a radius sanding block McCreed?

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Re: radius? Never even thought of that. Do you use a radius sanding block McCreed?

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Yes. The neck is currently a 14" radius. A bit too flat for my liking, so I'll pull the frets and hit it with a block, then re-fret it.
I haven't decided whether to go with 12" or 9.5" at this point.