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First build
Hi,
I have just started a Coban 335 type kit. Spalted top. Sanded all over with 400 grit, and mixed up a black powder water based dye.
Put 2 coats on the front, left overnight, and stated to sand back the top. To my horror, it has all gone green, what have I done wrong?
Tried adding a photo, but upload failed several times
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Hi teegee5448,
re the uploading photos, the pictures must be smaller than 1000 pixels on the biggest side. Some folks use IMGUR to store bigger pictures and then just link them to the forum.
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STARTED TO LIGHTLY SAND THE TOP WITH 400 GRIT W/D DRY, WENT THROUGH THE SPALT VENEER ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. SO P?????? OFF, SANDED THE WHOLE VENEER OFF, BY HAND, TOOK 14 HOURS IN TOTAL NOW HAVE A PLY TOP WHICH I HAVE TO SAND SMOOTH DOWN TO 400 GRIT, CAN I STILL DYE THIS, OR SHOULD I SPRAY PAINT IT? Contacted Coban, to price a replacement body and neck, offered me a price of £160 with discount. Paid £214 for the original guitar kit, did tell them, no thankyou.
As Trevor suggested to upload pics, afraid I am not very computer savvy.
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1 Attachment(s)
Attachment 43994
Green mess, meant to be black.
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2 Attachment(s)
Went through veneer so quickly, and now sanded veneer off.Attachment 43995Attachment 43996
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I don't know that particular kit but a couple of comments.
Not good with the stain doing that, it may have reacted with the glue used for the veneer. Always best to test stain on an inconspicuous area if possible.
You did well getting the veneer off. Veneers are usually very thin so they are problematic to sand unless you are removing them.
The body is most likely basswood and this should take a stain. Test the stain in the pickup pockets first.
400 grit has probably made the timber too smooth to take a stain. I stop at 240 grit when applying stains. Might be worth going back over the body with 240 grit to open the grain of the timber.
Hope that is of some help.
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Hi Colin,
Thanks for your comment, I will go back over the body with 240 as you suggested, thank you so much for your help.
Regards,
Terry
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1 Attachment(s)
Sanded the body with 240 grit, and attempted a blueburst on the ply top.As you can see, I used three different colour blue dyes.
I have now realised I am wasting my time and money, so I will sand yet again, and paint with spraycans, it certainly could not turn out worse.Attachment 44005
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That looks terrible. What brand of dye did you use? The dye is definitely not taking to the timber.
Solid colour is a good choice. Make sure you put a sealer/primer on before colour.
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Yes, the stain is not absorbing into the timber. Maybe it is the glue from the veneer and/or the ply!
It is incredibly frustrating. What type of stain was it? I never have any success with stains when I use sanding sealer first (but others on this forum swear by it). I have had black stain turn brown and blotchy.
Keep persevering and good luck with take 3. Definitely use a sealer/ primer, and also try to get some clear from the same brand as the solid colour to make sure they are compatible.
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Hi,
I did not use any sealer, three shades of blue ready mixed dye, off Ebay from Village Green stains. I tried my best, but it just turned out a total mess, whatever I did. I religously followed the advice on Youtube. I have ordered some Hycote white primer, and while waiting, will sand the ply yet again. I will use Hycote primer, colour and finish gloss. If I fail again, its for the bin. This all started because the veneer was paper thin by the f holes, when I lighly sanded with 400 grit, the spalted finish was quite bland as well, the kit is from Coban guitars UK, but obviously made in China, it cost £214. When I emailed for advice, was told to try more dye, and told good luck.
At nearly 75 years old and on a state pension only, this has turned out to be a costly mistake. The kit was more than a weeks pension. I just wanted to build a dream, and learn to play the blues, well believe me I have got plenty of blues now.
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Hi teegee5448.
Have you tried spray painting before? For me, spray painting has a whole new set of potential problems.
Does your guitar dream need a particular colour finish? Have you considered a wipe-on-poly? Even a natural looking finish can look amazing, and it is usually quite simple. In Australia a small bottle of tru-oil is about $25 and should complete the body and neck. Only need some good rag to put it on, and some high grit sandpaper to get a smooth finish. Our hardware stores also have wipe on poly at a good price.
If building a guitar is your dream, then definitely do not bin it! You can play on a guitar that does not look great. In fact, aged and worn looking guitars are trendy. When it is assembled and making sounds, it will be fun (and potentially frustrating!) learning some blues.
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Hi Trevor,
Thanks for the reply, Yes I have a lot of automotive experience, fixing and spraying. All my equipment was sold long ago, but I think I am quite okay with rattle cans. I was thinking of doing the back and sides with the large bottle of Tru-oil I already bought, and as I sanded off the spalted veneer on the front, I would love a brighr red pearlescent finish on the plywood that is left.
Would appreciate your thoughts
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Red top with a natural back and sides sounds great.
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2 Attachment(s)
Hi again,
Changed my mind. Used one coat of Colron red mahogany on the sides back, and neck, so far three coats of Tru-oil, 24 hours between coats. I shall do the top in Champagne gold, and several clear coats on top.Attachment 44014Attachment 44015
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Now that looks really good.
Look forward to seeing the gold top.
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Yep, +1 for looking good.
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2 Attachment(s)
Hi guys,
Sanded again, laid a white basecoat, sprayed rattle can champagne gold, then first coat of clear enfused with gold flake, and finally 10 coats of clear lacquer. Must wait for it to cure before polishing, so the effect is not yet best shown in the pics. Champagne gold, with sparkly gold flecks, I am finally satisfied.Attachment 44069Attachment 44070
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Lovely... Looks great. All the spray paint was done from Rattle can?
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Yes,all the spraying was done with rattle cans. When the light catches the flake on the champagne gold, it looks fantastic.
All my previous concerns about binning the kit, have now gone. I will post more pics after the top finish has cured, and I have put a lot more coats of Tru-oil on the back and sides.
Thank you for your comment.
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Looking good teegee5448. Great recovery!:)
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From another "senior" builder, congratulations on your persistence, and your final success. Hope it plays as well as it is going to look. And I am a firm believer in TruOil, especially for the neck finish.
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Thank you so much, 75 on April 5th, hope to have the guitar completed by then, and best learn to play. I just love the blues.
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Sounds great. 76 about two weeks before yours. I have much nicer guitars, and I have never gigged with one of the PBG guitars, but I do enjoy playing them. Lessons, on-line tutorials, or just listen to a lot of stuff and try to imitate. Many ways to learn, and a very satisfying pastime. And never too late.
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Hi guys,
75 today, and must tell you this kit has decided to bite me again. checked out the scale and clearances on a dry assembly, all reasonable, glued in the neck, and horrors, the angle changed, the bridge was far too high. I am using a quality roller bridge, which I have now ground and filed down the underneath, to drop it lower, actually ground and filed nearly 2 mm off. I fine filed the last bit, and measured with my digital calipers to get the same amount, got it within 2 thousand of an inch, and will now have a tidy action. [ I read a lot of articles on set up, as I am a novice ]. I will be keeping the original wiring for now, but bought better humbucker pickups.
I have bought Warman 10th anniversary limited edition alnico 2 humbuckers, number 27 set of 50. I intend to use a DPDT on/on toggle switch to allow both pu`s to be coil tapped. Will post pics when finished.
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2 Attachment(s)
This is the pickups I have bought. see through covers, to see the windings.Attachment 44185Attachment 44186