I am new to the site and bring greetings from the UK.
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I am new to the site and bring greetings from the UK.
Welcome along Geoff.
Welcome Geoff!
cheers,
Gav.
Welcome Geoff. Great name, glad your parents knew how to spell it correctly.
Hi Geoff, welcome to the forum and good to see another international member.
What kit have you got in mind to build ?
Hi guys,
Thank you for the welcome.
I have the ES3 kit.
I am finding it complicated to start threads hence the delay in my response.
My kit is a basswood body so I am in some dilemma regarding the best way to finish it, I am told Wudtone won't be as effective on basswood which leads me along the lines of a tinted lacquer, any thoughts from other builders would be greatly appreciated.
This is my first build.
I've been playing over 20-years and own a range of guitars and decided to have a go at a custom model, I've always liked archtop and acoustics which is why I settled on the ES-3 for my first project.
Hi Geoff, wudtone will stain fine on basswood, I'm not sure if Dingotone can be shipped to UK, if so I recommend using that to stain
Welcome and howdy!
Hi Wokkaboy
Dingotone doesn't ship to the UK so it only leaves the Wudtone as an option.
Do you know if I can I lacquer over it afterwards?
Alternatively could I use a proprietory wood stain from a DIY store?
Hi Geoff. Both options should work with lacquer. I'd choose local hardware less waiting time
Hi guys
I've totally sanded my guitar now and am ready to start applying the finish.
Does anybody have any experience with tinted lacquer?
It's an alternative option I've been thinking over but it would obviously tint the binding too.
I am looking for a vintage look so it probably won't really matter much if the binding does tint so long as it doesn't obliterate completely.
We can't get Dingotone in the UK but we get Wudtone but I'm not sure if it offers the same durability as a nitro lacquer especially when gigging and holding the guitar against buttons and belt buckles etc, I fear the Wudtone will scratch a lot easier than lacquer.
Any thoughts?
Wudtone provides a strong outer surface that won't scratch that easily, but it is not going to be as shiny as nitro.
Thanks mate.
As it's an archtop I suppose I can get away with just a subtle sheen.
I would prefer a nice gloss so am seriously tempted to go for the tinted nitro route although I am told nitro can affect the decal, I guess I could do the headstock in an acrylic lacquer.
Hello Geoff from a fellow Brit, one trick it to use wood dye then clean off the binding with fine wet and dry or a blade, i'm working on a Rick style bass and have done this, you can then use clear lacquer to add the gloss finish.
Look forward to seeing some photos.
Paul
Hello Paul
Thanks for the tip. Wood dye was my first idea but my guitar is basswood so I'm not sure if it will yield an even finish, I guess I could try it at a 50/50 dilution and see how I get on.
The only other thing which bothers me and actually is the reason I'm struggling to decide on which method to use is the decal, the supplier has said not to use nitro or acrylic lacquer as it will apparently ruin the decal.
He suggests only using a polyurethane lacquer but I'm not sure this would be suitable for the whole project.
Any thoughts?
G'day GeoffQuote:
Originally Posted by Geoff Stephens
In regards to Wudtone, I used this as a finish on my ST-1 (Body Wudtone Azure Sky 50/50 with white base and high gloss finish with no ageing or tints)
http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...?t=2206&page=2
Although not super glossy it has aged well but picks up minor dings I think primarily due to the softness of basswood. Adds to its character! The Wudtone itself has formed a tough finish.
On the decal side I've resorted to sometimes using a different finish for the headstock. So my ES-1G for example was tru oil on the body/neck and poly for the headstock face to maintain compatibility with the decal.
Cheers
G'day Andrew
Nice greeting. I use it all the time over here, my accent lets me get away with it!
Your ST-1 looks amazing. It's making me seriously think along the Wudtone lines.
Thanks for the tips.
Welcome to the GAS ranch, Geoff.
Just a thought but wudtone then a few light coats of nitro will work.
With the headstock, I know its a pain but you could finish the face with acrylic so you dont mank the decal.
Thanks DB.
I have settled on the Wudtone Goldenrod and will see how the gloss comes up and if it needs more shine I'll apply a few light coats of nitro.
I do have some other concerns which maybe you could help with....with a maple neck and basswood body won't the two dry up in different shades?
Hey Geoff, how are you and welcome to the site. Easiest way to stain is use a product called Angelus Leather Dye. It applies easily and they have a massive amount of colours I've used the red yellow and orange. And you can mix the colours easily. I know Angelus is available in UK as my buddy Jamie uses it. Just make sure you get the leather dye. The red and yellow is amazing.Then when you are ready you can use either acrylic spray in either gloss or satin. If your not into spraying use Crimson Guitars guitar finish supposed to be a clone of true oil in bigger bottle cheaper. Supposedly had two chemists to work on the formula and improved on it. There's enoughin one bottle to do one guitar gloss or two guitars satin. Make sure you wear gloves using the Angelus not because it's incredibly toxic. It just loves to attach to your skin and likes to stay there. The beauty of the Angelus dyes is they blend beautifully. Have fun enjoy your guitar.
Best Wishes
Kimball
Guitar Finish for UK builders
https://crimsonguitars.com/shop/luth...nishing%20-oil
Angelus Dyes for UK Builders
http://www.streetlab.co.uk/products/...eather-dye-3oz
P.s just use the leather dyes not suede and leather versions Geoff
Loads of other places do the Angelus Leather Dyes even flea bay as DB calls eBay.co.uk
Here's a look at the colour chart and will give you an idea of colours only check out the red then the picture of the actual red I used. The other pics are yellow and orange mixed final pic no gloss finish was red orange and yellow.
Hello mate
Thanks for your message. I had already ordered the Wudtone by the time I got your message but I have checked out the site you gave and yes it is something I will look at on my next project. I too like the look of the yellow.
Hi guys
I am doing the ES-3 kit, a friend has offered me a vintage wiring harness which has short shaft pots, does anybody know whether short shaft will fit this particular kit?
The kit did come with the various pieces but I can't distinguish between short or long as this is my very first build so this one has pretty well thrown me and having one which is ready assembled and ready to fit is going to be a bonus.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers guys
Hi Geoff, have you received the kit yet ? best way to know will be to put the nut on the pot shaft about half to a full turn and see if it fits over the thickness of a pickup hole edge, it should be about the same thickness as the control area
Hi mate
Yes I have the ES-3 kit, I am just about to begin my project, the Wudtone arrived yesterday so I've got the weekend planned for a start.
I have a mate who lives in another part of the country who has a complete harness from an Epiphone ES-175 ready assembled but he says it is made up of short shaft pots, he says pre-1977 models all had long shaft and my dilemma is I don't have any way of knowing which era the ES-3 is modelled on, part of me would assume latter which would mean the short shaft pots will fit, but as my mate lives the other end of the country it isn't so easy to try the gear he's offered me.
My kit came with pots etc but I don't know if they are short or long, having never got up close to the electrics of a guitar before I'm sort of baffled by it all, would you know the length between the two if so I could measure the ones which came with the kit then I'd know if they are short or long.
Hi Geoff, have you got a set of digital verniers ? Measure the thickness of the body at the pup route edge, it is probably 3 to 5mm thick. Then tell your friend with the harness he can measure how much thread is on the short pot.
The pots that come with the kit are cheap Chinese pots so who knows what they are. They are probably in between short and long.
The main issue is if you can get a nut on the thread of the pot when it's inserted. The knob should fit fine.
Personally I think the short pots should be fine as the face on these hollowbodies is typically thin ply. If anything, long shaft pots would be too long.
cheers,
Gav.
Hey Gav, I agree but you could put a nut spacer on a long shaft (that sounds rude haha) if needed but short pots will be much easier to install in the F hole
Cheers guys
My mate measured them and they fit against the Epiphone which is the same thickness as my ES-3 kit so it's all systems go.
The harness is USA built using high quality components so I'd be mad to let that opportunity slip by and it will spare a lot of soldering!
I appreciate all the tips though, I will probably need more as I progress with my build.
nice score Geoff, a wiring harness will make the job much easier
Ok guys, am all sanded nice and smooth and ready to begin with the Wudtone, my kit is a glue in neck so would it be best to set the neck before I stain or stain first?
Also as basswood is porous should the first coat be thinned?
How have you guys tackled it?
Hi Geoff, you will get a better transition of stain if the neck is glued in first but it will be more awkward to work on and you will need a large space to hang it to cure. I personally find it easier to glue in later, but it's really up to you.
No need to thin the wudtone first coat. You will find the first coat the basswood is very thirsty so don't be alarmed if you use half the bottle first coat. Following coats won't use any where near as much
Thanks mate, I will stain both parts separately and then glue the neck in and do the final finishing coats afterwards.
Got the Wudtone ready and here goes.....catch you later.
Three coats of Wudtone Goldenrod on and headstock shaped. So far so good.
I will leave it at three coats because I don't want it to look too yellow. I will do the top coats once the neck has been glued in but I'm feeling pretty good about it all so far as it's my very first build.
I've posted some pics but not sure if I've done it right!
Seems the pics didn't load. Can anybody help me. I'm not that good with computing. I can't even attach a photo on my profile page!
Your pics are probably too high res. As a general rule they need to be resized to 1000x1000 pixels or under 1mB, I think. Or you can embed the pic by uploading it to an image sharing website (Imgur, Photobucket etc.) and then using the BB code. Has anyone made a thread explaining how to do this? If not, I will do that today sometime.
Hi guys, my ES-3 kit is coming on fab. I really want to post some pics but I don't know how to resize the images, can anybody explain how to do it please, I was raised out of the computer age so it's all rocket science to me!
Hi Geoff,
There are probably other/better ways to do this, but this works for me.
Open the pictures in Paint (Default MS program)
Select resize - near top left corner
Select "Pixels" - make sure "Maintain Aspect Ratio" is ticked
In the "horizontal" box type in the size you want (720 works for me, maybe even 1,000 might, not sure)
Select OK
Then "Save" or "Save as" and you're done.
Hope this helps
Cheers
rob
Hey Geoff, I can feel your pain because my wife is a computing Neanderthal too. I gave up a long time ago showing her how to do things and now I just do it for her.
Sooo.. the easiest way for you to post photos - email them to me (you CAN email photos???) and I'll put them up for you.
Cheers guys. I had a go using the photo prog I have but couldn't get to grips with it so took Muzza's advice and emailed them to him!