Christodav's MM-1 Custom Order

It hasn't quite arrived as yet, but it's hopefully 2-3 weeks away, just in time for Christmas with a bit of luck.
This will be my third guitar and I hope this will be be my best. I have gone with a rosewood fingerboard instead of the maple, a fixed Babicz bridge and I am thinking chrome humbuckers with coil splits, 3-way switch and volume and tone.
It has been ordered with cream binding and a spalted maple top.
The interesting part of the build will be the finish. I plan to use stain and the 'clear' will be superglue. Yes, SUPERGLUE.
I have done a fair bit of research and I have decided to try GluBoost as a finish. It is quick and easy to apply and should sit well with the spalted maple top.

I am aiming for a result like this.

https://i.imgur.com/hxrk8E8.jpg

The thing that I have to work out is the stain colour for the top as the glue is very clear and won't offer a yellowing effect like oil or lacquer.

Anyway, the waiting game continues...

Chris

Just watched a video on superglue finishing the other night. Sounds like an interesting and quick technique!

I have already bought the GluBoost, is is sitting in my fridge. I am intrigued to see if it is as easy to use as it seems in the videos I have watched.

Chris

Sounds intriguing, this will be one to watch.

Not long now!

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

Just in time for Christmas by the skin of it's teeth.

I also got some of the electronicals. (I purchased this from elsewhere, so I hope Adam doesn't mind me posting a picture?) I did get everything else from Pitbull so far. I am further exploring neck mounting ideas right now and I plan on using threaded inserts and ferrules instead of a neck plate which I am yet to purchase.

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

I am considering actually filming and uploading this build to show the world. We'll see.
Tomorrow I'll post some pictures of the kit once I have received it. FUN TIMES!

Also, I have a question. I picked up a single push/push tone switch to split the humbuckers, but now I am considering a second switch so I can achieve even more tone variations by having the ability to split them individually. What do you think?

Chris

I usually use 2 push pulls so each humbucker can be split individually, not much extra cost so why not?
.

LOL Dedman, I just didn't think of it at the time. but that's probably what I'll end up doing.

Chris

Quote:

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Originally Posted by christodav

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

Just in time for Christmas by the skin of it's teeth.

I also got some of the electronicals. (I purchased this from elsewhere, so I hope Adam doesn't mind me posting a picture?) I did get everything else from Pitbull so far. I am further exploring neck mounting ideas right now and I plan on using threaded inserts and ferrules instead of a neck plate which I am yet to purchase.

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

I am considering actually filming and uploading this build to show the world. We'll see.
Tomorrow I'll post some pictures of the kit once I have received it. FUN TIMES!

Also, I have a question. I picked up a single push/push tone switch to split the humbuckers, but now I am considering a second switch so I can achieve even more tone variations by having the ability to split them individually. What do you think?

Chris

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Inserts like this?

Yes Joe, and also Ferrules into the body instead of the neck plate and take a angle cut off the edge of the body and bring one of the holes in a bit. Similar to this maybe but then with the inserts?
http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...?t=2469&page=3

It's a bit of work with little gain, but I like the challenge and the look of it having the detail instead of a simple kit build this time around. also this time around with this bridge, I need to do string ferrules anyway, so that will be a slight challenge in it'self anyway.

Chris

I got it!

https://i.imgur.com/lEjG00I.jpg

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

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

I'm quite pleased with my purchase overall.
The rosewood fretboard is nice. I like that they left out the bellycut so I can do my own and they also left the holes for the controls and switches so i can choose where I want to place them. The neck pocket isn't great, but on this model, it's difficult to get a tight fit as there is little to hold to at the bottom. They seem to have nailed it on the join of the laminate down the middle. It's kind of a reverse spalt to other kits in that the spalt is in the middle rather than the outside. There isn't a lot of black, however, I have a plan to use some Timbermate which should bring some black back into it.

Chris

Thats a great veneer. All the makings of a nice guitar there.

Thanks Sonic!

thats gonna look great!

That looks great! Nice veneer.

Very tidy looking kit, will be watching with interest!

I'm already giving the rosewood a drink with some lemon wax and she's coming up very nicely.

Chris

Yeah, my fretboard is going to need something like that. Where do you get lemon wax?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tommycarlos

Yeah, my fretboard is going to need something like that. Where do you get lemon wax?

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The one I have is a legacy from my father. It's called "Gilly Stephenson's Lemon cream". I guess it was purchased from a wood turning or wood working type place? You can try the Dingo Wax and there are many other fretboard creams and sprays on the market. People have their own ideas and preferences when it comes to this subject, but this stuff did the trick on the first guitar I built. It still took a while as it takes a fair bit of hand polishing. The liquid type stuff might be faster? I'll take a picture and post it once it's finished.


Chris

https://i.imgur.com/yYN4xhH.jpg




But I have lifting...

https://i.imgur.com/0BXN0aP.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/M7mIniC.jpg

I am going to finish it in super glue, but I think I'll have to syringe those bubble. Ah well.

Chris

looks like a fantastic kit

https://i.imgur.com/FLg17YG.jpg


The colour changes quite drastically in different light.I actually used a Dingotone, which was reddish, but I am not sure exactly what colour it was?

Chris

https://i.imgur.com/qqby60Z.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7QpLdX6.jpg

I have to sand the little bit of black Timbermate I have put on there, but I am actually digging the colour I have created.
The GluBoost will just go straight over the top once I get it right. The veneer has lifted in some spots around the edge, so I will also have to deal with that.

I am not sure now what colour to go with on the back and sides?
Black? Brown? Could you give me some suggestions please?

Chris

That is looking real sweet

Yep looking great Chris. Very interested in the finish coat you're going to do.

I'm thinking probably black for the back and sides. Alternatively you could go for a lighter brown to give contrast to the dark top.

Gosh darn it! I had the headstock almost perfect with Tru-oil and after quite a lot of applications of scratch-x and a mirror finish, I managed to go through in a patch the size of a 5 cent piece.
Ah well, another few days.

Chris

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

...after 2 coats of glue.

Chris

Well the GluBoost stuff works!

It was hard to get a smooth surface in the beginning as it was drying in seconds. I actually have done quite a few applications and I have sanded with 600 grit once. I am going to give it a go now with 800grit and see what one more application on a not so hot day will achieve. I was also hoping that the part that was lifting would glue down but this hasn't happened in the top corner (elbow edge.) I will probably still have to attempt to inject some glue in here later.

The colour is very interesting actually. It changes dramatically on different angles. It's a good thing. The spalt was a little disappointing compared to other kits and there are very little black spalt lines and no flame. The Ebony Timbermate did a good job of transforming things and I still find it difficult to believe that the stain is Dingotone Karijin red - I think. (The bottle isn't labeled.) I did 2 VERY thin coats without any intensifiers or finishing coats.

Anyway, we'll see how it looks by the end of the day.


Chris

Looks very rustic:cool:

Yes Andy, I like the look with the chrome hardware, it looks very rustic!

I am making progress with the top using the glue as a finish, but I haven't had much time lately. I'll see what I can come up with over the weekend.

Chris

So this is what I had this morning. The GluBoost on the top and looking quite good. I have polished it up, but there are a few spots that will need to drop filled later on.

https://i.imgur.com/96StNbR.jpg

I bought an angled neck plate so, a bit of modification to do.

https://i.imgur.com/7yEmjss.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/b3XLdR4.jpg

I had also started on the tummy cut but hadn't finished it.

https://i.imgur.com/aBtgB17.jpg

After a few hours of work, I am now left with this.

https://i.imgur.com/8ylcaN1.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/St2Bua1.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/uPW8Ay3.jpg

I'm slowly getting there.

Chris

https://i.imgur.com/c0zDgtK.jpg

Awesome.

I feel like I should have been braver with my body mods on the tele!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sonic Mountain

Awesome.

I feel like I should have been braver with my body mods on the tele!

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The curve in the pocket was scary. The tummy cut wasn't so scary as I did it on my tele before.

https://i.imgur.com/J7D20kj.jpg

I am not really happy with the drilled holes for the neck in the body. I might end up filling them and re-drilling them. I am not convinced that they are straight but I'll have another look with fresh eyes later in the week. My nest task is to get the other hole drilled and inserts drilled into the neck. Still so much to do!

Chris

So the super glue is working well! I'll post some photos in the next day or two after I have done the sides.

Great looking Tele!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Andyxlh

Great looking Tele!

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Thanks mate. That was my first guitar - a bithday pressie for my eldest daughter. Dingotone stains and TruOil in a spray can which is now discontinued.