The New Bass Project Begins.

[wokkaboy]

Hey Greg, yeah looks like the 800 grit is too fine and there aren't enough pores for the stain to soak into.
I'd do what you suggested wire brush the glue then go over with 600 grit and try again

[ozzbike]

Wokka,

Thanks. I have a night shift tomorrow night....so I might do this in the morning....rather than wait the five days....clean up the glue and sand the whole thing back to 600 and then stain. An even coverage would look awesome in this colour.

[wokkaboy]

no worries Ozz, so is it acacia on the neck and coolangatta gold on the body ?

[ozzbike]

It is "Bloodwood" on the neck and will be "Coolangatta Gold" on the body. DB reckons the Acacia is more the old Vintage Yellow and I wanted the more amber tones.....and I think Bloodwood hits it right on....more orange.....I actually quite like the look. Can't wait until the bridge arrives and I get it measured etc and then stain away.

[wokkaboy]

I'd start staining Greg, no point waiting for the bridge, I do all that at the end of the build. But you can measure that up when it arrives so you will probably still be on colour coats.
sure bloodwood on the neck will look great.

[ozzbike]

Bridge was in the mail waiting for me at the end of the day.....measuring time.

[ozzbike]

I knocked the guide ferrules into the holes on the headstock....measured aligned and drilled the holes for two tuners on the headstock....fitted them.

Clamped everything up and measured 432mm from the nut to the tippy top of the 12th fret. So measured 432mm from the top of the 12th fret to midway along the travel of the saddles on this seriously heavy bridge.

Aligned the neck....aligned pickups...measured all....moved things around....drilled bridge holes....drilled neck holes. Think the pick guard may wait a bit.

Pull it all apart and learn some things straight away:-

1. Dingo Tone stays active for a very long time.....I had little stain marks on the body, my work space....my hands....it has been 3 days. Now I lay down a few sheets of paper towel over my bit of carpet and beach towel.

2. Remedial sanding and wire brushing is problematic on DT when it has not fully cured....it fills the sand paper like it is still very wet. So patience is the key in the first place to avoid remedial work.....wet body down.....look for glue.....sand and sand and sand and then wet down again and sand and sand....and by the way did I say sand.

3. Body soaks up the DT at a rapid rate at 400 grit. 600 grit is the perfect fine sanding on this rock maple neck....sorry to doubt you Wokka.

4. Dingo Tone is so much easier to apply and prepare the body/neck ready for application than water based stains. Dingo Tone covers like nothing I have used before. Dingo Tone really grabs the figure and grain in the wood and pops it out there. Love some of the flame even in this pieces of plain old Basswood. DB this is a magic potion of yours.

5. Patience now....as DT takes a lot longer between coats and between layers of finish....stain, intensifying, final.

Some photos of the remedial neck work.....

[ozzbike]

I have done only one coat.....soaked up nearly half the bottle with just this session of covering....sort of went over the whole body a few times....but more spreading and evening the coat out than putting multiple layers on. Sanded to 400 grit the body is like a sponge.

Hang now for five days.....

[ozzbike]

More piccies.

[ozzbike]

I like this look....no sanding or machine marks in and around the neck pocket and the curly bits at the front.....sanding and more sanding.....love it....right of passage I do believe.