H's TL-1Q, first build.

[stan]

good job on the headstock, nicely masked, and genius tip with earplugs

[Zandit75]

I had run through on my application of timbermate. I ended up using some cotton buds squeezed into the holes for the stain. Worked well.

[UpperCaseH]

Got some intensifier on the headstock, and while it's getting more vivid, it's not approaching the body colour. Gonna look good though

First final coat on the body today, I might have overworked it, but we'll see how it dries.

[wokkaboy]

That's really looking nice H well done

[wazkelly]

Have to agree that is looking pretty good.

A bit more stain & intensifier should darken up the headstock and don't worry that you have already applied some intensifier as it will still take more stain.

[UpperCaseH]

Not sure I want to darken the headstock more. The mismatch is in the actual colour rather than the depth, the head looks a little "bluer" than the body, if that helps describe it. Photos aren't really showing what I mean, but it doesn't look too bad now when it's in the assembled position, only when you hold the head up right next to the body.

If I do a similar thing again, I'll have a go at veneering the headstock. For this one I think it'll be OK as-is.

[wazkelly]

OK, the face of a headstock has grain that is very tight and also being very hard and shiny would not have helped either.

I have done 3 necks the same colour as the body and it worked well on all but the Tele where my headstock came out darker than the body, but probably more noticeable to myself than anybody else.

[UpperCaseH]

In the better light this morning I managed to get a picture that shows the difference (although they look a little less different in person)



It doesn't seem to me that adding more stain to the head will bring it closer to the bright firetruck-y red of the body, but if it will, I'd be happy to have a go at it.

Edit: also, I noticed that I've got stain on the plastic nut that won't easily come off. I was gonna leave the plastic in place on the grounds that it was cheaper, but since this one's "ruined" now I'll just "have" to get something else

[Zandit75]

Damn, don't you hate it when you just "have" to have something else. That really sucks!!

[FrankenWashie]

Damn, don't you hate it when you just "have" to have something else. That really sucks!!

Its quite a slippery slope isn't it? A plastic nut becomes a bone one, the PBG standard tuners get changed out for Grovers or Sperzels, and before you know it, you've changed your fretboard for enchanted ebony, the fretwire is made from recycled Stealth bomber, you've fitted pickups hand wound by Gypsy maidens under a full moon and all of your wiring is gold, wrapped in push back sheathes of braided unicorn hair. At least that's what my other half assumes when she sees the receipts.