Here are the two necks covered in grain filler:


The SG Jr body just started to be sanded back. If nothing else, the stained grain filler clearly shows up any unevenness in the body:


The SG Jr body with the top sanded:


The fully sanded bodies and necks resting and getting some rays before being stained. Grain filling always seems such hard work, doing a lot to superficially get back to where you started from. But you know that the surface is now nice and smooth, and the pores have now been darkened for some visual contrast.


The SG Jr body top stained:


The SG rear body stained:


The stained SG Jr neck:


The stain used was Rothco & Frost's/Dartford's Heritage Cherry Red Spirit Stain, diluted with some methylated spirit.

I rubbed the bodies down before staining with methylated spirit to clear off any remaining sanding dust, and that is one good way to find out whether you've got any small unnoticed cuts or scratches on your fingers from the sanding process. I found out that I had quite a few!

As I think I said before, the wet stain is a lot redder/brighter and the dark grain filler shows up a lot more, so I'm expecting all that to return once I get the clear coats on. I'm thinking of giving the kits a thin initial heritage Cherry red lacquer coat as well, partly for good measure, partly to help hide some small blemishes and cracks in the wood, and partly because I have a couple of bottles that have so far been unused, and I want to use them.