DHB-4 build

[Mikie91au]

So, I have pulled the trigger on a DHB-4...
My plan is a bit wild, but will hopefully come together.
I will be staining the front and then spraying the back a solid colour, and finally gloss clearcoat the entire body.
The details of the slightly wild (for me) parts will come later to add suspense haha.

This will be my second guitar build, however the first PBG one..
I previously used colortone dyes and Feast and Watson scandinavian oil based sealer.
With this build I'll be researching what dyes, sealers etc to make everything work together for a full gloss finish..

Anyone with advice on Australian products that work well together let me know..
I have a compressor and mini hlvp spray gun, so im not limited by spray cans 👍

[Trevor Davies]

These kits look very nice - I'm sure I will be ordering one done the track!

Painted back of body and stained top sounds great.

As for Aussie products that work well together - each builder probably has different preferences. I think that any clear would (should!) work over the stain, so I would go with a clear gloss that works for your paint.

On my DMS-1 build I have been using Polycraft acrylic automotive paints and clear (see https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post229304), which have worked really well.

Usually, I have been spraying Cabot's water-based poly (gloss for body and satin for neck) which works well. This poly has also worked over solid colours of MTN94 (see https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post228149).

What products do you usually use in your spray setup?

[Mikie91au]

Thanks for the above info Trevor!
I have mostly used lacquers and enamels and a little 2k at this point.
I most do airbrushing of plastic model kits, but have resprayed a few bits a pieces with the hvlp including my mountain bike,
So fairly familiar with adjusting spray pattern etc to get a good outcome..
In other words, happy to give almost anything a go, as I will be testing on other timber before actually spraying the guitar haha
I haven't really done a lot with timber though, so more nervous about whether primers are needed over the stain at all?
I plan on taking this one slow with a fair amount of research though, so will keep on popping back here for questions and advice 👍

[fender3x]

I wish I could tell you about the Australian products, but FWIW I have seen Trevor get great results with the products he recommends there. I am better with how to mess up with US-made products ;-) I do like your plan to do a solid color back and sides with a stained top.

Glad you've started a diary. I will really be looking forward to seeing what you do with this build. This is a pretty new model, and I don't think there are any gallery posts yet.

I have built two semi-hollow basses, both a bit of an improvisation. This model is more or less either what I was going for or where I ended up. PB used to offer an ES style bass kit (ESB-4). They had some issues, and it's probably just as well that they are no longer offered. It took me a while to get that bass to the point where I really like it. It came as a fretted bass, and I was not crazy about the neck until I pulled the frets off. Like yours it's a 34 inch G style neck. Hope you like it as well as I do.

I also built mine string through with no tail piece, although I ended up putting a really heavy duty 2-point bridge on rather than going with a floating bridge. That was a bit problematic in mine because the center-block was too narrow for most two point bridges...which makes me wonder... Can you tell how wide the center block is in yours? Also curious about the dimensions of your pickups. Nothing wrong with a floating bridge. Paul McCartney seems to have done alright with one, but it would be interesting to know what other options you might have if the center block is wide enough.

[puppabear_17]

This kit is my plan for later this year, and I'm planning some upgrades as well (pups and bridge). I'll be following this, and learning from you as you go!

[fender3x]

Thanks for the above info Trevor!
I have mostly used lacquers and enamels and a little 2k at this point.
I most do airbrushing of plastic model kits, but have resprayed a few bits a pieces with the hvlp including my mountain bike,
So fairly familiar with adjusting spray pattern etc to get a good outcome..
In other words, happy to give almost anything a go, as I will be testing on other timber before actually spraying the guitar haha
I haven't really done a lot with timber though, so more nervous about whether primers are needed over the stain at all?
I plan on taking this one slow with a fair amount of research though, so will keep on popping back here for questions and advice 👍

You may want to take a look at some of Prhozin's work:

https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...hlight=phrozen

I think most of his paint experience has been with auto bodies, but he's gotten great results with wood as well ;-)

[normrepa]

I've found a shellac wash between stain/s and clear coat has worked well on my current build. Depending on the stain you're using (I've been using the mini bottles from Bunnings, feast watson I think) and bog-standard supercheap enamel clear. I'd originally anticipated a wipe on poly but what I thought was poly in the shed was actually danish oil...so had to pivot to the supercheap with shellac intermediate coat.
you can buy zinser shellac from bunnings, but if you have some flakes around I mixed 1/2lb cut with metho and strained before application. Also worth noting is that the old cans of SUL export clear are no longer available , the new version sprays and dries better!

[fender3x]

I've found a shellac wash between stain/s and clear coat has worked well on my current build. Depending on the stain you're using (I've been using the mini bottles from Bunnings, feast watson I think) and bog-standard supercheap enamel clear. I'd originally anticipated a wipe on poly but what I thought was poly in the shed was actually danish oil...so had to pivot to the supercheap with shellac intermediate coat.
you can buy zinser shellac from bunnings, but if you have some flakes around I mixed 1/2lb cut with metho and strained before application. Also worth noting is that the old cans of SUL export clear are no longer available , the new version sprays and dries better!

I use a lot of shellac, which I make in 1lb cuts from flakes, either platina or blonde. Sounds like you use it even thinner ;-) I put it in between stains, sometimes colors, and clear just as you say. Great stuff, easy to work with an pretty environmentally friendly. The one word of caution about the Zinsser product is that if you are using it between products (like a stain and a clear), you want to make sure you use the product called Zinsser "SealCoat" rather than Zinsser "Shellac." They are both just shellac and alcohol, but the "SealCoat" is dewaxed, where as the "Shellac" has wax in it. Also the Zinsser products are, I believe, a 2lb cut, so you'd want to cut it with "metho" (here in the US denatured alcohol). People here have gotten great results with FW stains. Wish I could get them here!

Looking forward to pics ;-)