DrNomis_44's Gold Standard STA-1M Build.

[Muzza]

Check in any tradie's tool box or tool bag which cordless machines they use. You'll never see an Ozito.

Some people buy them because, their thinking is, if (when) they go belly up, you just go out and buy a new one and still have change left over. BUT... a quality tool should last a lifetime with less than daily use, and feels so much better in the hand. I'm pretty sure all the cordless drills have the LED feature. My circular saw does too, but it's useless once the sawdust starts flying.

Having said that, my Metabo 18v drill's gearbox sh*t itself 2 months out of warranty. Cost me as much as 3 or 4 Ozito's to get it repaired.

I will loan friends my car, amps, guitars, FX, PA, lawnmower, house, surfboard, pretty much anything... but never my power tools. Ever!


And time to don my grammar nazi hat... 'alot' is not a word - it is - 'a' space 'lot' - 2 words.
Sorry, it's the teacher in me... (I'll climb back under my rock now...)

[DrNomis_44]

Quick Update:


I just did some rummaging around in some plastic boxes full of bits and pieces on my balcony, and managed to find two Tone knobs and a Volume knob for a Stratocaster guitar, they are a bit more yellow in colour compared to the scratchplate, but I think they look nice enough anyway, so all I need now is a good 5-way pickup selector switch and it's plastic knob.

[tonyw]

This guy just packed up moved back to New Zealand, i wasnt aware he was moving at the time, 5 yrs ago now, learnt another of lifes lessons again.

[andrewdosborne]

Ah yes, lending out power tools. Last time I did this my Bosch hammer drill (as new) came back like it had been dragged behind a ute down a gravel road. Not impressed...

[DrNomis_44]

Quick Update:


I've just finished installing the three 250K CTS Pots on the scratchplate, and put the knobs I found on the pots, even without the 5-way Pickup Selector, this guitar is looking good.


While i was looking through my bits and pieces, i found some 360 grit sandpaper and used it to get rid of some red pen marks on the rounded edge of the headstock, I'm happy with the way the headstock has turned out so I reckon i am well and truly ready to do some sanding, sanding,sanding, sanding.....yet more sanding, and when I think I've sanded enough....some more sanding.


I'm going to go with wokka's suggestion of using some Ebony Timbermate on the body (assuming the Big Green Shed has some in stock), and will be staining the body in Coolangatta Gold MK II once I get it from Dingobass, along with the Gold Highlights, so we'll lock that in as my official plan for this build.


Still looking for my Samsung Galaxy Y Phone so stay tuned for more updates where I'll post a new pic of the body.


I swear the more I work on the guitar the better it seems to look, maybe it's just my imagination but you never know.



Finally managed to find my Samsung Galaxy Y Phone so here's a pic of my guitar with the 250K CTS pots and their knobs installed on the scratchplate, I think the colour of the knobs does work with the colour of the scratchplate.

[DrNomis_44]

Update:


One thing I noticed about the neck was that it had a bit of back-bow but adjusting the truss rod soon fixed that and now the neck is much straighter.



Since I'm going with a Dingo Tone finish, I'm going to order some things from the Luthier Supplies section that I will most likely be needing for finishing my guitar, will do the order next Tuesday.

[DrNomis_44]

Update:


I just did a search for Ebony Timbermate on the Bunnings Darwin website and according to the search they do in fact stock it, they stock a 2Kg container of Ebony Timbermate that sells for $35.95, and a 250g container of Ebony Timbermate that sells for $9.30, so, I might see if I can buy two 250g containers, that should be more than enough for my kit build, I'm still wondering how I should finish the neck, I want it to be the natural colour of the Rock Maple wood, I keep coming back to the idea of clear coating it with an Acrylic Lacquer, I've used Acrylic Lacquer to clear coat the neck of my Headless Guitar with good results, it is a Maple neck with a Rosewood fretboard.


So the Ebony Timbermate is going on my shopping list for this coming Tuesday, along with some tools I may need, I might see if I can find a set of long-shank drill bits for drilling the holes for the Trem-spring claw-screws.

[tonyw]

A little timbermate goes along way...

[wokkaboy]

mock build looks great Doc, pity the pic was a bit out of focus

ebony timbermate on ash will make that grain pop twice as much. 2 x 250g will be heaps

[DrNomis_44]

mock build looks great Doc, pity the pic was a bit out of focus

ebony timbermate on ash will make that grain pop twice as much. 2 x 250g will be heaps

I'm definitely going to have to do something about getting a replacement for my old Canon A480 Digital Camera, my Samsung Galaxy Y phone's camera is not really cutting it, will see if I can get a new camera soon.


I'm happy with how the mock build went, since I found no real major issues, so I reckon I'm ready for the next stage in the build process, I'll have to order some PBG Luthier supplies which'll probably mean another two week wait till I can start, not to worry.


I now understand why I should start the body finishing with the Ebony Timbermate, to make the grain pop, should look great with the Coolangatta Gold MkII, I think I'll end up with a unique looking Strat.


I just had another look at the Dingotone Products section on the PBG website and found that there were some neck finishes in stock, so now, rather than going with an Acrylic clear coat I'm going to go with the Dingotone Colourless finish which I'll order along with some Luthier supplies.