Well, with my first two guitars nearly finished, it must be time to start a new one, and here it is.
This is the swamp ash body, and it really is quite hefty. It's very nicely finished - no dings or glue that I can find. I had to get a replacement neck, and the new one doesn't fit quite as nicely as the original, so there's a bit of work there first job.
I'd like to have a go at a nitro finish, and I'd like to make the most of the grain, so I'm planning the following finishing schedule:
Raise the grain with a damp cloth and sand back.
Ebony timber mate - possibly a few coats sanded between.
Sanding sealer - I think FW is compatible with nitro. Possibly a few coats sanded between.
Once it's good and flat, nitro colour (translucent blue) then clear.
The pick guard that I have doesn't seem to sit well with the bridge, but I think I'll replace it with a cream 3-ply. Will any tele pick guard will fit? Depending on how the neck looks with that, I might try and age it a bit with a dilute stain like golden teak.
I'm more used to set necks. Once the neck's fitting well, I'll clamp that in place, secure the bridge with a couple of screws, and make sure the E strings run nicely down the neck and the scale length i good.
I'm looking forward to this build. I suspect it's going take quite a while and that's OK - I want to make the best job I can of the finish.
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