looking good Sandman, think the level of black ink left in the cap is fine and will look great stained. Doesn't really matter what colour you choose these flame maple tops will look excellent. I'd probably stain the veneer first then decide the colour for back/sides of the body and neck, it may turn out slightly different to your original planned colour.
I think you will find black hardware and pup surrounds will go better with the dark flames
good luck !
Current Builds and status
scratch end grain pine tele - first clear coat on !
JBA-4 - assembled - final tweaks
Telemonster double scale tele - finish tobacco burst on body and sand neck
Completed builds
scratch oak.rose gum Jazzmaster - assembled needs setup
MK-2 Mosrite - assembled - play in
Ash tele with Baritone neck - neck pup wiring tweaks and play in
I'm liking the head stock design, look forward to seeing what colour you end up going with
Build 19 PSH-1 Kustom
Build 18 HB-4S Kustom
Build 17 WL-1 Kustom
Build 16 TL-1TB Kustom
Build 15 PBG-2-
Build 14 FTD-1
Build 13 RD-1 Kustom
Build 12 DM-1S
Build 11 MKA-2 -
Build 10 Basic strat
Build 9 JM Kustom
Build 8 FV-1G
Build 7 ES-2V
Build 6- Community prototype
Build 5 LP-1LQ
Build 4 ES-5V
Build 3 JR-1
Build 2 GD-1
Build 1 TLA-1
Long time between posts. I've had a Barry Crocker with this, so have taken a breather.
My thoughts on the top were to use Minwax pickling stain on the top, for a blonde\white look that you can see the black through.
I applied the conditioner, then the stain. I just wasn't happy with the results at all.
It just seemed too patchy. Maybe I was too impatient, maybe I made a bad decision, I'm not sure.
This is how it came up. I was reluctant to keep going, as it was sitting like paint on the top, rather than soaking in.
So, after a lot of sanding to remove it all, I went again.
There was some shreds of the white left (but not a lot).
This time I hit it with the same ink as I had done the striping with, only white (because of the few bits of white left).
Progress:
It seems to have taken a little better, but still not 100% happy with it. I'm done with the sanding now, if I go again I'll be through the cap so I have to ride this out now.
Finished and with steel wool on the top:
It's gone a bit more silver than white really, very surprising.
Here's the back, I 've gone with a teak stain:
I'm just going to have to run with it from here. The top looks to have tiny, tiny marks in there that look like they need something better than steel wool to smooth even more. Is there anything to almost buff it out with? It feels great, but the tiny marks are bothering me!
After this I'm going to tru-oil (yep, a naughty word here I think!) for the finish.
It came with the chrome\white kit default from PBG, but I think I'm going to go black accessories rather than what came with it. If I'd done a great job, I would have looked at some better gear, but I'm thinking the PBG black gear for 40-odd bucks looks a great deal.
Sandman I really like that colour finish, its unique and I imagine it looks somewhat different in person. I agree with the Black hardware, you definitely need the contrast. But it looks a great job from this end of the internet! Good Save!
FrankenLab
Hand crafting guitars, because Death Rays are expensive.
I like it, I'd name it Casper.
Build 19 PSH-1 Kustom
Build 18 HB-4S Kustom
Build 17 WL-1 Kustom
Build 16 TL-1TB Kustom
Build 15 PBG-2-
Build 14 FTD-1
Build 13 RD-1 Kustom
Build 12 DM-1S
Build 11 MKA-2 -
Build 10 Basic strat
Build 9 JM Kustom
Build 8 FV-1G
Build 7 ES-2V
Build 6- Community prototype
Build 5 LP-1LQ
Build 4 ES-5V
Build 3 JR-1
Build 2 GD-1
Build 1 TLA-1
Only other colour option for the top would have been Teak all over but from memory it always looked a bit dark anyway.
Good save and totally agree with black hardware accents.
Don't worry too much about any slight imperfections in the surface levels as once you get several layers of TO down they should act as a filler and flatten things out. Also gives you something to wet sand smooth after about 8 or more coats.
# 1 - EX-5 https://goo.gl/fQJMqh
# 2 - EX-1 https://goo.gl/KSY9W9
# 3 - Non PBG Tele https://goo.gl/W14G5g
# 4 - Non PBG J Bass https://goo.gl/FbBaFy
# 5 - TL-1AR GOTM Aug 2017 https://goo.gl/sUh14s
# 6 - MMB-4 Runner-up GOTM Oct 2018https://goo.gl/gvrPkp
# 7 - ES-1 Runner-up GOTM Aug 2018https://goo.gl/T9BEY8
That ash grain is cool. Great save Sandman
Build #1 - ST-1 - Completed
Build #2 - LP-1SS - Completed
Build #3 - TLA-1R - Completed
Build #4 - SGD-612 - Completed
Build #5 - ES-1G - Completed
Build #6 - STA-1HT | Completed
Build #7 - ST1JR - Completed
Current Build #8 - JBA-4
Build #9 - Semi-scratch build Tele x 2 - Completed
Current Build #10 - PRS-1H
Current Build #11 - AGJR-1 - Completed
Current Build #12 - ATL-1SB
Current Build #13 - GST-1
Current Build #14 - FBM-1
Thanks guys, certainly feel a bit better about it now.
Getting there now. This has been a sloooow build!!!
Oil is done.
Wiring is done and working.
Just got to screw everything in, then start to set it up.
Very hard to get a picture that really shows the bizarre way the top has come out...
Can't wait to just finally play the thing!
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