NON-PBG - LP Build Diary for DIY Guitars GLP-40BBK

[wokkaboy]

Hi Alkay, I quickly read through your posts, the colour and paint is entirely up to you. Sure I think a red or brown stain on that cap would look great. If you don't like the look of that you can always sand it off and paint solid.
At this stage don't worry about a shim. You should have enough adjustment in the bridge height and truss rod to set up the string action and playability.
These kits the neck is supposed to be on about a 2 degree rake angle toward the back of the guitar so don't play with shims at this stage. This is to compensate for the higher tune o matic bridges

[Alkay]

@wokkaboy, Ok cool.

So I'm back at these measurements again and about to drill.

Centre of 12th fret on high E to nut edge of bridge saddle = 314mm

Centre of 12th fret on low E to nut edge of bridge saddle = 319mm

[Alkay]

hahaha yes he seems to know what he is on about

ok, so the holes are drilled into the neck heel.

[Alkay]

If you look at my first build(GLP-20, not a PBG) on this forum you can see the mistakes I made through over sanding the veneer.

I would like a redish brown colour stain unless you guys think it's too much...Maybe I should start small and do what DB and Wokkaboy have suggested and go clear?

I'd appreciate your help guys before I start sanding and what grit to use. Maybe start on 400?

So I'm open to any ideas please.

Cheers,

Alkay

[wokkaboy]

Alkay, as I said before a redish or brown stain will look excellent. As the surface of the spalted maple is pretty rough surface I suggest give it a light sand with 320 grit. Then look at grain filling it with Timbermate. The darkest colour is ebony but that will really make the grain pop.
Apply a Timbermate and water slurry and wipe it over the body. Be worth masking the binding. Sand that off the cap with 320 grit and then a light 400 grit sand of the cap.
Rest of the body I assume is basswood so you can sand that 180 grit to about 360/400 should be enough

just be super careful usually these veneers are only about half a mm thick so very easy to sand through. On the safe side don't worry if the veneer isn't 100% flat, be better than sanding through and revealing the timber underneath

[Alkay]

Thanks wokkaboy,

I've been doing some research and it seems water based stains are recommended because the wood soaks it up better than the chemical ones. I'll check out Mitre10 tomorrow and see what they have available and if they stock Timbermate and some signwriting masking tape. Thanks for your help so far.

Cheers,

Alkay.

[Alkay]

Hi everyone,

I ended up getting Cabot's water based interior stain in cedar. A few coats of this should look nice for the whole body, neck and headstock unless anyone can suggest otherwise? A bit limited to what I can get here.

They didn't have Timbermate Ebony at the hardware store, but they do have Walnut as the darkest colour. Would this be suitable or not?

I have heaps of black water based ink here which I could use to pop the grain? Could I mix the black ink with the walnut timbermate?

What's everyone's thoughts?

Cheers,

Alkay.

[Alkay]

For example take a bit of the walnut timbermate out, make a slurry as wokka suggested and then maybe add a few drops of my water based ink which I have plenty of?

[dingobass]

Sure can Alkay, I do that all the time.
General rule of thumb is any water based ink or dye will work with Timbermate, so I only bother buying the natural coloured one as I do so many different colours on custom builds.

[Alkay]

Hi everyone,

Just did a light sand of the body with 320 grit as wokka suggested.

I've got some blue masking tape(fourteen days) so I'll cover the binding on the body side before I apply the timbermate walnut/black ink slurry to the body with a brush going with the grain and across the grain. I'll scrape it to fill in the gaps and then let it dry and continue on wokka's advice.

After this is done with doing the 400 grit on the body I will mask again and do the side, neck and headstock.

Thanks for the help, and thanks to Dr. N for the chat the other day. Great advice.

Cheers and I'll post some photo's soon,

Alkay.