Trying my first electric...ES1F

[Johncoste]

Thanks! I never considered the possibility of the oil soaking through and affecting the glue.

[Simon Barden]

I'd clear coat the headstock veneer.

[Johncoste]

Thanks, Simon...seems to be a consensus...

[Johncoste]

I glued the ebony headstock veneer. This should really have been done before I started the finish, but it's a learning process. Here it is after (very) rough shaping. I used a pin vice to drill pilot holes for the machine heads; I'll enlarge the holes by hand.



BTW...in the background you can see my other hobby. I like to build wooden models of sailing ships. That is HMS Snake. She was a brig-sloop, also known as a sloop of war. She was launched in 1797 carrying a crew of about 120 with sixteen 32 pound carronades and two 16 pound chase guns.

Carry on...back to building guitars.

[Johncoste]

OK, this thread has almost fallen to page four, so I guess I need to update.
The pic on the left is after the first washcoat of dye. The wipeon finish has three base layers and I used two coats of the first base, four coats of the second base.



The picture on the right is after a second coat of the third base layer. The difference is subtle in the pictures.

One final coat of the stain then the clear gloss coat.

[McCreed]

Looking good John!

[Johncoste]

I have almost completed putting on the base layers. I looked at the small bottle of clear gloss finish and the finish has all dried up in the bottle. I have emailed the original vendor but haven't received a response.

Question: can I just spray lacquer over the Wudtone? I know I can get nitrocellulose in a rattle can from Stewmac. Any thoughts?

[Simon Barden]

I have no experience with Wudtone so I have no idea. if Wudtone don't get back to you soon, then if you already have some nitro, then I'd try some base layer on a scrap bit of wood, spray nitro over that and watch for any reaction.

[Johncoste]

Thanks. Good idea. Unfortunately, I don't have any nitro, so I would have to buy it. I did hear back from the original vendor and they expect to have the gloss coat in stock in a week or so.

[Johncoste]

Wow it's been a while since my last post. I did use lacquer instead of reordering wipe on clear coat. I used a gloss on the body and a satin on the neck. I tried my hand at soldering...first time since shop class age 12...LBJ was president and The Beatles released Sergeant Pepper that year.

Anyway, I think I got the wiring harness soldered correctly.



I haven't yet wired the pickups to the harness, but they've been installed.



I waited two full weeks for the clearcoat to dry before buffing. During the wait, I had another project. I was in a local music shop and they were selling Squier Strats for $100 USD.



Why not, for a hundred bucks? The neck and fingerboard were OK, but the frets were sharp enough to draw blood. I ordered a new neck from Warmoth, Maple with ebony. The pickups sounded thin and the machine heads felt like they were made out of tin (well, whaddayawant for a C-note?) I got some Sperzel locking tuners and a pickguard loaded with Stewmac golden age single coils. It now plays and sounds good. I like the look, too.



So, that's how I've been spending my winter.