I recently started this double project, Tele-like guitar and Jazz-like bass guitar.
I chose the same wood for both bodies (zebrawood) and for both necks (maple), and for both kits I chose the black hardware and pickward options, so I guess I can say they will make such a beautiful couple when finished!
This has been my progress so far:
- I made a really-mocking build only to have an idea of how can I expect my guitar and bass to look and to check that everything was included in my kits.
- I sanded the bodies up to 1200 grit.
- I have shaped both headstocks and sanded them, again up to 1200g. Though I took as models the classic telecaster and jazzbass headstock shapes, instead of transferring them to the wood with coppy paper or outlining a cardboard already shaped, I drew the outline by hand, so the shapes can be slightly different... or more than slightly.
My next step is making a more proper mocking build in order to make any adjustment needed. I expect to be able to finish this task today before for both kits.
These two days I couldn't dedicate too long to this project, but still I made some progress:
6/01/2021: I made a mocking build of my bass guitar, checking that:
- The neck heel cavity presents too much clearance and the neck can sit in a range of positions. I've checked what's the best adjustment, so when I finally make the definitive build I'll need to keep it in mind.
- Holes for screws in neck, metal plate (including its plastic gasket) and body perfectly match, and they also match for the aforementioned adjustment for neck.
- Also scale length and 1st and 4th strings alignment are correct for that neck adjustment.
- Machine heads are aligned when positioned regarding the screws holes.
7/01/2021: Today I made the same for my guitar:
- The neck heel fits perfectly in its cavity, very little to no clearance at all.
- Holes for screws in neck, metal plate (including its plastic gasket) and body perfectly match.
- 1st and 6th strings align symmetrically over the fretboard.
- A good scale length setting calls for some routing in the bridge pickup cavity, I need to get it around 0,5 to 1 mm nearer to the neck.
- Machine heads are aligned when positioned regarding the screw holes.
Apart from that, I also checked again that all the elements that I need are present (both kits, of course), from body to the smallest screw.
8/01/2021: I made some pyrography tests on a spare piece of wood and on the pieces that I got after cutting the headstocks. Not too much space for tests but enough. I also designed a logo for both headstocks.
9/01/2021:
- I checked the fretboards, both of them seemed to be levelled.
- The guitar's frets had some rough areas that could damage the strings, I sanded them and filed to a round profile again.
- The bass frets seemed almost perfect and I only made a light sanding with a high grit paper.
- Both guitar and bass frets were also filed around the edges so that hand movement along the fretboard is comfortable.
- I sanded the fretboard, which felt a little rough to touch.
- I cleaned the fretboard that got a little greyish because of previous sanding. I used an eraser and some high grit sandpaper.
I wanted to start applying the first coat of tung oil, but because of the intense snowing these last two days in my city, it was impossible for me to buy any natural citrus solvent to dilute the oil, thus I couldn't start finishing the fretboard.
Last weekend I finally started applying tung oil to bodies and necks.
I have applied 4 coats so far, dry times are quite long but I'm not in a hurry.
I plan to apply at least 3 more coats, wet-sanding between coats, so I don't think I'll finish oiling until next weekend.
All the finishing process is going to last around 2 weeks, which I think will be the longest step of the process of building my guitar and my bass.
After the last coat I plan to wax the whole surfaces.
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