First Build- Tele Deluxe GTH-1

[BenWill]

I was able to get my grain filling done a couple days ago. I had never grained filled like this before, so it was a new experience but I am pleased with how it went. If I do another build at some point, I would thin out the grain filler to make it an easier application. I am planning to do some light sanding on the body this weekend, as recommended by the product I used for after grain fill application.

My next steps this weekend will be to shape the headstock, and then start spraying my sand sealer, and possibly primer, depending on how things go.

[BenWill]

Latest update on my guitar build:

I was able to get my headstock shaped this weekend, and also sprayed the sand sealer on the body. I have to still sand the headstock and smooth it out but happy with how it turned out. Finished working on the fret ends as well, so once I sand the headstock more, my neck should be ready to be sprayed with the amber coloured nitro lacquer I have.

Hoping to get the body sanded, and then spray the primer sometime this week, with hopes of getting started on the colour in the next couple weeks.

[BenWill]

I am hoping to start spraying my neck and headstock this weekend, just wondering a couple things:

Should I tape over the nut so none of the lacquer gets on it and in the slots?

Should I also tape off the truss rod cavity to prevent any lacquer from going in there?

[FrankenWashie]

I am hoping to start spraying my neck and headstock this weekend, just wondering a couple things:

Should I tape over the nut so none of the lacquer gets on it and in the slots?

Should I also tape off the truss rod cavity to prevent any lacquer from going in there?

Its a good idea on the nut, but entirely up to you on the TR hole. Perhaps wad a small piece of tape up against the end of the truss rod, but you will still want some lacquer on the visible portion of the access hole. The trick is to do it in suc a way that you can still extract th wad after spraying.
I’ve never bothered, as you are generally not jetting the spray in there, just dusting it over the top in progressive coats.

[BenWill]

Latest update on my guitar build:

I was able to start spraying my black lacquer on the body recently, after doing the sand sealer. I finished spraying the black last night, so now I will wait for it to fully dry and cure, before I mask off the body and spray the two red X's I am planning to put on the body, and then move onto the clear coating once everything is all ready.

I have my neck and fretboard all ready to be sprayed with the amber lacquer I have for that. I am looking forward to spraying that and seeing how the colour looks.

Being my first time doing an spray painting, it has been a learning experience but I am happy with the results I have gotten so far. The guitar build is taking longer then I had anticipated as I normally only work on it either on a day off from work or sometimes an evening throughout the week, but I am happy to take things slow to ensure I get a finished product I am happy with.

[McCreed]

Slow and steady wins the race!

Looks like you made yourself a little spray booth with an extractor fan and everything.
You gotta love back shed ingenuity! Good on you.

[FrankenWashie]

"The guitar build is taking longer then I had anticipated"

I think this has been said by a great many builders, I've said it on just about every build!

Your progress is great, don't fall prey to impatience! As McCreed says, slow and steady wins the race!

[BenWill]

I have been able to get some work done on my guitar over the past couple weeks, with spraying the neck being the majority of the work I got done. I sprayed what I'm hoping will be the last two coats of the neck amber lacquer I have, and will now wait until I can clear coat it, which I am hoping to get done when I clear coat the body, so I can get it all done at the same time. Aside from the neck, I was able to get the X's I planned to put on my guitar body, masked off, and begun to spray those on, with my brother in law finishing the last 2 or 3 coats on the X's, as I ran out of time to continue working.

With the addition of the red X's on my guitar, I'm beginning to see how the guitar will look when complete, which is exciting.

[BenWill]

Just got sent this photo once the painters tape was taken off of the guitar to show how the red X's turned out, really happy with result.

[BenWill]

Latest update on my build:

The lighting isn't the greatest in the photo I have here, but I was able to spray my clear coats yesterday, which if all goes well, should be the last spraying I need to do, which means my build is starting to come together as I had hoped at the beginning of the build.

Once the lacquer clear coat cures, I will wet sand and polish the guitar, and then afterwards, it should be time for the actual construction of the guitar. I have only soldered a couple times before, and its been awhile since then, so I'm looking forward to getting more experience with that, hopefully everything will connect smoothly.

Starting to see a potential end in sight for my first guitar build.