First build - PRS-1F

[PhilB]

Hi everyone. I've never built a guitar before (or played one very well) but thought it looked fun and liked the idea of having one that I had personalised. The first hard decisions were which one to get and how I might finish it. I settled on the Pitbull PRS-1F, really liked the shape the specs seem great too. And I decided that a large bottle of tru-oil should get a pretty good finish on the whole guitar if I take my time.
Trial fitting things had me very impressed with the kit but also revealed that I should of bought neck glue (I had been considering several kits and convinced myself I was buying a bolt on neck kit!).
O well. While I wait for the glue to arrive I'll get a bit of practice with the tru-oil.
Then I plan to check the scale length, glue the neck, and then get back to the oil. Hopefully 20 - 30 coats will bring the flame top up nicely.
Can any of you spot any problems with this plan yet? If so I'd be happy to hear about it before I do anything too stupid!
Cheers
Phil

[Andyxlh]

Hi Phil
Avoid getting the oil anywhere near where you are gluing. The glue needs to bite into the timber itself and won’t stick if you have finish on the joint area

[Trevor Davies]

Hi and welcome PhilB.
Good luck with the build.
I really like tru-oil and have completed a number of guitars with it. A big bottle should easily see you through. Lots of thin coats is good, with a very light sand (I use 1200) every 5 coats. There are lots of variations of this though.

I have never put tru-oil directly onto basswood or flame maple. I did use it on the maple neck and pine wood body of my reworked explorer and loved the result. I would imagine the basswood would be very pale compared to the pine.

[Simon Barden]

Hi and welcome.

Just use masking tape to cover up the neck mating areas on the neck and in the pocket and you'll be fine. The finish wants to just run over the edge of the pocket to ensure it sticks well and can't get easily caught and the finish chipped off, so leave around a 1mm unmasked gap around the edge of the pocket itself. On the neck, the masked area wants to run just slightly short of the join line, so that the finish always goes slightly into the join line, as you don't want to leave a gap in the finish around the join. You can fix it later if necessary, but it takes time and holds up the build process.

[PhilB]

Wow. That was quick! Thanks guys. I've been very careful to keep the oil away from the neck join areas. And you are right, so far the tru-oil is very light. I guess I'll find out how amber it gets with more and more coats.

[Simon Barden]

It also gets more amber with age.

[m0j0]

It's a personal preference thing, but with the set neck kits that I've tru-oiled, I've glued the neck on prior to the oiling process. I find it gives a smoother transition at the join and can help to fill any really tiny gaps.

Oh, and welcome.

[andybanks]

Hi PhilB,

Firstly welcome!, I just finished my first kit, and the experience is a lot of fun. You'll learn heaps, and I've seen the guys on this forum are very helpful, saving you from learning the hard way.

I fully get the urgent desire to get started straight away, may I suggest doing some work on the headstock or levelling and finishing the frets while you wait for the glue. It certainly wont be the end of the world starting on the true oil, but it might be better if you get any cutting and filing out of the way first, so that it wont pose a risk to your finish when you get to that stage.

Personally, I've always liked the look of the carve top PRS bodies, and it will be interesting to see how you finish it. Are you planning on using a dye or something out of the ordinary like rub'n'buff to bring out the features?

Anyway, all the best of luck on the build, there is heaps of knowledge hidden in these forums, and youtube can be your friend as well.. :-)

Andy

[McCreed]

Welcome PhilB.

I'm interpreting your post to mean that you're not staining the timber at all, just applying the Tru Oil?

If that's the case, and you haven't yet applied any to the body, it might be a good idea to check the veneer and binding (the whole body really) for glue spots. I can't say how the Tru Oil will react over the glue, but the first couple of coats do penetrate the wood, so could possibly create anomalies in the natural colour of it. It may be just fine, but I thought it worth mentioning.

You can check for glue spots by wiping the body down with methylated spirits or mineral turps, and any spots should become visible. Mineral turps evaporates slower so gives you more time to see any problem areas. It is also compatible with Tru Oil and won't cause any residual issues when applying the T/O.
The spots can be removed with Goof Off (acetone) and a small stiff-bristled brush followed by light sanding. Just be careful around the binding as the acetone can soften the plastic.

[PhilB]

Thanks for all the tips. I have checked the body with metho and the top seems good. Yes I'm just doing tru-oil no stain, I think keeping it easy will help me make it look good. To sand it I have some 1500 sand paper - I figure the bigger the number the more it might cover for any over enthusiasm in my part!
I had a couple of goes at shaping the headstock. The first one involved a jigsaw and I wasn't happy, lucky they supplied enough wood that I could go to plan b which just involved a drop saw. I'm actually quite happy with how it looks. It's slightly angled and simple but neat.
Now I'm just hoping that Australia Post finally deliver the glue. It's apparently been 15min down the road for 3 days!
If that doesn't arrive I might do some soldering this weekend - or should I hold off on that?
Thanks again
Phil