Hi folks, I've been meaning to post some pics of my completed ST-1 for some time now, but work commitments keep distracting me. Finally I got my daughter to put some of her photographic skill to use yesterday, and I think she did well with the pics as posted below. Sorry guys, there's no pics of the build process.
I bought my ST-1 kit back when Wudtone was still an idea in the process of coming to fruition, so my kit was completed with clear spray-on automotive lacquer, as per the videos starring Adam and Phil, prior to the Gospel according to Wudtone. I promise not to digress ever again...
The process I used was to coat the basswood body with a couple of coats of sanding sealer, then engage in several hours of sanding to remove machining marks and get the body to a silky smooth surface. Lacquer was applied in three stages, multiple lights applied in short succession, then allowed to dry over a couple of days, then a light sand before the next stage. Next came a cut and polish, followed by a buffing with bee's wax.
Setting up was done with a lot of assistance from a knowledgeable friend who builds his own guitars from scratch, including tweaking to get the action OK and the intonation right.
Honestly, I'm stoked at how good a $99 kit guitar has turned out. Although it's never going to be a serious GOTM contender, I reckon it looks OK and it sounds great, even though there's not an ounce of Wudtone in sight, and all the electronics are what were supplied in the box.
I've certainly got my $99 worth, and then some...