SG-1F build - The Red Lady

[Wiggles]

Hi All,

Finally got started on my first build yesterday, thought i'd throw some pics up to show off/keep me motivated. It's an SG with the flame cap, i'm painting it Wudtone Carmine Gypsy.

Headstock:

I wanted the headstock to be a bit different to the usual Gibson/Epiphone shapes, but nothing too complicated. I really like the 'devil horn' look the SG has going on, so I thought i'd carry it over to the head stock.
I drew up a little sketch on the pc and printed out a template to scale. Traced the template onto a scrap bit of pine to practice on and got cracking with my fully professional set of luthiers tools (cheap coping saw, hacksaw and some Aldi metal files) what was that saying about the right tool for the job?

The test turned out OK (the photo makes it look worse than it is) i figured out that i need to cover both sides in masking tape to limit splintering.


I also tested out how well masking and painting the face will work seeing as there's no binding


Turns out - not great. I got some bleed through where the paint bled through the pores of the wood just slightly. Plus, i'm not sure that i can keep the Wudtone off the face and that can't be good for the paint to stick to. So i'm thinking i'll do the whole neck and headstock the one colour.

[Wiggles]

Well, it seems that the imgur links i posted worked ok, so on we go.

Took the plunge with the real headstock, taped it up in packing material to protect it from bumps and scrapes, masked up the H/S and traced the design on from the paper template.



Set up the high tech clamping system



Rouged out the shape with the coping saw



Then file the bejeesus out of it until it's very close to final shape.



some 60 grit to take out the file marks and adjust the curve, and 120 grit to smooth off.



Turned out pretty good, it's *almost* symmetrical, and there's some slight variation in cut angles if you look closely. Overall, i'm pretty happy with it. I was tempted to do a more exagerated shape to the horns, but i was worried they'd break off too easily, so i've gone with the more subdued shape more like the smaller horn on the body.





Some tips worth passing on:
Do a test piece
Tape both sides before cutting to reduce chips.
Cut with a mm or 2 margin and 'sneak up' on the shape with the file (filing is a legitimate wood working technique, just not usually with the files i used )
Know when to stop - it'll never be perfect and you can make it worse trying to fix it if you're not careful!

Final sanding and Wudtone to come.

[adam]

“A work of art is never finished. It is merely abandoned.”

E.M. Forster

Looks good Wiggles. I'm not a fan of Devils Horns anything, but that actually suits the guitar.

And yes, a jigsaw is a worthwhile investment.

[keloooe]

Looks great Wiggles!

[sfkhooper]

Not my fav headstock either, but have to admit you've done an incredible job. Well done! Nice filing too. Pretty easy to end up with unintended rounding-off, but looks like you've kept it pretty square.

[Wiggles]

Thanks guys, even the ones who don't like it :P

More photos!

Test assembly went well, neck fit is tight and straight. Nut to 12th fret to bridge is pretty good (~2mm difference to the middle of the saddle adjustment, should be spot on once installed).





Final sanding was done in 240 grit and then gone over lightly with 0000 steel wool.
Masked up and ready for deep colour.


The body really soaked up the deep colour, i was worried i wouldn't have enough to cover body let alone the neck as well! Had enough in the end, with a little left over. The neck didn't take nearly as much as the body, so i might give it another deep coat to get it closer to the body.

I loved the flame top... mostly. As you can see, there's a couple of pale spots. I'm not sure what the story is there, it was all sanded the same and there was no glue or anything else splattered there that i could see.
There were a few spots on the edge as well, the couple of factory repaired dings that i'd taken to with the brass wire brush and sanding as mentioned in that other thread. But there was a couple of other spots around it that just didn't take the stain.







Any ideas what's going on there? Did i do something wrong (or not do something that i should have)?

The back came up nicely, i think i'd have been better off with the non-flame SG. I'm a little bit disappointed with how this one turned out.

[sfkhooper]

Looks like you have a similar thing going on to me. There's something in the wood, maybe an especially sappy area, maybe something spilt on it in the factory. It's not something that's going to be easily fixed at all. Check out my build, you'll see a similar thing going on.

[Gavin1393]

It looks like that $&@$ glue......... Although not sure why there would be glue on an SG since there is no binding.....weird?

Otherwise it could be a 'polished' spot where either your efforts or the factories have sanded a spot to the point wjere it has become polished and hence will not take in any stain.

To me, this looks like the glue.....but at a loss as to why it is there.....

[dingobass]

Yep, it's glue....

[adam]

Wiggles and Hooper, I've just alerted Dingo Bass to your issues and hopefully we'll get his advice. I fear, however, that he's just going to say you both haven't removed the glue with enough sanding.

I'm not sure what glue residue is doing on the SG-1F, unless it's from the flame cap, but it looks to be in an odd position.

I don't think either of you should live with these results. I'm sure amongst everyone here, we can work out what's causing the stain not to take and then figure out a workaround for both of you.

I wouldn't be putting any more coats on though. Hang tight till we work something out.