Wazkelly's EX-5

[wazkelly]

......and line up where to drill the bridge holes.

[wazkelly]

Got 2 pots of Dingo Wax and thought I might try it out on the rosewood fret board. Left it out in the sun for a few hours to soften only to have minister for war & peace declare that we going out for the arvo, just when things had softened up nicely. Grrrrrrrrr.

Got back about an hour before dark and the wax had set as hard as a rock again. Dug a bit out and started working it a bit at a time and gradually got the job done. Below are the progress shots.

[Swanny]

Looks like a neat neck join, Waz. Is that a glue spot in the bottom corner?

Wax looks good, too... we all know that SWMBO is called that for a reason!

[wazkelly]

Hi Swanny, that spot was where someone at the factory went overboard with lots of filler. Not much could be done about it and not so bad being underneath.

Used micromesh pads wet from 4000, 6000, 8000, right up to 12000 grit and hope to get stuck in with the Maguires tomorrow night. Once all smooth and shiny will start on the assembling part of the build.

[wazkelly]

Had Thursday as RDO and got stuck in with Maguires polish to clean up some bleed lines left behind after 2 coats of shielding paint. Also completed the wiring and final assembly.

[wazkelly]

As I am aware how fussy GOTM judges are about Truss Rod Covers you may note the Rosewood one in the photo below that was also finished with DT Wax, same as on the fret board. Oh, and a final reveal of the headstock decal too. Thanks Swanny for your inspiration towards naming this beast.

[wazkelly]

It's alive!!! The EX-5 is Alive!!!!!!

At last, after several months of cursing over the finish I finally got it to a standard I was happy with. Used around 5 DT stain coats, 4 or maybe 5 DT intensifier coats, lost count of how many TO coats but it was between 15 - 20. This thing has been wet sanded with 400 grit a couple of times to sort out some DT curing issues before TO went on. After about 6 coats of TO, more wet sanding with 1000 grit, then another 6 coats and wet sanded with 1500 grit. Several more TO coats then used micro mesh pads starting with 4000, then 6000, to 8000, right up to 12000 wet sanded last weekend. Came up like glass.

Maguires polish used last Thursday and really impressed how that stuff gives it that perfect final shine.

Bass was completed using all standard PBG kit parts except for 3 x Bourns 500k mini pots, 1 x 0.022 Orange drop cap, 2 x fidelity volume modification upgrades, Real Parts output jack, and of course the custom Rosewood Truss Rod Cover and Transfer Paper Headstock Decal. All up this project cost me about $450 including a Gig Bag bought online from Amazon US site as this beast is too big for any off the shelf hard cases found in this country. For a first build, whilst frustrated many times, turned out OK and would say 95% happy with the outcome. Small percentage points deducted due to slight imperfections such as machine head holes not perfectly aligned (EX-1 is also out of whack too), small knot mark on underside edge of headstock, and finish could have been better as being a first build didn't really know what I was doing and learnt plenty along the way.

Hope you all enjoyed the journey as much as I did. How does it play and sound? Neck will need to settle a bit but plays really sweet whilst action is a little bit higher than where it will end up. Sound is really punchy with lots of balls. Will have to figure out how to do a sound clip or video and post that at some stage.

Cheers, Waz

[tonyw]

Killer looking guitar waz, would love to hear it...

I tend to play them do death for a few weeks after i finish them, then look round for something else to give me more heartache for another few months...

[Swanny]

Haha! Love the name, Waz, that's awesome! A true Queenslander axe!

Finished product looks great.

[Andy40]

Mate that black on XXX Gold looks fine Waz. I like the simplicity of it. TO has come up a treat as well.