Originally posted by Arns85GT: If you are still intent on using the ss piece there is a strategy to help with wear. Use cold gun blue on it. The gun blue (you can purchase at any gun shop) actually looks pretty sharp on its own. You can paint over it and if the paint gets scratched it will have the dark gun blue finish under it to keep the looks better.
Arn
Admittedly, I know nothing about guitars but, I like the bluing idea.
No, sorry, I've taken all the suggestions from you guys I can stand! j/k
I need to rename this thread The forum tells heybjorn how to build his guitar. This guitar was planned to be all black with gold accented paint, and the pick guard was to be gold plastic. First Arn, then fierofetish, then blackrams, and then Raydar all said, " that grain sure is pretty, be a shame to hide it," so I changed my plan and went with stain. Now all of you are saying, " Stainless pickguard? Go with brightly polished." Ok, it is a good suggestion and I"M GOING WITH IT! But that's it! No more suggestions. I'm not listening.
There will be another guitar project when this one is complete, but all of you will find out about it as it unfolds. No hints, no telling you what I will be doing; you will get to see the work as I finish it. So there.
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09:42 AM
Raydar Member
Posts: 40912 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
No, sorry, I've taken all the suggestions from you guys I can stand! j/k
I need to rename this thread The forum tells heybjorn how to build his guitar. This guitar was planned to be all black with gold accented paint, and the pick guard was to be gold plastic. First Arn, then fierofetish, then blackrams, and then Raydar all said, " that grain sure is pretty, be a shame to hide it," so I changed my plan and went with stain. Now all of you are saying, " Stainless pickguard? Go with brightly polished." Ok, it is a good suggestion and I"M GOING WITH IT! But that's it! No more suggestions. I'm not listening.
There will be another guitar project when this one is complete, but all of you will find out about it as it unfolds. No hints, no telling you what I will be doing; you will get to see the work as I finish it. So there.
The trouble with the forum is that everybody has an opinion. It's like what colour to paint the car
That wood grain will be nice. It's a good call to use it.
This is my red Melodymaker with the old pickguard. You'll notice the old pickguard has white lining. The new one is plain black.
The grain on the Melodymaker is not a standout as the frankenstein strat. The strat body has a bold and rather attractive grain.
The Gibson folks used a red dye on the wood and then clear laquer over it. Since I've owned the guitar I have freshened up the lacquer but left the finish as stock. The rest of it is far from stock. I expect the strat will look nicer than the Melodymaker
This is another one I did up and also red wood grain. Notice again it does not have the nice grain the strat has.
BTW the jazzmaster tremolo was a mistake if you're ever tempted to try one. I sold it and this guitar is currently being rebuilt as a gunmetal grey metalic guitar with gold hardware.
Put strings over them so I can play it, Raydar. You do understand the point of this whole thing, don't you?
Actually, that is a question I need answered. The frets are in good shape, but the fingerboard has lots of dirt. I've seen a suggestion to use 0000 steel wool to clean the fretboard, then a drop of lemon on a rag to brighten it. Is this the way to go?
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01:48 PM
Raydar Member
Posts: 40912 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
Put strings over them so I can play it, Raydar. You do understand the point of this whole thing, don't you?
Actually, that is a question I need answered. The frets are in good shape, but the fingerboard has lots of dirt. I've seen a suggestion to use 0000 steel wool to clean the fretboard, then a drop of lemon on a rag to brighten it. Is this the way to go?
0000 steel wool is ok but it leaves fibres under the frets. One of those fiber pads is better. I use Lemon Oil to clean and refresh the wood on the fret board. Lemon oil is a good thing for string cleaning too. It gets into the coils on the strings and prevents rust
In recent years I've been laquering fret boards. I know there are guys who will jump all over this, but, the lacquer goes right into the grain and stabilizes the frets as well. You'd be amazed how the wood soaks it up. However, Lemon Oil is the tried and true that you need to bring it up.
Arn
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04:43 PM
grkboy707 Member
Posts: 3019 From: Kingsville, MD Registered: May 2009
No, sorry, I've taken all the suggestions from you guys I can stand! j/k
I need to rename this thread The forum tells heybjorn how to build his guitar. This guitar was planned to be all black with gold accented paint, and the pick guard was to be gold plastic. First Arn, then fierofetish, then blackrams, and then Raydar all said, " that grain sure is pretty, be a shame to hide it," so I changed my plan and went with stain. Now all of you are saying, " Stainless pickguard? Go with brightly polished." Ok, it is a good suggestion and I"M GOING WITH IT! But that's it! No more suggestions. I'm not listening.
There will be another guitar project when this one is complete, but all of you will find out about it as it unfolds. No hints, no telling you what I will be doing; you will get to see the work as I finish it. So there.
The above joke is a pun, a reference to cowboy star Hoot Gibson, and has the subtext of " a good time." For those who didn't get the reference, like you, Nick, I will try to keep the references to more modern information.
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08:21 AM
Oct 15th, 2009
USFiero Member
Posts: 4877 From: Everywhere and Middle of Nowhere Registered: Mar 2002
In the interest of full disclosure, I have to point out that Ron has asked for a job as a roadie when the world tour starts; he will probably want to supervise.
For those of you not familiar with the music, try this this and especially this.
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02:55 PM
grkboy707 Member
Posts: 3019 From: Kingsville, MD Registered: May 2009
In the interest of full disclosure, I have to point out that Ron has asked for a job as a roadie when the world tour starts; he will probably want to supervise.
For those of you not familiar with the music, try this this and especially this.
I like Dead Skunk. Songs that have no relevance to anything are awesome!
[This message has been edited by grkboy707 (edited 10-16-2009).]
After My son David said, " Guys on a car forum understand dirt and grime. You won't have to explain the picture."
I didn't like the results of the original stain application, so I sanded it off, sanded out the scratches at the bottom of the front, and re-stained it. Here is two coats of stain.
The sides are much darker. I like this, but its more brown than red. The grain is still visible, though. I may go this depth of color for the whole thing. Guitar holder is not the same one as in the first picture in this thread.
Well, I can't resist. And please excuse this old fart in the corner. I just finished my own Frankenstein Strat. It has a Paulownia wood body, maple neck, overwound humbuckers with an upgrade ss trem.
Now if I have it correct, I think you can do up yours even prettier and better. I hope this gives you some inspiration
I have zero... well if you rounded it up - zero - luthier skills. but i wanted to build my own strat, replace the fretboard, bill Lawrence pickups, new hardware... more .
I have zero... well if you rounded it up - zero - luthier skills.
I can spell luthier. Could spell it even before your post. Other skills, no.
These may be one size fits in China, but not in the USA. I have destroyed four pair just pulling them on.
quote
. . .This is a tung oil stain, and easy to apply, but it leaves a terrible taste in your mouth. At least, that what Linda tells me. Made her tongue darker, too, but it's not unattractive.
Linda refused to apply the new coats of stain. That's ok; I used her toothbrush. After two weeks, her tongue is back to its normal color .
No progress this week, and it is raining right now. The next coat of stain will be heavy.
quote
Originally posted by USFiero:
We could debate the merits of Bill LAwrence vs Bill Lawrence USA pickups...
Give us a place to start, USFiero. All I can tell about pickups is that I like the sound of the Seymour Duncan SH-2, and that's based on the sample on their webpage.
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08:23 AM
PFF
System Bot
2.5 Member
Posts: 43235 From: Southern MN Registered: May 2007
It's as dark as I want; now to get the color evened out. Then several coats of gloss lacquer. While that dries thoroughly, I will work on the pickguard.
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04:06 PM
Raydar Member
Posts: 40912 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
The tuners will be the original ones, as will the white humbuckers. Everything else will be black. I thought about replacing the pickups with black ones, but Linda and David suggested learning how to do the work with this first guitar, and putting all the refinements and aesthetic perfection into the next one, which will be completely different.
Arn, can I use any oil-based dark/black stain on the fretboard? Also, you mentioned using lacquer on everything. Does that include an ebony or rosewood fretboard?
