# Second build, Modern/BM/super strat



## dankarghh (Jan 24, 2015)

Hey guys, 

So i've just started my second build.

25.5 scale
Modern BMish shape
33mm thick
42mm nut width
Ebony fretboard
Flamed maple top
Mahogany body
5 piece maple/jarrah/maple/jarrah/maple neck
Dimarzio titan bridge/59 neck (still undecided)

Undecided on finish at this point. I may have ordered a nice piece of swamp ash for build no3. Similar design, single pup baritone.

PICS! 

Gluing neck laminates:






Bookmatching top:





Thicknessing body with my dodgy jig:





I think the router slipped at some stage, because the body minus the top was going to be 34mm, this is closer to 30..


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## dankarghh (Jan 24, 2015)

Neck thicknessed with router:





Top rough cut pre gluing:





Headstock:





Anddd here is where i'm at at the moment.










Help me decide on a finish!


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## mortbopet (Jan 24, 2015)

Well i'm a sucker for the Mayones "jeans" finish.
Imagine this finish, but with the white parts being a tone of scarlet red.


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## immortalx (Jan 24, 2015)

Looks super cool, especially the headstock! If you're wiring for a push/pull pot measure twice man cause it probably won't fit in there.
I was going to suggest a finish with more stain in the middle and "washed out" at the edges, but I think that would work better with a darker binding.
Mortbopet's suggestion seems nice too!


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## DredFul (Jan 24, 2015)

It would be quite flashy but I'm dying to see a flame maple top dyed with black and orange to a tiger look


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## jahosy (Jan 24, 2015)

Nice! The denim finish would look awesome. 

And how about book matching such a thin top!


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## mortbopet (Jan 24, 2015)

Here's some pictures:

A nice red/black flamed maple without any bursting from the sides.






Heres one a bit more yellowy/tigerish


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## mortbopet (Jan 24, 2015)

Sorry for double posting, but decided to play around with the colors of the first model.

#1 flaming red





#2 Orange




#3 Orange/yellow






#4 Yellow


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## dankarghh (Jan 24, 2015)

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I've been thinking about an old jean type finish myself. Does anyone know how you go about getting a finish like that?

I don't know how good it would look with the current binding though..


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## dankarghh (Jan 24, 2015)

jahosy said:


> Nice! The denim finish would look awesome.
> 
> And how about book matching such a thin top!


 
Hahaha, I got three of the boards from the states for $70 all up with shipping ($50ish shipping). Stoked.


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## DistinguishedPapyrus (Jan 24, 2015)

mortbopet said:


> Sorry for double posting, but decided to play around with the colors of the first model.
> 
> #1 flaming red
> 
> ...




Deff like #3, orange-yellow.


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## mortbopet (Jan 25, 2015)

dankarghh said:


> Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I've been thinking about an old jean type finish myself. Does anyone know how you go about getting a finish like that?
> 
> I don't know how good it would look with the current binding though..



Don't take my word for anything, but i'm pretty sure you need to
1. bleach the wood, since you need the base color of the wood to be white (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6iBPDD8VvQ) 
2. stain the wood with black colouring (How Do They Make Those Quilt Tops So 3D-Looking? | Seymour Duncan Blog) As far as i can tell, if you take the picture in that link, where the black stain has been applied (The difference being that the image is a quilt top and yours is a flame), it would roughly look like a "denim" finish, if the wood had been bleached beforehand. since bleaching the wood doesn't fill any pores, my theory is, that the same type of wood grain that would absorb a like black stain, still would.

but you should probably try asking mayones if they're willing to share some details on it.

I see the bleaching as the key step here, since the base color of wood is sort of yellowish.
This is an example of a guitar that has been applied a thin stain (blue, in this case), to a non-bleached top


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## mortbopet (Jan 27, 2015)

Addition to my latest post, step 3 would be sanding down the stained layer. 
This step is shown at this website: Guitars : Staining Guitar Tops : DIY Fever &#8211; Building my own guitars, amps and pedals


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## ThatCanadianGuy (Jan 27, 2015)

I must riteously register a grievance with you, good sir! It looks nothing like a bowel movement!

Seriously though, that number four version with the yellow is astounding.


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## dankarghh (Jan 28, 2015)

Thanks guys. Yeah i've done a flamed finish before, I meant particularly the jean look. Neck pocket routed. Pup cavities this afternoon I hope.


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## Deegatron (Jan 28, 2015)

Can you give a little more info on how you managed to bookmatch the top with a hand saw? im assuming you made some pre-cuts to guide the blade while hand sawing? i've been trying to figgure out how to do this with my current gear and im running low on ideas....


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## dankarghh (Jan 28, 2015)

Deegatron said:


> Can you give a little more info on how you managed to bookmatch the top with a hand saw? im assuming you made some pre-cuts to guide the blade while hand sawing? i've been trying to figgure out how to do this with my current gear and im running low on ideas....



Yep. Pretty much nailed it. I have three of those boards so I tried the worst one first (it took so long I'm using it on this project, ha). I squared the edges with a straight guide and router then just carefully lined up the guide on my table saw and ran each side through. Then I really just took a saw to it to finish it off. It took a lot longer than expected. Then I just taped the two boards down to a flat surface and leveled them with the router.


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## dankarghh (Jan 30, 2015)

Spent way too long making some perfect pickup templates for the titans I have on order using some excess 10mm acrylic. 






Unfortunately, near completion (luckily) I noticed something odd was happening with the router..


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## pettymusic (Jan 30, 2015)

Dang dude! Looking awesome!

What did you use to cut the acrylic? 

Love the body style too. Kinda BM and Mayo had a baby! Haha!


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## dankarghh (Jan 31, 2015)

pettymusic said:


> Dang dude! Looking awesome!
> 
> What did you use to cut the acrylic?
> 
> Love the body style too. Kinda BM and Mayo had a baby! Haha!


 
Haha thanks man. Just router/jigsaw, nothing unusual. I'll just have to be extra careful with the template and not use it for too long. I was doing really shallow passes because I didn't remove any wood prior to routing so it mustve just got way too hot. Oh well.


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## pettymusic (Feb 1, 2015)

dankarghh said:


> Haha thanks man. Just router/jigsaw, nothing unusual. I'll just have to be extra careful with the template and not use it for too long. I was doing really shallow passes because I didn't remove any wood prior to routing so it mustve just got way too hot. Oh well.



Ah, I see. I have some laying around here somewhere. I was using to make notched straight edges. I was using the Dremel with a carbide bit. Kinda of a pain because it would melt on to the bit and prevent cutting. 

I'm always on the look for other ways to cut acrylic. Seems like it would last longer than mdf but I just had such a tough with it, I think thats why I always reach for the mdf.


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## BlackMastodon (Feb 1, 2015)

dankarghh said:


> Haha thanks man. Just router/jigsaw, nothing unusual. I'll just have to be extra careful with the template and not use it for too long. I was doing really shallow passes because I didn't remove any wood prior to routing so it mustve just got way too hot. Oh well.


It might have been the router chuck being too close and mangling the acrylic a bit if you were trying to route deeper in the cavity? I don't think the acrylic would heat up too much from routing.


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## KnightroExpress (Feb 1, 2015)

I've done the exact same thing to a template before. It's from your router's chuck, as BlackMastodon said.


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## dankarghh (Feb 4, 2015)

KnightroExpress said:


> I've done the exact same thing to a template before. It's from your router's chuck, as BlackMastodon said.



Makes sense. Will have to keep that in mind, cheer guys.

Next problem. I'm ready to drill my string through holes, however, there isn't enough access on my drill press. Annoying. I'm looking at something like this: Portable Drill Guide : CARBA-TEC

Anyone have any insight or ideas here? The only other guy I know with a drill press has the same problem of being too small.

Cheers!


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## Renkenstein (Feb 4, 2015)

I have the same problem with my drill press. I have another drill press, but it's got so much lateral movement that I can't get completely accurate string through holes. To rectify this, I made an MDF template of the Hipshot baseplate and drilled the holes in the template. I use that to guide the bit into the body. This can and will lead to wonky holes in the back, which I then rout for a recessed ferrule plate instead of individual ferrules. I drill the ferrule plate off the same template. The holes will line up enough to pass a string through, and if you drill the ferrule plate accurately it will make everything look clean. 

When I get a bigger drill press I'll do it proper, but for now this works just fine.


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## immortalx (Feb 5, 2015)

Although I'm using a drill press with a big enough throat for string through holes, there's a free-hand drilling method that works with a bit of care.

First ensure that the body sides are perfectly square.
Lay the body on a flat surface.
Place the bridge without the saddles on its calculated position on the body.
Get a metal 4mm drill bit (NOT a brad point bit) and lightly punch inside all 6 holes. The metal bit fits snugly inside those holes and helps mark their exact center.
Remove the bridge and draw a line along those marks. Double check that this line is perpendicular to the body center line.
Now, lay a square on the flat surface, just behind the guitar's butt.
Measure the distance from the square's "blade" to the line you draw in the previous step. Make sure that that measurement is taken on the body's center line.
Now flip the body, lay the square once more on the body's butt and measure the same distance.
On that spot, draw a line perpendicular to the center line.
With a bit of care you should be able to place the bridge in the same spot it was on the front. Once more, mark all six holes with the 4mm bit.

Now you are ready to drill. Using a jig like this :





Drill halfway from one side, using a brad point bit this time. Flip the body and drill the remaining depth. If you took the steps carefully, the holes should meet. Of course you should test this on a scrap piece to get the hang of it.

Sorry for the long post. It's hard to describe without pictures but hopefully you understand.


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## dankarghh (Feb 5, 2015)

That seems crazy enough that it just might work. It also sounds really scary.. 

I like your suggestion to practice first.


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## DredFul (Feb 5, 2015)

Lots of great ideas!


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## dankarghh (Feb 5, 2015)

My girlfriends idea: Mark and drill the bridge location on a template. Switch the template to the back, punch the holes, then drill using imortalx's method. Sounds pretty fool proof?

The hard part is getting the bridge location onto the template. I should be able to trace it on however? And I can easily make sure it's in the right spot (on the front at least) before committing to any drilling.


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## Renkenstein (Feb 5, 2015)

That's why I mentioned making an MDF template of the base plate. You can take a piece of scrap and double-sticky tape the base plate straight to the MDF and flush trim with a top bearing bit on a router table. Be sure to use a lot of downward pressure on the piece, because the bit will want to rip it out of your hand. Keep fingers as far away and always maintain downward force.

Before you remove the baseplate from your new template, drill the string thru holes through it using a drill bit that fits the baseplate holes exactly. You will also be able to drill the smaller holes for mounting the bridge. Your drill press should handle these duties nicely.

After you have that template, layout the location on the guitar top and drill starter holes only like 1/16"-1/8" deep. Then switch to that corner jig Immortal recommended.

I'll bet with that combined method you'll get damn close if not dead on.


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## dankarghh (Feb 6, 2015)

Got on this yesterday. Because I didn't have a rear centreline and theres bevels and cutaways on the rear of the guitar (which make lining up a template very difficult) I ended up creating an additional template of the guitar top and drawing a bunch of lines on the sides both so I could accurately line the two up perfectly. 

It worked! the holes met exactly. Probably helps that the body is only 34mm thick 

Thanks heaps Renkenstein + immortalx for your advice.






Gluing up the fretboard:


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## pettymusic (Feb 6, 2015)

dankarghh, would you mind sharing what, tool wise, you use to do the binding?


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## dankarghh (Feb 6, 2015)

pettymusic said:


> dankarghh, would you mind sharing what, tool wise, you use to do the binding?



Sure man. I just use a stewmac binding bit for the router. So simple, so easy.


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## dankarghh (Feb 7, 2015)

Question: Is there a rule of thumb about truss rods. Should the adjustment nut protrude? Is it a problem if it doesn't?


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## KnightroExpress (Feb 7, 2015)

The end of the adjuster should line up with the back of the nut.


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## immortalx (Feb 7, 2015)

I place the edge of the adjustment nut right at the break point of the headstock. I don't really know if this is the right or wrong way though to be honest!


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## pettymusic (Feb 7, 2015)

dankarghh said:


> Question: Is there a rule of thumb about truss rods. Should the adjustment nut protrude? Is it a problem if it doesn't?



Yeah, mine ended up a little past the nut (toward the tuners) and its fine. It adjusts perfectly so far anyway.


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## dankarghh (Feb 9, 2015)

Cheers guys. Another stupid question (forgive me, first time dealing with a string through)

I'm trying to drill out the ferules on the rear of the guitar, because there is already a small string hole, the mahogany just tears. I can do a practise hole on the same timber cleanly, but when drilling into a pre drilled hole, it tears.

Anyone have a solution? I'm considering dowling up 5mm or so before drilling..


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## Prophetable (Feb 9, 2015)

You could try a brad-point bit. You could also do what a lot of people do with headstocks, which is clamp another piece of wood over the top of it to help hold the fibers of the body wood in place when you drill through.


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## Renkenstein (Feb 9, 2015)

That can be tricky, especially if the hole is too big for a brad point bit to find the center. Go to a hardware store and find a dowel that will fit in the hole you already have drilled. Cut it to whatever length you need so it sits flush with the guitar back. Center punch the dead center of the dowel and drill. The dowel will give you the support that your bit needs to find the exact center. Make sure the dowel doesn't fit too tight that you won't be able to extract it. You can wax it with some candle wax or something to make it slide out easier.

I ran into that after drilling a pilot hole and the appropriate diameter for the threaded shaft on the barrel jack. I forgot to drill the recess that the lip of the output jack sits on. I found a dowel and did this trick. Works like a charm.


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## DistinguishedPapyrus (Feb 9, 2015)

dankarghh said:


> Cheers guys. Another stupid question (forgive me, first time dealing with a string through)
> 
> I'm trying to drill out the ferules on the rear of the guitar, because there is already a small string hole, the mahogany just tears. I can do a practise hole on the same timber cleanly, but when drilling into a pre drilled hole, it tears.
> 
> Anyone have a solution? I'm considering dowling up 5mm or so before drilling..



Heres a good idea (IMO) you could try... Drill a hole through a piece of MDF or scrap the same diameter as the string through holes. position the hole in the scrap exactly over the string through holes (use a dowel or the butt end of the drill bit itself to help you position it accurately) Clamp the scrap down in place, drill through the scrap into the body using the drill bit thats the right size for the ferrules. Make sure to drill to the correct depth. Then unclamp everything, check your work, repeat...

The pressure of the scrap on top should keep the body wood from tearing or flaking.




dankarghh said:


> Sure man. I just use a stewmac binding bit for the router. So simple, so easy.



Cool to see you use the stewmac binding bits... I haven't tried using them yet myself but I wanna buy some for my next build. So you like them? They are good quality and such? Also, did you have to do anything special to prevent tear out when going against the grain?


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## dankarghh (Feb 10, 2015)

Thanks again guys, DistinguishedPapyrus, ended up using your suggestion. It isn't perfect but it's pretty close.

To answer your question, I do like them, can't fault it. I just have the bit and the one bearing bit to do a 1.5mm trench. No need to buy 1000 bearings. Never had an issue with tear out or anything of the sort.


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## moikey (Feb 10, 2015)

Looks good man! Could you share details of that thicknessing jig? I'll need to stick something like this together for my build. Cheers.


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## dankarghh (Feb 15, 2015)

moikey said:


> Looks good man! Could you share details of that thicknessing jig? I'll need to stick something like this together for my build. Cheers.



Its about as rough as can be my friend. Basically I made a little sled for the router using some scrap pine, then used 2 other pieces of pine that were taller than the body to attach the sled. Ghetto.


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## dankarghh (Feb 15, 2015)

I've been slack lately, but heres where i'm at:


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## electriceye (Feb 21, 2015)

Here's a suggestion to deal with the tearout you're geting in the rear:






What's a String Ferrule Block?

Install a ferrule block. 

Good luck! I hope to start my first build soon, too!


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## Killemall1983 (Feb 22, 2015)

electriceye said:


> Here's a suggestion to deal with the tearout you're geting in the rear:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dang, 50 bucks for one of those things? Anybody who can build a guitar can build a ferrule block. Aluminum is cheap. Try it out!


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## Hywel (Feb 22, 2015)

If the tear-out bothers you and you don't fancy doing the ferrule block, ferrules with a lip like the ones below would probably cover most of it and anything poking out could be filled with sawdust and superglue. They tend to be 10mmø if you want to see how effective they'd be






You could even slightly countersink/recess the ferrules to remove some of the tear-out.






Still looks pretty sexy either way!


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## dankarghh (Feb 25, 2015)

Hey guys,

Need some input. I did a few coats with black stain and sanded back. I was originally thinking i'd go for a grey finish like the one in this pic RaptorBildschirm_zps58df105f.jpg Photo by Kimba2904 | Photobucket

Looks Glorious. But here is where i'm at with it. 





And this is it wet:





Looks weak. Any suggestions?


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## Pikka Bird (Feb 25, 2015)

dankarghh said:


> Looks weak. Any suggestions?



Use a darker dye. Sand back a little so it's mostly the figured stripes retaining dye, then re-stain with a lighter one.


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## dankarghh (Feb 25, 2015)

Pikka Bird said:


> Use a darker dye. Sand back a little so it's mostly the figured stripes retaining dye, then re-stain with a lighter one.



Thanks man. My dye is premixed unfortunately, it does go on very black however. I've been wondering if its a dye issue. After I sand it back i'm left with this washy gray. Worth getting another stain?


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## Pikka Bird (Feb 26, 2015)

^Yes. I don't know what it's like on your hemisphere, but here you can get a rather generous amount of mix-it-yerself powder (enough for litres of dye) for something like five of your foreign moneys. Then you decide the strength.


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## Renkenstein (Feb 26, 2015)

Pikka Bird said:


> ^Yes. I don't know what it's like on your hemisphere, but here you can get a rather generous amount of mix-it-yerself powder (enough for litres of dye) for something like five of your foreign moneys. Then you decide the strength.



I went the powder route on this. I was able to mix some BLAAACK black for my dye job. I used a lot more of that than I did the medium black I mixed up. With dye, it's essentially painting with watercolors. The dye can be reactivated at any time pre-seal coat. I'd definitely go darker(like fkn BLAAACK black), let that dry for 24 hours, start sanding a bit to remove the highs, and then take just a wet cloth and start moving the stuff around. I'd do it in a couple steps. You can't go wrong, as anything you do CAN be removed easily by sanding. I have a ton of fun dying tops.

...funny, I always hated painting with watercolors in my art classes, and this becomes my new medium, and I love it. Probably has a lot to do with the paper not curling up on itself...maple stays pretty rigid.


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## dankarghh (Mar 8, 2015)

Renkenstein said:


> I went the powder route on this. I was able to mix some BLAAACK black for my dye job. I used a lot more of that than I did the medium black I mixed up. With dye, it's essentially painting with watercolors. The dye can be reactivated at any time pre-seal coat. I'd definitely go darker(like fkn BLAAACK black), let that dry for 24 hours, start sanding a bit to remove the highs, and then take just a wet cloth and start moving the stuff around. I'd do it in a couple steps. You can't go wrong, as anything you do CAN be removed easily by sanding. I have a ton of fun dying tops.
> 
> ...funny, I always hated painting with watercolors in my art classes, and this becomes my new medium, and I love it. Probably has a lot to do with the paper not curling up on itself...maple stays pretty rigid.



So i had to order some black aniline dye and got it a few days ago. It's alcohol soluble and i was able to make an incredibly dark stain. I pre-wet the top to raise the grain. Here is where i'm at. I can't see how this is fun for you Renk. It always just looks so uneven and amateur. This is black sanded back. Maybe, 3rd attempt?






w/hardware and different lighting:





I'm thinking of making a reaaal lightly tinted black/blue and doing a coat over the top.

My main issue is how it looks when wet, which will undoubtedly be how it looks with a finish. I want a matte look I think. Is there a way for it not to 'pop' so much when finished? Planning on using danish oil.


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## Pikka Bird (Mar 9, 2015)

^Yeah, don't rub it to a shine. Danish oil can give you a very nice satin surface.


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## dankarghh (Mar 9, 2015)

I don't know if i worded that right. I mean right now when i wet the top, I don't like how it looks so much, but when the top isn't wet it looks decent. I suppose theres not really a way around it?


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## Hywel (Mar 9, 2015)

You could try a paste wax (Briwax in the UK, not sure about the Aus equivalent) that crates a matte, hard-ish finish without wetting the grain much. Might be worth a try on some scrap to see if it works for you.

Got to admit, bet that looks tasty when wet though!


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## dankarghh (Mar 17, 2015)

Hey guys, little update. 

I've scrapped this thing, the body anyway. Didn't really like how it was turning out and I made some stupid mistakes with the router (after drilling the jack input i ran the router over the edge to round it over some more and took a chunk out etc). 

I've ordered some more wood and spent some time in illustrator (before my trial runs out..) playing with plans/modifying photos of this guitar to get it more where i want it. Looks like this:






I'll be keeping the neck and making a new body. Swamp ash with a matt black top. (I have some poplar burl on order as well for no.3)


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## Prophetable (Mar 17, 2015)

Keep after it. I'm looking forward to the rebuild with your newly-honed skills.


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## Renkenstein (Mar 18, 2015)

I really don't think you should scrap that build. Revisit it later if you're frustrated. 

It's still a great test bed for your next dye efforts. From the top view it's really clean. Routs look good, binding looks good. Sure you've got some dye bleed out on the arm bevel, but that's nothing that can't be removed.

I'm curious as to why you're using alcohol based dye there. With water based, that stuff can really be moved around, but will stay put in the deeper grain. Look at my Siren build. I was able to go from black without much hint of the figure and fade that into natural maple. I'm sure the difference between the alcohol and water holds the key to the mystery.

What kind of black dye finish were you going for?


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## dankarghh (Mar 18, 2015)

Hey Renk. The alcohol based thing came down to availability unfortunately. I even had to order that after searching around locally. Maybe I should try harder. I follow your builds closely and remember the finish being great.

The rear of the body is the worst part. First the mahogany itself isn't very nice, multi piece that isn't too asthetically pleasing. I drilled through the back when drilling between pup cavities (ha) and there was a few spots I had to grain fill which really pop out under stain.

Overall I just wasn't happy with it. I'll salvage the neck as I quite like it. I'll have to get my hands on some water based powdered dye in the mean time.


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## BlackMastodon (Mar 18, 2015)

Definitely agree with turning the body into a test bed if not a separate project. Could always fill the mistakes up and then practice your solid colour painting skills.


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## Renkenstein (Mar 18, 2015)

dankarghh said:


> Hey Renk. The alcohol based thing came down to availability unfortunately. I even had to order that after searching around locally. Maybe I should try harder. I follow your builds closely and remember the finish being great.
> 
> The rear of the body is the worst part. First the mahogany itself isn't very nice, multi piece that isn't too asthetically pleasing. I drilled through the back when drilling between pup cavities (ha) and there was a few spots I had to grain fill which really pop out under stain.
> 
> Overall I just wasn't happy with it. I'll salvage the neck as I quite like it. I'll have to get my hands on some water based powdered dye in the mean time.



Thank you for the compliment. I remember reading that alcohol based dye is significantly more difficult to work with and some results were blotchy. I noticed that you have the flat sawn orientation on the top. I'll betcha even that has something to do with how the alcohol dye takes to the wood as well. Based on my research, it was water based for me all the way. I dealt with my own "discoveries" during the process as well, which I documented in my thread.

I can relate to the "meh" back woods thing. My multiscale's back wasn't a clear mahogany board and I didn't realize it until later. I was able to work one knot out of the side, but one has to stay. It's a lil pin head size knot, so it's no biggie. 

My first guitar build sits abandoned stripped of hardware in favor of the Renk Signature Siren(Siren #2). The woods and finish were just...meh...so I stripped her and hung her. (morbid...)

I really can't wait to work with premium stock. That time should have come already, but I'm always playing it safe with mediocre wood. I just want to build something fkn MAJESTIC!


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## immortalx (Mar 19, 2015)

I'll just repeat what the gentlemen above said. Please don't scrap this body, it will be perfectly fine with a solid color. My first build had become a guinea pig too!


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## pettymusic (Mar 19, 2015)

Glad to see you keep learning and moving forward. It helps me to do the same when I make my own stupid mistakes. This is why I keep reading here and posting here. I will continue to post my own mistakes no matter how stupid or embarrassing they may be, hopefully, it will save others the heartache. 

I just want to say keep it up, your first build proves you have excellent skills! 

Just keep pressing on!!


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## dankarghh (Apr 5, 2015)

Hey everybody, quick bump here. I am in the process of making a new body for this guy and its looking good so far. But i have a problem (as usual).

since I already have a neck (with pre drilled screw holes), how can I go about transferring those holes to the body. The pocket it a bit different to the last body so I can't reliably base it off that. I tried putting a bit of stain over the holes in the neck and then pressing firmly into the pocket to see if it'd leave me outlines of the holes but it didn't work in the slightest :S


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## immortalx (Apr 5, 2015)

Remember the coin rubbing trick we did as kids? Put a piece of paper over the neck heel and rub with a pencil. It will highlight the edges and holes of the neck. Cut that piece of paper and put it in the pocket. Perfect template


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## dankarghh (Apr 5, 2015)

immortalx said:


> Remember the coin rubbing trick we did as kids? Put a piece of paper over the neck heel and rub with a pencil. It will highlight the edges and holes of the neck. Cut that piece of paper and put it in the pocket. Perfect template



Haha yes! I thought about this about 20 minutes ago and was like Duh.. Cheers man.


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## dankarghh (Apr 8, 2015)

Did a bit of work on the new body. I can't find any ash filler locally which is pretty frustrating. Hoping for a matt acrylic finish. 

Anyways, Pics. The neck pocket is the tightest i've come across, almost don't need screws kinda tight..















Last pic there looks a bit off, that's because binding channel has been routed, just so you know..


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## immortalx (Apr 8, 2015)

Hey man, if you can't find an ash colored filler try z poxy finishing resin. It's transparent and easy to work


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## dankarghh (May 6, 2015)

immortalx said:


> Hey man, if you can't find an ash colored filler try z poxy finishing resin. It's transparent and easy to work



Immortalx, thanks for putting me onto this stuff man. Got some right after you suggested and have been working with since. I love it. 

Update so to confirm i am intact still alive. Shot of the side grain post poxy treatment:





Annnnnnddd today i shot primer for my matte black top. Have all the paint I need to finish this bad boy. Now I just need free time.


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## dankarghh (May 8, 2015)

Spent a few hours at local luthiers today doing fret work. Got home and shot the black, it came out great. Now i just gotta do a final poxy coat on the rear of the body and shoot my clear.

Annnnd final shape and sand the neck. But still..

Picture is terrible, sorry..


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## immortalx (May 8, 2015)

Damn what a beauty  You got some serious skills man, this is ultra clean work


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## THB430 (May 8, 2015)

Looking Great!! Im looking forward to seeing this finished. Keep up the good work.
What is that peaking its head in the top left corner?


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## dankarghh (May 8, 2015)

Thanks guys, hoping to have it done real soon. I'm shooting 2k matte urethane over the whole thing and need to test compatibility.

Top left is my first build my friend. The one in my avatar.

Also, how do you thank people? I want to do it everytime I open a thread.


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## immortalx (May 8, 2015)

dankarghh said:


> Also, how do you thank people? I want to do it everytime I open a thread.



You send them free guitars


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## jahosy (May 9, 2015)

Looks fantastic mate! Where's this luthier shop cos I really sucked at fretting so might need some advice


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## dankarghh (May 9, 2015)

jahosy said:


> Looks fantastic mate! Where's this luthier shop cos I really sucked at fretting so might need some advice


 
Thanks man. I'm up in north QLD so my local isn't really yours i'm afraid.. haha

He just has all the tools I can't justify buying. Makes it really easy when you have everything you need.


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## Gango79 (May 10, 2015)

Congrats man!!! Great Guitar!!


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## dankarghh (May 12, 2015)

Hey all. Firstly, heres a little shot with hardware as i just got my hipshot in the mail.






BUT: real reason for this post is to enquire about these little dings. They aren't actually dings in the finish, and they weren't there before my epoxy treatment? I'm going to just sand back heavily and do one last epoxy treatment before shooting clear.

Any ideas?


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## BlackMastodon (May 12, 2015)

Can't really help with your question but I will just say that the black top with ash sides and back looks classy as f**k! Definitely original and it comes together really well!


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## immortalx (May 12, 2015)

Wow man, this is looking perfect and all I see about the dings you mentioned is just a little white-ish discoloration.


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## pettymusic (May 12, 2015)

Dude! This looks frakin' awesome!!

I wish I had clue how to help with those dings but, unfortunately finishing is what I know the least about.


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## dankarghh (May 12, 2015)

immortalx said:


> Wow man, this is looking perfect and all I see about the dings you mentioned is just a little white-ish discoloration.



Yeah, just little discolourations, theres a few of them though, around the sides of the body. sanding doesn't get rid of them so, oh well. 

And thanks dudes for the compliments. I'm pretty happy with it so far. Hopefully spraying clear in a few days and i'm done! Except cavity and truss rod covers..


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## Renkenstein (May 13, 2015)

that blacked out top is pretty flippin' cool! Looks great, man.


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## metaldoggie (May 15, 2015)

Looking really neat!

If the discoloration is throughout the epoxy that would lead me to believe the crosslinker was not mixed in properly. If you can't get a good mix by hand then invest in a cheap drill bit mixer.


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## dankarghh (May 17, 2015)

Little update, little boring.

Final clear coats happened today. Using a satin finish. First time using a spray gun, but I think i figured it out in the end. Probably should've test on some scrap first but, it worked in the end.


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## KnightroExpress (May 18, 2015)

That's cool, dude. The matte black top and natural back is a really neat combo.


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## Steinmetzify (May 19, 2015)

Sick. Can't wait to see this done.


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## dankarghh (May 19, 2015)

steinmetzify said:


> Sick. Can't wait to see this done.



Me neither haha.. Now i'm just waiting for the clear coats to properly cure. About a week I think I read on this one.


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## dankarghh (May 29, 2015)

Okay, hardware installed and mostly setup. Can't find the right sized allen key to adjust the truss at the moment.. And as you can see, its missing a cavity cover. Excuse the crappy photos, will take more asap. 





















String pull on the headstock looks dumb. It didn't even cross my mind at the time. Fixed on no3.


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## BlackMastodon (May 30, 2015)

The matte black on the devil tail headstock: OOF! Too good.

Also the string pull doesn't look too bad, the worst of it is probably on the D string but it should still be fine. Like you said, something to improve on the next one! As long as you learn something then it is always a worthwhile experience.


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## StarbardGuitar (May 30, 2015)

I love the look of that matte black with the natural ash back, nice work! Classy as f**k. Also, the string pull doesn't look too bad, though you're right that you learn as you go and you will consider it in the next design. I like to draw all of my ideas out full size first before starting to build- I even draw strings on it - because that way you can see how everything will look before starting the build.


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## Deegatron (May 30, 2015)

Pure class... love it...


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## Taylor (May 30, 2015)

I'm just echoing everybody else, but that matte black top looks sooo good!


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## jahosy (May 30, 2015)

Congrats mate! Looks immaculate! 

String pull looks fine as long as the tuners are not obstructing. Doesn't have to be a dead straight pull, right?


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## Steinmetzify (May 31, 2015)

Dude. DUDE. The contrast between the top and the back/sides is classy as ..... 

Would rape daily. Between your first two builds I seriously can't wait to see what you do for #3. This turned out so friggin badASS.


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## dankarghh (Jun 2, 2015)

Thanks for all the kind words guys.

I'm currently supergluing my nut at the low E. I get buzz accross the board and action seems fine. I might have gone overboard with the slotting. 

EDIT:Fixed.

Don't listen to stewmacs guide re:hipshot bridge placement. Can't intonate it in drop A perfectly. It's a tiny bit sharp - Ideas???


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## Neilzord (Jun 2, 2015)

Looks awesome now it's all together! Great build  Looks mean, And I didn't think I would. But I LOVE that black top & Headstock!


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## Hywel (Jun 2, 2015)

> Don't listen to stewmacs guide re:hipshot bridge placement. Can't intonate it in drop A perfectly. It's a tiny bit sharp - Ideas???


Hipshot make a shorter saddle you can swap in (lowest strings on the photo below) that should hopefully give you the length you need. Send them an email and I'm sure they'll sort you out. Awesome build either way!


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## BlackMastodon (Jun 2, 2015)

^Can confirm.


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## Renkenstein (Jun 2, 2015)

Awesome job, Dank! That's a mighty fine fiddle you've made.


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## dankarghh (Jun 3, 2015)

Thanks again dudes. And thanks for the heads up about the saddles. Customer support got back to me straight away. Still plays great, but intonation is off by 10-30cents. Here's a ....ty clip of the guitar in action in case anyones interested. Its rushed but i was bored. Rhythms only. https://copy.com/LJihoLkcjmUFzNqU


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## pettymusic (Jun 3, 2015)

dankarghh said:


> Thanks again dudes. And thanks for the heads up about the saddles. Customer support got back to me straight away. Still plays great, but intonation is off by 10-30cents. Here's a ....ty clip of the guitar in action in case anyones interested. Its rushed but i was bored. Rhythms only. https://copy.com/LJihoLkcjmUFzNqU



Yes suh!! Looks and sounds killer!! Congrats man!


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## dankarghh (Jun 24, 2015)

Somewhat of a NGD/For sale just posted here if anyone is interested in better pics etc

Thanks for all the help dudes!

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/gu...ng-build-sale-bm-raptoresque.html#post4395442


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## DROPZCHUGGA (Jun 29, 2015)

Awesome design, super clean work. I really dig this guitar. Make more dude, I would love to see what else you could do!


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## TamanShud (Jul 1, 2015)

This guitar is so classy it's making me angry


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## dankarghh (Jul 5, 2015)

TamanShud said:


> This guitar is so classy it's making me angry



Haha thanks man. I kind of don't want to sell it because I like it so much, BUT, I want to make more..


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