(Coming) back from the dead

TTony

Looking at the timestamps on the original photos, I cast this aside in early 2014.



That's a one-piece Walnut top on a Korina body, finished with one of the Wudtone kits.

But I really didn't like the off-puke colour that it produced.  After a fair few hours spent hand-carving the top, I was too annoyed with the finish to do anything about it, so I just put it to one side and tried to forget about it.

But, adopting the self-imposed principle of finishing old half-finished projects before I start anything new (and watching what @Rabs has been doing with his walnut) this one is next on the list.



First job was to remove the previous finish.  A few bits of sandpaper, and a few hours later, and I've got this ...


On the upside, at least the pukey-brown is largely gone.  On the downside, the top is pinker and less striking than I'd remembered.



But, with a couple of coats of simple Danish oil on it, it's looking a bit better ...


I'll probably add some more coats to build up the finish / shine, but if anyone's got any other suggestions, now's a good time to mention them!

TTony

If it works out nicely, there's a bit more where that one came from ...

paulnb57

Nice wood! And a pleasing body shape.......I have a feeling it will bee nice when done..

Andyjr1515

On the second one, @Ttony, try @WezV's tru- oil slurry and buff approach. Tru- oil was just made for walnut....

WezV

it works with danish oil too.   doesn't fill as well (its not the reason i do it),  but still gets a really nice feel and semi gloss shine

mikem8634

That is already looking stunning, and lovely lines on that carve too.

TTony

Andyjr1515 said:

try @WezV's tru- oil slurry and buff approach

He should really do a tutorial thread on that approach.


Have just watched the video though again.  I've only put a couple of coats of Danish on it so far, so I think the next stage may indeed be a bit of wet sanding.

Adam_MD

That's looking really good now Tony.

Rabs

Ohh nice .......   The thing with Tru Oil is that the amber tint that its got generally tends to just make the wood that much darker...  That walnut that I just used was African Walnut too which has a really rich colour.

https://i.imgur.com/xRIxsr7.jpg

GSPBASSES

TTony said:

But, adopting the self-imposed principle of finishing old half-finished projects before I start anything new (and watching what @Rabs has been doing with his walnut) this one is next on the list.

If you're into that now I've got at least 20 maybe 30 part finished Strat's Tele's LP's, LPJ's, V' s , SG's, Explorers, P bases, Jazz basses and a lot of other stuff that can't remember the name of. I have grave doubts I'll get them finished before I retire.

TTony

GSPBASSES said:

TTony said:

But, adopting the self-imposed principle of finishing old half-finished projects before I start anything new (and watching what @Rabs has been doing with his walnut) this one is next on the list.

If you're into that now I've got at least 20 maybe 30 part finished Strat's Tele's LP's, LPJ's, V' s , SG's, Explorers, P bases, Jazz basses and a lot of other stuff that can't remember the name of. I have grave doubts I'll get them finished before I retire.

I wouldn't make this offer to anyone else, but If it'd help you out @GSPBasses, I'd be most pleased to receive a large consignment of part builds from you

Roland

Ditto

mikem8634

You folk need apprentices.

GSPBASSES

mikem8634 said:

You folk need apprentices.

Funny you should say that, a friend of mine who is trained in making classical guitars, also work for 12th Fret and is currently making acoustic guitars somewhere in Hastings. Is making the transition into solid electric guitars, and asked if he can come work with me for a while.. Not sure if this is as a apprentice but might have  possibilities. He is a professional bass player but found constantly on the road all over Europe was not to his liking so is now looking for a new career.

Nomad

GSPBASSES said:

mikem8634 said:

You folk need apprentices.

Funny you should say that, a friend of mine who is trained in making classical guitars, also work for 12th Fret and is currently making acoustic guitars somewhere in Hastings. Is making the transition into solid electric guitars, and asked if he can come work with me for a while.. Not sure if this is as a apprentice but might have  possibilities. He is a professional bass player but found constantly on the road all over Europe was not to his liking so is now looking for a new career.

Yeah, but is he any good at making tea and sweeping the floor?

TTony

Nomad said:

sweeping the floor?

Have you seen the photos of Graham's workshop - floor sweeping is an annual task

Nomad

TTony said:

Nomad said:

sweeping the floor?

Have you seen the photos of Graham's workshop - floor sweeping is an annual task

That's why he needs an apprentice.

TTony

Andyjr1515 said:

try @WezV's tru- oil slurry and buff approach

Whoooaaaaa!!

I did some wet-sanding / slurrying today, and it's incredible.  I have *never* achieved a smoother finish with any other approach, and it's no harder to do it this way either - if anything, I'd say it's probably an easier finish to apply.

Incredibubbles.



In other news, I had an eBay neck (from one of those Chinese suppliers who'll essentially make a neck to your specs) that had been fitted into this body, so it makes a whole lot of sense to use that neck now.  Except that the fret-ends had been shaped way to shallow (looks like they used the fret-end file the wrong way around, so I've got a 30deg angled end, rather than a 60deg angled end).

That neck is now de-fretted, and I'm going to add some position markers too whilst I'm at it (I'd specced it without markers on the board).

Decided that it was worth spending time getting the neck right after I saw - or felt - how well the body turned out with the slurry oil finish.

WezV

It can be messier and certainly takes more effort than just wiping on, but it's worth it.

and if you get a bit wrong you can just go back a step

TTony

WezV said:

It can be messier and certainly takes more effort than just wiping on, but it's worth it.

I didn't find it that much messier really, although I used a few sheets of kitchen roll underneath the body to soak up the overflow.

And the effort was really worthwhile.  I used 600 grit wet & dry, and that removed the last remnants of any rough spots (in the corners of the carved top) really effectively.

After all these years, I've finally tried it, and like it!!

Andyjr1515

TTony said:

WezV said:

It can be messier and certainly takes more effort than just wiping on, but it's worth it.

I didn't find it that much messier really, although I used a few sheets of kitchen roll underneath the body to soak up the overflow.

And the effort was really worthwhile.  I used 600 grit wet & dry, and that removed the last remnants of any rough spots (in the corners of the carved top) really effectively.

After all these years, I've finally tried it, and like it!!

@WezV's tutorial was one of the most important learning experiences of all the things I've picked up along the way in the guitar building skills journey.

 Apart from anything else, it has fully solved - for the finishes I generally use - grain filling.  It does it.  And it does it so much more effectively and much more easily than any other method or material I've used.  

When I gloss, I now do this first.  Even when I stain, I do a variation of the same technique.  And when I made the recent ultra-modern bass, I used the same technique with Osmo varnish rather than tru-oil.  With that one, the finish has to be felt to be believed.

I'm pleased you've discovered it too, @TTony