NGD - SO... NEARLY... FINISHED.

ThePrettyDamned

Deadman said:

Don't worry about it

Hope it comes in useful.

Oh, it will! I'm planning on using it to flat the finish, I'm going to test it on my jazzmaster which I was a little less careful finishing so has rub marks.  If it even reduces them by a mini bit, it's more than worth it and I'll buy some!

ThePrettyDamned

Okay, more pics.  Checked e-e string spacing (well, c-d) and it's... Pretty awesome! I put the other strings on afterwards, as well as 4 springs (only had 1 spring for this pic) and gave the whammy bar a good waggle and I can vouch that the Wudtone trem just doesn't go out of tune!

As you can see, I need to lower the nut a bit... What should I use for this, a file?

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3735/12854112465_fe1d1d06b5_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/12854182343_4deca6eb1b_z.jpg

Out of focus, though...

John_P

wow -  that's look superb!    Looking forward to seeing the finished guitar!

ThePrettyDamned

Cheers mate in about an hour, I'm drilling the last couple of holes before I start sanding it ready for finishing.  

Should I leave the nut, and pass it on to a professional when it's all finished, and just ask them to fret level, sort the nut and generally set up?  I was going to pass it on to a tech anyway, but if I can save a few squids by attacking the nut with sandpaper, all the better.  

ThePrettyDamned

I haz now drilled all holes required.  

The toughest was the one from pickup cavity to the control route.  That's one chunky bit, and another fairly shallow angle.  A bit of drill creep actually helped out, I've tested and you can get two 4 conductor wires through no problem, and the plate will cover it all up nicely.  It came out just 1mm higher than the point I was aiming for, which isn't so bad for a beginner

Back and sides are sanded to 180 grit, but there are still a few tooling marks.  I've run out of time today, but Monday (working 7-8 tomorrow ) I''ll finish that and get front done.  Bit I'm looking forward to least - inside of the cutaways.  

Bloody hate that bit.  

Then, I should be free to finish!

Oh, actually, 6 holes are not drilled because I discovered my 1/16th bit was broken, which was the screw holes for the tuners.  They're all marked out, but I'm not going to be able to drill them until a new bit arrives.  

Deadman

Really looking forward to seeing the finished article. That body is going to look amazing with a bit of colour on it.

ThePrettyDamned

Cheers, I reckon it'll look the doggies doo dahs.  

Assuming I can finish it nicely going to go out and get some frog tape to mask the neck and board around the body, and do a bit more sanding before I go to work.  

Can't start finishing until my new drill bits arrive, though, so just sanding for the next few days. 

Deadman

If it looks anything like the quality of your offset it'll be the balls.

Adam_MD

Looks really nice what colour are you going for?

andypwudtone

ThePrettyDamned said:

As you can see, I need to lower the nut a bit... What should I use for this, a file?

  Hey, exciting stuff. You really need a proper set of nut files ( correct to string width you use ) to cut a nut properly, once the slots are cut to correct height then getting rid of excess , shaping for comfort is easy. Mail me via mail@wudtone.com , I am happy to send you a set to borrow to get it right, as I won't be using mine for a few weeks. chrs Andy Preston 

andypwudtone

ps don't forget to use, the right screwdriver plus  some candle wax on the claw screws, a few turns , then back out  , more wax , a few more etc , they are tight to get in and it helps. 

ThePrettyDamned

andypwudtone said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

As you can see, I need to lower the nut a bit... What should I use for this, a file?

  Hey, exciting stuff. You really need a proper set of nut files ( correct to string width you use ) to cut a nut properly, once the slots are cut to correct height then getting rid of excess , shaping for comfort is easy. Mail me via mail@wudtone.com , I am happy to send you a set to borrow to get it right, as I won't be using mine for a few weeks. chrs Andy Preston 

Hiya mate!

Thanks for the kinda offer, but I'm letting a pro do the grooves! I mean a global height reduction - so sanding the bottom.  

I've had a go at a nut before, with a tech guiding me, and to be honest, the result wasn't amazing - and as I want this to be perfect, it'll see a tech.  

Thanks again though hoping to start finishing the body in a couple of days.  Keep your eyes peeled folks!

ThePrettyDamned

andypwudtone said:

ps don't forget to use, the right screwdriver plus  some candle wax on the claw screws, a few turns , then back out  , more wax , a few more etc , they are tight to get in and it helps. 

Already had success with that, the screws were great quality btw, and the screws with the bridge were, too.  I worked on a friend's Squier and the screws were a bit flimsy, but these were pretty solid.  

usedtobe

Nice bit o' wood, there..

ThePrettyDamned

usedtobe said:

Nice bit o' wood, there..

It is indeed.  

Sanding is going quite slowly thanks to work commitments, but the back is nearly done, and the sides are nearly done.  So hopefully it'll start getting a lick of colour at the weekend I'm definitely not rushing this bad boy.  

Besides, it's not often I get told I have nice wood.

ThePrettyDamned

Cheeky update.

Been sanding 180 grit over the last couple of days, and most tooling marks have disappeared. I've got a couple on the back, one or two stubborn ones on the front and I need to just smooth over the neck heel, before lightly keying with 240 grit. Other than that, I'm pretty much ready for finish.

So in other words, after work tomorrow I'll finish sanding, then hopefully Sunday or Monday (work dependant) I can get some pics up of some wudtoning.

ThePrettyDamned

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7349/13038116104_3bde651a15_z.jpg

So, first deep colour coat on back and sides.  As you can see, it's gone on great!

I sanded the whole guitar to 400 grit to ensure no scratches or tooling marks, then went back down to 240 grit.

Twice.

So the sanding is as good as I can get it, and the only problem I have is 2 different pieces of wood = 2 different colours!

So I'm going to have to do the lighter half again with deep colour and repeat to get it a closer shade.  I'll also likely have to do the same on the front, though the front has a lot more grain on it, so I reckon it'll be a bit less of an issue.

The Wudtone went on beautifully - you work it in really, really hard and slather it on, pushing it into the wood.  Then, after a couple of minutes, I repeated.  I did this again and again to get it at the colour it's at now.  Obviously, I'll do the lighter side a couple more times to get it somewhat closer, then the base coats go on (which deepen the colour a bit more and add protection) then it's top coat time.  

My many hours of sanding has paid off

Obviously, I masked off the neck heel then left a fingerprint on the neck anyway... So I'm just going to leave the neck till I'm top coating, and sand that mark off first.

ThePrettyDamned

Well, just gave it another going over and the colours are closer together already, and both sides are a bit darker.  

Actually, it's starting to look really, really nice.  I'll post another pic tomorrow - I'll probably see if I can squeeze a bit more deep colour on tonight (it just gets absorbed so quickly!).  

Adam_MD

Looking forward to seeing it finished.

ThePrettyDamned

Adam_MD said:

Looking forward to seeing it finished.

Well, tomorrow I'm beginning the burst on the front.

I'm prepping the sander and the 60 grit... :P