Z Body Dream Build

[stratamania]

@kevin_guitars so far you are doing great. Look forward to your further headstock mock-ups.

And this is the key to a good result…

I’m determined to be patient with every part of this build.

 

[kevin_guitars]

Finished the binding scrape and sanding (thanks Spud for the advice on that). I had to do some light sanding to the top where the water-born dye had raised the grain. So then I had to make another pass with some turquoise dye as a wash to feather everything in. She is all set for me to start the finishing process this weekend

 

[Rick]

That's looking great.

 

[Spud]

Finished the binding scrape and sanding (thanks Spud for the advice on that). I had to do some light sanding to the top where the water-born dye had raised the grain. So then I had to make another pass with some turquoise dye as a wash to feather everything in. She is all set for me to start the finishing process this weekend

Nice job sir! Heck I might even say SASSY!

 

[kevin_guitars]

Time for doing a little more headstock tweaking, this time with color. Taped off the beveled edge and applied some Transtint Aqua. The Goncalo Alves takes tint wayyyyyy different. I did a few tests on the heel of the neck to get my mixes right.

After the aqua went on (which looks almost black in certain lighting) I added a few drops of Minwax white wash to the Aqua dye and put on a second coat. The white wash added the right amount of opacity to the tint that it made it pop against the darker wood to match the blue tones of the body. I'm very pleased with how it came out. There is a bit of an optical illusion making the headstock profile seem much slimmer now. It also adds a bit of continuity with the blue theme without painting completely over the beautiful wood of the Goncalo.

 

[kevin_guitars]

Spent most of the weekend playing with waterbased poly sanding sealer and level sanding. I probably won't have any progress pics for about a week as there is not much to update as I stack on the coats. I will probably only be able to do one a day as my work schedule is rather demanding during the week.

 

[bagman67]

Finished the binding scrape and sanding (thanks Spud for the advice on that). I had to do some light sanding to the top where the water-born dye had raised the grain. So then I had to make another pass with some turquoise dye as a wash to feather everything in. She is all set for me to start the finishing process this weekend

That's very handsome work. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[MoreSpaceEcho]

Yeah the tops on both of those look great. Really nice work.

 

[kevin_guitars]

Ok so quick update here. I was VERY unhappy with how the wipe on poly was going with this so I sanded it back and went with rattle can nitro. I was using Oxford brand on the Red Strat in my other post, and ordered Colortone nitro from Stew Mac for this Z Body and boy am I happy with it. I have 4 coats of sanding sealer on and took this photo after the first coat of clear had dried. I should have about 7 more coats stacked on by the end of this week.

I also got my hands on a piece of 1/8" thick curly maple that I traced out the control cavity plate cover onto and cut out with my scroll saw. I did my best to match the finish to it last night and applied a quick coat of sealer to it. I'll be stacking several more coats of clear on it but I'm pleased with how it came out thus far. Let me know what you guys think

 

[Eddie-Applegate]

It looks marvelous!

 

[kevin_guitars]

Thanks Eddie.

Forgot to mention a fun little fact @Aaron and those of you who watched his video on using rattle can nitro. I too felll victim to the index finger blister from those damn tiny little nozzle caps

 

[Spud]

Ok so quick update here. I was VERY unhappy with how the wipe on poly was going with this so I sanded it back and went with rattle can nitro. I was using Oxford brand on the Red Strat in my other post, and ordered Colortone nitro from Stew Mac for this Z Body and boy am I happy with it. I have 4 coats of sanding sealer on and took this photo after the first coat of clear had dried. I should have about 7 more coats stacked on by the end of this week.

I also got my hands on a piece of 1/8" thick curly maple that I traced out the control cavity plate cover onto and cut out with my scroll saw. I did my best to match the finish to it last night and applied a quick coat of sealer to it. I'll be stacking several more coats of clear on it but I'm pleased with how it came out thus far. Let me know what you guys think

It has to go on really thin and sometimes thinned too.

 

[Hodgo]

It has to go on really thin and sometimes thinned too.

Unless you looooooove sanding

 

[kevin_guitars]

Much like the Strat project I'm building simultaneously I took to the frets on this last night. Taped off, leveled, crowned, sanded, and polished to a mirror shine. I think my technique on rounding off the fret ends is getting in the realm of passable and I'm very happy with it!

 

[Spud]

Much like the Strat project I'm building simultaneously I took to the frets on this last night. Taped off, leveled, crowned, sanded, and polished to a mirror shine. I think my technique on rounding off the fret ends is getting in the realm of passable and I'm very happy with it!

Nice work. I personally like to string up a guitar neck and adjust the truss rod, saddles and play it for a month or more before I futz with the frets or nut. (unless a fret rocker were to find something very amiss initially which has only been once) YMMV.

 

[Eddie-Applegate]

Much like the Strat project I'm building simultaneously I took to the frets on this last night. Taped off, leveled, crowned, sanded, and polished to a mirror shine. I think my technique on rounding off the fret ends is getting in the realm of passable and I'm very happy with it!

Cute puppy!