all Padouk Tele

Bob Hoover Ross

Junior Member
Messages
167
Starting the build. Original concept documented here: https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=30311.0

Just Out Of The Box here: https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=32193.0

Last night I did a temporary mock-up, attaching the neck and installing the bridge and tuning machines:

padouk-mock-up.jpg


Also drilled for the strap buttons and the output jack plate. I then removed all the hardware and did some selective masking with painter's tape. The plan is to finish the body and the headstock with clear satin MinWax Helmsman's Spar Urethane, and then burnish the back of the neck as per the Burnishing Raw Necks thread https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=19901.0 (Though not necessarily in that order...any thoughts?)

More pics to come as stuff develops.
 
Ah, looking forward to this build. Nice parts like this is a fine way to start.
 
DMRACO said:
any updates?

Not much. I spent tonight burnishing the neck. This is after the 1500 grit stage:

Padouk-1500-grit.jpg


The plan is to do another 60 minutes with 2000 grit and then call it done...not sure I have the patience to continue tonight though  :)
 
Steve_Karl said:
Are you going to leave the body unfinished also?

As per OP, "The plan is to finish the body and the headstock with clear satin MinWax Helmsman's Spar Urethane"
but that's really just to have a UV block and hopefully preserve some of that gorgeous orange hue. I'd rather leave it unfinished...I think...but I also don't want it to turn too brown.
 
Bob Hoover Ross said:
Steve_Karl said:
Are you going to leave the body unfinished also?

As per OP, "The plan is to finish the body and the headstock with clear satin MinWax Helmsman's Spar Urethane"
but that's really just to have a UV block and hopefully preserve some of that gorgeous orange hue. I'd rather leave it unfinished...I think...but I also don't want it to turn too brown.

That is my plan too.    I just ordered a mooncaster with Padouk top.  I originally wanted lacewood but Warmoth is out and have no idea when they would have it back.  I switched to Padouk because I wanted that red look.    I was considering gloss but I hate the final polish process with poly.  Satin is almost spray and play!!!

Tele looks great.  What color hardware?
 
What I've seen of padouk, after 20 years, it settles into a warm brown with a hint of red, and that's even if it never gets into the sunlight.  If you really want orange, then get maple and dye it orange.  It's just nature, enjoy the orange while you can and 20 years is a long time.  By the way it looks really nice, 20 years on.
 
DMRACO said:
Tele looks great.  What color hardware?

Black. See pic in OP, I had temporarily mounted the black bridge and black tuning machines just to get a sense of how it would all go together. Pickups will be Seymour Duncan Vintage Rails (which are mostly black). I guess I need to find some sexy black dome knobs and handle for the pickup selector now.
 
Did the MinWax Helmsman Spar clear satin urethane finish on the headstock today. I'm not displeased with the results, but it definitely feels like I just don't have the patience nor precision to be applying any kind of finishes. Hopefully finishing the body will be equally uneventful.
 
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