Crackle Finish Project

[neverstock]

I'm experimenting with the headstock face - first shellac over the tru-oil. Didn't like the look, and sanded it back, and made it the same "lumpy black nitro lava rock" finish that is on the pickups, and I kind of like it. With black shiny Hipshot tuners, I think it will look good.

 

[rgand]

Those red dots really bring the neck into that crackle finish.

 

[neverstock]

It is evolving quickly now - got a tiny bottle of Testor's red enamel paint at the hardware store and went crazy. Meant it when I said the body finish was inspirational. Not happy with my humbucker artwork, but I'll live. There' a good chance I hate the pickup anyway and have to make a different one.

 

[neverstock]

I added a gloss lacquer coat to the top of the pickup after repainting them a bit. Now, the pickups are playing hide and seek.

 

[rgand]

Those came out good. Crackle Camo. :icon_biggrin:

 

[Rick]

Looks good ! Sort of rich looking.

 

[BroccoliRob]

DANG Dude, that git is so holy I think it gave me stigmata. VERY CLEAN  :yourock:

 

[neverstock]

Thanks!

The neck is nearing final stages  - I added some Japan Drier to the Tru Oil to get a darker, harder, and more glossy final coat of Tru Oil. The hardware shipped today.

 

[neverstock]

With the hardware still in limbo, I caved and added a tone control. But, it is a push pull, so pulling it up takes it out of the circuit. Used 2  192p Sprague Pacer polyester film .022 caps in series to make a 0.011 tone cap. I'm trying to maximize and move down the resonant peak (to the upper mids) with the tone control dialed all the way down, and around 0.01 is the magic cap value for that, IME.

Swapped out the treble bleed when I attached the tone control. Used a .001 Sprague 192p cap there to be consistent, for no real reason other than that it is. 

So volume down is bridge, volume up is neck; mini toggle is bridge humucker from down to up series/split/parallel, and the tone is regular tone down, and out of the circuit up.

Also, added several coats of MG Super Shield nickel coating to the control cavity, and treated the cover as well with some nickel/copper Faraday tape.  It took the entire small 20g bottle to adequately cover the control cavity.  But there's no measurable resistance in there now. I am not sure shielding the pickup cavities would do any good

 

[neverstock]

Done! The Hipshot hardware arrived, and I auditioned a few caps before settling on the tropical fish. Weighs in at 7 lbs and 10 oz.

As planned, two push pulls, one volume (up for neck pickup) and one tone (up for tone out of circuit). One toggle series/split/parallel. Sounds big and girthy, packs a punch.  Alder/maple/rosewood is kind of tried and true, but I think the Hipshot bridge, 8K strat neck pickup, and 9K Alnico 8 humbucker add some unexpected excitement.

Warmoth knocked it out of the park with this sparkle finish - so glad I was browsing that day!

Thank you for following along. Final pics attached.

 

[rgand]

Looks great! The added work on the pickups and headstock are a nice touch. Glad to hear it has the sound(s) you like. Congrats.

 

[BroccoliRob]

Aye yai yai! That's one spicy chili pepper, dude! I want to lift up the edge of one of those crackle patches and take a long, toasty nap under it. Nice, nice work. I don't play call of duty, but you, sir, are a real call of cutie.

 

[Cagey]

Very attractive! Well done, and well appointed.