G4: From black to Korina - to DIY chambering

[MortenB]

Hi from Denmark, Europe  :icon_smile:

This is my first build thread here, but my fourth Warmoth build... For background on this G4 body, see this thread:  http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=21961.0

So basically this G4 body was a returned item, walnut body with black korina top ... and then for some reason a customer wanted it painted gloss black, and then returned it. So it was sitting in the showcases for just $199. Too good to pass up, it's now here in Denmark and I'm working on removing the black paint. It's a tedious process because there is both the black paint and under that several layers of clear coat. The paint remover that I found locally could work on the paint, but not the clear coat, so I'm sanding that off. Takes some time, but I'm getting there...

Some weeks ago I ordered a neck, not knowing that I would end up buying that black G4 body. I simply could not resist this piece of Pau Ferro fretboard wood, so I ordered a neck with it. The neck is on it's way over the pond right now, will update with pictures. It's a basic maple neck shot with a satin clear finish, and I have opted not to get dots on the fretboard. I want this piece of Pau Ferro to shine...

The body will get a tung-oil + wax finish once I get the last of the clear coat off.

When I bought the oil and wax I also bought a sample set of 9 different dye colors that can be mixed up with the oil. I'm debating with myself if I should add a bit of color to the Black Korina top (not to the walnut body). I'm thinking about adding a tiny bit of orange, red and black dye to the first coats of tung oil on the black korina top to give it a bit more ''warmth'' to better integrate with the Pau Ferro fretboard. Or maybe it's actually a great combination with the slightly more ''yellow'' of the Black Korina together with the warmer colors of the walnut body and the Pau Ferro fretboard. I'm really unsure about this and will not do anything stupido before I get the neck and can see it together with the body. Pics to follow...

Has anyone used tung oil with a bit of dye in it? Maybe even on a black korina top? I would really appreciate any advise on this... Thanks  :glasses10:

 

[MortenB]

I have finished sanding off the clear coat - what a difference the first coat of tung-oil makes  :toothy10:  (I carefully removed all the sanding dust before oiling it off course).  I have only oiled the walnut body, not the Black Korina top as I'm waiting for the neck to arrive. When it gets here I will decide if I will go natural tung-oil or tung-oil with a bit of dye in it for the front...

Still don't understand why someone wanted this painted black...!!!!!!!

 

[Cagey]

Still don't understand why someone wanted this painted black...!!!!!!!

Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men? The Shadow knows!  :icon_biggrin:

I have a bound carved-top Tele body made of Black Korina, but finished in metallic blue ice. Why?

It's a pretty body, but it seems like a waste of perfectly good Limba.

Nobody knows why they do what they do...​

 

[MortenB]

Still don't understand why someone wanted this painted black...!!!!!!!

I have a bound carved-top Tele body made of Black Korina, but finished in metallic blue ice. Why?

I understanding opting for a certain type of wood for sonic (or what ever) reasons, and then wanting a different finish than that wood. Paint for instance... What I don't understand is why someone would spend around $200 extra on an exotic wood top and a hairline binding before having it painted..! You did not do that before you had that thing painted, did you..!?  :icon_biggrin:  Beautiful Tele BTW  :icon_thumright:  Anyway, this G4 was cheap, the black paint is gone and now it's beginning to look the way I want it...

 

[Cagey]

I found that body on eBay; I didn't order it that way from Warmoth.

 

[clearerphish]

Nobody knows why they do what they do...

I know why they do what they do.

Let's say, (just for example) you really wanted an ice blue carved top tele with an am. std. trem rout. and 2 humbucker rout. and binding. and standard tele pot placement but an upper bout switch. You're a custom kind of guy. I salute you.

And you decided to check the body builder and see what that shizz would cost you.

...and when you picked yourself up of the floor and fully came to, you realized that you still desperately wanted an ice blue carved top 2 humbucker tele with an am. std trem, and all the fixins...but you didn't have any children to sell to get it.

...then you looked in the showcase, and found a carved top tele with binding, choose your own trem rout, 2HB and rear routing. You realized that if you had Warmoth route the upper bout switch and put the two pot holes in, you'd be golden! And it just wouldn't matter what kind of wood you had because that sucker was gonna be sprayed ice blue anyways. AND you'd get it for $200 less than the builder quote. URETHRA! YOU HAVE FOUND A WAY!

And then, a week after this sucker arrives in the mail, while you're dreaming up the PERFECT neck to go on this beauty, a storm comes through and a tree limb falls on your roof. Ebay. Tears. FIN.



*bows*

 

[Cagey]

That's a perfect scenario. I'm guessing this used to be your body <grin>

 

[hannaugh]

Still don't understand why someone wanted this painted black...!!!!!!!

Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men? The Shadow knows!  :icon_biggrin:

I have a bound carved-top Tele body made of Black Korina, but finished in metallic blue ice. Why?

It's a pretty body, but it seems like a waste of perfectly good Limba.

Nobody knows why they do what they do...​

That's nice lookin.  I bet a Jazzmaster would look good with that finish and a black pickguard.

 

[Cagey]

Actually, I wasn't that crazy about it when I got it. But, it's since grown on me. I think you're right - it would look nice on a Jag/Jazz.

 

[MortenB]

The neck just arrived... It's a custom order, where I opted for a Pau Ferro fretboard with a lighter color and a ''wild'' grain pattern. No front dots for a cleaner look, and a simple maple neck with satin clear finish, again for a cleaner look. I don't want anything gloss on this bass.

I will modify the shape of the headstock for a less Fender-look, so a bit of work to do with the router  :glasses10:

Here is a quick test assembly, the body now have 4 coats of tung-oil on it. After some more coats I will finish off with wax.

 

[MortenB]

A few more    I think the walnut body and the fretboard has very good visual ''coupling'', it's just what I hoped for...

 

[DangerousR6]

WOW, that is crazy awesome.... :headbang:

 

[ThtOthrPrsn]

Awesome pairing! Can't wait to see the finished product!!!  :toothy10:

 

[MortenB]

Thanks guys - I can't wait to see it either  :glasses10:  I took the pictures outside and there was lots of sun, so It turns out a bit more ''yellow/orange'' in these pics than I think it is, but the two pics with bass on top of the case represent the Black Korina top the best. 

I know I was taking a chance buying this gloss black and stripping off the finish, but I just had a hunch that something really nice was under that black paint. So far, so good..! Now I'm waiting for the pick ups (will take another 3-4 weeks), and this gives me the time to work on the finishing:

- I need to do a small routing in the body for the truss rod adjustment at the heel of the neck
- and I want the headstock reshaped, I'm looking for a smaller non-Fender looking headstock
- more coats of tung oil needed
- a finally a few coats of wax / buffing needed after that

So there will be a bit to do until I get the pick up's and can start assembly. I have ordered EMG 35CSX humbuckers and the EMG BQS preamp system.

 

[MortenB]

Headstock reshaped, and I think it turned out nice and not too much a ''copy of something''  (I don't hope so anyway)  :-\

I just need to (somehow) repair the areas where the satin clear coat is now gone... I'm thinking about brushing on some clear coat, let it dry and and then wet sand to a satin finish. Or maybe someone knows a better procedure for this..!?

 

[Perry Combover]

Very cool.

 

[bagman67]

Nifty.  Looks like you're leaning into Sadowsky territory, but like you said, not a copy -- more of a nod in that direction.

 

[SlartiBartfast]

Love it! Very nice build.

 

[MortenB]

Thanks guys... I was a bit worried about reshaping the headstock since some of the attempts seen are not all great. I think this one worked out well.

I really studied headstocks because I wanted something smaller and more compact, but not a copy. If I have made a copy of something, then it's not intentional    Since this is a Warmoth bass, but I don't really like the 4 string Warmoth necks, I decided to do the reshape of a Fender style headstock. I bit of Sadowsky inspiration, a bit of Tele headstock, a bit of Musicman maybe - but not a copy.

It will get Schaller tuners and I'm trying to mix parts from different Schallers to come up with something a bit unique on the tuners also. Don't know if I can make the parts come togeter  (they are not designed to work togeter so some modification needed).

 

[MortenB]

Finally..! The body is done...

With the clear coat finish the Black Korina had a kind of bleached look to it, and there was not a lot of depth in the wood  (see the first pics on page 1). I was not really exited about that look... Now, with the oil finish there is sooooo much depth and warmth to the top of this thing, the walnut back looks killer also. It's really dark here now, so I only had the light over the kitchen table for these shots taken right after I was finish buffing the second coat of wax. Not the best pics, but I really like how this body turned out  :glasses10:

I wanted an open grain look, so I think I stopped at the right time as the grain was beginning to fill during the last coats of oil. This is just what I wanted, and much better than I could even hope for, when I started stripping off that black paint.

For the oil finish I started with something like 7-8 coats of pure tung-oil. The type that does not contain varnish. Then when I felt the wood did not take more oil I applied two coats where the tung-oil was mixed with varnish, the mix was roughly 50/50. Finally I did two coats of wax and buffing... Done..!