HOT DAMN THAT WAS FAST! need a little advice...

[rightintheface]

wow, i only confirmed my custom order last tuesday and it's already here, IN AUSTRALIA, IN MY ARMS!!! WOOOOO!!!  :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2:
i'm excited!!! maybe they had an unrouted alder/alder thinline that they just routed to my specs  :dontknow:

heres the specs:
thinline alder/alder body
contoured heel
TOM/stop
double f-holes (i was reading the section on drilling pot holes in a double f-hole guitar when the courier turned up. eerie..)
H-X-H route (got uncovered JB and 59 ready. might change them out later for p-rails if anyone has a good review? read bits n pieces of good stuff)
wiring: i will drill a 3-way switch just below the bridge, killswitch, and probably just two volumes to keep the wiring short. possibly push-pull pots if i add p-rails later.

already bought a neck off showcase and it should be here soon-ish: standard thin, unfinished rosewood/macassar ebony pro-const., block inlays, warmoth headstock, 6130 frets (6150SS were a tad too big on my first build), graphtec nut, grover/gotoh tuners. 'twill be interesting to see the difference to my wenge/ebony boatneck on my other build

here's where i need some advice...: i LOVE the colour of the alder itself, it's nice and creamy (see bottom section on binding). HOWEVER, i am already set in painting it (myself) matte black, with white or natural binding.

first question: should i grain fill? the grain is very VERY tight on this alder, and too be honest i like a bit of grain showing through. my b.korina tele has a danish oil finish that shows the grain, and i like it alot. my only concern is; would it make the finish uneven in places? would it look sh*te? i liked those unfilled black bodies that came out of warmoth ages ago. i think they were swamp ash though...  :icon_scratch:

second question (opinions more like): i'm painting binding onto this build (traditionalists beware); i didn't have the money to get "proper" binding, plus warmoth doesn't do binding on f-holes, which i LOVE! i am tossing up between white binding or natural-alder binding.. anybody got an opinion? i reckon it'd look kinda cool with alder binding and then a satin acrylic spray to protect. BUT, i WAS going to spray/bind the neck's pegface (not the neck-back, don't panic!!) with the same matte black/binding. alder tone would be a little hard to match up. really, white is easier, but natural might be a bit more... different? any opinions?

oh yeah, i should mention i'm pretty competent with painting/working on guitars, so i'm fairly confident with masking off/binding etc etc. i know that "painted" binding will upset people, but i really didn't have the funds...

and i should mention it'll be chrome hardware (possibly using some hardware that i "aged" with sandpaper to look nice and filthy). :cool01: arty07:

either way, i'm EXCITED!! any opinions are welcome. bear in mind this was planned with practicality and stage-worthiness in mind: no single coils (phat cat on other build can get a little to buzzy), i'm used to TOMs, limited controls, solid painted colour (harder finish) etc etc etc

 

[tfarny]

WOW, that's a great body. Lots of good stuff recently! The only one of your questions I could answer is that there's no real point in grain filling alder. It's very easy to work with. Just clean it up good and spray.

 

[rightintheface]

wicked, that's definitely what i wanted to hear! yeah i'm really happy with the build, it's flawless as far as i can tell

 

[Nando Vallart]

Looks good!

 

[m4rk0]

that will be great!
I think I like the idea of black with binding! a bit like a thinline tele meets lp custom.
can't wait to see this finished!

 

[Rick]

Yup, no need for grain filler.  That wood looks so nice and creamy, maybe a clear finish or an opaque white?

 

[rightintheface]

i was thinking of some sort of naturale look, hence the binding thing, but my first W build is already light enough (bk korina) and i've really got my mind set on the satin black. like marko says, kinda like a tele/lp custom cross-over. it is a nice wood though, next build i may do something with natural alder  :hello2:

 

[dbw]

Dude, sweet.

You could put a clear or tinted finish on it and call it a day.  The black would look good too.  I say hit it with the black, it'll look killer... and you can always sand it back in the unlikely circumstance that I'm wrong

 

[Mor Paul]

^^Never wrong^^

:icon_jokercolor:

 

[dmraco]

no need to fill the alder.  Can't speak to the painted binding.  Why not mask off the binding and leave it NATURAL!  That would be really unique!

BTW...nice looking piece?  What type of neck?

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

My neck was pretty darn quick, I think It was only 5 weeks from blank, to fully made to here.

 

[stubhead]

(?) I would personally seal the wood before applying any colored paint, so as to avoid the endgrain and edges absorbing a disproportionate amount.... sealer is not the same as filler. If you know much about painting wood, you know what I mean, especially if you want the semi-painted, grain-showing effect. You might want to track down jackthehack, CB, Tonar8353 or some of the other finishing experts here, or read up at the library on "Finishing Wood". There's probably something googleable about "endgrain finishing paint wood" etc.

Sometimes you get really enthusiastic answers here - "Killer, Dude!" - "That's Awesome!" - that aren't really about finishing techniques.  :sad1:
Enthusiasm is a wonderful thing - too.... arty07:

 

[neuftone]

Hot diggety, they do the double f-hole now to order?  Very cool!

Yep, count this as an unhelpful-to-your-specific-question sort of "that's awesome!" answer!