Mary Kaye White for vikingred

[Glimmer]

It's already a looker. :glasses10:

Beautiful work!

 

[vikingred]

Wow, I'm late to my own party.  I didn't know Tonar had started this thread until today!  I've been so busy with work and family stuff, terribly preoccupied.  HOLY GUACAMOLE!  This is a beautiful thing (see video at end of post).  Greg, you have done incredible work here and I am super grateful you took the job.  Don't know how I  could have missed the thread. 

Also, thanks for the comments, fellas.  I just happened to get lucky and snag a extra light swamp ash body (2lbs 13oz), and then that Bocote on Canary neck, my god, I could not resist.  Fortunate to get to it first.  Greg suggested MK finish, and I researched it, and grabbed all the gold hardware to get ready.

When it's finished, it's coming back to me, and I'll do the trem/hardware/electronics install, and off it'll go for fret install, level/dress/crown/polish, nut install and setup.  It's getting a Wilkinson/Gotoh VG300 tremolo in Gold, with a special-ordered aluminum block to keep things light light (almost 3oz lighter).  Gold football jackplate with a Switchcraft #11 1/4" mono jack in Gold plate finish.  Also, vintage RI Fender gold tuning pegs.  I have located and obtained a period-correct repro gold neckplate with fake (hah) serial number.  Grabbed some Kluson vintage string trees in gold (may or may not use).

I've ordered a custom set of pickup COVERS (not rings) actually made out of Bocote!  Should be very interesting, if they don't work out or look cheesy I'll just body mount the pickups bare, and sell the Bocote covers.  I'm using a set of hand wound single coil "Dawgtown" pickups RWRP, made by a super cool cat.  Will set up simple 3-way switch, and master volume and master tone controls.  Using two CTS 525K LONG Split Shaft Audio Taper Pots (5%).  I've got some Zebra wood knobs, we'll see how those work out, and if not then just classic strat knobs.  As a final splurge, I grabbed a Luxe repro 1958-1961 wax impregnated paper & foil .1mF "phone book" cap.

Frets will be Jescar evo gold 6100, and an aged bone nut.  Will post pics as I start with the hardware/electronics install. 

Not sure about the trem cavity cover.  I've always left them open.  Not sure, maybe on this one I should put one on, what ya'll think?  White triple layer with black in the middle?

Tonar, maybe you can shoot one last set of pics after the final coat has dried, before shipping.  This should end up being a super-light, crazy exotic looking MK strat, that I will play the living hell out of.  Rear routed, too! :toothy12:  Super excited.  Would this qualify as owner-finished for GOTM?  :glasses9:

This build reminds me of a scene from the movie Donnie Brasco.  It's the "Fugazi Scene":

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwNrpPgIEjQ[/youtube]

 

[stratamania]

If you are doing a trem cover, how about something in wood to complement the other parts you have planned ?

And in case you missed mrpinter's thread, wishing you a great Christmas.

 

[vikingred]

If you are doing a trem cover, how about something in wood to complement the other parts you have planned ?

And in case you missed mrpinter's thread, wishing you a great Christmas.

Ah, yes I've thought about that.  Remember we have a rear rout cover plate as well (stock black warmoth).  Was just concerned if I go too overboard with the wood, it may detract from the overall look.  I'll have to see.  Will leave it open first then consider other options.  But, open = aluminum block and claw! 

Merry Xmas to you, too.

 

[BigSteve22]

Tonar- That is one beautiful finish job. Can the same thing be accomplished using a more creamy white, like Warmouth's Vintage White?

 

[Tonar8352]

Thank you BigSteve and yes I can take any color and thin it down enough to make a transparent color coat. My take on that though is color changes as the lacquer yellows so vintage white is made to match a yellowed old lacquer job. Since many of the new resins used in modern finishes tend to be non or less yellowing they match a vintage yellow and can be confident that it will stay that way for many years. I use lacquers so I expect it to yellow and this guitar will look more vintage as time goes on which was the plan for it from the start.

I'm all about finishing guitars like the manufactures did in the 50's and then letting them yellow, crack, chip and get a vintage look with age and use.

 

[BigSteve22]

Thanks for the feed back. Like I said it's a beautiful finish, but I prefer a white that's a little less bright. Don't know if I want to wait years to get there.

 

[vikingred]

Thank you BigSteve and yes I can take any color and thin it down enough to make a transparent color coat. My take on that though is color changes as the lacquer yellows so vintage white is made to match a yellowed old lacquer job. Since many of the new resins used in modern finishes tend to be non or less yellowing they match a vintage yellow and can be confident that it will stay that way for many years. I use lacquers so I expect it to yellow and this guitar will look more vintage as time goes on which was the plan for it from the start.

I'm all about finishing guitars like the manufactures did in the 50's and then letting them yellow, crack, chip and get a vintage look with age and use.

^^^THIS.  And, I'll wait the years.  Then my kids will, and their kids....

"Son, this is your great great grandpaw vikingred's warmoth MK strat, custom finished by a man named Tonar.  It's traveled a long way to get to you, and if you ever sell it, lose it, or otherwise muck it up, spiders will nest in your spleen".  Reminds me of:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFtHjV4c4uw[/youtube]

 

[vikingred]

I had the body off the paint stick to level sand a few coats of clear and I shot a picture of the neck laying on it to see how they look together. I never press a neck into the pocket until it is ready to bolt on because I have chipped finish off of edges pulling it back out but this gives an idea of how they look together. I love it!

Man, I can't quit looking at this pic.  It's amazing work, Tonar.  I'm so very impressed and delighted with the work.  I'm almost scared to touch it to do the hardware install!  Gonna take a lot of time and care especially with measuring, scratch awling, countersinking and drilling the holes for the strap buttons, don't want to lift any finish at all.  Drilling on the headstock will be nerve racking as well.  I've done some schallers, and gotohs, but no vintages.  Just gotta take my time.  Also need to search on proper method to install those Wilkinson inserts.

 

[Cagey]

Man, I can't quit looking at this pic.

I know what you mean. That's gonna be an ultra-sexy guitar.

 

[vikingred]

Man, I can't quit looking at this pic.

I know what you mean. That's gonna be an ultra-sexy guitar.

Light, too!  Maybe under 6lbs?

 

[vikingred]

Just got word from my other source that my bocote pickup covers are complete.  Check out the photo below.  I'm thinking, from left to right (Bridge, Middle, Neck).  They look really cool I think.  Depends on how they match up with the fretboard.  Sometimes you just don't know until you see it all together. 

 

[BigSteve22]

Spectacular covers you got there... Look like a good match to the fingerboard.

 

[vikingred]

Spectacular covers you got there... Look like a good match to the fingerboard.

Thanks, BigSteve.  We'll see how it looks all together.  Something in the back of my mind says the plastic oldschool regular regular might be the best, but we'll see.  If these don't work out I'll throw them up on Ebay or something.  If they do work, should be a cool match.  I'm excited, this will be an epic build.

 

[stratamania]

The covers do look good.

Time will indeed tell how they go with the neck. One thing I am wondering is how the grain of the pickup covers will look with that of the neck not going in the same direction. 

Either way I think this guitar is going to look pretty special.

 

[vikingred]

The covers do look good.

Time will indeed tell how they go with the neck. One thing I am wondering is how the grain of the pickup covers will look with that of the neck not going in the same direction. 

Either way I think this guitar is going to look pretty special.

Yah, the grain, the grain.  Ah, well.  If it needs to be old vintage plastic covers and knobs, that's cool.  We shall see.

 

[vikingred]

I had some questions on things I haven't done before:

1. I'm screwing/bolting the pickups straight to the body, no rings.  Screws/bolts need to be gold color.  Anyone know the best size/dimension screw/bolt for this, and do you just drill a pilot hole and screw directly into the wood, or use bolts and inserts? 

2. Should I use springs or rubber tubing between pickup cavities and bottom of pickup?  What would be vintage correct for a 1959 MK strat, rubber tubing or springs? 

3. Is there a link describing best way to install Wilkinson bridge inserts?  Just bang them in with a ball peen hammer right?  :toothy11:

 

[bagman67]

I think for stability I'd use foam, vintage-correctness be damned (you ARE working on a rear-routed instrument with an exotic hardwood neck, so that ship has sailed, in my view).  I doubt whether the surgical tubing approach would give you the kind of control you're after, unless you want to go belt-and-suspenders on the job, and use both tubing AND foam.  That said, it's only a pickup, not a load-bearing stud, so a little wobble may not be a big deal.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I had some questions on things I haven't done before:

1. I'm screwing/bolting the pickups straight to the body, no rings.  Screws/bolts need to be gold color.  Anyone know the best size/dimension screw/bolt for this, and do you just drill a pilot hole and screw directly into the wood, or use bolts and inserts? 

For direct mounting pickups, I find Humbucker mounting ring screws such as Warmoth sells are great.  They're smaller than the poem supplied height mounting screws that most pickup manufacturers supply, which allows you to keep the integrity of the threads in case you ever decide to sell/swap out the pickups that are installed & put them back into rings for another project or buyer.

 

[stratamania]

For the stud install the best thing would be a drill press. But if you don't have access to one this is how I went about it a while back. The post shows Gotoh inserts but I believe the Wilkinson ones are identical.

http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=22445.msg332875#msg332875