New project: SG

[ramonet]

As I told you before (in another section), I'm going to start with a new project: a cheap SG. I've found a website that sells cheap kits in UK. Living in Europe (Spain) the taxes and shipping costs rise the price of every thing you bring from outside EEC. In Spain, anything that costs more than 20€ is considered importation. As I want to include an SG to my collection and improve my finishing skills, the kits from www.diyguitarshop.co.uk are a great solution.
I've choosed a mahogany 3 pieces body with a mahogany neck + rosewood fingerboard. I know that the results are not going to be as good as if I ordered a Warmoth kit but, I'm going to try, it's cheap (151,50 UK pounds including taxes and shipping).

 

[ramonet]

Here is a pic of the 3 pieces body. A final sanding is needed, but it's not bad. The routing it's a little raw, but the pickups and rings are going to cover it all. They provide a special template to find the exact point for the TOM bridge and stoptail; this leaves you the oportunity to choose the bridge you want but ensures that the instrument will be in tune (cool!!!).

 

[ramonet]

I've clamped the neck (finished in the same way that the body) to a table and started cutting the peghead shape. I thought it will be easier than wait until i was attached to the body (it's a set neck kit so when you glue the neck to de body this is forever).

 

[ramonet]

Although the kit include all the needed components, I'm going to put a pair of Gibson original pickups taken from an ES-333.

 

[ramonet]

All the guitar it's going to be grainfilled with black filler and sanded, just to rise the grain, and after stained in red (Ihope I can achieve the Gibson red used on SGs), but I still must decide if the headstock it's going to be finished in black or matching the body, what do you think? suggestions?

 

[dmraco]

very nice.  Please post some pics of the grainfill process...

 

[Cagey]

All the guitar it's going to be grainfilled with black filler and sanded, just to rise the grain, and after stained in red (Ihope I can achieve the Gibson red used on SGs), but I still must decide if the headstock it's going to be finished in black or matching the body, what do you think? suggestions?

I've got a mahogany body I'm going to do the rapid aging process with using potassium dichromate. Rather than stain the wood, it brings out the tannins in the wood so it colors naturally. Can't sand it out, and it won't change over time like wood under stain will. Here's a picture of a mahogany business card holder done that way...

The wood can be finished any way you'd like after you're done getting the color right. I got that shot from a woodworker site that talks a bit about the whole wood aging thing. He has some other shots that show the effect that chemical has on cherry, oak, and walnut.

 

[ramonet]

TOM studs installed and neck glued to the body; this is going on!!!

 

[DangerousR6]

Nice job.... :icon_thumright:

 

[ramonet]

Free of clamps; next steps: sand, clean sand grainfill. The things are going good.

 

[ramonet]

Just try if everything fits and how it looks

 

[Firebird211]

With the set neck and the TOM that thing should sustain for days. :rock-on:

 

[dmraco]

Make sure to post your grain fill process...I hate doing that.

Cagey...I am interestred in the chemical rpocess you used...details?

 

[Cagey]

Make sure to post your grain fill process...I hate doing that.

Cagey...I am interestred in the chemical rpocess you used...details?

I'll start a thread on it once it gets underway, which should be today. In the meantime, if you want to read up a bit on it, what I'm using is called "Potassium Dichromate", aka Dichromic Acid, Dipotassium Salt or Potassium Bichromate. Supposedly, it's pretty dangerous stuff to play with, at least you're left with that impression reading some of the safety warnings. But, it's been used since forever to treat mahogany, oak, walnut, cherry and a couple other species that are naturally high in tannic acid. Brings out the natural rich tones of the wood that normally take years to develop on their own.

 

[TomPerverteau]

Matching headstock face for sure!

 

[ramonet]

I'm in the grainfilling process. I'm using Stewmac waterbase grainfiller because it's the only one I have. I have ended with the product and I must say that's not good; it's a mess to apply and it doesn't fill properly. I have done 3 ash guitars with it and I'm not going to use anymore. Anybody has used Timber Mate grain filler or another one best?. When it dries I'm going to sand and, I think, do another grainfilling. The filler was tinted with Colortone black to rise the grain. After this, the guitar it's going to be dyed in Cherry Red and clearcoated. I keep you posted. Some pics.

 

[Cagey]

Yours is another story in a long list of them making the same complaint. The Colortone stuff from StewMac is just too thin. There aren't enough solids in it to do any filling, unless what you're trying to fill is very minor. You end up sanding and filling and sanding and filling over and over as if time makes no difference at all. Hell, if you're going to use a poly finish, you could fill faster with that. Might get it done in 3 or 4 coats.

Behlen's Pore-O-Pac filler actually fills...

 

[DangerousR6]

Yours is another story in a long list of them making the same complaint. The Colortone stuff from StewMac is just too thin. There aren't enough solids in it to do any filling, unless what you're trying to fill is very minor. You end up sanding and filling and sanding and filling over and over as if time makes no difference at all. Hell, if you're going to use a poly finish, you could fill faster with that. Might get it done in 3 or 4 coats.

Behlen's Pore-O-Pac filler actually fills...

Here's a news flash.....  ... ... . ...  It's WATER based.. You have to dig down deep in the can and get the good stuff at the bottom...You have to put it on thick, and several times...I've used it on mahogany and black korina, worked just fine for me.... :dontknow:

 

[Cagey]

It doesn't matter what the carrier is. For that matter, most solvent-based carriers are thinner than water. But, if there aren't many solids, it's not gonna fill. I did dig deep down, and mixed on it well to incorporate what little was there, but the viscosity didn't tighten up much. The Behlen stuff, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. You can mess with that stuff for half an hour trying to mix it, and still have solids in the bottom. I mean, it's like wrestling with tollhouse cookie dough, or mixing drywall joint compound. In fact, I'm considering sending them an email bitching about the container. You end up making a helluva mess spilling a lot of it during the mixing fight. If they want to sell it by the quart, they should still put it in 1 gallon containers. But, I digress.

The good part is, it fills and dries hard. You don't have to make a career out of it.

 

[DangerousR6]

It doesn't matter what the carrier is. For that matter, most solvent-based carriers are thinner than water. But, if there aren't many solids, it's not gonna fill. I did dig deep down, and mixed on it well to incorporate what little was there, but the viscosity didn't tighten up much. The Behlen stuff, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. You can mess with that stuff for half an hour trying to mix it, and still have solids in the bottom. I mean, it's like wrestling with tollhouse cookie dough, or mixing drywall joint compound. In fact, I'm considering sending them an email bitching about the container. You end up making a helluva mess spilling a lot of it during the mixing fight. If they want to sell it by the quart, they should still put it in 1 gallon containers. But, I digress.

The good part is, it fills and dries hard. You don't have to make a career out of it.

The can you got must have been made on Monday or Friday, cause the shite I got was thick as shyt. There was plenty of solid material in the can I got.. :dontknow: