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(Non-Warmoth) GFS ES-335 Kit

Well picked up sandpaper. 220, 320, 400, and 600 grit. Apparently need to get some kinda sanding sponge. Not a sponge with sandpaper already on it but one that i'm intended to wrap the sandpaper around. Like a flexible sanding block. My father insinuates I need one but I can't find it anywhere.

Also just realized something. I've installed the bridge studs, yet I've did nothing about the bridge grounding wire... Did I goof? Is there a way around this?

Thank you,

-D.T. Latty
 
...Yes. I'd imagine It's something very similar that. I forget that my dad's a mechanic, not a woodworker. I'll go check an one of the auto stores or Sears today.

Thank you, I couldn't find anything like it at Lowe's or Woodcraft.

I'll go out and get one and hopefully start sanding today. I've also checked a bit more into the transfast dyes and they seem alright so I think I'm gonna try it.

Found a nice Flame "Curly" Maple strip at Woodcraft that I should pick up for finish testing. To bad it's like 15 bucks.

Still a bit concerned about the grounding to the bridge thing. Maybe I'll just run a grounding wire out the F-hole and solder it onto a fluorescent light harness. That'll quiet 'er up.

Thank You,

-D.T. Latty

P.S. For those of you wondering why I get flustered over every penny. I am not employed. Not lazy, just young and nobody seems to want to hire me.
 
I have an extra strip of figured maple I can send you, save your money.  Send me your address in PM.
 
One trick I just discovered is this synthetic steel wool.  I've been working it between coats on Tru-oil, and it really just knocks off any imperfections.  Doesn't even knock down the shine.
However...
It makes a pretty good soft sanding sponge with 400 or 600 grit, too.
MMM-70070652857.jpg
 
Magicbisket said:
Still a bit concerned about the grounding to the bridge thing. Maybe I'll just run a grounding wire out the F-hole and solder it onto a fluorescent light harness. That'll quiet 'er up.
Click to expand...

You are going to have to remove the lower stud bushing, insert a ground wire through the hole you'll find in there, and re-install the bushing. It's ok. I do it all the time. It won't hurt anything. Just thread one of the mounting posts (or something with the same thread) into the bushing until it's down to about 1/4" or so of the head or lower flange, get a piece of cardboard or wood or a magazine or something to bear against, and use a claw hammer to lever the stud out. It doesn't take a great deal of pressure/effort. Lemme see if I can get a quick picture here...

RemovingBridgeBushing.JPG

I wouldn't want to bear against that black finished post that way because it's just paint, but chrome plated parts usually don't suffer for it. Or, if you've got a jar of 12,298 leftover bolts/nuts/screws, you could just thread a spare bolt in there.

edit: I just realized I showed the upper stud bushing being removed here. You want the one closer to the control cavity, or you may not find the ground wire hole inside the bushing hole.
 
Brilliant! I'll use the post and some cardboard from some of the completely necessary and fiscally sound guitar related purchases I've ordered.

Also Bagman, that would be wonderful! I'll figure out how to send a hug in the mail.

Thank you,

-D.T. Latty
 
Finished the first sanding go today. Up to 400 grit and damn she's smooth. I'll wet 'er tomorrow and sander 'er once more. I will look for some of those sanding sponges. I'd hate to burn through the edges. Still gotta take care of the grounding wire but it's just a tedious task, no problem.

Going to the antique shop to pick up a gift for a friend tomorrow, and might go get that transfast stuff. She don't look much different so I'm not posting picks yet but once the dyeing starts I'll start a-postin'.

Thankya All,

-D.T. Latty
 
Magicbisket said:
Finished the first sanding go today. Up to 400 grit and damn she's smooth. I'll wet 'er tomorrow and sander 'er once more. I will look for some of those sanding sponges. I'd hate to burn through the edges. Still gotta take care of the grounding wire but it's just a tedious task, no problem.
Click to expand...

The edges are incredibly easy to sand through, so be careful. Go slow. They cut much faster than the flat surfaces do, so often a few slow passes are all you need.

Also, if it were me, I'd be taking care of mechanical/electrical issues before I messed with finishing. Finishing is called that for a reason - it's what you do when you're close to the end of the job. If you still have work to do, then do it. Then you finish, during which time you may need to compensate for something you did earlier.

Trust me; finishing is time-consuming and tedious so you'll be mega-pissed if you wreck any finishing work by goofing around after the fact.
 
I get ya on doing the mechanical work first. I'm going to take care of the grounding wire before I do anything else, I was just doing a first sand-down because It didn't seem like much of a project, took me and hour or two.

I'll be shaping the headstock before I start finishing on the neck although I'm thinking about keeping it pretty similar to the template shape, reminds me of the headstock on my Picador.

Need an opinion: I've decided against doing the vintage tint on the neck because I think the natural maple color will work better with the cream, so I don't have to do any lacquer spray away from the body. I need to know whether or not I should begin finishing before or after I set the neck. If I dye before I might screw up the raw dyed wood when clamping the neck, easier to fix if not dyed. If I start dyeing afterwards I'm going to have to be extremely careful not to accidentally dye the neck.

So it'll be:

1: Fix grounding wire. I'll hide it in the body when finishing.
2: Shape headstock.
3: Do the final sanding.
4: (If better first) Set the neck. I'll use cardboard or something where the clamp hits the back of the body to avoid damage.
5: Fix any mar that may have resulted.
6: Do one more check on the body for anything that need to be sanded or fixed.
7: Mix dye to appropriate color.
8: Test dye on maple strip until I accept the results.
9: Hug Baggy
10: Seal off the binding, bridge studs, plug the cavity openings, and neck.
11: Begin Finishing...

If anything seems shady let me know.

Thank you,

-D.T. Latty
 
If you're not going to color the neck, you might want to read this post on neck work, and in particular the responses Tonar made. I think you might end up with something different/better than you planned.

You'll have to set the neck for finishing, if for no other reason than to make a good transition at the join point. It'll involve some masking, but what doesn't? Also, when doing that, you'll want to screw an eyelet into the rear strap hole to hang it from - another nifty Tonar trick. You need the hole anyway, and it keeps the body up at eye level while you're finishing. It's especially apt in your case, because you may not be spraying the neck after all (see above).

Also, make sure what you hang it from won't let go. I'll let Bagman explain that one to you <grin>
 
Thanks for the painful reminder, Cagey.  I finally put that body out of its misery, and Bête Noire sprang from the ashes.  So I can live with it.
 
You're welcome.

I just remembered it the other day when a buddy was over looking at a body I had hanging, with one still on the stand. He suggested I put some hooks in the ceiling to accommodate them since they had to be there for a while to cure. So, I told him your story, which made him go "hmmm..." after he stopped laughing.

yoda.jpg


Hateful, he is.​

But, it's sorta slapstick, so he can hardly be blamed.
 
If by different/better you're referring to the heavily sanding/polishing and lin seed/lemon oil treatment.... yes.

I've always been a fan of raw wood and things being as natural as possible. It sounds like a wonderful idea.

It also sounds like it would be a bit easier/harder to screw up. Which is good for me being this is my first finish job.

Now just two questions, I'd imagine it'd be easier to do the polishing before I set the neck, do you agree or should it be afterwards?

Also, what would be the best way to avoid accidentally lacquering the neck when applying it to the body or is it just a method or good masking and careful spraying?

Feedback like this is why I come here,

-D.T. Latty

P.S. : Almost every time I add my signature I start putting my full first name. I know the caliber of people on this forum, I can't risk such a breach of security.
 
I don't do oil, but if it was me, I'd polish the neck while it's off the body, then install it for the overall finish. Mask the playing area to keep finish off it, then once the finish is fully cured, remove the masking and oil the raw area of the neck. Just so I'm clear, I'm talking about polishing then masking the rear, neck meat portion of the neck, not the fretboard. If it has a Maple fretboard, you're going to have to finish that, and you can't finish the areas you've polished because it's unlikely anything will adhere. It'll be too smooth.

You may want to contact Tonar and see if he remembers and can find a post where he shows how he masks it.
 
The fretboard is Rosewood so should I just mask that off with the rest of the "Neck meat"? Also, I'm sure it's not recommended but can you get by with polishing/oiling the headstock too or does it require a hardier finish?
 
You can oil it. I think you use Tung oil, but as I said, I'm not an oil guy so I'd wait for someone who does it to chime in.
 
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