stratamania
Mythical Status
- Messages
- 11,010
That is a good looking neck. It will look good also when Tru-Oiled. :icon_thumright:
Refinishing a damaged Koa / Mahogany Soloist with Tru-Oil (by a beginner)
- Thread starter Dazkeirle
- Start date
DangerousR6
Mythical Status
- Messages
- 15,478
Ziricote and birdseye are my favorite two fretboards. One day I'd like to get an all ziricote neck...
docteurseb
Hero Member
- Messages
- 774
DangerousR6 said:
Had one from Warmoth's showcase 15 years ago, then sold it... I kind of regret it as this stuff is now rare and very expensive (it wasn't exactly cheap even back then, I think it was $500+). I pinged Warmoth several times the past couple years to see if they happened to have any and no luck so far.
DangerousR6
Mythical Status
- Messages
- 15,478
I've seen a few, but not many. And when they do come up they usually don't meet my criteria of specs... :dontknow:docteurseb said:
Dazkeirle
Junior Member
- Messages
- 192
I don't think I've ever seen a Zircote neck. However I know Zircote is hella expensive.
I was going to buy a Zircote 25mm lam top for a guitar I was going to have custom built. The lam was going to be $300 alone before it was even cut. I dread to think that a thicker piece would be.
I also know that Zircote is super hard to work with. I know Ashley has had to use an angle grinder before to cut it as his normal tools were too soft for it.
Bodes well for a finished fretboard though.
I just couldn't get over this neck, no lie I was waking up at 4am and checking to make sure nobody had bought it. The pattern on the Zircote was just so awesome, and just so much in contrast with that BE neck that I thought it just looked like a lot of fun.
Will probably brown up a little with the tru-oil which hopefully should bring everything together further still.
I was going to buy a Zircote 25mm lam top for a guitar I was going to have custom built. The lam was going to be $300 alone before it was even cut. I dread to think that a thicker piece would be.
I also know that Zircote is super hard to work with. I know Ashley has had to use an angle grinder before to cut it as his normal tools were too soft for it.
Bodes well for a finished fretboard though.
I just couldn't get over this neck, no lie I was waking up at 4am and checking to make sure nobody had bought it. The pattern on the Zircote was just so awesome, and just so much in contrast with that BE neck that I thought it just looked like a lot of fun.
Will probably brown up a little with the tru-oil which hopefully should bring everything together further still.
Dazkeirle
Junior Member
- Messages
- 192
I'm currently swinging between using the neck on this project, or using the flamed roasted maple from my Capri Orange Strat and using the new neck on that.
Couple of reasons, the Flamed roasted maple is a very good colour match for both the Koa and the Hog while it has an exotic pattern, it isn't crazy in grain and figure so doesn't draw attention from the Koa front.
Secondarily that neck was also a bargain damaged purchase which I refinished, with Tru-oil and so totally fits the overall ethos of this build.
Also the Birds Eye of the new neck will work super well with the Cream that runs through the Capri Orange Strat project, and it has that crazy Zircote fretboard which will really stand out against what is otherwise quite a chill / flat design, and so will be quite the focal point.
I'll be honest, I don't currently have that guitar exactly where I want it in terms of setup atm either, it's a work in progress so not like I'll be ruining a good setup. I also want to have that neck off in the near future to give those frets a bloody good shine up with some gorgamyte.
Also let's not downplay that neck, it's probably higher value than the new one. Highly flamed maple, LSR, Fender locking tuners and stainless frets too. I think the fact it's a little calmer will compliment the build a bit more and the oddity of the new one works with the otherwise very odd Dreamsicle Fender / PRS Carpi Strat.
A nice conundrum to have tbh. First world problems right here.
Couple of reasons, the Flamed roasted maple is a very good colour match for both the Koa and the Hog while it has an exotic pattern, it isn't crazy in grain and figure so doesn't draw attention from the Koa front.
Secondarily that neck was also a bargain damaged purchase which I refinished, with Tru-oil and so totally fits the overall ethos of this build.
Also the Birds Eye of the new neck will work super well with the Cream that runs through the Capri Orange Strat project, and it has that crazy Zircote fretboard which will really stand out against what is otherwise quite a chill / flat design, and so will be quite the focal point.
I'll be honest, I don't currently have that guitar exactly where I want it in terms of setup atm either, it's a work in progress so not like I'll be ruining a good setup. I also want to have that neck off in the near future to give those frets a bloody good shine up with some gorgamyte.
Also let's not downplay that neck, it's probably higher value than the new one. Highly flamed maple, LSR, Fender locking tuners and stainless frets too. I think the fact it's a little calmer will compliment the build a bit more and the oddity of the new one works with the otherwise very odd Dreamsicle Fender / PRS Carpi Strat.
A nice conundrum to have tbh. First world problems right here.
Dazkeirle
Junior Member
- Messages
- 192
PhilHill said:
Oh yeah! Bloodwood and Ebony sounds awesome! Love Bloodwood, and it doesn't need a finish either.
I'm a fan of all the exotic woods tbh.
I bought the Roasted Flamed Maple actually for this body originally (it's funny I forgot that because it ended up on the Strat), so it's no surprise that my mind has gravitated to putting it back on it. In fact the body was bought for the neck lol.
But there's other woods that I just need to have or at least need to have tried.
I had a Wenge with Ebony FB. That was killer, I did really like the look of the thing but the open grain of Wenge, while fast just felt a little weird after a while.
Roasted Flame Maple is just something that's "so hot right now" and I got wrapped up in the hubbub. I think it looks great, doesn't need finish and is relatively cheap. I still really dig it. Very good value for money.
I really really was tempted by a Brazilian Ebony Neck, since Warmoth released those I've loved them, but they're just a little light for me.
Rosewood, while I love it, just before I bought my PRS I almost bought a mint all Rosewood Ernie Ball Axis SS. It had a Rosewood top and Rosewood neck and was just £750. I couldn't afford both the PRS and the SS so I let it go, regretted it ever since and now I just can't get behind Rosewood.
Bloodwood, Canary, Padouk, Karina, Cocobolo, purpleheart, Zebrawood. They're all on my interest list for sure.
Basically anything other than normal maple or mahogany / rosewood I'm into, I've seen enough maple / hog necks to last me a lifetime. They're great wood, and they're stable and produce beautiful music. They're just not very exciting to look at.
Dazkeirle
Junior Member
- Messages
- 192
Yoyoyo, I may have been quiet but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy.
So, I've been battling a bit of an issue of my own making and have been doing some experiemntation.
The original goal in this time was to continue to evenly build up the front layers of Tru-oil, ready for flat sanding and final curing etc, then I can work the back.
Two problems though, 1. Some of the smaller pores weren't completely filled by the sealer. I though that these would easily become filled and then sanded out in the 1-15 coats of TI that I'd applied, but it just wasn't working.
I expected the TO to pool in the small holes and cure, but the oil is just too thick, the sealer thicker still. I did try though, I layered up and all I got for it was a thick layer of TO that was pretty uneven and the pores remained.
I even tried working 90 degree to the last layer but I was seeing layers and "brushstroke" lines appear.
The other issue was I was noticing fluff and some fibres in the finish. Not visible when I was doing it, but to a light after, it was there.
So, using some 800 grit wet and dry I sanded down with some water and liquid soap. This worked really nicely actually. The TO sanded down to a really glassy finish. I probably took most of the 10-15 layers off but I wasn't down to bare wood and we are 90% flatter than when we started. But still not perfect, pores persist. although the fibres are gone.
So I went on a research path and started reading all about French polishing. This lead me to try cheesecloth. I bought the best I could afford. Surely you wouldn't get fibres in that? Wrong, after a little experimentation it was worse than filter papers. I sanded back a little again. Balls, wtf am I going to do? I can't strip all this to put sealer on again, and even then it wont work.
Had my solution to the white grain now caused me not to be able to have a flat finish. FFS this body is testing me.
Half a litre of Makers Mark and plenty of contemplation and further reading lead me to some other advice.
Cutting the TO with white spirit makes it less viscous for final coats, stops it building high spots. Does that mean it'll pool in the pores easier? One way to find out. Also the same posts mentioned using a finger to apply. I would have have thought that would leave fingerprint marks, which it does. So how can I remove my fingerprints? Luckily I have a box of powderless Nitrile gloves.
So I did just that, cut the TO with White Spirit 60/40 and decanted to a little travel shampoo bottle. Then with a gloved finger (ooh er) I applied a small drop and tested. Not only did it go on nice an thin but there was no lines, high spots, witness lines. It just allowed me to paint on super thin.
I got down low to see the pores and made sure I used my finger to work the new, thinner TO into the pores.
1 hour and 2-3 coats and 99% are gone with little effort, the cut TO just sits more level, the surface tension isn't there to stop it falling into the small gaps and it just did as it was supposed to. Also because the gloves are super sterile. absolutely no fibres. YES!
As an added bonus, cut TO dries WAY glossier than normal. I'd say 2-3 coats looks to the eye like 20 coats of normal.
Alongside this there is some very cool development in the pickup area. Unfortunately I haven't still been able to match my fancy Gold HFS with its Vintage Bass gold counterpart and I'm not forking out 150 for a single pickup, but a very cool solution presented itself which will give me my HFS / VB combo, in a luxurious appearance and some added cachet, for a fraction of the cost.
That's for the next update though
So, I've been battling a bit of an issue of my own making and have been doing some experiemntation.
The original goal in this time was to continue to evenly build up the front layers of Tru-oil, ready for flat sanding and final curing etc, then I can work the back.
Two problems though, 1. Some of the smaller pores weren't completely filled by the sealer. I though that these would easily become filled and then sanded out in the 1-15 coats of TI that I'd applied, but it just wasn't working.
I expected the TO to pool in the small holes and cure, but the oil is just too thick, the sealer thicker still. I did try though, I layered up and all I got for it was a thick layer of TO that was pretty uneven and the pores remained.
I even tried working 90 degree to the last layer but I was seeing layers and "brushstroke" lines appear.
The other issue was I was noticing fluff and some fibres in the finish. Not visible when I was doing it, but to a light after, it was there.
So, using some 800 grit wet and dry I sanded down with some water and liquid soap. This worked really nicely actually. The TO sanded down to a really glassy finish. I probably took most of the 10-15 layers off but I wasn't down to bare wood and we are 90% flatter than when we started. But still not perfect, pores persist. although the fibres are gone.
So I went on a research path and started reading all about French polishing. This lead me to try cheesecloth. I bought the best I could afford. Surely you wouldn't get fibres in that? Wrong, after a little experimentation it was worse than filter papers. I sanded back a little again. Balls, wtf am I going to do? I can't strip all this to put sealer on again, and even then it wont work.
Had my solution to the white grain now caused me not to be able to have a flat finish. FFS this body is testing me.
Half a litre of Makers Mark and plenty of contemplation and further reading lead me to some other advice.
Cutting the TO with white spirit makes it less viscous for final coats, stops it building high spots. Does that mean it'll pool in the pores easier? One way to find out. Also the same posts mentioned using a finger to apply. I would have have thought that would leave fingerprint marks, which it does. So how can I remove my fingerprints? Luckily I have a box of powderless Nitrile gloves.
So I did just that, cut the TO with White Spirit 60/40 and decanted to a little travel shampoo bottle. Then with a gloved finger (ooh er) I applied a small drop and tested. Not only did it go on nice an thin but there was no lines, high spots, witness lines. It just allowed me to paint on super thin.
I got down low to see the pores and made sure I used my finger to work the new, thinner TO into the pores.
1 hour and 2-3 coats and 99% are gone with little effort, the cut TO just sits more level, the surface tension isn't there to stop it falling into the small gaps and it just did as it was supposed to. Also because the gloves are super sterile. absolutely no fibres. YES!
As an added bonus, cut TO dries WAY glossier than normal. I'd say 2-3 coats looks to the eye like 20 coats of normal.
Alongside this there is some very cool development in the pickup area. Unfortunately I haven't still been able to match my fancy Gold HFS with its Vintage Bass gold counterpart and I'm not forking out 150 for a single pickup, but a very cool solution presented itself which will give me my HFS / VB combo, in a luxurious appearance and some added cachet, for a fraction of the cost.
That's for the next update though
Dazkeirle
Junior Member
- Messages
- 192
Hey all, thought I'd better check in with you to say hello.
Truth is not a great deal of updates here. This is mainly because I'm now stuck waiting for my neck. Ordered on the 27th, we're at just over a month waiting now so hopefully not too long.
Still have a few bits to buy too, the Schaller Sureclaw and some hipshot tuners but not going to bother until I have the neck in hand / on its way. The money is better off in my bank and if these come up second hand I'll nab them.
So in the last month I could have just allowed the body to rest but tbh I've been constantly fiddling with it.
Firstly, the pickups. As you will have read I bought that fancy new PRS HFS with gold metal bits, but I just couldn't find a used Vintage Bass to go with it used, and new they are running at over 150 each.
I looked around for a long time and then out of sheer coincidence a set of very vintage 1987 HFS / VB came up online. Original white sticker, nickel base etc.
I was drawn to them and after negotiation nabbed them for around 100 for both!
Now the aesthetic of old school pickups isnt for me. And tbh nor was covered pickups all that much but then I discovered you can change pole pieces!
So after a bit of fun I purchased and fit some Cosmo covers and black pole bolts and I think it transformed these old girls into something very modern. 87 vintage vibe with modern looks for less than the price of a single pickup!
Here's a before and after view.
It also meant I could pop the new HFS in my PRS and give it a whirl. Conclusion, HFS is HOT at 15k and is perfect for bridge for the rock I play. It's like adding a gain pedal directly to the guitar!
As for the body I basically spent a lot of time adding layers of TO, then wet sanding back and then adding more. Every cycle of this process made the body smoother, and glassier and generally better. Over and over I've done this for weeks.
The top is now almost like glass, there are 1 or 2 small impressions I've since spotted but for the most part it's very very smooth and flat.
I've worried less on the back, I actually kind of quite like a small amount of grain texture there, it provides a little contrast, looks good with my homemade covers (which I can't really take back to flat due to their thickness), and will be more forgiving as it gets scratched through playing.
I now have a very good method for applying TO which leaves no marks or witness lines and very little streaking at all.
With this technique I don't think sanding or too much buffing will be required. It's going on like it's been sprayed now. It's glossy, dark and the amount of chatoyance, especially on the back is incredible.
Truth is not a great deal of updates here. This is mainly because I'm now stuck waiting for my neck. Ordered on the 27th, we're at just over a month waiting now so hopefully not too long.
Still have a few bits to buy too, the Schaller Sureclaw and some hipshot tuners but not going to bother until I have the neck in hand / on its way. The money is better off in my bank and if these come up second hand I'll nab them.
So in the last month I could have just allowed the body to rest but tbh I've been constantly fiddling with it.
Firstly, the pickups. As you will have read I bought that fancy new PRS HFS with gold metal bits, but I just couldn't find a used Vintage Bass to go with it used, and new they are running at over 150 each.
I looked around for a long time and then out of sheer coincidence a set of very vintage 1987 HFS / VB came up online. Original white sticker, nickel base etc.
I was drawn to them and after negotiation nabbed them for around 100 for both!
Now the aesthetic of old school pickups isnt for me. And tbh nor was covered pickups all that much but then I discovered you can change pole pieces!
So after a bit of fun I purchased and fit some Cosmo covers and black pole bolts and I think it transformed these old girls into something very modern. 87 vintage vibe with modern looks for less than the price of a single pickup!
Here's a before and after view.
It also meant I could pop the new HFS in my PRS and give it a whirl. Conclusion, HFS is HOT at 15k and is perfect for bridge for the rock I play. It's like adding a gain pedal directly to the guitar!
As for the body I basically spent a lot of time adding layers of TO, then wet sanding back and then adding more. Every cycle of this process made the body smoother, and glassier and generally better. Over and over I've done this for weeks.
The top is now almost like glass, there are 1 or 2 small impressions I've since spotted but for the most part it's very very smooth and flat.
I've worried less on the back, I actually kind of quite like a small amount of grain texture there, it provides a little contrast, looks good with my homemade covers (which I can't really take back to flat due to their thickness), and will be more forgiving as it gets scratched through playing.
I now have a very good method for applying TO which leaves no marks or witness lines and very little streaking at all.
- Use coffee filter papers and fold twice, use each for 4 applications. Never reuse and only use the shiny side.
- Cut your TO 3:1 with Mineral Spirits
- Hold the paper up to the bottle and only use the amount that sticks to the paper
- Wipe onto the body in long continuous strokes with the grain. Start off of the body at the top and finish off of the body. Don't stop anywhere.
- Less is more, the amount you add should be totally dry in 40 minutes
- Before you finish wipe around the outside just to be sure you haven't left any runs or high spots on the edges (also helps coat the edges too)
With this technique I don't think sanding or too much buffing will be required. It's going on like it's been sprayed now. It's glossy, dark and the amount of chatoyance, especially on the back is incredible.
stratamania
Mythical Status
- Messages
- 11,010
That is looking great... :icon_thumright:
