Swamp Ash JBass Blue Dye Project

[jackthehack]

I'd gotten some of the blue dye that Tonar used in the post below about a year ago to use on a body I won on eBay that never arrived:

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=1324.0

I've been on the lookout for something to use it on for a while, and when they threw this Swamp Ash Jbass hollowed body on closeout this a.m., figured, that's IT! Body getting additional Jbass neck PU route; probably a maple or canary neck, going to fill grain black....

 

[Shmoopie]

You stole my idea, and I had my eye on that body.
Fine take it, I have a new idea anyway.

 

[Tonar8352]

Jack,
That will be a great piece for the blue dye.  May I make a suggestion on the steps you take for the grin filler?  Stain it with the blue first then shoot it with a wash coat of finish.  After it is dries apply your grain filler. 

I did a bass in a blue burst like that with the exception of tinting my normal filler to a really dark blue and it turned out real nice.

 

[jackthehack]

Jack,
That will be a great piece for the blue dye.  May I make a suggestion on the steps you take for the grin filler?  Stain it with the blue first then shoot it with a wash coat of finish.  After it is dries apply your grain filler. 

I did a bass in a blue burst like that with the exception of tinting my normal filler to a really dark blue and it turned out real nice.

You the man, will take your advice; my original thought was to darken the blue dye with some black and add it to clear filler, but saw a "special finish" body on the Showcase - http://www.warmoth.com/showcase/sc_guitar_bodies.cfm?type=guitar&itemNumber=PS2328&menuItem=14&subMenuItem=2&subMenuItem2=0&bodyWood_filter=3,38&finish_filter=36 - that looks pretty cool, got me thinking black for the filler

 

[Nando Vallart]

MM + JB route is weird  :tard:


But would look cool that bass! Waiting for the pics

 

[jackthehack]

MM + JB route is weird  :tard:


But would look cool that bass! Waiting for the pics

If you check the Gallery's there are any number of basses that combine an MM bridge pickup with a JB or PB neck pickup; body already had the MM pickup route wanted to add another PU for wider sound range, will be putting a Rio Grande Muy Grande in the neck position.

 

[Nando Vallart]

If you check the Gallery's there are any number of basses that combine an MM bridge pickup with a JB or PB neck pickup

I've checked before and they still looks wrong  :sad1:

 

[jackthehack]

Note: Rio Grande has a "stealth" bass pickup, listed in specs page, but otherwise unpictured on their website; it's their Muy Grande PowerBucker bridge pickup in a MM4 form factor, that's what will be going in that MM route...

 

[dbw]

I had my eye on that body.

Me too   If it had been hard ash instead of swamp ash I'd have already pulled the trigger.

 

[jackthehack]

They threw it on the closeout page for $199, can't beat that with a stick.

 

[jackthehack]

Couple of notes...

Rob called me Friday; body was mis-listed, i.e., the MM pickup route is actually in the "sweet spot" and I shouldn't have seen the option for a neck pickup route, so the MM route will contain the only pickup. May need to revisit pickup selection; especially since there are 3 control holes pre-drilled. That should make NoNonsense Tele happier....

Tonar, re: your advice; if I'm filling with black or a really dark almost navy blue, shouldn't I mostly finish the fill and sand back, then dye and and wash cost, then finish filling with clear? I'm afraid if I went dye -> wash coat -> darker filler, I'd wind up sanding back through the dyed wood in places leveling/removing vestiges of  the darker filler.

 

[Tonar8352]

Tonar, re: your advice; if I'm filling with black or a really dark almost navy blue, shouldn't I mostly finish the fill and sand back, then dye and and wash cost, then finish filling with clear? I'm afraid if I went dye -> wash coat -> darker filler, I'd wind up sanding back through the dyed wood in places leveling/removing vestiges of  the darker filler

Jack,
The dye takes strongest on the raw wood so that is why I do it that way. Here is the finish schedule I would us.
1. Dye
2. Wash coat
3. Fill coat with a thinned version of the filler.  Remove cross grain and then rub it off real good using burlap with the grain.  You will loose some filler doing it this way but that is ok.
4. Give it two coats of clear after the filler shrinks for a week.
5. Let the clear shrink a few days and repeat the fill step using un-thinned filler.
6. Let the filler shrink a couple of days and lightly sand before starting final clear application.  

 

[jackthehack]

You'll have to recommend what filler to use; I've been using the Stew-Mac water based filler; it dries hard as a rock and requires serious sandback starting with #220 to level/get colored filler dross off the non-grain portions of the wood. You'd be rubbing it with burlap for decades before it had any effect.

 

[Tonar8352]

I use Jasco oil base.  It is not the best stuff in the world but it works.  I tint it with color in oil, so check your local paint stores and see if any of them have color in oil.  If not try an art supply place.  I tried using the dye stain that you have and it did not work.  I also used Benzene to thin the Jasco since it helps it to dry faster. 

 

[jackthehack]

Dude, you do amazing work, but most of the products you use are an adventure to find....

As Jasco no longer exists corporately and Homax/Habour Group/Fluid Enterprises apparently only distribute to disributors, am I most likely to actually be able to purchase the Jasco oil based wood filler from Dunn Edwards, Frazee paint or Kwal Paint?

 

[jackthehack]

Well, turns out there's a Kwal Paint store not far from my day job; unfortunately they don't have any in stock, but CAN order me a case....

 

[Tonar8352]

but CAN order me a case....

LOL!!!  Tell them you prefer 50gallon drums! 

They should be able to get a quart via intra-company transfers. 

 

[jackthehack]

Nope, none of the stores in the KC area stock it( according to the one close to my office),  offered to order a case, but doubt I'll need that.

Called the Frazee store in Phoenix and they don't stock Jasco anymore in any of their stores even though it's still on their line sheets

Tried calling some of the Dunn-Edwards stores in California, the ones that answer their phones don't have stock and refer me to stores that don't answer their phones, or answer and put you on hold for more than 10 minutes.

Guess I'll try calling some of the other Kwal paint stores in the KC area, maybe I'll get luckier with a different one.

Maybe you should open an e-store and sell all the esoteric finishing supplies you use....

 

[jackthehack]

I forgot; if I manage to find some, can you suggest a different thinning agent than benzene? Due to it's potential usage to process certain alkaloids it's monitored, and I'm already on enough government watch lists.

 

[Alfang]

Tonar, you ever think of making a "How to apply a finnish to a guitar" book?  Many of the books I have bought and read, talk a lot of mumbo jumbo thats over most peoples heads, you have a great patience to write things out so we can all understand them. Along with great step by step photos sometimes.

I suppose I could print out all your thread posts and replies and there'd be the book, Or you could make a cheap how to book and make a few bucks. I'm a big fan of CB's and Jack's projects, But ever since you posted that thread on the 54 two tone strat or whatever it was you built outa swamp ash a few months ago, I have considered you the finishing god on this forum,

Ok, I'm done