VIP swamp ash on roasted swamp ash & wenge/pau ferro neck

[wormbot]

Hi, here's an almost complete version of my VIP.

Roasted swamp ash & swamp ash double laminate top
Ivoroid binding
Fender USA standard tremolo routing (modified with Dremel to fit Hipshot Contour bridge)
PRS control layout
Wood-mount DiMarzio PAF 36th anniversary (bridge & neck) with black cover
4PDT 3 position pickup selector switch (neck, split bridge + neck, bridge)
Push/pull tone pot for selecting either outer or inner coils when using the split middle position
Hipshot US Contour tremolo bridge (I had to dremel the route to fit it)
Grain filled the back with Goodfilla and rosewood-colored dye (Saman)
Grain filled the top with Goodfilla and sesame and cognac colored dyes (Saman)
Finished the back with tinted tung oil (Saman Legend dark walnut) and satin wipe-on poly
Top finished with natural tung oil (Saman Legend) and satin wipe-on poly

Neck is Vortex
Wenge shaft with Pau Ferro fingerboard.
I grain filled and then put 2 coats of tung oil on the back of the neck & headstock. Then, finished it with 2 coats of a home made "danish oil" mixture.
1 coat of tung oil on the fretboard; nothing more.
12-16" compound radius
6105 stainless steel frets
Single 12th fret inlay
Black Tusq XL nut (installed by me; could be better)

I need to complete the soldering, install the strap buttons and do the final setup.

 

[rauchman]

Wow, that is beautiful. The aesthetics of the contrasting woods is fantastic

 

[Waraxe]

Nice! I love the VIP shape.

 

[Dero08]

Wow, that is beautiful. The aesthetics of the contrasting woods is fantastic

Yeah, that roasted ash is so nice! I just ordered my roasted ash body … really hoping the grain pattern looks like this!

 

[wormbot]

Thanks! Yes, the goal was to have an all-swamp ash guitar but with contrast between the back and the front. The roasted ash on the back was the most senseful option to me. Tung oil is very good at increasing that contrast.

And I like how it matches with the wenge's dark brown tint.

 

[wormbot]

If you plan on grain filling the ash with water based grain filler, do it at least 3 times. I was lazy and skipped the 3rd pass, and the surface doesn't feel like I filled it. The top is glass smooth though (3 passes).

 

[rauchman]

Forgot to ask, how is the upper upper register on the neck? How is getting to that 24th fret?

 

[wormbot]

Forgot to ask, how is the upper upper register on the neck? How is getting to that 24th fret?

I did get the guitar working today. I had a couple of hours with it, and the very upper frets are accessible, but not without effort. This is my first 24 fret guitar ever. I expected such thing. I think the soloist might give a bit better access to that area.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Nice.

 

[irvinal]

Looking great!
I think kept some wood-touch instead of made the surface full-gloss was also a nice choose to express the original material.
Just like you can touch more real wood in fingers.

 

[bruzanhd]

Very tasteful. Love the wood choices and pickup choice especially.