GooCart's 1 Build

[ex-nihilo]

That is one of the greatest looking body blanks I have ever seen. This is such a great guitar Magnus. Fantastic!

[shtdaprdtr]

[QUOTE=GooCart;1225884]The Tonepro stuff is finally there, the guitar is perfectly intonated, it's a great player even if there still are some job to do with the frets.



Whats going on with the knobs here?

[gtrmaker]

Congratulations Magnus! Beautiful build!

[Fletch]

Wow. That is just awesome. Nice work, I am in complete envy.

fletch

[GooCart]

Ole'Lefty, I think your referring to the inversed Hitchcock lightning picture, all light from the top. The recurve looks is really pronounced on that one but as far as I know I haven't change it, I've just given it a light sanding.

About the knobs, I hadn't tighten the nuts since I didn't want any pressure marks on the maple, that's why the bridge volume lean to much. But they are pointing in different directions as they are perpendicular to the top surface.
Here's a '59 owned by Eric Ernest showing the bridge volume pointing in a completely different direction then the bridge tone.



Scott, it's a cool looking mahogany piece. Sometime I feel like I'd want it to be less dramatic, a more even grain. The grass is always greener and so on....
I talked to Leif who I got it from and it's a really old blank, it was bought from a boat builder here in Sweden who had own it for ages and it wasn't fresh when he bought it, but I know to little about the epithet "old growth" to classify it.

I think I'll shot the first clear tomorrow. I don't know if I'll get the dye from Tom until this weekend but as soon as I have it I'll spray the burst

[GooCart]

I've just prepared the guitar for the first clear nitro and taped up the fret board. The idea is that I'll spray it tomorrow if nothing unexpected happens.
Question; shall I mask the tailpiece studs?

[alk-3]

I would. It's not the end of the world, but the studs might be hard to screw into the bushings if you get lacquer on the threads.

[rockappalla]

I would cover the knobs and switch holes with tape from the internal cavity too.

[monsterwalley]

super, super, super, excited!!!!!!

[GooCart]

This morning I sprayed the first clear nitro. Finally something I've done before. When I studied for industrial design we used nitro cellulose for all our design models and mockups.
But I've never sprayed a guitar, even less a piece off wood as my maple top. The flames really popped out in front of my eyes when I sprayed it. I've never seen anything quite like it, you guys who do this all the time might be hardened, but for me this is huge, I wasn't prepared for the metamorphose from raw wood to this.

Hanging by the wire, I was pretty anxious here...



First layer applied, I couldn't be happier!!





I'll go back for a light sanding and the second layer in a couple of hours.

[rockappalla]

Wow, those flames are awesome!

[ex-nihilo]

Yes, I always think that this is the most dramatic part of a build. It really looks wonderful. I really like the chevrons pointing in the direction you have them going.

[jb2060]

Magnus, Outstanding work! It has been so long since I have signed on to MLP and it's a real thrill to see you making your own LP. You deserve this after contributing so much to others. I can't wait to see it finished now... cheers, Jason

[GooCart]

Thanks guys.

Now I'll let it cure for a couple of days before I give it a small sanding prior to the aniline dye and the finishing clear.

[GooCart]

Wrong!!!
Tom just told me that the last coat prior to the colored nitro not shall be sanded.

I'm going to give it some more clear nitro during this weekend.

[Metamatic]

Originally Posted by GooCart

Wrong!!!
Tom just told me that the last coat prior to the colored nitro not shall be sanded.

Is this because the risk going down to the wood? If not why would it make any difference?

[alk-3]

If you spray colour directly over sanding scratches the dye tends to settle into the scratches themselves and highlights them. Not bad mind you, but if you get right up close and look you'll be able to see the scratches.
It's always best to lay colour over a flawless base. Even excessive oragepeeling on the base coats will show if you really look hard.

[Metamatic]

Originally Posted by alk-3

If you spray colour directly over sanding scratches the dye tends to settle into the scratches themselves and highlights them. Not bad mind you, but if you get right up close and look you'll be able to see the scratches.
It's always best to lay colour over a flawless base. Even excessive oragepeeling on the base coats will show if you really look hard.

You are right about that. But nitro layers are melting into each other. I rarely sand (or never) between layers when using nitrocelulose. But I've done both procedures and can't notice the difference. Maybe it's different with analine?

[alk-3]

They do melt into each other, but not deeply enough to blend out scratches, unless you're sanding with VERY fine grit sandpaper.
You probably do what I do, and thats sand the final coat with a relatively coarse sand paper then do one or two coats of straight thinner to remove, or melt away the scratches to reduce sanding time considerably when trying to achieve a final bluffable surface.
If this is your method, you'll notice that it takes a few coats of straight thinner to really remove the scratches. if one of those thinner coats is tinted, you could imagine what the surface would look like.
Again, if your using 600 or higher grit paper to sand, than disregard, but i use lover grit paper between clear and colour.
Also, I don't sand between coats either, with the exception of the first coat.
When I lay on the first coat, as with any film forming finish, it will raise the grain fibers. If you don't sand at all during the finish process, how do you get rid of the raised grain?

[Standard_59]

Originally Posted by alk-3

Again, if your using 600 or higher grit paper to sand, than disregard, but i use lover grit paper between clear and colour.

Is that so you remove more material, Tom?

[alk-3]

No, but I tend to jump gun with sanding so if the finish isn't cured per se the lower grit sand paper doesn't load up as fast. By lower grit, I mean like 320 to 400, not like 60 or anything.
I have also been known to use 220 for scuff sanding, but only well used 220, so it's effectivly like 350-ish.

[Metamatic]

Originally Posted by alk-3

When I lay on the first coat, as with any film forming finish, it will raise the grain fibers. If you don't sand at all during the finish process, how do you get rid of the raised grain?

I am not arguing. I do about the same as you. O fcourse I also sand the very first layer slightly to get the rising fibers removed using 600 or 800. I am also sometimes sanding the last layer before the last top coat using 1000 grit and water If I see some irregularities in the finish. But practically I do the same as you with a final extra diluted layer with acetone instead of thinner.

[myspace.com/jessenoah]

reading this thread is making me crazy............WHEN IS MY REPLICA GONNA BE IN MY HANDS, WHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!



goocart, I cant wait to see this thing bursted!

[alk-3]

Originally Posted by Metamatic

I am not arguing. I do about the same as you. O fcourse I also sand the very first layer slightly to get the rising fibers removed using 600 or 800. I am also sometimes sanding the last layer before the last top coat using 1000 grit and water If I see some irregularities in the finish. But practically I do the same as you with a final extra diluted layer with acetone instead of thinner.

uh oh. I hope I wasn't coming off as arguing, that was certainly not my intent.
I think you and i do finishes essentially the same.

[alk-3]

Originally Posted by myspace.com/jessenoah

reading this thread is making me crazy............WHEN IS MY REPLICA GONNA BE IN MY HANDS, WHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!



goocart, I cant wait to see this thing bursted!

Be patient my friend. All in good time!

[GooCart]

Hey jessenoah, how do you think I feel?? I've bursted it in my mind since this build started.

I just came back from my garage, just looking at it, like a fool. I'm glad I was alone.

[monsterwalley]

Originally Posted by GooCart

I've just prepared the guitar for the first clear nitro and taped up the fret board. The idea is that I'll spray it tomorrow if nothing unexpected happens.
Question; shall I mask the tailpiece studs?

going back through and just noticed the flag in the background.

Nice Touch!

[monsterwalley]

[QUOTE=GooCart;1234578].



I can't believe how nice that piece of wood is. This is going to turn out fantastic!!!!!

[alk-3]

Originally Posted by GooCart

I just came back from my garage, just looking at it, like a fool. I'm glad I was alone.

ha-ha. That was funny, but I know how you feel.

[shtdaprdtr]

uuuhhh...the knob question?