I started a new build, based on the same model as I have build before (designing-my-own-neck-tru-guitar)
But this time, I choose for a set neck and a Floyd Rose Tremolo system from Gotoh (1996T)
The neck is laminated and consists of 2 pieces of bubinga with 2 stripes of maple and a wenge centre stripe
Fretboard is African Rosewood, just like on its sister ( or brother ) build.
The top is a gorgeous Tamarind drop top on a 3 piece Okoume body.
Gotoh tuners and a set of Tonerider pickups ( Generator In the Neck position, Octane in the Bridge position ) to finish it off.
I dont know if it is the bubinga, or my router bit, but when routing the headstock, my router took a big chunk out of the headstock, so I was forced to do some redesign of the headstock. There is always something that goes wrong it seems 🙂
Some improvement in my skills of carving and shaping of the neck
Routing the Tremolo cavity after at least 20 times remeasuring
And a mockup:
Carving the contours of the body
For the next steps, I am not entirely sure what I want to use to cover the spring and control cavities and how I will finish the guitar.
I am testing Chestnut Finishing oil ( thung oil based ) on a piece of that tamarind off cut.
I wonder if I can put some coats of shellac on top of that or poly wipe on from Crimson.
I could also just use Shellac. Any opinion guys and girls?
That was a lot of work for one weekend @koendb!
Ive got no experience of Shellac - I’ve only ever oil finished guitars, sometimes over stains. I did buy some Shellac many years ago, with the intention of trying it out, but never managed to find the time ...
Thats a common theme for me - never finding the time.
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Ive got no experience of Shellac - I’ve only ever oil finished guitars, sometimes over stains. I did buy some Shellac many years ago, with the intention of trying it out, but never managed to find the time ...
So I did try a wipe on poly and shellac, over an oiled piece of that top and back. The poly really is smooth, but does not deepen the color, while the shellac obviously adds a bit of amber color, each time you apply it. I also found that they work together, and dont seem to cause any issues, even if I combine the poly with the shellac. so I definitely will oil the guitar, and then finish off with shellac. Not sure if the poly adds anything for me.
so I definitely will oil the guitar, and then finish off with shellac. Not sure if the poly adds anything for me.
I'll be interested to see how it looks before and after the shellac finishing, and your opinion on the feel of the finish too.
As I said before, I've not tried shellac before, but wonder whether it's something that I should experiment with ...
Online guitar making courses – guitarmaking.co.uk
I've used shellac a lot in furniture making, it's good stuff, very forgiving finish but I prefer applying it with a cotton pad carefully a bit like french polishing than brushing it on, I found with brushing it on no matter how careful you are you always get some drips in the odd spot. I like de-waxed shellac more because it's transparent and it's a great finish for light woods like maple and sycamore, holly, ash e.t.c. also really pops figured woods like nothing else and creates a more 3D effect.
I've used shellac a lot in furniture making, it's good stuff, very forgiving finish but I prefer applying it with a cotton pad carefully a bit like french polishing than brushing it on, I found with brushing it on no matter how careful you are you always get some drips in the odd spot. I like de-waxed shellac more because it's transparent and it's a great finish for light woods like maple and sycamore, holly, ash e.t.c. also really pops figured woods like nothing else and creates a more 3D effect.
I agree with everything you've said @tyreman.
I always use cotton pads and dewaxed blonde shellac flakes too. And indeed it makes everything pop.
@tv101 hi, I make my own from buying the flakes, have found liberon to be the best make, when made it usually lasts 6 months to a year. I buy it from amazon, I usually put around 3/4 alcohol to 1/4 flakes so around 3:1 ratio, and have a special jar that has PFTE tape wrapped around it to stop it leaking, usually shake it about every 10 minutes for the first hour then once an hour for the next few hours and leave it 24 hours before using, it also helps if you grind the flakes into a powder first.
I have never used pre-made shellac so can't say what the quality is like although I've heard liberon special pale french polish is good.
Thanks - that might be an easier (& cheap to try) entry point for me.
Online guitar making courses – guitarmaking.co.uk
Testing the alignment and installation of the Gotoh FR trem...
Woohoo everything lines up perfectly.
Next step, shave off a bit of the shim for the locking nut as the strings on the bass side are now a bit high.
Then I will do a fret leveling job and intonation...
