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Old 12-28-2012, 10:31 AM   #1
jmckeown88
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Building a Guitar - Help me decide a finish

So I've been dreaming of building my own "super strat" for awhile and finally decided to take the plunge. I've owned a suhr and a tyler in the past, so they both greatly influenced my specs, etc.

So after lots of research and looking about, here's what I ended up with...

USACG Body - Med-lightweight Alder, top routed for HSH

USACG Neck - QS Roasted maple, IRW fretboard, 22 frets, 1.650 nut, .870 "C" contour, 10-16" compound radius, 6100 frets.

I've got hipshot locking staggered tuners, hipshot contour trem, and plan on going with two Suhr ML Standards and an SSV+ in the bridge, 1v, 1t, 5 way, and a series/parallel switch for the humbucker.

I finished the neck in gunstock oil, so now all that's left is to finish the body and assemble. I started with deft sanding sealer, 3 coats then sand with 220, did that 3 times, then I started primer. Initially I was going to do a "dip/swirl" finish...

Here was the idea:



I then did a "test dip" on a piece of wood, it came out pretty sweet - the little light blue/white patches are where there was some wax/oil residue on the wood - I didn't do a good job of prepping it.



Any way, in the middle of all of this I was looking at car stuff and stumbled across this:



and I thought, hey - it'd be cool if my artistically gifted wife could do something like that on my guitar... so she made this in like an hour with sharpies...



So I decided to do that instead and the priming/block sanding continued.

Fast forward to today. I'm block sanding away, alternating between gray and white to see low/high spots, etc, and this come out:







I think it's pretty cool in a "tyler bacon," "rat-rod" sort of way...

This is in no way intended to be a "relic" so you don't need to tell me the wear is in the wrong spots or doesn't looked "real" (I already know that) ALSO I know I'm not the first to think of sharpie guitar - its been done before too.

What do you all think? Would it be cool to do my wife's design over the current look? Would you go solid color behind? If I go solid color, I'm torn between white and gray (and if gray how dark of gray)....

Any thoughts?
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Old 12-30-2012, 07:48 AM   #2
BigJohn
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actually some of that sanding pattern does look 'natural' - depends on how up and tight you hold your guitar, right?

Not being a guitar player myself, that may have just come out of my ass...LOL...

anyway - I like the 'sharpie' idea, but I'd rather see it lacquered, I think... perhaps done in colors...
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Old 01-11-2013, 01:03 PM   #3
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Since you seem to be willing to put a lot of effort into this and are willing to experiment, the obvious answer, to me at least, is to try out several different approaches.

Take your scroll/band saw, cut out several guitar template with it, sand smooth with a mechanical sander, paint with all choices, and have her decorate the alternative guitartemplates.

A much easier solution is to go to a scrapbooking store, find sheets of paper that look like the finish you want, or use water color paints to get the texture. Then scan the prototype drawing, and print it on paper samples.

Don't use sharpie. Get a refillable art pen, fill with black aniline permanent art ink, and IMO, maybe use a two part epoxy finish.
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Old 01-11-2013, 01:51 PM   #4
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Just saw this thread Jon. I really think I like all the options minus the red look, but that's because I don't like red and it looks too much like the Tyler PB&J...we both know there will be another like her. lol.

That being said, if you go with Kirst's design, I think you should upgrade the material (and you may already be planning that and I'm taking it too literal). I wouldn't put such hard work into the guitar only to 'sharpie' it. I don't know what the other options would be though.

Either way, looking good bud!
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Old 01-11-2013, 04:07 PM   #5
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Good recommendations from all - if I do the "sharpie" finish I'd use an actual sharpie, but it would get cleared over - so it looks really professional.

I'm leading on trying the sharpie method first - perhaps over a DARK grey and a matte finish.... To be continued...
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Old 01-21-2013, 03:26 PM   #6
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I guess it's go big or go home right?

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Old 01-22-2013, 08:14 AM   #7
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nice.
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Old 01-22-2013, 05:06 PM   #8
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Hey All,

So my partscaster is nearing completion, and my wife has done a killer job with the graphics on the strat - now I just need help choosing a pickguard! What do you all think? I'm not sure I'm digging the mint - anyone able to photoshop in some other options? FYI it's a rosewood board.

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Old 01-22-2013, 07:37 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmckeown88 View Post
Hey All,

So my partscaster is nearing completion, and my wife has done a killer job with the graphics on the strat - now I just need help choosing a pickguard! What do you all think? I'm not sure I'm digging the mint - anyone able to photoshop in some other options? FYI it's a rosewood board.

Hmm, kind of difficult to pick a guard for that. Maybe stark white? I agree the mint looks a little dingy, but I can't come up with something better. I'd like to see white, black, maybe something random and funky?
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Old 01-22-2013, 07:38 PM   #10
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Also, Kirsten did a great job, it looks really good man.
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