avengers63 Posted November 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 We thought the one on the right was the winner too. FWIW: The middle had no black stain at all, the right & left both did. The left was sanded back more than the right. TEST FIT And for those who might be interested, here's how I did the input jack. From the last progress report, you can see that the hole didn't fit the contour. I'd still rather it not have happened, but it worked out OK in the end. I gotta say this - I'm getting better at this. Everything lined up perfectly the first time. I'm quite pleased. Now I disassemble and start the staining process. Tonight is the conditioner/wash coat. Tomorrow is the black. MAYBE Wednesday will be the green, but maybe not. We're having the family over for Thanksgiving, so I'll most likely be doing a lot of cleanup. I've kinda destroyed the basement and it needs to be clean for everyone to come over on Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anderekel Posted November 25, 2008 Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 Have you thought about grain filling with black epoxy and then doin' a green stain? that should accentuate the grain better. Just a though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted November 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 (edited) Have you thought about grain filling with black epoxy and then doin' a green stain? that should accentuate the grain better. Just a though. 1) Don't have any. 2) No experience with it. 3) Not spending any more money on stuff like that right now. It's not a bad idea though. Edited November 25, 2008 by avengers63 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted November 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 I started sanding back the black stain before I took some pics, so the front was half sanded at this stage. That black stain is really unforgiving of all the minor scratches and less-than-perfect sanded areas. That just means more between-stain sanding I guess. It actually looks pretty good as-is. In a little bit, I'll do the green stain. I'll have some pics up when it's all on & rubbed in real good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmth Builder Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 That would look sweet as it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted November 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 While it was all put together I strapped it on. It IS pretty comfortable. I haven't wired it up yet, so I still can't say what it'll sound like. I was having some issues with the green stain today. It was really blotchy. I'm afraid I may have sanded through the conditioner/washcost. I may have to sand it all the way down and start from scratch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted December 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 I decided to sand it back and start over. The green got real blotchy and just didn't look good. So I took some 120 grit and went to town on it this afternoon and something pretty cool appeared. The black is still in the deepest parts of the grain, but it's highlighted with green. It shows up just a little bit in these pics, but it's really evident in person. This is why we need to be fluid in our designs and plans. Neat things like this happen totally on accident. I'm going to clean up the sanding and leave it like it is. There are some places with some green left that really should be sanded "clean". It'll be a matter of sitting down with some sandpaper and meticulously going at it by hand. I think in front of the evening football game tonight sounds like the perfect time. After that - lacquer. Then again, the shellac made for a really nice finish on the Avenger prototype. Maybe I can lay it really thick and buff it out to a mirror finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guerrilla Radio Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 I decided to sand it back and start over. The green got real blotchy and just didn't look good. So I took some 120 grit and went to town on it this afternoon and something pretty cool appeared. The black is still in the deepest parts of the grain, but it's highlighted with green. It shows up just a little bit in these pics, but it's really evident in person. This is why we need to be fluid in our designs and plans. Neat things like this happen totally on accident. I'm going to clean up the sanding and leave it like it is. There are some places with some green left that really should be sanded "clean". It'll be a matter of sitting down with some sandpaper and meticulously going at it by hand. I think in front of the evening football game tonight sounds like the perfect time. After that - lacquer. Then again, the shellac made for a really nice finish on the Avenger prototype. Maybe I can lay it really thick and buff it out to a mirror finish. That looks really cool, so I agree with leaving it clean like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted December 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 It's all been buffed out and polished up. The shellac shined up really nice. BUT.... Before I post any pics of the whole thing, there's a problem. I triple-checked the wiring, and it all looks right, but it isn't making a sound. Here's a couple of pics of the wiring cavity. PLEASE tell me what you think it might be. Hardware right angle 3-position switch 1 volume pot 1 tone pot mono output jack 2 P-90 pickups From the angle of the pics, here's what's going on: Hot Wires Bridge pup wire runs around perimeter of control cavity. Lead wire to bridge pole of 3P switch. Neck pup wire runs behind 3P switch. Lead wire to neck pole of 3P switch. Both pup wires are held down with black electrical tape. Interior poles of 3P switch soldered together. Attached wire connected to pole 3 of volume pot. Pole 3 of volume pot to pole 1 of tone pot. Pole 2 of tone pot to cap to back of pot. Pole 2 of volume pot to outer ring of jack. Ground Wires Outside braid of both pup wires to volume pot case. Ground pole of 3P switch to volume pot case. Pole 1 of volume pot to volume pot case. Volume pot case to tone pot case. Bridge to tone pot case. Tone pot case to inner sleeve of input jack. So.... what's wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chops1983 Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Hey avengers. Try guitarwiring.com they have got all the different ways to wire up a guitar with 1,2 or 3 p/ups. Here is a link to the two p/up page: http://guitarelectronics.zoovy.com/c=7STWh...ickup_diagrams/ Just look for the options that suits you and click on the red description and a wiring diagram will pop up.Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 If it doesn't make any sound in ANY of the 3-way toggle positions, then you have a short circuit to ground in the signal path from the switch to the jack. Check for wires that may have dented and could be shorting to ground. Check that the braided wires are not shorting anything along their path. Specially around the exposed blades of the switch. For this configuration I usually wire it differently (to minimize the risk of braid short circuits: I run the pickup wires directly to the switch, and wrap the braid of both together with some normal wire that I solder to the grounding lug of the switch. I try to keep these wires short. If you don't want to cut them just coil them and wrap them in the empty space of the cavity where they will not short to anything. Then from the switch lugs I run the hot and ground wires to the volume pot, and then wire the tone pot and jack as usual. I don't quite like that long pickup wire going all the way around the cavity. That is a potential cause for short circuits, and even ground loops. Hope it helps. BTW: the black and green stain really came out great !! And good idea about the jack. Is that a Tele type jack in there ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted December 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 I got the sound issue figured out. The hot post on the jack was touching some shielding. Once I dug it out everything came to life. And good idea about the jack. Is that a Tele type jack in there ?? Thanks. Yea, it's an electrosocket. Recessing the jack was a total mistake. After I rounded the edges, I drilled for the jack hole. When I drilled it out, the edge was thinner than the diameter of the hole. Once it was done... Well crap. Too late now! All that was left was to smooth it out and make the jack fit and look as good as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted December 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2008 All done! :D http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...inished/f01.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...inished/f02.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...inished/f03.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...inished/f04.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...inished/f06.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...inished/f07.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...inished/f08.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...inished/f09.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted December 24, 2008 Report Share Posted December 24, 2008 Very nice !!!! That finish came out great, congratulations !!! (and Seasons Greetings !!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPA or death Posted December 25, 2008 Report Share Posted December 25, 2008 I like that finish too, real nice look. Not that it would have bothered me for your guitar to be green , but that is much prettier imo. Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmth Builder Posted December 25, 2008 Report Share Posted December 25, 2008 Very nice guitar! Personally, that headstock doesnt fit the guitar, and the neck joint is too square, AANJ FTW!!! otherwise great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted December 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2008 (edited) I'm working my way up to the All Access Neck Joint. I had to look that one up. In reality, my hands are so big I don't have ANY issues with a thick neck heel. I can't argue that it'd look better, but I just don't need it. And I'm hoping you're meaning For The Win, not F*ck The World. Edited December 25, 2008 by avengers63 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ae3 Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Cool, the finish looks like what Rhoads56 did with his 8-string multiscale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted December 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Cool, the finish looks like what Rhoads56 did with his 8-string multiscale. Now THAT is high praise indeed. Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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