GuitarGuy

yeah ive used flex add on plastic bumper covers and such, but what a lot of prople dont understand is that after the paint fully cures out the additive stops working, its mostly just for installation of the plastic parts right after painting, the paint wont stay flexible for long

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Good to know. Thanks.

Nitro shrinks as it cures and you get cracking there too. Its inevitable. Like I said 5 years and running. In fact my friend's silvertone I painted in 97 is still kicking with no blemishes that were not caused by him. (it pains me to watch him handle a guitar)

Edit: Just occoured to me that there is a plasticizer (i know thats spelled wrong) that you can add to clear that makes it flexible. It's for the rubber bumpers and fenders on cars today.

Try www.guitarpartsusa.com

cheap single coils for 10 bucks and they hav humbuckers for cheap as well

thank you! cool man the pics kinda small, so i couldnt get a real good look, im guessing by seal you mean like a primer sealer?  if so a clear just over the woods probabaly out of the question huh....is it a good idea to use some type of transparent wood sealer and go over that with the poly? man i appreciate your help......thank you

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It will work directly over wood. You can actually use it as a sealer. The grain will stand up and after a sanding the second coat will gloss out. No problems 5 years later.

This was originally a strat neck and was stripped and contoured. Any places where it was over bare wood was indistinguishable after the sand and second coat.

Clearcoat over bare wood

Teflon tape for pipes. Still a band-aid fix tho.

I have access to CAD and im pretty good using it (2 yrs of a highchool course).  Is that the best way to design a guitar... i try sketching... but im so bad at getting the curves right its embarassing.  Or is there any other method of making a template that you guys wanna share?

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The spline tool is the way to go for curves. What I do when im trying to make a design is first draw a single coil pickup to scale. Then bring in a picture of the guitar type i want to start with. Size that picture until the pickup on the picture is the same size as the pickup you drew to scale. Then draw a spline curve around the outside of the body shape. Hopfully that gives you a basis for design. The rest is your imagination.

There are cad templates for various pickup routes on my web page.

They're made for under 2 part automotive urethane finishes. They are water based and have to be sprayed in very light coats. But yes to you're question it should spray fine.

Thats not to say it wont work under lacquer. Haven't tried it under lacquers personally.

Anyone else tried it?

Yeah yeah I know, I can use my brothers respirator in weekends, which I'll do, but trust me, I've been exposed to MUCH worse things than industrial poly, MUCH worse. Can I Hear ya say, BIOLOGICAL PESTICIDES!!! Containing things such as antifreeze, and chemicals I cant even remember the name of cos there so long.

Edit: Any major health problems I get during my lifetime, I can just sue the government for. I doubt I'll win, But if enough people do, like agent orange and all those things, eventually somebody will win, they messed with our whole city.

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Man you aint seen nothin till you've seen someone go through chemo. The question is can you get out of bed to sue the governemnt.....Or maybe you die during the bone marrow transplant. One of the friends my dad made during his stay in the hospital died 2 months after her transplant. Just somthing to think about.

Not only do the two pack paints have solvents and airborn particulates, they have iso cyanates that an organic filter respirator will -not- stop.

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So does CA glue.....oddly enough people use more of it on here than anywhere. All the more reason to do it outside if possible.

I used 2 pack industrial poly without a respirator, I'm still good. I'm just having to take a week or so off while my throat recovers.

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Bad Idea. My old man has multiple myloma.....bone cancer basically. It is caused by solvents and airbore particulates. So be very careful and protect yourself. Its like safe sex dont be stupid.

I've tried this with scallop shells. (very much like MOP) Utter waste of time. Don't bother. Buy it.

All it takes is one pissed of nieghbor with that stench or one dead cat/bird to get the EPA on your @ss. Sorry, I don't live in Canada. In America there's hardly any space to spray outside(over populated).

It would be kinda funny to see your neighbor in a white suit, reposrator and gloves outside though

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I can see the neighbor thing in a city but then again spraying with a gun is no different than spraying aerosol. The amount of material sprayed is the same. If you have a big cloud around you, you're probably spraying with too much air.

You bring up a good point about spraying outside...overpsray. Take note of what is downwind.

Any book by Craig Fraser. His explanations are clear and concise.

Check out www.airbrush.com

And airbrush action magazine has some good stuff too.

Yep, nothin really faster than 2 pack poly or polyester. If you are REALLY looking to be impaitent, then be willing to invest a load of money for a spray booth, compressor, gun, ventilation, ect. If this is a one time thing, wait it out with lacquer.

Sucks doesnt it?

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Why is this such a popular misconception. You can spray 2 part automotive outside. (this depends on local laws) But if you're going to color sand anyway you dont need a booth. Use a fast hardener and a fast reducer and you can get good results without bugs or anything in the finish. Protective gear is a must. Proper respirator and gloves and a suit is a good idea. But the main danger with eurethane finishes is not the paint itself ith the cleanup afterwards. Getting paint thinner, Lacquer thinner or reducer or any petrolium based liquid for that matter on your hands is BAD. It soaks right through your skin. Always wear gloves and a respirator when CLEANING UP and painting.

The hardware on that site is marginal.

The pots and switches work well. Knobs are exactly the same as OEM.

Ironically the size and knurl pattern on their string thorugh ferrules and stew -macs are identical. (among other parts)

Like he said you get what you pay for. A lot of the chepos you find on ebay are the same stuff.

Drak, that blue epoxy with the spalt is sick! One of those "happy accidents". Looks awesome.

With all the different responses. It would appear to me that it does not matter what you pot them with. Everyone seems to have a different answer for the same problem and epoxy encased is still out there as well. All you are trying to do is stop the coils from moving.

Just my 02.

So then what if I'm going to use this bridge?

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailp...ail_Bridge.html

I didn't see it listed on the stewmac fret calculator...should I assume it's the same as the other non-trem strat bridges?

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That would be the massively adjustable straight accross bridge that thedoctor was refering to. Measure from the nut to the high E at 75% out toward the neck. (i.e. 75% of its travel forward)

Make sure the wax is not above 150 degrees, 20% parafin 80% beeswax mix

I've used straight canning paraffin (Gulfwax), and even bayberry scented candles in the past without issues - why is beeswax important? Some beeswax won't even melt below 150ºF! Don't you think it's a lot more important to mention that one should never heat wax over an open flame than to recommend a specific blend of wax?

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I think the idea of the beeswax is to crank up the melting temp. I have used just paraffin and the guitar sat in a shop window for an afternoon. The paraffin melted in the sunlight and ran down the front of the guitar. Ever since I have used a 70-30 blend of beeswax paraffin blend respectively. Then again I haven't put a guitar in that situation again either, but I think that is the idea behind it.

I finish pretty quick......err.....nevermind.

Hey guys.. I got an old guitar that I'm 'refurbishing' for a friend as a wedding gift.. It's not a really expensive nor valuable guitar, more sentimental than anything.. Anyway, some of the parts on the Floyd Rose bridge have gone a little rusty and worn (such as the saddle locking screws).. I was thinking of spray painting them back to their original black..

I'm not too familiar with Floyd Rose bridges (never really liked 'em) so I was wondering if this would cause any harm or damage to the bridge or the guitar.. I can't imagine how it would hurt but you can never be too careful.. Thanks!!

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It will come off. Powdercoat or chrome is the only real thing that stays on good. Eastwood Co. sells a powdercoating rig but I've never used it personally. When I get one I'll write a review for everyone.

Ok I found it , heres the link. looks real easy.

http://europa.spaceports.com/%7Efishbake/strat/truss.htm

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Thats a sorry lookin truss rod. And for 8-20 bucks is it really worth it...

Keep in mind the resistance can change as you wind. If there is too much/too little tension. The wire can be drawn thinner and therefore have a higher resistance. If your are experimenting a counter gives you an accurate gauge wheras resistance is a little more variable.

Frank, what did you do for a counter? Without a way to measure inductance or counting the winds, its pretty hard to get winding right, from what I've read.

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make one from a calculator or a pedimeter (kellogs acually)

Counter

With that picture I realize I haven't been listening enough to what you are saying, im sorry.

The round holes are easy, drill them out a little larger and plug them with a dowel. Just insert the dowel far enough so that it reaches the thickness of the top and then cut flush.

The pickup routes are a different story. Is it solid underneath them?