KR250 Consolidated Build Thread

[KR250]

Creating a consolidated thread for current/past/future builds.

Past builds:
http://www.sevenstring.org/threads/second-guitar-black-limba-bb-multi-scale-7.302968/
http://www.sevenstring.org/threads/kr-build-3.307819/
http://www.sevenstring.org/threads/kr-build-4-7-string-maple-burl-ash-rosewood.319693/
http://www.sevenstring.org/threads/kr-build-5-evertune.321449/
http://www.sevenstring.org/threads/kr-build-6-neck-through-4-string-bass.325219/

Current work:

Calling this one "build #7", for a friend. Quite a few challenges, a few flaws, but turned out within expectation.

Specs:

8 String neck through
Evertune Bridge
Hipshot tuners
Stainless frets
Bareknuckle Juggernaut pickups
3 way toggle, Seymour Duncan "Liberator" volume knob
27" scale
Buckeye Burl top
Ash wings
Wenge/Purpleheart Neck
Luminlay side dots
Black Tusq nut
Brite Tone gloss finish

Final pictures first, working back:

 

[KR250]

Painting the wiring channels with conductive paint to connect the cavities.
Drilling out the Evertune saddle to accept up to a 90 gauge string.

 

[Bunkatronic]

Wow, man these look incredible! Your 2nd build thread has been a great read for me just starting my first build.

 

[LiveOVErdrive]

Holy wow that is beautiful. I don't know what kind of dye job you did on that wood but it looks amazing.

 

[KR250]

Probably left a lot of details out.... I used the Stew Mac water based dyes. Took a bit of trial and error, but I did a sealer coat first, then grain filler, then sealer, then dye, then top coats. I found it tough to get the color to blend perfectly on top of the sealer, so next time I'll probably do it directly on the wood instead. The top is very lightly colored, and the back is done much darker, including the neck.

 

[KR250]

Left this one out. I made the cavity plate a bit thicker, so I counter suck magnets on both the plate and the body. I had trouble with them adhering to the top of the plate of my last build. The liberator is the smoothest volume pot I've tried yet (CTS, Alpha).

For those wondering how the back plate comes off.... my buddy said there wasn't much need to get in there, so we decided that the toggle could be unscrewed from the top and pushed through to pop the plate off. Not the best way, but keeps the back cleaner which is what he wanted.

 

[LiveOVErdrive]

Can you do a step by step of your finishing process? That looks amazing.

Sealing, spraying, sanding, buffing, etc

 

[KR250]

Can you do a step by step of your finishing process? That looks amazing.

Sealing, spraying, sanding, buffing, etc

This one had a lot of mistakes and re-do's (3 times through - started with brushing then went to spraying), but this is what I'm going to do for the next build which should be more consistent using water based finishes (Crystalac). Some of this may be unnecessary and could be condensed down.

1. Zpoxy filler for any voids (mix in color or bits of sawdust as needed) - Use a heat gun to remove any bubbles. Usually have to do this step a few times.
2. Sand to 320 or 400 - keeping epoxy only in the voids
3. Spray 1-3 coats of sanding sealer - has an amber hue, not as much as oil based though
4. Sand with 400
5. Apply grain filler - brushed
6. Sand with 400
7. Spray 1-3 coats of sealer (step may be not necessary - top coat/dyes probably fine over the grain filler)
8. Sand with 400 - very lightly, but finish should be near perfect as posibble
9. Apply color/dyes - Going to do this between step 2-3 next time direct to the wood and skip steps 8-9 here
10. Spray a very light coat of top coat gloss - I found some of the colors bled when I did this step with a brush. Spraying should be better, just a light mist to lock it in.
11. Spray a new coat every 2-4 hours depending on temp. I used a hanger and went over every surface twice per "coat". Good amount of material but not enough to run
12. let it dry for 24 hours (beauty of water based finishes!) technically it only needs 4, but overnight just to be safe.
13. 13 Start sanding at 800 grit, no coarser (I had a ton of scratches I couldn't get out when I did 400 with a not perfect surface). This is where I could have done this build beter, and make sure every surface is totally matte. I left a few glossy spots in a few sections fearing I would cut through without enough top coats)
14. Sand with 1000 grit, move to 1500 then 2000 (I had bad results with micro mesh - finish would build up under the pad and scratch the surface)
15. Use a medium polish/buffing wheel - I bought the cheap stew mac ones that fit a drill
16. Use fine polish/buffing wheel - Try and get all the scratches out with the polish
17. Automotive wax with a micro-fiber.
18. Put it under the light, sit back, have a beer and admire your work

 

[Bunkatronic]

Amazing dude, thanks for the detail! That evertune looks crazy to install. I had no idea they were so big. Did it come with router templates?

 

[KR250]

Amazing dude, thanks for the detail! That evertune looks crazy to install. I had no idea they were so big. Did it come with router templates?

I bought the templates from Evertune, way easier than trying to make one.

 

[Defyantly]

It's builds like yours and all the other skilled luthiers on here that make me both terrified and excited to start my first build! Hell of a guitar man!

 

[KR250]

Ok, on to the next project. This one is a personal build so I'm pretty excited and motivated to get it done. I have all of the wood and hardware ready to go.

Specs:

Style: 7 string Set neck
Scale: 27"
Bridge: Evertune F model
Tuners: Hipshot open tuners - 4 bass/3 treble
Pickups: Instrumental SFTY3 (I tried these in build #5 but swapped them out. Trying in this one to see if it's a better fit)
Electronics: 1 toggle, 1 volume
Body: Mahogany - 1.75" Same shape as last couple
Top: Amboyna Burl - some kind of blood burst (black outer, red inner)
Neck: 5 piece Wenge/Rosewood w/scarf joint
Fret board: Macassar Ebony - luminlay on side dots (I might try the DIY powder instead)
Head Stock: Amboyna laminate and black burst - logo?
Nut: Black Tusq XL
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo SS
Truss Rod: Spoke wheel at neck pocket
Finish: Brite Tone gloss

Neck glued up. I had thought about using purpleheart, but decided on the Rosewood I had which was similar thickness and better color scheme I think. Saving the PH for more neck throughs.


New Jig for doing scarf joints on the band saw. Still had to do some cleanup after the cut, but not bad. I can tilt the table and cut a compound radius if I want to do multi-scale. I can dial in whatever neck angle I want on the miter thingamabob. Clamp it, then push it through.


Cut and planed the headstock piece before gluing the scarf joint, using nails (drilled first) to locate it. I decided against adding more decorative laminates in the joint and tried to get the pieces as perfectly lined up as I could. We'll see how it comes out once I carve it. So far so good.


Body and fretboard. Spent a while trying to get all the right woods to compliment each other.


And the top, it looks like the inside of a lung with more finish on it. Top right corner has a marked section for the head stock laminate.


This is how it was advertised with finish:

 

[MikeNeal]

not a burl fan, but that one tickles my fancy

 

[MoonJelly]

All burls are not created equal, but that is a good one.

 

[KR250]

Made a bit of progress on the neck and slotted/shaped the fret board. Still debating if carbon rods are even needed on this one. Neck is super stiff, but not yet shaped.

 

[Bunkatronic]

Looking great dude! can't wait to see how this one pans out

 

[KR250]

Got ahead of myself and did a step out of order, routed the neck pocket before gluing on the top. Oops. I went a little deep, so now I'm going to try and turn my mistake into a "feature" by laying some of the top wood as an exposed shim when carving the neck heel. Top is glued on now, and center lines are really close.

Hoping to move to the finish line quickly on this one. Still to do is figure out how to do a proper "blood burst" finish on the top. The Mahogany back looks great as is, probably will leave it as is or slight gray wash.

I did manage to save a piece of the top for the rear cavity plate, pictured below next to the head stock laminate.




Deciding on how much material to show, then will glue in and trim.


I painted the channels with conductive paint again before gluing up the top to ground all the cavities.


Added some rubbing alcohol.

 

[MikeNeal]

looks great as always.

 

[Defyantly]

That headstock plate is rather tasty!!!

 

[KR250]

It's coming along now. Hoping to get more done on the neck tomorrow.

Shim glued in, neck pocket routed. Got it about where I want it. Need to do a mock up and double check neck angle before I glue it in.


Started the bevels on the top. I use a 45 router bit to get a clean line for the depth, then use shinto rasp to bring it further in to the body.


Rounded over the back side, and did the beer gut cut. Really digging the Mahogany grain. Slight hump near the back I need to sand out, not sure if I planed the back side or just the top. Could have been an artifact of planing though.


Fret board glue up. I also did luminlay side dots before this step.


Using a piece of the top burl for the rear cavity plate. Mostly shaped, still need to route the body for it. Took a long time to figure out something that would complete the burl. Now the burl gets to compliment the back side.