| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic Project almost completed
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Project almost completed
Alan Michael

 

From:
Winston-Salem North Carolina U.S.A.
Post  Posted 29 Oct 2012 12:19 pm    
Reply with quote

Hi Forumites.....I'm just finishing up my first console build using mostly components supplied by Mr. Boards. It has been a fun project and believe me I have a new found respect for all you builders out there.....this turned into a very time consuming and detailed endeavor. Now, I can glue up boards and route cavities and stain and finish. But when it comes to electronics I'm like a deer in the headlights. So George, if you or anyone else could help me understand how to wire this thing up I'd be forever grateful. I'm dying to see how it sounds.




View user's profile Send private message
Iestyn Lewis


From:
Georgia, USA
Post  Posted 29 Oct 2012 12:42 pm    
Reply with quote

Love a blue guitar! That is nice looking. It is amazing how time-consuming it is, isn't it? When I get to the end of a build I'm not even sure where all the time has gone.

Looks like you've got a mini-switch to coil-tap that humbucker? I find this site usually has the diagram I need to wire up any configuration:

Link to Guitar Electronics.com website.

Specifically, if that is a mini-switch for a coil tap, this diagram should work for you:

Link to guitar wiring diagram.

Don't forget to run a ground wire to your bridge.
_________________
Iestyn
http://facebook.com/trcguitars
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Alan Michael

 

From:
Winston-Salem North Carolina U.S.A.
Post  Posted 30 Oct 2012 5:12 pm    
Reply with quote

Thanks Iestyn.......I bookmarked that page for future reference. And thanks George, that was super helpful. It's all wired up, strung up, and guess what....it all works and sounds lovely with the Alumatone, but my playing sucks. Oh Well
View user's profile Send private message
Greg Cutshaw


From:
Corry, PA, USA
Post  Posted 30 Oct 2012 6:09 pm    
Reply with quote

Nice finish!!!!!!!!!! but then I am a sucker for blue guitars.


Greg
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
Mike D

 

From:
Phx, Az
Post  Posted 2 Nov 2012 3:56 pm    
Reply with quote

That thing looks really familiar....
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
norm mcdaniel

 

From:
waco tx
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2012 5:59 am     Blue Guitar
Reply with quote

Alan that blue guitar is absolutly great. What kind of dye or stain did you use. Inquiring minds need to know. Thanks in advance.

Norm in Waco Very Happy
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Tom Pettingill


From:
California, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2012 8:01 am    
Reply with quote

Looks great Alan ... a true blue can sometimes be tough on maple. Often the natural amber / browns in maple can shift the color more to the Teal side of the chart.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Alan Michael

 

From:
Winston-Salem North Carolina U.S.A.
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2012 10:25 am    
Reply with quote

Thanks for all the kind words guys. Here's my recipe. I used liquid dyes from StewMac mixed with denatured alcohol. I primed the maple with just denatured alcohol and then dyed the whole guitar black. I did this before I joined the body to the neck blank that I got from George Piburn. I then sanded it back down to the natural color of the maple which of course left the flame accented. Two coats of straight blue liquid dye mixed to the StewMac specs really brought out the grain. Then I glued the pieces up and did a French Polish ......shellac flakes dissolved in denatured alcohol. This was difficult because all the curves and contours would cause runs and unwanted buildup of the shellac that would have to be wet sanded before the next coat. On occasions I would accidentally sand through the finish and into the stain so this would have to be touched up.....the stain and shellac were very forgiving and the touch ups blended in nicely. The French polish really brought out the depth of the flame but it is time consuming. The control plate was cut from a piece of koa with just shellac. I was pleased with the results since it was my first project but I might get someone to shoot a nitro finish on the next one.

Tom....I was concerned about the blue being compromised by the natural color of the maple but I ran a test on a leftover piece of the body before I committed. I didn't really know what I was doing but I researched the staining process pretty well and probably had a little beginners luck. I'm going to try a six string version next, also in flamed maple but with a challenging yellow to orange to red sunburst. My long term goal is to eventually make all the pieces and get a finished product that looks half as good as the "Angel" you built for me.
View user's profile Send private message
Russ Cudney


From:
Sonoma, California, USA
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2012 8:45 pm    
Reply with quote

Looks good to me. Me likey blue...
_________________
1958 D8 Stringmaster, 1958 T8 Stringmaster, 1955 Q8 Stringmaster (in basket), 1949 Gibson BR9, 1953 Silvertone, 1957 Harmony H4 (yeah the cool black pearloid one), 1947 National Princess, 1969 Shobud S10 3X1
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron