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First Build, Performer Copy
- Thread starter mapleglo
- Start date
Bass is looking great btw. Anyway, Deft does take longer to cure than most other nitrocellulose lacquers (and some debate that it never fully hardens--IMO "final" hardness of different finishes ambiguous anyway). It's important to note that pretty much all nitrocellulose lacquers are different. Yes, Deft will take probably 4 weeks to harden for you to be able to wet sand and polish. It may take longer. On the other end, Sherwin Williams LOVOC hardens for polishing in about 3 days (but it does not come in rattle cans). They're both considered "nitrocellulose lacquer." So, Deft is a fine product if you're not in a hurry and you understand the limitations--just like everything else.
It seems that the standard recommendation is to wait 4 weeks for the nitro to fully cure, so that's what I was expecting. I bought 3 cans, and with my discount, it came to about $25.00, so I think that's a fair compromise between cost vs. cure time.
And thanks for your kind words
Also, after some measuring, it appears the pickup corners are a 1/4" radius, so I don't have to buy another router bit. I'll probably make the template and cut the pickup cavities right around Thanksgiving. I'm hoping to have sound this weekend.
And thanks for your kind words
Also, after some measuring, it appears the pickup corners are a 1/4" radius, so I don't have to buy another router bit. I'll probably make the template and cut the pickup cavities right around Thanksgiving. I'm hoping to have sound this weekend.
In general, Deft had a worse than average reputation among guitar finishers.
It has a reputation for taking longer than average to cure and even staying gooey forever under certain circumstances.
I'd choose Minwax black or Reranch instead.
It has a reputation for taking longer than average to cure and even staying gooey forever under certain circumstances.
I'd choose Minwax black or Reranch instead.
Because of the mixed reviews about the Deft lacquer, I just put in an order with StewMac for 4 cans of their clear lacquer. I just don't want to take a chance. Perhaps I'll use the Deft for a different project.
Hopkins
Commercial User
Strange, Deft is my favorite rattle can lacquer. I have also had good luck with Rustolium. Minwax was not so good in my experience. I have never used ReRanch, but I'm sure its great.
I did my first guitar body by spraying thinned Deft brushing lacquer. It took about a month to pass the fingernail test IIRC. But, yup, just checked--it's pretty hard. I've not used the SM or Reranch stuff. None of the rattle cans actually.
I ordered them from Classic Amplification - http://classicamplification.net
These are the replacement Rickenbacker style pickups.
So laying out the pickups in the real space-time continuum yields these results. Due to the 24 fret neck and the deep cut of the lower cut-away, the neck pickup is about 1 1/2" from the neck. The bridge pickup is placed about 1 1/2" from the bridge - that's mostly due to where my right hand likes to use the pick as it rests on the bridge. That leaves about 1 5/8" between the pickups. Is this going to be too close together?
Template pickup openings we're slightly too long, so I'm gluing up a couple of pieces of laminate to size. I think I'll let that dry and go get ready for my Thanksgiving feast at the steak house.
Template is done, so I centered it on the bass, and drew the outlines.
On to the drill press to get out as much wood as possible. There's not a lot of relief on that table top drill press, so I had to do some of it with the hand drill.
I started to lose the light outside, so I'll wait until tomorrow to clean it up with the router. Just another procedure to make one last terrible mistake
By the way, the website I'm using to host the images changed something over the last couple of days, Let me know if the last set of images isn't loading for you.
On to the drill press to get out as much wood as possible. There's not a lot of relief on that table top drill press, so I had to do some of it with the hand drill.
I started to lose the light outside, so I'll wait until tomorrow to clean it up with the router. Just another procedure to make one last terrible mistake
By the way, the website I'm using to host the images changed something over the last couple of days, Let me know if the last set of images isn't loading for you.
Started routing at first light.
After the pickup locations were cut, I drilled the cable holes. That was a little bit scary as I had to guess the angle to drill for the bit to come out in the pickup route.
Pickup locations routed, and cable holes drilled to the pickups and to the bridge for grounding.
I figured I'd string it up to make sure the pickups were deep enough (I could have made them shallower, it turns out), and to see if I could get sound out of it.
I'll have to dig up some alligator clips to hear it. I don't want to start soldering as I'll just have to de-solder everything for paint.
After the pickup locations were cut, I drilled the cable holes. That was a little bit scary as I had to guess the angle to drill for the bit to come out in the pickup route.
Pickup locations routed, and cable holes drilled to the pickups and to the bridge for grounding.
I figured I'd string it up to make sure the pickups were deep enough (I could have made them shallower, it turns out), and to see if I could get sound out of it.
I'll have to dig up some alligator clips to hear it. I don't want to start soldering as I'll just have to de-solder everything for paint.
Talk about timing. Just as I posted the last update, the dogs next door started barking, indicating someone they didn't know was approaching the house. It was the Fedex guy, delivering supplies from StewMac. In theory, I could start finishing today, but I was planning on making a paint stand out of 2x4's, so I'll wait until I can go to Home Depot with my husband.
It's alive, and sounds amazing! I can't wait to finish it.
I made a couple of spacers for the pickups to keep them at the correct height, and will glue in the nuts so I can screw them down. Didn't take pics of that process, though it took a good part of the afternoon.
