Special Edition Build-Off - Cedar P

[Jerry Guest]

The stuff I'm using was reclaimed almost 20 years ago; I believe the house it came out of was from the '50s.

You should be good to go, then. If you believe it is too soft, go down to Home Depot and get some "Rotten Wood Restorer". It basically fuses all the loose grain together. I've used it before on really soft lumber I've put on tops and even bodies I've done over the years and it demonstrably adds brightness to the build. Softer woods, tend to sound "muddy" on some instruments. I have always used a harder subtop on my untreated softwood tops, such as Spalted Maple, to add sustain and brightness to a build. My usual choice is Purpleheart. It has a Janka range of about 2700. Around 1/8" will usually do under a 1/4"-3/8" top. Try it sometimes. Hey, you may even like it.
Cheers

 

[BishopJP]

All good tips, thanks!

 

[Rabidhamster]

I like that top a lot!

Looks like eyes and a nose from A woodpuppy. Awesome!

 

[Jerry Guest]

All good tips, thanks!

Here's a 4 string build from a few months ago. It's a Spalted Maple top with a Purpleheart subtop over a White Ash body core. I carved the neck from Canadian Sugar Maple (harvested in Dec. 2006). I wound my own pickups on this one. My own version of 2 band electronics, 9v, Dean Markley SR2000 Pro strings, high mass bridge, Gotoh OEM Tuners, bone nut, black knobs & Gotoh Strap Locks. I'm pretty happy with it.
Cheers

 

[BishopJP]

Here's a 4 string build from a few months ago. It's a Spalted Maple top with a Purpleheart subtop over a White Ash body core. I carved the neck from Canadian Sugar Maple (harvested in Dec. 2006). I wound my own pickups on this one. My own version of 2 band electronics, 9v, Dean Markley SR2000 Pro strings, high mass bridge, Gotoh OEM Tuners, bone nut, black knobs & Gotoh Strap Locks. I'm pretty happy with it.
Cheers

I like the sub-top idea, I can see using that in the future. One more trick to add to the bag!

 

[BishopJP]

Clamp-henge

Out of the clamps, and into the fire!

This is my test piece for the planned finish; Fire Burst!
Torched, wire brushed and oiled, making a blackened to natural burst. Theoretically...

Poor guy doesn't know what's in store for him! Blissfully unaware.

 

[BishopJP]

I am posting this question in both of my current build threads, for anybody who may be looking.

I am planning to use zebra-wood for the fretboard; due to the light color of the wood, will I need to use a hard finish to protect the wood from staining, as you would with maple?

 

[Dark Horse]

Clamp-henge
View attachment 3800549

Out of the clamps, and into the fire!
View attachment 3800550 This is my test piece for the planned finish; Fire Burst!
Torched, wire brushed and oiled, making a blackened to natural burst. Theoretically...

View attachment 3800551 Poor guy doesn't know what's in store for him! Blissfully unaware.

Firebursts can be super cool. I did a “barnwood” fireburst tele a while back... can’t find pics of the finished guitar but I found these pics of the body. Sorry for the crappy quality. Anyway, I also bursted the sides by shooting flames at 45 degree angles to the edges ...

Don’t know if this gives you any ideas, but maybe…

 

[BishopJP]

@Dark Horse That looks great! Kinda what I had in my mind, hope mine turns out as well.

 

[TrustRod]

I am planning to use zebra-wood for the fretboard; due to the light color of the wood, will I need to use a hard finish to protect the wood from staining, as you would with maple?

A hard finish or an oil finish. Something to keep the dirt out.

 

[Huw Phillips]

I looked into ebonizing a while back and plan to have a go, I thought this may be of interest to someone Ebonizing Wood | WoodWorkers Guild of America

 

[BishopJP]

Routed neck pocket and pick-up cavity. Not a traditional P pickup, but it's what I had it on hand.

Not sure if he looks more surprised or hungry?!

Nom, nom...

Slotting the fretboard, using my high-tech miter box...

Fretboard is in the clamps, waiting for me to get off work.

 

[El Rabino]

Very fancy build!

Side note: Red Cedar is definitely stable enough for a solid body. I own a Red Cedar Ritter R8. It is extremely lightweight, smell great and sounds amazing!

[This invalid link has been removed]

Jens put on a distressed finish. It really dents quickly.

 

[BishopJP]

Very fancy build!

Side note: Red Cedar is definitely stable enough for a solid body. I own a Red Cedar Ritter R8. It is extremely lightweight, smell great and sounds amazing!

[This invalid link has been removed]

Jens put on a distressed finish. It really dents quickly.

Hey, thanks!

That Ritter is sweet looking!

As for the finish, once I'm finished torching, wire brushing and accidentally dropping tools on it, the finish will be plenty distressed!

 

[BishopJP]

This bass got the same neck treatment as my other build...
Headstock thinned, neck tapered, side dots, etc.

Drilled the back of the tuner holes. The tuners for this build use the press-in bushings so the tuner holes will be a larger diameter when drilled from the top.

Headstock shape is not quite there, needs some refining.

Couple questions for anybody who has tried this, I am considering grain-filling the fretboard...
What are the pros/cons of doing such?
What product would work for that?

 

[MPU]

I'd use epoxy for fretboard pore filling. I see no pros or cons, you either fill it or not.

 

[BishopJP]

I'd use epoxy for fretboard pore filling. I see no pros or cons, you either fill it or not.

Wasn't sure if pore-filling wenge would take away some of the character, make it look like plastic. But I suppose, once finished, the color variations won't be that noticeable in this application, anyway.

Hadn't thought about epoxy. Would you add color or leave it clear? Thanks!

 

[MPU]

Wasn't sure if pore-filling wenge would take away some of the character, make it look like plastic. But I suppose, once finished, the color variations won't be that noticeable in this application, anyway.

Hadn't thought about epoxy. Would you add color or leave it clear? Thanks!

Clear epoxy would be fine. Sand the fretboard so that there's epoxy only in the pores. That way it does not feel and look like its plastic. Personally I like wenge because of those pores. Feels and looks like unfinished wood.

 

[BishopJP]

Not much progress that is photo worthy, mostly sanding and shaping the neck. I did have one small hurdle...

Despite my best efforts, I could not get a low enough angle to drill straight into the control cavity. I was definitely in danger of going straight out the back!

I used a 5/8" forstner bit, drilled from the cavity to intersect 1/4" hole from the opposite side. Hard to see in the picture, but it worked!

Huzzah!

Now I just need to fix that chip-out where the screw hole will be.

That's all for now, thanks for looking!

 

[BassUrges]

Wasn't sure if pore-filling wenge would take away some of the character, make it look like plastic. But I suppose, once finished, the color variations won't be that noticeable in this application, anyway.

Hadn't thought about epoxy. Would you add color or leave it clear? Thanks!

I thought I replied to this a long time ago but apparently not.

I have done a number of projects where I literally poured plastic (bartop coating) over pretty wood. Also I had a guitar stand finished with thick automotive poly by a friend.

My experience is that yes, it looks plastic. BUT—I have also found that a level sanding at 400 grit and application of old-fashioned floor wax looks AMAZING. It’s kind of in between matte and satin, but to my eye the wood figure “floats” to the top.

It’s hard to capture in a photo, but here is a Go board I made for my son. There’s at least 1/16” of literal plastic over that pine.

I am working on some test scraps of wenge right now but results are pending.