Abranet does not wear nearly as fast as sand paper or Abralon. Abralon for sure wears pretty fast. Abralon is the soft backed sponge- like disc, Abranet is the screen like material.
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Winter Buildoff 2022: Still A Diva
- Thread starter TerribleTim68
- Start date
I think Abranet is the one I mean, the circular mesh screen stuff. I found it cuts really well for a while, then dulls, but thats true of any sandpaper. I was using it on water based Varathane Ultimate, dont know if thats relevant. I ended up up ordering more of it. The "old" screens are still usable, almost like going up to finer grit, they just dont cut as fast.
I like the big fat truss rod cover as a visual counterweight to the big fat volume knob.
You know that's what goes through my mind every time I see a Warwick or other similar design instrumentMaybe, mimic the headstock shape... stain it green... and glue on some googly eyes?
View attachment 4555644
Sorry.... I'll show myself out.
. Also tuners tilted towards the body looks like it's melting. (highly biased personal opinion alert
)
Screwless magnet attach sneakiness?
The shape looks right, I think it just needs to be ensmallurated. I second the hidden magnet.
Yeah, but then I'd have to source magnets and the wife is already starting to complain about the budget. 
I probably should have bought her some $500 shoes or something.
I probably should have bought her some $500 shoes or something.
Some one told me (don't remember who) that small magnets can be had at Home Depot.Yeah, but then I'd have to source magnets and the wife is already starting to complain about the budget.
I probably should have bought her some $500 shoes or something.
I'll probably look for them when I go there to get wipe-on poly. I also need some more sanding supplies.
Nothing is gonna happen with the truss rod cover until I have tuners in hand. I want to be able to see where everything is in relation to each other. for now, it's a "rough-cut". And who knows, I could scrap it all together and start over too.
I'll probably look for them when I go there to get wipe-on poly. I also need some more sanding supplies.
Nothing is gonna happen with the truss rod cover until I have tuners in hand. I want to be able to see where everything is in relation to each other. for now, it's a "rough-cut". And who knows, I could scrap it all together and start over too.
This looks fantastic!!! I have gotten my magnets from Home Depot as well and then work great. Just remember to check the corresponding polarity before you attach them.
I am still reading through the whole thread, but just wanted to mention on the subject of wipe-on poly, you may be happier in the end with a variation of it... that being wipe-on varnish that you can make yourself (using supplies you can also get at Home Depot!). I've also had good luck with General Finishes Arm-R-Seal. Both are great options, and I've found that they are a little less plasticky looking and warmer than the Minwax wipe-on poly.
Lonnybass
Thanks!
Looking at the General Finishes Arm-R-Seal, it looks like it's intended to be a satin finish. How well does it buff up to a high gloss?
I've actually used the gloss version of Arm-R-Seal a number of times...Rockler carries it among other retailers. Actually, the claro walnut bass pictured in my avatar is finished with the gloss version of Arm-R-Seal. Honestly I think you would be way happier with that approach than Minwax wipe-on, especially with that topwood.
I wouldn't use anything labeled satin - best to use gloss only, and then buff out to your desired sheen. You can go from gloss to satin but you can't go the other way. Let me know if you have q's!
That's cool how the FB grain has an eye right where the PU is going.
Opening The Eye -
Okay, with pickup and template in hand, let's cut a pupil, shall we? This one was a bit sketchy, but it seems like everything I do is sketchy, so whatevz man. Let's just do the dang thing. This one is a bit tricky, because the stupid fretboard runs right through your pickup neighborhood. Like, literally right down main street, through the avenue and around the block. So we need to do some tricks here. Pay attention @RichterScale, you'll be here soon enough! First thing we needed to do was get our template raised up off the surface of the body so that it is above the fretboard. Get out the supplies, employ "The Trick" to some spacers and the the same to the template and we have this rig -
Yeah, that doesn't freak me out AT ALL dude! Okay, deep breathes. Do the usual, hog out the bulk over at the drill press with the Forstner bits -
Come at it with the plunge router and the cool little workhorse Amana pattern bit and we have a pickup cavity that is super duper snug. Like, snug but not bound up. This thing was sa-weet! -
Yeah dude, that's boobies. It literally couldn't be any tighter without being too tight.
Only one problem though, it really isn't deep enough, and I don't own a bit that can get down in there any deeper. See, the problem is, I could step down a teeny tiny touch farther, but then the bearing of the bit slips "under" the template in that little gap between the bottom of the template and the top of the body. This build is just FULL of unique challenges. We're calling them challenges over here, because the other words will get me banned from the forum. Anyways, it's gonna take some chisel work to finish this cavity up like it needs to be, but that's fine because it'll be way down in there where nobody will see. I'm not super worried about it, as long as the top looks like that, we're all good in the hood over here.
Okay, let's do a quick mockup, because why not? -
O.....M......G!!!! Sexy!!!!
Like, for reals y'all, what a beauty! But, who can spot my problem? Did you see it? Yeah man, that's where my bridge needs to live, all the way back there. I kind of got the body wings a bit too far "forward" and didn't leave enough space back at the tail end. I mean, not that I can't overcome it, it'll work, I'm just not totally happy with the retainers being right up against the bridge like that. So yeah, we got some thinking to do there. Or we just live with it, I dunno. I don't know that it's a major deal, I may be over reacting here.
Oh yeah, the wife says the giant knob is dumb and she says she is veto'ing it. I may have a fight on my hands.
Edit To Add: FYI: my wiring channel ended up directly under the Delano script on the pickup. Not bad rookie, not bad.
Okay, with pickup and template in hand, let's cut a pupil, shall we? This one was a bit sketchy, but it seems like everything I do is sketchy, so whatevz man. Let's just do the dang thing. This one is a bit tricky, because the stupid fretboard runs right through your pickup neighborhood. Like, literally right down main street, through the avenue and around the block. So we need to do some tricks here. Pay attention @RichterScale, you'll be here soon enough! First thing we needed to do was get our template raised up off the surface of the body so that it is above the fretboard. Get out the supplies, employ "The Trick" to some spacers and the the same to the template and we have this rig -
Yeah, that doesn't freak me out AT ALL dude! Okay, deep breathes. Do the usual, hog out the bulk over at the drill press with the Forstner bits -
Come at it with the plunge router and the cool little workhorse Amana pattern bit and we have a pickup cavity that is super duper snug. Like, snug but not bound up. This thing was sa-weet! -
Yeah dude, that's boobies. It literally couldn't be any tighter without being too tight.
Only one problem though, it really isn't deep enough, and I don't own a bit that can get down in there any deeper. See, the problem is, I could step down a teeny tiny touch farther, but then the bearing of the bit slips "under" the template in that little gap between the bottom of the template and the top of the body. This build is just FULL of unique challenges. We're calling them challenges over here, because the other words will get me banned from the forum.
Anyways, it's gonna take some chisel work to finish this cavity up like it needs to be, but that's fine because it'll be way down in there where nobody will see. I'm not super worried about it, as long as the top looks like that, we're all good in the hood over here. Okay, let's do a quick mockup, because why not? -
O.....M......G!!!! Sexy!!!!
Like, for reals y'all, what a beauty! But, who can spot my problem? Did you see it? Yeah man, that's where my bridge needs to live, all the way back there.
I kind of got the body wings a bit too far "forward" and didn't leave enough space back at the tail end. I mean, not that I can't overcome it, it'll work, I'm just not totally happy with the retainers being right up against the bridge like that. So yeah, we got some thinking to do there. Or we just live with it, I dunno. I don't know that it's a major deal, I may be over reacting here.Oh yeah, the wife says the giant knob is dumb and she says she is veto'ing it. I may have a fight on my hands.
Edit To Add: FYI: my wiring channel ended up directly under the Delano script on the pickup. Not bad rookie, not bad.
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Oh yeah, the wife says the giant knob is dumb and she says she is veto'ing it. I may have a fight on my hands.
Just point out that it's a metaphor for yourself, being a giant knob and all
Got your back, bro!
