Andyjr1515

Hi, John The reason the sealer / filler helps (or you can just add extra coats of the Tru-oil) - and the sanding steps, is that it allows a true gloss finish to develop much quicker. Otherwise, the grain will continue to show (which is what some people like, of course) and it will look more like an oiled finish rather than a gloss varnished finish. I've done both ways, to be honest, and been pleased with both - they are just different. Keep up the good work! Andy

Hi, John I use Birchwood Casey Tru-oil...available from all good gun shops! It is used to do the gunstocks of shotguns and therefore also readily available over the internet. The thread you saw earlier details how it is applied (very easy, though a b****r to get the final coat dust free). Birchwood Casey also do a sealer filler which dries clear and fills the grain pretty successfully. In very brief, I do a generous brushed coat of the sealer/filler, let it dry (you can sand the sealer filler while it is still wet and the mush will pretty successfully fill the larger gaps), sand back down to the veneer, then apply a number of coats of Tru-Oil, letting it dry fully and sanding gently with 1000 wet n dry in between (I apply it with my fingers - but read the datasheets just in case that will send me to an early grave!). After about four or five coats, you end up with a high gloss finish. This stuff REALLY brings the grain out! It sets touch dry in around an hour but takes about a week to fully harden. It will never be anywhere near as resilient as poly or nitro, but is very easy to repair and can be kept shiny with a Wax polish that Birchwood Casey also sell. The other great thing is that one small bottle of Tru-oil (around about £4.00) can do at least two guitars!

Whoa! That's truly stunning - and it will look even even better when the varnish gets into that grain!

Parts arrived - just got to sort when I can next make Chelt / Glouc. I'll have a look at the old diary and PM or call over the next day or two to find out when you and I are both in the same place at the same time.

Hi Allparts do one - any good? Their stuff is usually top quality, fit-for-purpose and these are pretty cheap [url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/electronics/250k-pots/stacked-concentric-pot-250k250k-metric-p-4072.html"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/electronics/250k-pots/stacked-concentric-pot-250k250k-metric-p-4072.html[/url] Hope this helps Andy

Hi You have termed it as orange peel but described it as crazing "Then after a week the orange peel starts!! Its 'crazing'. Since they sit there for a couple of weeks with no ill effect and it only starts after the final buff could the T cut be reacting?" Orange peel is usually due to too thick or a chemical reaction and is a bobbly finish like the skin of an orange. Crazing is usually due to the shrinkage of the coating - literally splitting it into lozenge-shaped islands of glaze. Usually that is to do with the lacquer having too high a shrinkage compared with its bonding, or continuing to cure and shrink after it has hardened to a brittle state. This is usually a characteristic of the lacquer itself and therefore trying different lacquers on some test pieces might sort the suitable ones from the unsuitable ones. On pottery glazes, this is deliberately done to produce what is called 'crackle glaze' finishes. The reason that acrylic is often better for avoiding this is because it remains 'stretchy' for longer. The down side is that it never cures quite to the hardness of solvent based lacquers. Hope this helps

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1319402067' post='1413786'] Cool! Which ones did you order? One stereo barrel thingy and one normal one? I'm in Gloucester, will that be an issue at all? [/quote] Yup - one stereo barrel (EP-0152-000) and one mono standard (EP-0055-000). Sourced them from Allparts [url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/electronics/jacks/14-inch-long-threaded-barrel-input-jack-switchcraft-152b-stereo-2-p-2906.html"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/electronics/jacks/14-inch-long-threaded-barrel-input-jack-switchcraft-152b-stereo-2-p-2906.html[/url] This is the Spector site - they don't yet sell them directly [url="http://www.spectorbass.com/accessories/misc.html"]http://www.spectorbass.com/accessories/misc.html[/url] Gloucester's no problem. It will probably be week commencing 7th Nov if that's OK I'll PM closer to the time Andy

On order (and don't worry if you change your mind - I can always use these) at total £8.50 I'll be in touch Andy

Hi, I think I've tracked down the right ones for both - they will both be Switchcraft (IMO the best quality) and shouldn't cost much more than £12 for the pair. I've got to place an order with that supplier anyway, so will add those on to save you the postage. I'll be in touch next weekend with an indication of when I can get across next to Chelt Andy

I'll find out exactly what it is you need and contact you sometime over next week / weekend Andy

Hi How urgent is your need? I visit Cheltenham quite often (we have a main factory there) and could do it for you but it might be a week or three before I'm next there during an evening Happy to do it for free. Andy

Sawdust mixed with a hard setting glue (eg superglue or epoxy) can work well. I personally wouldn't use PVA because I find it a b****r to sand (it can remain very plastic) - but that might be my technique! However, I do find with the darker colours of woods, the result can sometimes be lighter than the original and, preferably, the fill should be slightly darker. The best commercial filler I've found is Timbermate (sold in UK as Metolux) 'Premium Joiners Grade 1 Part Wood Filler'. It comes in various colours, but also as 'stainable', where you just mix in your stain into the paste to make it the colour you want. There are some good Youtube video clips of it (search under Timbermate). I recently used it to fill some dark walnut and used Camp Coffee as the stain - bit of a mistake as it took ages to set but my guitar is now visually gap free and smells just like a good like a good cup of Starbucks

I think I saw a thread on this one - is it hollowed out with a laminated thru neck and thick, chambered, laminated cocobolo wings? Just a guess It is indeed a beaut. Anyhow, I reckon you could get something pretty close-looking with veneer - it would just need a bit of vigilance and searching on the internet to get the right size and bookmatch. Why not give it a go? More than happy to [s]heckle from the wings [/s] offer ongoing hints and tips Andy

Great road(ie) test

You mean like this? [url="http://www.slhardwoods.co.uk/Products/Veneering-Veneer-Packs-CocoboloVeneer-14881.aspx"]http://www.slhardwoods.co.uk/Products/Veneering-Veneer-Packs-CocoboloVeneer-14881.aspx[/url] I've never used it (or this particular supplier), and I'm not sure how the bookmatching would go, but these sheets are plenty big enough for a bookmatched bass

For what it's worth, I agree with all of the above. Our band progressively started using small Behringer mixers etc after one or two of us tried out their pedals and other items - nothing we couldn't live without, just in case. Now our whole sound (bar the drums) comes through a Behringer Mixer Amp (Europower PMP6000 - absolutely fabulous) and we are just about to ditch our Yamaha speakers and upgrade to the 'cheaper' Behringer ones. I've built pedals myself and recently looked under the bonnet of a pal's Behringer distortion pedal - they use tiny, tiny components that should be c**p. That said, it has been 100% reliable and sounds MUCH better than an extremely expensive Blackstar valve job at around 5 times the price and whose slightly weird (16v AC), newish, well-cared for, power supply packed up in the middle of a gig. Might be luck of the draw but...well, it makes you think... I think the only thing to be aware of is that the equipment is generally not built like the proverbial tanks that some manufacturers achieve and therefore they can't be thrown around by roadies; p****d or p****d off band members; adoring fans jumping onto the stage; etc; etc in quite the same way as some of the others.

[quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1319192098' post='1410983'] You're a gent sir. Duly noted and having a gander as we speak. Your Ibanez GSR200 on your website. I've just had what I believe the victorian referred to as a "crisis" of the trouser area. THAT'S what I'm talkin' about baby !! Sorry, turned all Nooyork there. [/quote] I've used Camp coffee in the past as a woodstain and also Quink ink - but never thought about using c**p . It works for leather, so.... The Ibanez was my first attempt - came out great. I left the veneer cracks showing which radiate out from the centre. What is surprising is that it looks like a carved top now when it is clearly a flat top. It was sold to a Nepalese Buddhist who plays bass in a heavy metal band who was 'spiritually drawn' to it. Just got to find a few more of those kinds of customer and I could make a fortune....

Hi I agree with Jondeeman that it needs stripping down to see if the body is cracked (which I suspect it is ) I did a thread last year of tips and tricks about veneering that might be helpful [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/142149-veneering-an-ibanez-gsr200-tips-tricks/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/142149-veneering-an-ibanez-gsr200-tips-tricks/[/url] I've done quite a few - both basses and 6 strings - ( see www.ajrguitarmods.co.uk ) and it really isn't as hard as it looks (although there are the aforementioned tips and tricks that make all the difference) Shout if you have any specifics you aren't sure about - whatever it is, I've probably already done it, got it wrong, started again and then found out how to get it right Andy

Looks pretty good to me One tip someone from this site gave me which worked well (forgotten who...but thanks anyway) was to pop a chrome pick-up ring around the pickup - hides all the scratches and dints and looks very professional! Other than that, I agree with Liam - it's the sound that'll be the winner Andy

Hi, Nibody Sorry to hear of your bad experience - we've all had them from time to time, but thankfully they are the exception rather than the rule. Have a peep at my website ajrguitarmods.co.uk - I would be happy to discuss if you want a particular look and sound to see if I can be of any help. I'm almost certain I could get a cadbury's purple and blue sunburst look. I do it more as a hobby than a business so it might not be anywhere as expensive as you might think...all but the body finishing would be at cost only. PM me if you are interested and no probs if you aren't Andy

[quote name='bassman2790' timestamp='1318769330' post='1405939'] I've got most of the paint off now. Still not sure which way to jump as regards the finish. It would be a shame to hide the grain [/quote] Stain (almost any colour) and clear varnish would still show the grain through like a good old trans-red / trans-blue, etc

How's this coming on, Mark?

[quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1318689445' post='1405258'] aah yes. That dust is a bitch. [/quote] It certainly is . Mind you, it all cleaned up and polished up nicely - the chap I did it for was (phew!) delighted with it By the way, I found another useful household item - 'Camp' liquid coffee (you know, the one in a bottle your mother used to make coffee cake with) - great to mix in with Timbermate stainable wood filler and I reckon would make a pretty good antique stain in its own right. Anyone want to offer their beloved bass as a guinea-pig?

I LOVE Teal on a guitar . Did one one on a (wash my mouth out) 6 string a couple of years ago and it's still one of my favourites - what will you use to stain it?

Hi To be honest, the ink absorbs so well and the colour is so strong that an even finish isn't a problem. I just use a piece if rag pulled round into a ball, give it a good soaking and then just smooth it on. Each coat deepens the colour and evens out any variations. Mind you, best to wear the Marigolds! The strat just needed two coats, one straight after the other.