SpondonBassed Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 [quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1510049761' post='3403448'] And here it is with its first coat of varnish: [/quote] Be honest now... was it fully dry when you took that piccy? That wet look is making me amorous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roman_sub Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 delicious looking top :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 7, 2017 Author Share Posted November 7, 2017 Thanks, folks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 Jaw-droppingly, gob-smackingly gorgeous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 It’s like an iris close up. Really lovely, that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stearstree1304 Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Think you might have a name for the build there Andy - Iris. Nice observation by Pea Turgh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 (edited) It's like an iris close up. Really lovely, that. I see exactly what you mean, Pea Turgh In the meantime, the back has had its first coat of gloss: The neck will be left unvarnished - a tru-oil slurry and buffed neck has to be felt to be believed! The top and sides have had their second coat: I'm using standard Ronseal Hardglaze as usual. The only thing I've changed since they altered the formulation to save the polar bears, is that I now brush it on with an artists fan brush (the budget ones seem absolutely fine) rather than wipe-on. The formulation change started giving issues when I tried to add enough thinners to make the wipe-on approach work properly. The advantage is also that the new formulation does seem a little thinner anyway so brushing becomes feasible with the subsequent reduction of the drag on such a fine brush. Edited November 11, 2017 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Looking great...The way this is going I don't think you'll be able to give it away... Start thinking up your excuses now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 (edited) Looking great...The way this is going I don't think you'll be able to give it away... Start thinking up your excuses now... Ah....but remember it has a sister build...and that one is for me. Normal stuff, of course, my own one will always tend to take the back seat Edited November 11, 2017 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Just catching up with this build. The top has a nice portrait of a spaniel behind the bridge. Nice work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 [quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1510262596' post='3405214'] Just catching up with this build. The top has a nice portrait of a spaniel behind the bridge. Nice work! [/quote] So it does Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 [quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1510262596' post='3405214'] Just catching up with this build. The top has a nice portrait of a spaniel behind the bridge. Nice work! [/quote] He's right you know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 [quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1510263944' post='3405227'] So it does [/quote] Dilemma: If you point out the Spaniel image to the friend who commissioned the build, he'll never be able to unsee it. It will always be the 'Spaniel Guitar'. Personally I'm not sure I'd be able to resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 [quote name='Cato' timestamp='1510267993' post='3405267'] Dilemma: If you point out the Spaniel image to the friend who commissioned the build, he'll never be able to unsee it. It will always be the 'Spaniel Guitar'. Personally I'm not sure I'd be able to resist. [/quote] Ah...but I know where the Hannes bridge is going. Problem solved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 10, 2017 Author Share Posted November 10, 2017 (edited) With the slightly odd way I do gloss finishes, it's often a case of knowing when to stop. Sometimes trying to get from good to perfect actually makes it worse This isn't perfect - but in real life it looks pretty amazing: I've still got to do at least one more coat on the top and sometimes that means having to redo the back, but, failing that, this might be where I stop for this side Edited November 11, 2017 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 11, 2017 Author Share Posted November 11, 2017 And this is probably the final gloss coat on the top. It is dust buggy free but there are still very fine brush lines from a slightly 'draggy' varnish in spite of it being warmed a touch and using a very fine fan brush. Having said that, I'm pretty sure they will polish out once the coating is fully hard: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 14, 2017 Author Share Posted November 14, 2017 Onto the final tasks while the gloss varnish hardens enough to polish it up (about 2 weeks from last coat) The main one was levelling, recrowning and polishing the frets. Done I'm pleased the subtle figuring in the ebony still shows after the final treatment 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Oooh Lordy.... what a finish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 More still to do than perhaps it looks. In house builders terms, we are at the 'First Fix Snagging List' stage The pickups are in, with sparkly covers subtley dulled with some Tru-oil Conditioner (basically T-cut!) and gold adjustment screws working against bass pickup type foam buffers. The tuners are final-fitted. Snag list, so far not too bad. It includes: A couple of high spots on the frets Bridge is sitting a tiny bit too high (about 1mm). I don't want to slot the saddles so, instead, I will score round the whole unit and carefully chisel the required drop - only needed in the black saddle area as they individually flex a few degrees up and down from the gold base fixing base Number one fretmarker is off. Bugger. Teeny, tiny amount but it would bug me so has got to be sorted! Luckily, with an ebony fretboard it's an easy and invisible fix The fret ends (spherical) are too prominent. The fret ends are now well clear of the strings so I'll go for a more standard chamfer. The nut (still loose fit) is a bit high and, once I've reduced that, the truss-rod cover will need slimming a tad. Easy job. Other than the remaining jobs of magnetic catches, electrics installation, volute tidy up, strap locks and final polish that were already on my list, that should be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 That's exquisite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 That’s.......... a guitar! Oh no. Beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Awww, the spaniel has gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 1 hour ago, ezbass said: Awww, the spaniel has gone Just hiding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Did you say this is to be a showpiece for AJR guitars Andy? If not, I am sure you'd struggle to find a better example of your art. I'm waiting eagerly to hear news of how it sounds now. No pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 6 hours ago, SpondonBassed said: Did you say this is to be a showpiece for AJR guitars Andy? If not, I am sure you'd struggle to find a better example of your art. I'm waiting eagerly to hear news of how it sounds now. No pressure. Thanks But actually no - that's the sister build that is shaped like the piccolo bass. It's the same woods so should look pretty similar but with that one I'm going ultra-light and ultra slim. That one is progressing slowly in the background but will generally always be second fiddle time-wise because it's for me so there are fewer time expectations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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