New build – “Mary Kaye” Stratocaster
I’m building a Stratocaster using this beautiful one-piece ash body from GuitarBuild.co.uk. It is made from Phil’s special order only premium wood stock and weighs just 3½ pounds. I’m expecting the finished guitar to weigh in at about 6½ pounds (about 3kg). This premium wood might cost a little more but this is one of the nicest [...]
Read MoreGold top lacquer is go
I thought I’d share some photos of a Goldtop finish that a customer has sprayed with my Gold top lacquer. Here is what he said: “I must say that Goldtop Lacquer was incredible, quite possibly even better and more in keeping with the original 50′s Goldtop than gibson now spay their guitars with, it came [...]
Read MoreLa Cabronita Build
I’ve recently finished this La Cabronita style build, using yet another body from GuitarBuild.co.uk. It’s pretty much Fender specification, down to the USA Standard Stratocaster hardtail bridge, pearl button tuners and of course, TV Jones Powertron pickups. Rather than the S1 switch, I have used a normal push-push pot to bring in a tone circuit [...]
Read MoreVintage “Lemondrop” Refinish
The owner of the Vintage Lemondrop guitar that I upgraded some time back asked me to refinish the top. Thinking that the finish would be thin and strip easily, I agreed. I discovered however that the finish is thick, tough and difficult to remove. I stripped the top over a couple of weeks and probably [...]
Read MoreMore on preparation – sanding sealer and using an index coat
I’m building myself a “La Cabronita” style guitar in black, with a very nice one-piece alder body from Phil at GuitarBuild.co.uk. I can’t stress enough the need for thorough preparation for a guitar finish to turn out well. Black lacquer is very reflective and shows every defect, so it is especially important here. Sanding sealer [...]
Read MoreVan Halen tribute guitars
I received an email from a customer who has used my lacquer create tributes to a couple of Van Halen style guitars. Here’s what he wrote: Hi Steve, I finally finished my Van Halen guitars, painted with Nitrocellulose lacquer that you supplied. I attach a couple of pictures, as I promised I would when they [...]
Read MoreDistressing my Butterscotch Telecaster Body
More as an experiment than anything else, I decided to have a go at relicing the body I finished in August. I based my techniques on the TDPRI article “How To: Relic Your Guitar“. The first job is to add a few knocks and scrapes. I dropped a set of keys on the front and [...]
Read MoreFinishing an alder Telecaster body in metallic lacquer
Preparation Finishing alder is much easier than painting an ash body as the wood is more tightly grained. The reduction in finishing costs is why Fender used alder bodies for their solid colours and sunbursts from the late fifties. As with any wood however, preparation is absolutely fundamental to achieving a good result. If you [...]
Read MoreMy recently made butterscotch Telecaster is not for sale
Will experiment with a relic treatment on the body instead. Here is the distressed Telecaster body. Here’s how I distressed the lacquer. I’ll distress the ice blue metallic Telecaster next. I gifted the butterscotch Tele to Pete (him with the freezer). Hoping he’ll let me freeze more guitar parts soon…
Read MoreFinishing an Ash Telecaster in Butterscotch nitrocellulose lacquer
I’m often asked how to spray a butterscotch guitar body so thought I’d put together a bit of a tutorial. Please note that I do not offer a refinishing service. The body I’m using is by Guitar Build who offer a range of CNC machined guitar bodies. I’m very impressed with the accuracy of the shape, which [...]
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