My very first build a Prewar Dread

[TonyinNYC]

That guitar is looking mighty fine. By the way, Herman is pretty old.
Tony I don't dance, sorry. We have missed your presence.

I miss me too.

[Michael_K]

Hi all,

Well,

I am still finishing. I got a bad run on my final coat on the soundboard, and tried to sand it out too soon. So.....

I sanded it back to wood taped the back and sides and redid the top. I was out of Cardinal and I went to wood craft and bought some Behlen. The Behlen seems to lay down better out of this gun for me. I have my three coats 1 hour apart. So a few more days in the paint booth. I couldn't get that mahogany neck to stain where I liked it after pore fill, so I used some Behlen Jet Spray extra dark walnut to even out the darkness. The photo looks dark but no darker than my dad's D-45.

Live and learn. I was bound to make an error. So what did I learn that you all know but someone else might read?

Don't get in a hurry. Thinner coats are better than thick ones. and most importantly no matter how tempting it is to try to stop that run. LET IT DRY COMPLETELY before sanding it and best to spray the back facing up where you don't have gravity working against you.

That's what i learned, maybe someone other newbie like might self might read and save some time. Still I am happy with the final result. The Behlens is laying on like glass. Today in Houston the RH is VERY LOW, so no retarder needed.

Hope you all have a great weekend,

[Herman]

Ya Michael, That's the way things go. Over time I learned it also the hard way. I spray 20! very thin layers and let it dry over 4 weeks. Patience is the key in finishing and there are now shortcuts. But you will succeed, keep going.
And Kevin, do not hijack. (I'm not pretty old, but slightly old and pretty.) Sorry Michael.

[Tim Benware]

I've been wandering around looking for a fiery dance partner.
When I'm not on my phone, I'll post more. It's late and I'm tired.

He LIVES!

[Michael_K]

Getting closer. Fretboard done. Frets installed.. Dry mock up before setting bridge.

Thanks for looking,


Mike

[John Parchem]

looking sweet!

[Michael_K]

Well,

Good news and bad news. I got her strung up. She sounds really good. The tone is good as any Martin very well balanced and articulate. I havent buffed the finish but the top finish was about .015 thick. SO I am sure I will get a little more responsive. When you "dig in" she is way louder than my D-35MP. The intonation is good. I measure that 50 times before I set the bridge.

The bad.... The neck angle was enough off to bother me. Pesky dovetail. The action is a tad to high at the lowest setting and a slight ski slop on the extension on the low 6 where it frets out from 12-14. I never play that area on the low E on the acoustic. But I can't leave it like this.

So..... a neck reset I will do. Lesson learned. My luthier friend, Neil Sargent in Houston who is the best setup man in the business while fine setting up for me, said "Mike, the first one is the worst one. I got her playable but I know you and you will pull the neck.


Lesson learned. "Follow one set of instructions."

I used 2 sets. Ken's and another kit sellers who sold me some braces on sloping the top. I think it would have been a little better had the radius not been so short on the x bracing. But my error all the same. I got over excited and pulled a "Leeroy Jenkins"

If you don't know Leeroy Jenkins, look up on you tube. My kids showed me. It made me laugh. 44,000,000 you tube hits.



Good thing I haven't buffed the finish yet. I wanted to give it another 7-10 days before I added the pick guard.

So I will play it for a few more days, until the steam needle gets delivered.