FINALLY I am starting another build after 2 years off.

[John Parchem]

Looks great, I picked the first pickguard but the red one looks good as well. I have been unhappy with being able to get pick guards. I always liked tor-tis pickguards but I do not think they are made any more.

[Herman]

Nice !

[Kevin in California]

I will take some pictures in the morning as I set up my new spray booth and begin spraying this guitar with sanding sealer tomorrow, and then the first coats of nitro lacquer on Sunday. The temperatures are going to just barely be acceptable to start.....67 tomorrow and 68 on Sunday. The inside of the booth should be a couple of degrees higher as it will be set up outside in my backyard in the sun.

I only had to pore fill the honduran mahogany neck and the rosewood binding and trim. The body is maple, the top is redwood, the head stock plate is ebony and the backstrap is maple.

I'm looking forward to getting to this part of the build and seeing the birdseyes and abalone pop!
Some pics tomorrow.

Kevin

[Kevin in California]

Okay so I got my new spray boot set up put up and it worked out great. For the last 10 years I've been using a wood knock down frame 6' x 6' x 7' tall wrapped in plastic and it worked out great too, but the frame parts was getting tired and weathered so I needed something new. about $50 total for this new one and easy to set up and take down.

I was able to get two good coats of vinyl sealer and 4 coats of nitro lacquer sprayed. So far the guitar is looking good. What is usually exposed when the first few coats are sprayed are littlt gaps here and there, and so it goes with this one. I tried SO HARD to get all these before spraying. Mostly there are some small low areas in my abalone purfling. Again I tried and thought I had this all filled and leveled, but I do see some low areas where the lacquer sunk in so I'll take care of those this week before the next spraying session. I can do that for 3 weeks which is a shame but this coming weekend, too cold and raining, and the following weekend I'm out of town. Oh well.
I might level the finish before spraying again since it will have some cure time. My plan is to spray 8 more coats, but I may stop at 6 if all looks well. I always have to level after the last session anyway. I've never been able to get a smooth level end result. It must take lots of practice. This is my 12th guitar spraying lacquer.
So here it is in the booth and hanging in the shop after.

[John Parchem]

Looking great. I to try each and every time to get all of the gaps before starting to spray the top coat. I have not been successful at it yet.

[dave d]

Long time, no see! Looking good there Kevin.

[Kevin in California]

I just finished the spraying this past weekend. Got a total of 2 sealer coats, and 13 finish coats. These were all nice heavy coats, and the last two I thinned the lacquer 30% and got a fairly leveled surface.
Of course wet sanding to level is still necessary but this might be my best surface after spraying yet.
I will let body and neck hang for a month, then finish it up in April. Looking forward to having it done....been 3 years since I finished one.