17" Archtop Jazz Guitar finally starting it 5 years late!

[Kevin in California]

Thanks Jim

Okay
I can't call it done. But I can call it "strung up!"

I installed the tuners. I installed the end pin jack but didn't hook up the electronics. The finger rest with the pickup glued to it is attached to the neck. Strings are on and almost stretched to hold tune....along with the tail gut that holds the tail piece in place.

It actually sounds pretty good. Action is high and the bridge needs to move back a bit as the intonation is sharp moving up the frets. The tail gut is too long as it's shortened as much as it will go and is too far over the end of the guitar....for my liking. Stewmac sells one an inch shorter which should be just right.

My tuner holes somehow on the left side facing the guitar are about 1/16" farther in from the edge then the other side. Not sure how that happened as I THOUGHT the holes were the same distance before I routed and installed the binding.

So little things...oh and the neck is not glued on and the string tension pulled the neck heel up and away from the body about 1/16". I thought the dovetail was fitting tight but with all that string tension I guess not tight enough.
I'll have to address that. Perhaps when the neck is glued in it won't do that???? I don't know, first dovetail I've ever done.

So I'll leave it strung for a few weeks I think and play it. I don't play very well or much but hope to learn some "easy jazz" that I can manage to make sound good, for my own pleasure.

My plan is still to do a 4 color sunburst in the spring. That will also be my first so I hope I can make it look good.

I'm pretty happy with how it's turning out. Lots of fun making it and having a different experience in the build process then a flat tops like I've made.

More to come later when the finishing begins.

[Kevin in California]

By the way
I took this apart and reworked the dovetail joint. Got it tight again, and I was off center with the butt end so I adjusted that and got it all hunky dorry!

I may work the neck shaft a bit. I can slim up the curve at the heel and make a better transition at the headstock. My tail gut on the tail piece after stretching is too long, no more adjustment so I ordered a shorter one. I also got lighter gauge strings for it, think I'll like that better. Then I still need to wire up the jack and volume/tone control to the pickup and mount it to the underside of the pick guard.

I'll not string it up again until the finish is on. Next spring.

[Jim Ebert]

Kevin, I love this... but I really don't want to wait till spring:)

[Kevin in California]

Ha ha
Well the last guitar I sprayed in the fall and had to wait over winter to cure and then rub out the finish cracked. Now it was out in the unheated shop where temps got to freezing, so my bad. But I couldn't bring the guitar safely inside due to guests staying over winter. No place to store it.
Well anyway, I'm going to wait so you'll have to too. . I'd love to just get it done but I've got the same situation again this year.

[Kevin in California]

I did recarve the neck today. Took the shaft thickness down 1/8", relieved the heel curve a bit and shaped the headstock transition to a more pleasing and slimming shape. Much better feeling and looking now.

[Kevin in California]

Alright
The finishing has begun. I'll do my best and go slow, watch for runs, etc.
I haven't sprayed a hanging guitar in years.

So the booth is up in the backyard. Most of you have seen this before. 10 x 10ft patio covered with a tarp. 10 x 10ft pop up, wrapped in plastic tarp. It's worked well for many a guitar.

I'm hanging the guitar from paracord that pulls over the top cornice on the pop-up frame and hooks off to the side with two stopping heights. This will allow me to spray the headstock and neck, and lift up the body to spray the butt end. Then pull it up so I'm facing the body for a good horizontal spray. I have cushions under the guitar in case it falls!!!!!!

I just sprayed a 50/50 lacquer sealer coat. After about an hour dry time I'll wipe sand the surface and wipe it down with a lint free rag.

After that I'll spray the whole guitar with vintage amber rattle can from Stewmac.

Once that dries about 45 minutes I'll do a top coat of clear mixed 80/20. That will dry over night, and I'll dream tonight about how I'll apply the sunburst. I hope it's a good dream.

Here is the guitar with the vintage amber and a coat of clear over it. The amber really made the flame pop.

Tomorrow I'll wipe sand it and the start the burst with Tobacco brown. Still trying to decide my best approach

[Kevin in California]

Tobacco brown. Still trying to decide my best approach
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Kevin Sjostrand
Re: 17" Archtop Jazz Guitar finally starting it 5 years late!
Post Tue Mar 12, 2024 1:37 pm

Here we go!!
I decided to use some masks. I think it helped.

The brown went on pretty good started to get some spitting toward the end. I reheated the can but still got some. I can lightly sand those out.

When I removed the masks I had too stark of a line so I did my best to feather those out, which made my burst area a little wider than what I was thinking but all in all I think it will be okay.

I'm letting it dry an hour, then I'll lightly sand off the spits, overspray, and maybe even out the boarder.....

Then I'll shoot it with one coat of clear. After an hour of dry time I'll pull the masking tape and see what I've got.