Finishing a Flame Maple Tele (56k warning)

[DMRACO]

1st point...THAT THING LOOKS FANTASTIC!!!!!  AWESOME JOB.  GOTM territory for sure.

2nd...I am a little concerned about the finish...you say you are using Deft...I assume the nitro stuff.  Two cans gave you only three coats?  WOW.  Spraying nitro CANNOT be done too slowly...or too thin.  I think most would recommend 1-2 thin coats a day.  If you sprayed it that quick it will take eons to cure.  If you go to sand too early...it will get all gummy.  I would hate to hear you ruin a great looking finish.  I got some good advice from Jackthehack and Tonar a while back...take you time.

I will say the deft you can work a little faster with but you still need to be carefull.  I would let it dry for a good month in a well ventilated area before sanding.  Then try a small spot on the back.  After you sand and re-shot...use thin coats.  I recently did an entire guitar and neck with 2 cans...over 12 coats on the project...

Good luck and keep up the good work....

[CtheHammer]

I say two cans because I have two run down cans after the spraying however that is between both the body and the neck, plus the usual overspray as I move the can over the surface, some of the first can went to sample boards and I am not running any cans to empty for fear of spitting as they run dry.  But yes, I might have been a little heavy-handed so to speak...

I probably should slow down some.  I would hate for it to look this good only to ruin it through my own impatience, eh? 

[DMRACO]

I say two cans because I have two run down cans after the spraying however that is between both the body and the neck, plus the usual overspray as I move the can over the surface, some of the first can went to sample boards and I am not running any cans to empty for fear of spitting as they run dry.  But yes, I might have been a little heavy-handed so to speak...

I probably should slow down some.  I would hate for it to look this good only to ruin it through my own impatience, eh? 

just make sure it is dry before you sand.  Do a little test area.  Looks great!!!!  I love the color.  The best thing about nitro is you do not have to sand until the very end.  Each coat "melts" into the next.  If you are ahppy withthe smoothness of the finish...let it dry and do a final sand and polish.  I would let it sit at least a month

[Cagey]

I kept looking at that last picture, wondering why in the world you would have taped off the rearward half an inch of body. Then it dawned on me: it's shadow from the flash I'm seeing, not tape on the body! LOL!

Looks great, though. That's a very attractive shade.

[CtheHammer]

So I have a slight problem.  I was smoothing stuff out with wet 600 grit paper when I realize that I have accidentally sanded through!


And sadly I am stupid and when I saw the spot I first thought that it was a spot that I missed...and made it worse...

So what's the fix?  Drop fill and smooth out?  Reshoot the whole front?  Reshoot the whole thing?  At this point I'm thinking I may be stuck with one weird little spot but I would still like to repair as best I can...  Any insight is appreciated...

[Cagey]

I think your best bet is going to be dye. Color match as best you can, then several rounds of clear and sanding to level it out, then continue on the way you were. Keep in mind if it's that thin there, that whole area is probably pretty thin, too, and easily breached.

[MedianMusic]

So I have a slight problem.  I was smoothing stuff out with wet 600 grit paper when I realize that I have accidentally sanded through!

I've "sanded through" my finishes too. Like yours, they were very small and/or inconspicuous. I never bothered trying to fix it and instead settled for the distressed/working guitar look...

[pabloman]

Use some black laquer and burst it.

[=CB=]

use DILUTE dye.... and build the color slowly with a small brush

then give it a few drop fill layers

after those are dry, shoot the whole thing with clean again twice... let it dry and you'll be ok to sand again

FWIW, I usually dont sand back anything - no need with lacquer IF you properly fill the grain

2nd to last coat - sand off orange peel

last coat to rebuild that... and then light-light sand and buff, done

[CtheHammer]

FWIW, I usually dont sand back anything - no need with lacquer IF you properly fill the grain

2nd to last coat - sand off orange peel

last coat to rebuild that... and then light-light sand and buff, done

Hmmm...I think I definitely had a surface prep issue on this guitar.  I did the whole dampening with water and sanding back the raised grain thing, but I didn't do any grain filling on the top obviously since it is maple and I didn't do any on the alder after reading that it often doesn't really need it however in my case it definitely did.  I must have the world's worst orange peel on top of that because while there was a shine to what I sprayed, it wasn't anything resembling smooth.  And getting it so using 600 grit took quite a bit of effort.  What seems interesting to me is that the sides came away relatively smooth though.  There was a little bit of orange peel on them (mainly around the neck pocket) but for the most part they came away smooth and with a decent surface without me touching them.  Dunno if it is a matter of how I am spraying, my overall setup, or any number of factors...

[CtheHammer]

Found out a week ago that I have to move a week from now so it became time to wrap up this project.  I decided to leave the spot as is; it adds character and can be a reminder for next time to be more careful. 

Hardware:
StewMac Tele wiring kit
Grover Locking Mini-Rotomatics
Gotoh Tele Bridge
Roadhouse Specials for Tele

And here are the obligatory pics.  Hopefully it will be nice one afternoon so I can get some pictures in natural lighting as opposed to the fluorescent glow in my kitchen.


Did a basic set up and so far she sounds great.  The pickups have a nice full sound while still getting a single-coil sound and not getting muddy.  Overall it  .

Only one other change to make to it now, but I'm going to wait until some of the colder months to do it.  Lets just say that the basic cream dots are so...basic... 

[NonsenseTele]

Oh gawd!!!! such a beauty!

[kboman]

Very bling, but not overstated. The glow of the neck is... yummy.

[Cagey]

Nice. I like the matching neck/headstock.

[Death by Uberschall]

LoVe It, the chrome pops on that!