G-Man wrote: Would oiling the neck be sufficient as I have used boiled linseed oil previously on my bass build. I never did put a clear coat over it I just applied as many coats of oil as the wood could take. Or should I rather just spray the clear as is?

I would be worried about the residue of lacquer underneath the surface of the wood making the linseed finish uneven or blotchy. I'm no expert on the matter but if any of the first coats (this thing has been resprayed before) has been thinned enough it will have gone over a millimeter deep. Rather put a thinned coat of your own etc.

I don't know if it's the paint stripper fumes talking but this white body actually looks like a good match for the natural finish of the neck
.
I am contemplating maybe just getting a plain white ibanez decal and then lacquering the neck and headstock and body once everything is smoothed out enough. This might not take as long as I first thought...



The neck binding looks pretty good with the white body.

i think it looks nice!

Thanks Norm, I think it's settled then. ?

Ok next question. I am going to start clear coating the neck today, sadly I only have access to rattle cans from the hardware store and I'm not sure what would be best. I read that in SA we call nitro cellulose "duco" but was wondering if thats what I want on the back of the neck as well as the headstock or is a polyurethane based clear ok as well? Any preferable brands?

OK, slight update
I am in the process of spraying the clear coat this morning. I have been taking my time, 5 minutes between coats, I have done around 8 coats so far. Nice and level so far, no drips or splotches. I have taken some before pics and will take the after pics when it is dry in a few hours. I sanded and rubbed the wood and the grain was starting to pop our beautifully in the neck and head stock.

Also interestingly I have found out that the neck is maple and the darker inserts are actually walnut. I think it is going to look really smart. ?

and the pics are? ?

I abandoned the white body as while I was water sanding with 1200 grit I noticed how patchy the white was and the primer started to noticeably show through. Someone was in a rush when spraying the body... so as a test I stripped the face of the body. Not too shabby methinks


So I shall continue stripping and then I will basically just oil and polish the body.


On the decal side I have ordered an ibanez logo from http://www.mavdecals.co.za and I designed this

From the photo the previous owner sent me. Luckily he had the presence of mind to record it before spraying over it...


Not bad considering that I only had mspaint at my disposal. Both decals cost me a whopping R85 with postage. ?

I have let the neck dry from saturday, my restraint has been very uncharacteristically sensible. I will only continue with that once the decals arrive. I am continuing with the body while I wait for them.

Other details, the tone pot is missing and as this is basically a metal machine I am installing a kill switch in it's place, in case I ever gig with it as I no longer own a volume pedal. I am also swapping positions and putting the volume away from my picking hand, it always feels in the way when it's there.


Til next time... ?

looking good!

Something that is becoming more and more apparent as I strip the body is that it has a lovely yellow colour to it buuuut the headstock is pale and very light. Wondering if I should leave it or try and put a yellowed clear over the headstock? Or should I have oiled it prior to applying the clear?

Hmmm

G-Man wrote: Something that is becoming more and more apparent as I strip the body is that it has a lovely yellow colour to it buuuut the headstock is pale and very light. Wondering if I should leave it or try and put a yellowed clear over the headstock? Or should I have oiled it prior to applying the clear?

Hmmm

If you'd oiled it, could you still have gotten the lacquer to stick? A tint would help, though getting it to match the body would have been fun...

You could always go for black headstock w/natural finish body - that would look good?

Nice work on getting on with this one, I havn't even started on my re-finish project!

it's not like it's a maple body. I would say leave them different shades of wood, as they are naturally. but that's just me ?
Or you could always try do the white body.
There is something bout a white guitar, rosewood board and natural headstock that just looks awesome. imo of course.

@Eujean

I ended up using Aeolak clear from the hardware store. I asked them if it was nitrocellulose based and I got blank stares from the 'paint specialist' so I just got this stuff.

So i got all the paint and primer off the body. Am I finally through to the bare wood now I hear you ask? No...There's a weird varnish pattern on the body, like stylised flames or something. Very annoying. So I bought some 80 and 100 grit sand paper.

Going...

Going...

Gone...

Body is looking almost the same shade as the headstock.



Now to find the energy to sand the sides and back of this thing. >

Good luck with the sanding.
I am glad I don't have to do that though.

Thanks Norm ?

So according to the tracking number my parcel of logos and serial number should be arriving today or tomorrow. Then the fun can start.

And I have a surprise idea that I am working on for the body. If it works out well I will be stoked. Going to be a busy couple of nights methinks .

More pics soon...

Decals arrived today.

Sprayed a few coats of clear over it.

Smoothed the headstock to make sure it was super smooth. Used 1200 grit

Mmmm... shiny....

You missed a harrowing couple of minutes there, you're better off just seeing the end result, trust me...


Same on the back. I think it looks purdy good considering I made it in mspaint lol

The process over the next week is ...wait for clear coat to dry. Sand.Inspect decal border. Apply clear coat. Wait for clear coat to dry. Inspect decal border. Sand. Apply clear coat. Meh.


So im still busy with the body and sanding. I can take pictures of my progress but im sure you have better things to do than look at that. I'll show you the smooooth end result during the week.

I'm trying my best not to rush anything, all I want to do is play the damned thing.

I know I know. Needs pore filler on the walnut strips on the back. :?

Sanded and sprayed another coat of clear today, going to finish sanding the body by tonight.

I'm never hand sanding clear off of a guitar body ever again, my arm and shoulder are officially dead lol.
I used an entire roll of 80 and 100 grit sandpaper respectively and as my eletric sander went missing in action after loaning it out I had to resort to the manual method. I guess there is more effort going into this project than I originally anticipated .

G-Man wrote: I'm never hand sanding clear off of a guitar body ever again, my arm and shoulder are officially dead lol.
I used an entire roll of 80 and 100 grit sandpaper respectively and as my eletric sander went missing in action after loaning it out I had to resort to the manual method. I guess there is more effort going into this project than I originally anticipated .

I'm certain the end result is going to be rewarding.