Guitar kit recommendations

[Giovanni Botta]

Thanks for the reply.
Do I need a sanding block with a radius to check the fret level and send?
About the finish, I'd like the neck to be satin, any suggestions on what to use and how to proceed? I read somewhere that I can apply finish by hand (for neck and/or body), not necessarily using spray equipment or spray cans. Is this hard to do?
Thanks!

[Darren Galloway]

Thanks for the reply.
Do I need a sanding block with a radius to check the fret level and send?
About the finish, I'd like the neck to be satin, any suggestions on what to use and how to proceed? I read somewhere that I can apply finish by hand (for neck and/or body), not necessarily using spray equipment or spray cans. Is this hard to do?
Thanks!

I would recommend Tru Oil for the neck. I used it for the first time on my current build and it is super easy to use. You apply it to the neck with your fingers in thin coats. About every 3 coats I ran over it with 0000 steel wool. It can come out to a very nice satin or high gloss depending on how much you use.

Check out Reranch rattle cans for the body. Easy to spray lacquer.
http://www.reranch.com/products.htm

[Darren Galloway]

Also check out this link for Tru Oil used on the body of guitars.
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... p?t=711780

[Giovanni Botta]

Cool stuff. I really like the tru oil as Quarter uses it on his lapsteel guitars. It looks awesome. I am under the impression that I don't need to presand the body but I sand it with the oil, is that correct? Also, does using the oil prevent me to use some kind of stain or can I also stain the wood? Would that be done before or after applying the oil? As I said, I'm a total wood working newbie but I'm very eager to learn!
Thanks!

[Barry Daniels]

No, you need to sand the wood very completely before finishing. Then you can stain the wood before applying the Tru-Oil.

[Warren May]

Definitely sand the wood down to, say, 320 grit at least. I go even further, personally. Hold it up to a strong light and look for any dips or imperfections. You can use 400 grit wet or dry to apply the first few coats which creates a slurry that acts as a grain filler but I recommend grain filler instead since I think it gives a more even finish. Put on a few coats, make sure it doesn't pool on you, let it dry, put on a little more, let it dry and check it for too much oil, put it aside for a week or so and look it ovver to make sure it's where you want it. Buff it out with scotchbrite and get it to the luster you want.

[Giovanni Botta]

I'm back with small updates. I started working on the body. I have decided I want a semi transparent white finish. I guess this means tru oil is out of the picture? I got some wood filler at Home Depot. Hope that works. About the finish, I guess I can still apply it by hand? Do I need a primer first? And then what finish can I apply by hand?
Thanks guys!

[Giovanni Botta]

Hey everybody
I wanted to get your opinion about this:
http://youtu.be/eCMNqL5laEg
As a way of staining the body before applying tru oil. I was thinking white or maybe ivory.
Then I would do a tru oil finish. Do you guys think I need to apply sealer before the color?
Thanks!

[Giovanni Botta]

Hey guys
I've been under the radar but I finished the kit. I'll post pics soon, it turned out really nice!