I really love the way you explain things ! May I ask what brand of amber you've put on your neck ? Love it , not orangey like others . Thanks ! You have a new sub here from Quebec !
Thanks so much! I did a hand rubbed finish on this neck with freshly mixed shellac. I used a mix of blonde and orange dewaxed shellac flakes, roughly in a 2 pound cut, and applied coats with a lint free cloth. Shellac is by far my favorite finish for necks and even bodies. I've done a couple natural bodies -- ebony Timbermate grain filler and then fresh shellac. I'm planning on redoing this older video I made going over shellac, but you can find it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P8OZ1wokF0A.htmlsi=tDglPOq9dTVud5Ua "Cheap Guitar Neck Transformation Part 1 - Neck Recontour & Shellac Refinish" This new video is actually a redo of the older one I did from the same series about refurbishing a neck. So anyway -- stay tuned because I do plan on redoing that shellac video eventually, and showing off a Tele body I did with the same technique. Though on the body I did use a little bit of olive oil as a lubricant every once in a while. I haven't decided on a strict method for that yet, though the cloth + shellac and nothing else except occasional wetting out with grain alcohol works beautifully. Without oil or some other lubricant, though, the shellac does tend to stick as it builds up and you have to refresh the pad very frequently. Roughly 50/50 blonde and orange shellac gets a very nice color. Of course the more you build it up the more prominent it gets. I've sprayed many nitro lacquer finishes and vastly prefer shellac for its complete non-toxicity if you mix it yourself with grain alcohol. I've heard outside the USA, grain alcohol is hard to come by. Denatured alcohol is another option. I have not tried isopropyl but I have heard some people say you can use that as well, it just takes forever for the shellac to dissolve fully. Let me know if you give it a try, and thanks again!
Thanks! Have a 97 american tele which i had to pay a total of $1900 for as i live in norway and shipping+customs+tax etc added up severely. Anyways, i am sceptical to try it out myself. I did this without a good guide 2 years back and it was not looking too good. But after this vid i got some confidence..
Thank you! Let me know how it goes. I have another video in the works about how to install ping tuners with those locating pins instead of screws. Interesting stuff!
That waxing advice is very useful. I've also read (from cabinet makers) if you want to mount hardware with brass screws, use steel screws first, then remove those and mount with brass. Have you ever had breakage of your brass screws?
Great advice, never heard that one but makes perfect sense. Brass is much weaker than steel so those could absolutely snap much easier. I haven't ever broken the head off a screw but only because I was warned early on. I was using wax from the beginning and my friend and mentor that taught me reiterated over and over again to never keep threading a screw in if it feels too tight. Just back it out, more wax, and then try again, rinse and repeat until it goes all the way down. The proper pilot holes also help tremendously. I've probably unknowingly came close to breaking screw heads off a couple times when making pilot holes that were too narrow, or too shallow, or both. Hardwoods like maple, which is most guitar necks, are especially problematic, but I think my experience is a good example that if you're careful, broken screws are easily avoided. I should have mentioned small screwdrivers help a lot too. Much more difficult to get too much torque with a small handled screwdriver. I use the interchangeable head one from the Stewmac kit.
You have a worthy channel, dude. I have reservations about using wax on those little teeny tiny screws though. I think I monked one of my prized necks up by using wax. (screws won't hold) * I didn't predrill tho'
That's awesome. Chapstick is a lot cheaper too. And yep...unfortunately my life is the same. Maybe the Chapstick trick will help me out with that. Chapstick Trick wouldn't be a bad name for a band either. Just saying.
@gemaanugerah The screws are 3/8" long, so no longer than 3/8". These days I use a pin vise to hold the drill bit and just drill them by hand. Safer and easier than using an electric drill. The bit size is .051". Replacement tuner screws are #2 x 3/8". Always good to have a backup supply. The key is to never force the screws. If you drill a little short of 3/8", the screw should self-thread and be secure, but not feel very difficult to thread in. I also prefer using a small screwdriver to thread the screws in -- I use the interchangeable head screwdriver from the Stewmac guitar tech screwdriver kit, personally.
