Hi people of r/luthier, really looking for advice here...

So I'm a first-time builder, and was doing the painting. After 2 base layers, 6 color layers and 12 clear coat layers I completely messed up the sanding/polishing, apparently. I really tried to follow the steps (really gentle 800/1200/2000, polishing, shine), but apparently took it too far and lost part of the color. Or my layers were not thick enough... I'm really unsure on this. But it looks way worse than when I finished the clear coat.

Question: can I just add a couple of color layers on top of this (and some clear coat of course) to repair, or should I really start over by sanding to bare wood and starting with base coats again? That last option is really unappealing, so basically looking for tips on how to get the first option working, if at all possible.

Thank you!

I'm building some experimental pickups that require self-bonding magnet wire, preferably around 32 to 36 gauge. (Self bonding: you spray some alcohol as you wind and the windings stick together.) Where do you look for suppliers of same?

Hi all, I know that title isn't very good.

I have a passive jazz bass (2 single coil pickups, neck and bridge).

I want to have a three-way switch that works like this: position 1 neck active, position 2 (middle) bridge active, position 3 both active.

I have a regular 3-pin toggle switch and also what I think is a DPDT switch, with 6 pins.

I'm a little embarrassed about this but I tried asking ChatGPT how to wire it and the results were not good. I don't know why, but it works as if I had wired a regular 3-pin switch like you would always do, both pickups to the side pins, hot comes from the middle one and to the output jack.

Anyway, I wanted to ask if this is possible.

Thanks in advance, sorry for the stupid question.

Good evening everyone,

Me again with another question on this strat overhaul of mine.

I’m replacing the bridge with an upgraded fender trem and the spacing was a bit off so i plugged the 4 outside holes. Middle 2 lined up. However, when I set it in place and square it up off center line, I can’t quite make it to scale length. My high E ends up sitting around 25 9/16 to 5/8. I’ve got my saddle out as far as I think i can go, but my question is, is it going to be difficult to intonate at that distance?

Hey y’all,

Just a question; I bought some SD Hot Rails for my tele a while back and want to put em in soon.

Can anyone tell me a good or what kind of soldering iron and wire I need? I’ve done soldering before (automotive) but I don’t have my own gear.

Thanks!

Can I sand these marks off? Which grits do you suggest? I also want to smoothen the little chip. Just want to avoid sanding off the finish and leaving spots that are lighter in color.

Can anyone tell me the definitive ways that strings can go on a guitar?

As in, I know there's tremolo - in which they are anchored in the floating bridge, through the body.

- Top loaded (hardtail?) bridges, much like the Les Paul Tune-o-matic, where the strings anchor behind the saddles.

- As well as installing ferrules (a word I only recently learned) on the back of the guitar, and anchor the strings through the guitar.

- But there is another way that I feel like I can't find information on, or can't find the name of it. There are guitars with fixed bridges out there that don't have ferrules or holes to mount the strings in.

My question is, what are these guitars, or what are they called? Are the strings loaded under the bridge with a small cavity for access? Is it like an acoustic, where the saddles are the anchors somehow?

I'd like to build a custom DIY guitar for my final college project, but with my limited resources, I need to know what I'm doing before I start building.

Lately I've been experiencing a weird issue with my amp. After I start playing for a while, the sound starts cutting off when I'm striking the string and only returns after a while when the string is resonating. The only way I found to fix this temporarily is if I lower the volume of the guitar and turn up the volume of the amp.(I typically have my guitar maxed out and mainly adjust the volume from the amp so I don't get booms when I'm plugging in and out).

My guess is something might be overheating since it only happens after I've been playing for some time. Also my amp is a fender mustang gt series and my guitar an Ibanez gio HSH type.

Hey all,

Looking for more in depth help troubleshooting a squier jazz bass that wont make any sound when plugged in.

I have opened it up and tested everything for continuity and get signal while testing with a guitar lead in the input jack but no sound thru the amp. Somehow I do get enough signal to where my tuner mode on my Line 6 pod hd picks it up and can tune but still no sound.

I tested the leads of the pickups for continuity and they are both showing a constant reading but when I plug it in and tap the lugs - no sound...?

At this point I think the pickups are bad but also find it weird that they would both not work as opposed to one just being faulty ?

All the Pots measured correctly too but was curious to know if anything could cause these symptoms prior to me soldering each pickup directly to the output jack to test for sound.

Thank you in advanced

So i want to make a greek baglamas but i am wondering which wood to use, as someone who worked with a saz maker i know walnut and cherry is not very popular for the greek baglamas. From what i've seen (online) its mostly spruce and linden being used

Anyone know which wood to use for the body/neck? And what is the drying process like with the specific instrument?

Almost there with the sanding sealer. Used Rit dyes and Bombay India Ink. Nitrocellulose sealer. A few more coats and it will be ready for top coat. 🤞🏼

I got a classical guitar nothing special but i have a problem with low action. After excessive shimming of the saddle the front of the bridge broke. I replaced the bridge, old one was rubbish so no problem but the action is still low, i added some shims but the have a tendency to tilt the saddle forward under pressure. You can see it from the high e side (2nd picture) which is the lowest and could use the most shimming. How to get tall probably around 14-15 mmm high saddle blank (bone would be the best) with the height the same at both sides to make the action high enough and prevent saddle from slanting forward? The highest ones i see on amazon are 11 mm high on bass side and lower on violin side. Current saddle is around that height I would prefer to avoid shims cause they would have to be really high and i'm afraid the bridge or the saddle will broke again.

ps. Sorry for poor English, im not a native speaker.

https://preview.redd.it/3r1dm9bmizge1.jpg?width=3060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7bac99f72b2300de0cb9c2c2dd9c6a2a58e40e34

https://preview.redd.it/73dn59bmizge1.jpg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc359454d3ceb9b17010d0d01b99ec7181cfc1b3

I know, it's weird seeing a bolt on LP style. I too bought a kit guitar and have started mucking about with this whole guitar making thing and I have a question.

My sanding sealer is Mohawk finisher's choice. The only ingredients appear to be the propellent, thinners and cellulose nitrate and esters. Isn't this just a thin lacquer? I'm philosophically opposed to petro chemical plastics (as much as reasonable). What kind of finish would I end up with if I just used the sealer to put multiple coats? Is there a benefit to a different nitro coat?

So far I would say I've learned at least $179 worth of lessons ( the price of the kit) with still more to come. If you are pondering a kit build... Go for it.

Had this bike stand gathering dust for years in the garage, so I put it to use.

Any tips for a first time builder? Are solo kits any good? I really want a Firebird, but don't want to deal with Gibson pricing. Is the bridge in this kit any good?

I have enough red to do my matching headstock and a whole can of the clear gloss. Does this stuff go bad after a while? Any precautions storing it for a year or so until I start another project

Can I dye a maple fretboard blue and expect the acrylic plastic inlays to stay white?

Hi! I am a starter, and I am trying to make my first project, I am thinking about an RC Rich warlock like guitar and I am having trouble getting the bridge type correctly. Also, cam someone give me some advice for the build (before I do something dumb)?😅

I have fret buzz on strings A and D at the 12th fret. Using a straight edge, the 12th fret is lower. How do you go about raising it up to the proper height?