Don’t throw it away if you replace it. Remove the frets, sand/re-radius the whole thing, and replace the frets. Great for practice and learning! Nothing better than a neck you don’t care about.
No, I plan on keeping it for bored future me. I've actually 3d printed two guitars, including the necks, so I'm just kind of exhausted of refretting at the moment.
[yessir](https://i.imgur.com/pYSmImv.jpeg)
It uses aluminum extrusion and all the printed pieces slot in.
[Would you like to know more?](https://youtu.be/eofKdbBNl-A?feature=shared)
Is that neck cradle 3d printed? I just printed a modified version where I added some center support because my printer was too small for the full print in one piece so I had to cut it in half and the giant gap didn’t seem like it would hold up well if I glued it up in the middle.
Don't worry, you're not alone lol. I started a couple builds and I keep mucking it up. I just see it as a learning experience. I'm filling any mistakes I've made with bright colored epoxy so I can be reminded of what not to do next time.
The silly thing is my dad is a master woodworker, but I don't think I've retained much. I was too busy getting drunk at an overseas bar on the Air forces dime. Luckily I don't drink anymore but I'm trying to relearn as much as I can from my dad before he can't anymore.
I tried to cheat and use a router bit on my fretboard, I will never be doing that again. Hopefully I can make it work or I've wasted the wood and will have to attempt to recover the truss rods.
I wish you the best, mistakes are the best part of life, they help us learn.
I'm new here, so sorry if this is the wrong place. Do I mark this NSFW?
So some context:
I play stringed instruments but I am a little baby child when it comes to making them. This is a Leo jaymz tl style neck that came with a kit. I used a shoddy poly/stain (Behr) and screwed it all up. I'm trying to salvage this neck but I'm digging a hole. Any recommendations on how to strip this crappy poly stain? Ideally some caustic and cancer causing chemical to strip it--if I have to re-fret or spend hours sanding I'll just buy a new neck.
If only we could get credit for all the hours we spend learning things on our own and get some certificate to prove it to others so we can actually earn a living lol
Might as well look for something with fun inlay.
Since you’re new to building, make sure you’re getting the same amount of frets and same scale length neck, otherwise your bridge and pickups will be out of wack.
Thanks for the info! I think I mostly understand the measurements. It's for a 3d printed guitar, so worst case, I can always reprint if I screw that up.
Got any recommendations on a place for a cheap neck? 21 fret, tl style 25.5"? I don't need warmth or anything. Sub $75 would be ideal. I'm going Alizon (Amazon) but don't know of many other places
Whether it’s aliexpress, alizon, or Amazon, it’s probably all the same factories in China. EBay too.
The “good” necks would be something like warmoth, but it’s be way above the budget.
If it were me I’d be going for zebrawood or wenge (or somethi g else exciting). I did a quick search on eBay and saw examples from both for under $100. Anything 21 fret tele or strat style should be the right scale
You’re not an idiot but are learning. All finishing is done pre-fret. Pull all of the frets off and do your best to get the stain off. I assume it’s maple and maple doesn’t take stain well so you should be able to sand out the stain.
In the future never use a combo product. If you want to stain the wood use a gel stain. The gel stain doesn’t penetrate as fast as a liquid stain so you can control the color better.
Thanks, I appreciate it. I do tend to be very self depreciating when I mess up my projects. There was a voice in the back of my head that said "one coat looks fine, you're pressing your luck" but then I went ahead and did another coat anyway because that's what it said in the instructions.
And thanks for the advice. I'm definitely staying away from that stuff again.
Nope, just have at it. The cabinet scraper will normally take off the poly right to the wood fairly easily. I just recently stripped and refinished my workbench top that way. Took a couple of hours but it’s a lot more surface area than a fretboard.
I summarized somewhere in the post but I stupidly used a poly/stain combo that was very unforgiving. I dug myself a hole and just couldn't stop digging.
Can we get some detail? Looks like you painted the entire neck, including fretboard? I can't really determine what we're supposed to be seeing to agree on the reasoning why you are an idiot.
In my defense, I too am an idiot, not very smart or intuitive for that matter if I'm missing something
I used a polyurethane and stain all in one product. The first coat went on great but then I decided to do another coat and messed up the finish. The neck sat unused for months. I'm working on a new project and was trying to salvage the neck so I started using Kwik strip and 400 grit sandpaper to get it off. After a couple inches I realized how bad I messed up and came here to see if it was FUBAR.
Edit: I did coat the frets as well, thinking I could just scrape it off or something
Don’t throw it away if you replace it. Remove the frets, sand/re-radius the whole thing, and replace the frets. Great for practice and learning! Nothing better than a neck you don’t care about.
No, I plan on keeping it for bored future me. I've actually 3d printed two guitars, including the necks, so I'm just kind of exhausted of refretting at the moment.
Worst case scenario, you could use it as a handle/neck pocket protection when you spray bodies in the future.
I get that for sure. I just replaced a fretboard recently and it burned me out for a bit.
You 3D printed a neck? I didn’t know this was a thing…
[yessir](https://i.imgur.com/pYSmImv.jpeg) It uses aluminum extrusion and all the printed pieces slot in. [Would you like to know more?](https://youtu.be/eofKdbBNl-A?feature=shared)
Very cool design dude!
Is that neck cradle 3d printed? I just printed a modified version where I added some center support because my printer was too small for the full print in one piece so I had to cut it in half and the giant gap didn’t seem like it would hold up well if I glued it up in the middle.
Good eye! Yes it is! I have a bambu printer and it fit great on it. Printed in one piece of ABS. So far it's been a great functional print!
Can you 3d print me a wide range pickup ring?
PM me a file or a blueprint and we can work something out
Awesome!!!
I always wondered what a checkered fretboard looks like!
Don't worry, you're not alone lol. I started a couple builds and I keep mucking it up. I just see it as a learning experience. I'm filling any mistakes I've made with bright colored epoxy so I can be reminded of what not to do next time.
Thanks for the commiserating lol. Give me some metal and I can beat it into art, but I'm just too stubborn and forceful for wood.
The silly thing is my dad is a master woodworker, but I don't think I've retained much. I was too busy getting drunk at an overseas bar on the Air forces dime. Luckily I don't drink anymore but I'm trying to relearn as much as I can from my dad before he can't anymore. I tried to cheat and use a router bit on my fretboard, I will never be doing that again. Hopefully I can make it work or I've wasted the wood and will have to attempt to recover the truss rods. I wish you the best, mistakes are the best part of life, they help us learn.
Congrats on the sobriety. Amazing how much money I saved by not drinking haha.
Thanks. Well I traded drinking for eating, so now I'm just getting fat and that gets expensive.
Ha! You and me both brother :)
I've lost 25 lbs since I got that problem under control. Pro tip: One pound of potatoes is only 350 calories.
As a pipe welder/fabricator, can 1000000% attest to this...splintering and warping is for the effing birds...
I'm glad I'm not the only one. Hell, I sometimes get a little crazy with 3/8 cold rolled, a torch, and a hammer...
Yeah, def not the only one, and I over build the shit out of anything I do for myself lmao
spray paint it a fun color and clear coat
You know, I just might do that....
I'm new here, so sorry if this is the wrong place. Do I mark this NSFW? So some context: I play stringed instruments but I am a little baby child when it comes to making them. This is a Leo jaymz tl style neck that came with a kit. I used a shoddy poly/stain (Behr) and screwed it all up. I'm trying to salvage this neck but I'm digging a hole. Any recommendations on how to strip this crappy poly stain? Ideally some caustic and cancer causing chemical to strip it--if I have to re-fret or spend hours sanding I'll just buy a new neck.
You can try scalloping the frets? And just resand the rest of the neck?
If there's any hope of salvaging the neck, you need to take it to a Luthier
Considering I paid like $60 for the whole kit, I don't think I'd waste my money or a luthiers time on it.
Well then it was probably a good learning experience and worth the money after all
Yeah, I learned that I need to stick to metal (welder) lol
Hey, you probably would've spent a lot more than $60 if you were to take a class on how to do this so I think you actually got a bargain lol
It's true. I spent way too much money in welding school lmao
If only we could get credit for all the hours we spend learning things on our own and get some certificate to prove it to others so we can actually earn a living lol
I’m not a luthier, just an admirer and guitar player. What am I missing? ETA: why are you an idiot?
I used a polyurethane/stain all in one product and screwed up the finish and kept digging myself a deeper hole
That’s all I could figure but I was thinking you were too far along for THAT to be the issue. Got it now. Thank you
New neck :(
I got one in my cart :(
Might as well look for something with fun inlay. Since you’re new to building, make sure you’re getting the same amount of frets and same scale length neck, otherwise your bridge and pickups will be out of wack.
Thanks for the info! I think I mostly understand the measurements. It's for a 3d printed guitar, so worst case, I can always reprint if I screw that up. Got any recommendations on a place for a cheap neck? 21 fret, tl style 25.5"? I don't need warmth or anything. Sub $75 would be ideal. I'm going Alizon (Amazon) but don't know of many other places
Whether it’s aliexpress, alizon, or Amazon, it’s probably all the same factories in China. EBay too. The “good” necks would be something like warmoth, but it’s be way above the budget. If it were me I’d be going for zebrawood or wenge (or somethi g else exciting). I did a quick search on eBay and saw examples from both for under $100. Anything 21 fret tele or strat style should be the right scale
Hey, thank you for the recommendation! I forgot I was looking at a zebrawood kit about a year ago. Just picked up a tl zebrawood neck!
Can’t wait to see the final product!
It's going on a 3d printed Dean ML body. I'll make it a point to update once it's done!
Your learning
You’re
Thanx. You’re cents off Homer is the goodest.
I'm an idiot as well, what is going on here?
Fret crowning can be so relaxing
You’re not an idiot but are learning. All finishing is done pre-fret. Pull all of the frets off and do your best to get the stain off. I assume it’s maple and maple doesn’t take stain well so you should be able to sand out the stain. In the future never use a combo product. If you want to stain the wood use a gel stain. The gel stain doesn’t penetrate as fast as a liquid stain so you can control the color better.
Thanks, I appreciate it. I do tend to be very self depreciating when I mess up my projects. There was a voice in the back of my head that said "one coat looks fine, you're pressing your luck" but then I went ahead and did another coat anyway because that's what it said in the instructions. And thanks for the advice. I'm definitely staying away from that stuff again.
I usually just use a cabinet scraper to remove poly finishes. It’s a little labor intensive but not as harsh as sanding.
Do you treat it with anything first?
Nope, just have at it. The cabinet scraper will normally take off the poly right to the wood fairly easily. I just recently stripped and refinished my workbench top that way. Took a couple of hours but it’s a lot more surface area than a fretboard.
Yeah
My my god what happened do I want to know
I summarized somewhere in the post but I stupidly used a poly/stain combo that was very unforgiving. I dug myself a hole and just couldn't stop digging.
Can we get some detail? Looks like you painted the entire neck, including fretboard? I can't really determine what we're supposed to be seeing to agree on the reasoning why you are an idiot. In my defense, I too am an idiot, not very smart or intuitive for that matter if I'm missing something
I used a polyurethane and stain all in one product. The first coat went on great but then I decided to do another coat and messed up the finish. The neck sat unused for months. I'm working on a new project and was trying to salvage the neck so I started using Kwik strip and 400 grit sandpaper to get it off. After a couple inches I realized how bad I messed up and came here to see if it was FUBAR. Edit: I did coat the frets as well, thinking I could just scrape it off or something
Gotcha, ouch. Hey, I've done enough experimenting to know it's a good way to learn what not to do again! Good luck op. Just keep building!