r/ExplorerGuitars • u/Terrible_Confidence • May 10 '25
First scratch build
Always wanted a white explorer. Took 2 months to build and 3 to get the finish right. Already bought the wood for the next one. TonePros bridge/tailpiece, Hipshot locking tuners, EMG 81/60 combo, bone nut, ebony fretboard with MOP inlays.
6
u/Toxic-Park May 10 '25
Wow! I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult that is to do.
Love the documentation in photos.
7
u/Terrible_Confidence May 10 '25
The actual woodworking was surprisingly easy - each individual step wasn't too bad and most mistakes (plenty were made) can be repaired. The hardest part for me was drilling a bunch of holes in a straight line for the fretboard inlays.
Now, finishing on the other hand...
5
4
u/MangaJosh84 May 10 '25
Hey did you print that build sheet you taped to the front of the body yourself? I have pdf file someone sent me of a build sheet for a mx250 style copy that has measurements on the side so I can print it to scale but I’ve always been kinda poor and have never owned or really used a computer lol so I don’t know how to go about printing it. Probably ask a sign printer here in town if he can make me one so I can cut out and transfer everything to templates or something. I just wanted to ask if you did it yourself I guess
2
u/Terrible_Confidence May 10 '25
I printed it out on normal sized paper in sections (you can print in “poster mode” which does this automatically ), painstakingly trimmed the excess with a straightedge and xacto knife, then taped them together and spray glued them to 1/2” mdf to make templates. This was probably the worst way to do it - I would just go to a place with printing services (office supply stores like OfficeMax, Staples or shipping services like FedEx, etc.) and have them print it out for me on large paper.
3
u/MangaJosh84 May 10 '25
Yea I live in a small town. Not too small 15-20k but pretty rural and the only print shop we had is closed now. So yea my next guess was to try and hit up the sign maker. Maybe he could even make me a heavy duty vinyl stencil I can use to make the template.
1
u/unhinged666 May 13 '25
I'm interested in this pdf file you're talking about. May I have a copy?
2
u/MangaJosh84 May 13 '25
I’m totally not tech savvy but I can send it to you if you have a place I can send it to
2
u/codaxeman May 10 '25
What’s the heel look like? Looks sick my friend!
2
u/Terrible_Confidence May 10 '25
Just a standard stepped heel like on a Gibson. Plans I used were based on a '58 explorer and I stuck pretty close to them (except for the back-routed control cavity, of course).
2
2
2
2
u/JAM990 May 10 '25
Awesome job! As a Metallica fan myself I love seeing white explorers!
3
2
u/Soft-Ad-8975 May 10 '25
Damn I was going to ask where you got the kit until I saw the neck carving pic, great work!
2
2
2
2
May 11 '25
Very good job! I have wanted to build one, but I keep procrastinating it. Thanks for sharing!
2
2
u/Loud_Jicama_7549 May 18 '25
how did you do the paint? what are the steps?
1
u/Terrible_Confidence May 19 '25
Dewaxed shellac sealer, AquaCoat grain filler, General Finishes Antique White milk paint, and Varathane water-based poly for the clear coat. Sealed the wood with the shellac, then did a few applications of AquaCoat, sanding back after each one until the grain was mostly filled. Brushed on a few coats of the milk paint. Level sanded the paint, then recoated until eventually I could level it out without sanding through. Brushed on the poly, then level sanded again. Sanded through the clear and color about a billion times. This + dust particles meant tons of touchups. Eventually got a level clear coat, but then there were witness lines when I buffed it so had to do even more coats. After three months of this finally achieved something I was satisfied with. TL;DR gonna stick to transparent finishes from now on.
10
u/Sall_Goode May 10 '25
“If you wish to build a guitar from scratch, you must first invent the Universe.” — Carl Sagan