When using water-based colour, especially on clear woods, I use a regular kitchen sponge and go with the grain. It allows, by pressing more or less the sponge, to control the amount of liquid wiped, which is not possble with paper. I also add a pinch of ammonia in the colour, to have the color gently bite the wood. Thanks for all those fabulous videos
You talk about your team and the way they all do things differently in this video. I think it would be really interesting to see a build video where different people do different parts of the guitar but an overall design plan isn't made and once one person has done their part they don't have any influence over the next so that the final outcome is a product of everyone's individual creativity. Almost like a game of telephone.
I must say I'm extremely impressed at how well the water based stain worked. It really was looking blotchy until you wiped it off. I do understand you were working extremely quickly as well so getting away without blotches would be almost impossible. Nonetheless when you wiped off the excess purple I began to type this comment. I'm an alcohol based stainer myself but I think your stain looks like it works very well. Love from Canada.
+Eric Chesek thank you, this is where experience really helps.. I've had to solve a similar issue before and this was how it ended up going.. I'm not sure if Ian ended up in this edit (the kids are still up and I've not watched it yet) but when he brought the m5 bolt up for me he knew exactly what I needed it for in a matter of seconds.. He's one of our tool makers and a cool dude! B
I was one of those who yelled when you grabbed the body again and another bottle of stain... then laughed, because it seems whenever there's a pressure build you do something like that as if the pressure gives you that spark of last second creativity.. and it worked, I wasn't a fan of the stain initially, then working the red in just made everything pop. Also, this holiday break I am embarking of teaching myself fretting, so watching you level and dress them in 15 minutes was a nice visual lesson.
I'd like to see a video (series) where you take a full "work" day /8 hours and build up a kit. Much more realistic time frame to get everything right and a good goal for us mortals to do over a weekend/ day off ... :)
Aluminum U channels can be used to level frets even with out the handle. They're also useful for removing scratches from the bevels after using a file on them. You can also use them for removing scratches after leveling by going along the length of the frets with 400-600 grit. You can also level under the strings with a u channel. They are so useful.
I can't watch its too frantic. It's like watching a young Bill Bailey playing a rushed concerto on a piping hot xylophone. Well done on the 100k, of which I am a humble subscriber.
I saw a demo Guitarist magazine did on a custom with a broken body held together with steel rods. I think a video on this guitar is in order from your bench top. Its gorgeous
Forgot to add congratulations on the first video. Hope you get your Silver Play Button in time for Christmas - that would be a great present and well deserved.
It's not a difficult concept. Two luthiers and some equal and small number of assistants have equal piles of parts and equal tools. Also, both luthiers will know in advance what amplifier will be used for the testing, since that may (most likely does) affect what they want to install. Since they will have more than one person on the build, two hours may actually be reasonable, but there's no reason it has to be that short (because editing). Then at the end, a panel of celebrity judges will actually play both guitars and pick a winner.
In regards to the treaded inserts. You are supposed to cut a bolt down and use that to install the insert. Also, the ones with the slot. That's not for a screwdriver. It's so the insert has a easier time cutting through the wood. You install using a cut down screw on the other end of the slot. Slot side goes down. You should use hardened steel ones for the neck and not brass. I recommend hardened bolts as well.
Every time I watch one of these timed build videos I end up in super hurrying mode for the rest of the day. I have to stop myself and be like “no, you’ve spent the last 30 years making sure you have the least possible responsibility in every aspect of your life, you can chill the funk out.”
I almost can't watch! the stain looks absolutely killer! With a finish on it it'll be transformed! I like that fade style with the curves on an "S" type especially, or even a Paul with a quilted top! How else are you going to compliment that burl pickguard?
Hey bud nice one- in the new year can consider doing some videos about improving guitars that we at already have? For example I bought a MIM Baja tele over an American, and I’d like to be able to modify things that will make it feel nicer- I.e. rolling the fretboard, doming the fret-ends, all things I would like to do but there aren’t many vids on doing it yourself that are competent enough for me to feel comfortable doing it myself. Ta
Watching these builds blows my mind. I'm >this< close to sacking it all off, buying a drill and a few other bits and bobs, and building myself a guitar or two. Or three. Might go for four. Loads, anyway. Definitely loads. Sterling work as ever, sir x
"there's a number of people currently screaming at their screens right now. "Get a move on" I was thinking the "get on with it." Clip from Monty Python and the holy Grail.
None of the nudity in Game of Thrones is gratuitous. Most occurs in brothels, where people tend to be naked, a few scenes occur in baths/hot-tubs, where people tend to be naked, some occur when people are having sex - an occasion that frequently involves some nudity - a few occur as part of a punishment/ritual shaming, and 2 occur when someone who happens to be fireproof, spends a long time in a fire, wearing clothes that are not fireproof. Totally justified.
If you have the inserts without the hex head on them then just cut a slot across the top with a hacksaw and then drive them in with a screwdriver...far less fiddly and time consuming than the bolt method.
+A1BASE I didn't have a forster bit to hand, which was poor planning on my part.. I do like how step drills are self centering especially when you are drilling into a hole that is larger than the point of your forster bit.. It's a tool I wish I had had from much earlier in my career. B
Yes, you definitely should have been wearing gloves. But no real harm is done by their absence, since the stains are non-toxic, and the worst that will happen is purple/blue hands for the next few days.
I'd love a tutorial on galaxy finishes. How strong and stable is the step drilled and cup washer neck joint? I have been using a new spoon bit to cut a fairly flat recess and was thinking I should be using a forstner bit for a neater hole. How are you not having problems with the stain raising the grain? I've done two rounds of whiskering on the ash bass I've just stained with your stain and i still had to sand and restain around the edges. No disaster as I was bursting from black to blue and the sides were only done the one colour but still needed several rounds of wet and wait until dry.
That does work but tends to go on a bit heavy and gets everywhere. I usually try and put on only as much as needed and keep the rag as dry as possible for precision. Thanks for watching! B
Alot of comments on putting the stain on with paper towel v.s. a brush, the wood is so freaking grainy I really dont think a brush would work well. Im not a fan of the way he is staining this but it is a 100min build kinda ridiculous Dont try this at home for sure..
Can I ask why you have to do extra fret work on a kit guitar? I would have thought the idea of buying a ready-made neck like this is that it would come levelled etc
I've never built a kit guitar and I'm not a gambler but I'm prepared to bet that you have to do a lot of finishing on other kits. And you don't get the quality of wood and fret wire or the accuracy of construction.
I'd be more interested in a crimson guitar kit if the frets were levelled & dressed, and string-through holes were pre-drilled (in the case of the Tele body).
Ben said somewhere else that they don't pre-drill the bodies because there are different types of Tele bridge and some people don't like string through. If you watch how little time Ben needed with the levelling beam, you can see that the frets were already pretty level.
Guitar kits come in many different skill levels. Leveling frets and making the guitar play and feel the way you want is part of setup work. In my opinion, good fret work is less complicated than good finish work. If the neck has accurate frets and nut, and the neck pocket is strait and tight, and the cavities are correct without being too big; these are qualities that make a quality guitar kit. I personally spend more time on finish and set up than I do with the actual building from lumber.
solidsneakie they said a while back that bass kits are coming in 2018 and they will be selling basses on their site around now actually? I could be wrong though
aDynoNet He did say in the video someone will go back over and do a proper fret dress on it. Every build challenge he’s done it’s been the same. Get it to a point it can be played as quick as possible and do it properly afterwards
Yes it's for fun but seriously, you can't make guitars this good without having the skill and experience to pull it off. Also, the 6 hour guitar was given away, the burnt T-type will be given away (I'd love to win it) and Ben is keeping this one for himself so there is no reduction in the quality of the "branded" guitars.
When using water-based colour, especially on clear woods, I use a regular kitchen sponge and go with the grain. It allows, by pressing more or less the sponge, to control the amount of liquid wiped, which is not possble with paper. I also add a pinch of ammonia in the colour, to have the color gently bite the wood. Thanks for all those fabulous videos
You talk about your team and the way they all do things differently in this video. I think it would be really interesting to see a build video where different people do different parts of the guitar but an overall design plan isn't made and once one person has done their part they don't have any influence over the next so that the final outcome is a product of everyone's individual creativity. Almost like a game of telephone.
Please do a timed build-off with Christopher!!!
A full custom shop from scratch! We all want to see Christopher build against you ;-)
Bravo. I built my very first S type kit in 1982 I would love to have a Crimson kit now. Thank you for your work.
Hey Eric, I would love for you to have one too! B
The hard part would be to build the kit as well as a master such as yourself.
I must say I'm extremely impressed at how well the water based stain worked. It really was looking blotchy until you wiped it off. I do understand you were working extremely quickly as well so getting away without blotches would be almost impossible. Nonetheless when you wiped off the excess purple I began to type this comment. I'm an alcohol based stainer myself but I think your stain looks like it works very well. Love from Canada.
I love how quickly you figured out the issue with the threaded inserts at 32:48. Good thinking!
+Eric Chesek thank you, this is where experience really helps.. I've had to solve a similar issue before and this was how it ended up going.. I'm not sure if Ian ended up in this edit (the kids are still up and I've not watched it yet) but when he brought the m5 bolt up for me he knew exactly what I needed it for in a matter of seconds.. He's one of our tool makers and a cool dude! B
I was one of those who yelled when you grabbed the body again and another bottle of stain... then laughed, because it seems whenever there's a pressure build you do something like that as if the pressure gives you that spark of last second creativity.. and it worked, I wasn't a fan of the stain initially, then working the red in just made everything pop. Also, this holiday break I am embarking of teaching myself fretting, so watching you level and dress them in 15 minutes was a nice visual lesson.
At about 57 minutes left it's at the ugly duckling stage. I can't wait to see the swan stage. Your other guitars always turn out beautiful.
Man on a good day it takes 30 min just to change my strings. Nice work!
Right now I'm at 10:25 and I'm a little concerned about the stain process. BUT I CAN'T TURN AWAY! Must-see-how-this-turns-out. Good luck Ben.
Mad respect from Canada Ben. Keep it up.
I'd like to see a video (series) where you take a full "work" day /8 hours and build up a kit. Much more realistic time frame to get everything right and a good goal for us mortals to do over a weekend/ day off ... :)
26:45 You pulled a Jeb Bush, and it actually worked!
I really enjoy watching these builds. Thanks from Illinois!
If you put them inserts in water then screw into the woods will make it a lot easier we used to do that in Furniture Factory I used to work at.
Burnt and wire brushed with the stain would look cool.
Ben working under a timed challenge is the best video content you have.
100 minutes? Pah! Gibsons go from tree to guitar in around 82 seconds flat.
Or at least they certainly give that impression.
Whoa dude, I like my Gibsons!
😂😂😂
Yeah they play like it to.
Aluminum U channels can be used to level frets even with out the handle. They're also useful for removing scratches from the bevels after using a file on them. You can also use them for removing scratches after leveling by going along the length of the frets with 400-600 grit. You can also level under the strings with a u channel. They are so useful.
I can't watch its too frantic. It's like watching a young Bill Bailey playing a rushed concerto on a piping hot xylophone. Well done on the 100k, of which I am a humble subscriber.
No need for gloves, just sand your fingers when finished!
BTW the purple is awesome.
if you had a BASIC Air Brush you could apply the stain in a much more controlled Fade
I think Smurfette will find out you have been cheating on her with Barney the Dinosaur if you don't wash your hands before you get home...
Aaargh, wrong stain!
I saw a demo Guitarist magazine did on a custom with a broken body held together with steel rods. I think a video on this guitar is in order from your bench top. Its gorgeous
There is one I think.. pretty sure..
Forgot to add congratulations on the first video. Hope you get your Silver Play Button in time for Christmas - that would be a great present and well deserved.
You should make this into a competitive sport. It would be like Iron Chef for guitars.
I would watch that. Should call it 'Masterbuilder'.
It's not a difficult concept. Two luthiers and some equal and small number of assistants have equal piles of parts and equal tools. Also, both luthiers will know in advance what amplifier will be used for the testing, since that may (most likely does) affect what they want to install. Since they will have more than one person on the build, two hours may actually be reasonable, but there's no reason it has to be that short (because editing). Then at the end, a panel of celebrity judges will actually play both guitars and pick a winner.
In regards to the treaded inserts. You are supposed to cut a bolt down and use that to install the insert. Also, the ones with the slot. That's not for a screwdriver. It's so the insert has a easier time cutting through the wood. You install using a cut down screw on the other end of the slot. Slot side goes down.
You should use hardened steel ones for the neck and not brass. I recommend hardened bolts as well.
Every time I watch one of these timed build videos I end up in super hurrying mode for the rest of the day. I have to stop myself and be like “no, you’ve spent the last 30 years making sure you have the least possible responsibility in every aspect of your life, you can chill the funk out.”
PURPLE STAIN, PUURRPLE STAAIIN
Congratulations for the 100,000 subs,hello from Mexico ¡¡
More companies should do those threaded inserts in the neck. (32:25)
I almost can't watch! the stain looks absolutely killer! With a finish on it it'll be transformed! I like that fade style with the curves on an "S" type especially, or even a Paul with a quilted top! How else are you going to compliment that burl pickguard?
Hey bud nice one- in the new year can consider doing some videos about improving guitars that we at already have? For example I bought a MIM Baja tele over an American, and I’d like to be able to modify things that will make it feel nicer- I.e. rolling the fretboard, doming the fret-ends, all things I would like to do but there aren’t many vids on doing it yourself that are competent enough for me to feel comfortable doing it myself. Ta
Watching these builds blows my mind. I'm >this< close to sacking it all off, buying a drill and a few other bits and bobs, and building myself a guitar or two. Or three. Might go for four. Loads, anyway. Definitely loads. Sterling work as ever, sir x
I'd like to see Christopher do a fretting tutorial!
He did a two part tutorial with the true temperament fretting system.
Loving this series! Best stain colour(s) for a rich & dark brown mahogany look? I’m staining maple...
"there's a number of people currently screaming at their screens right now. "Get a move on" I was thinking the "get on with it." Clip from Monty Python and the holy Grail.
Seeing the way that red looked over the purple I would have finished the entire guitar in that color
Congrats on 100k!
I stained my SG guitar kit violet using artists ink and the finish came out pretty much the same as the purple on this. Was like 4 bucks, too.
Love the build series videos. As captivating and exciting as a series of Game of Thrones. But without the gratuitous nudity. Thankfully.
None of the nudity in Game of Thrones is gratuitous. Most occurs in brothels, where people tend to be naked, a few scenes occur in baths/hot-tubs, where people tend to be naked, some occur when people are having sex - an occasion that frequently involves some nudity - a few occur as part of a punishment/ritual shaming, and 2 occur when someone who happens to be fireproof, spends a long time in a fire, wearing clothes that are not fireproof. Totally justified.
Ash, you've spent way too much time thinking about the nudity in GoT.
Somebody listen to Ben say “that green is a little bit annoying” and tell me you don’t hear Anthony Hopkins ?? Lol
If you have the inserts without the hex head on them then just cut a slot across the top with a hacksaw and then drive them in with a screwdriver...far less fiddly and time consuming than the bolt method.
That looks like fun
I love how this going against all your other videos, rush rush.. that’ll do..
Whats the best kind of paint to use.
Why did you use a step drill for the neck washer holes? It seems like a forstner bit would have been exactly the same amount of work?
+A1BASE I didn't have a forster bit to hand, which was poor planning on my part.. I do like how step drills are self centering especially when you are drilling into a hole that is larger than the point of your forster bit.. It's a tool I wish I had had from much earlier in my career. B
Yep. A bit more planning might have been better.
+Tim Beaton but then we miss out on the fun of problem solving under pressure.. I do enjoy the pressure.. Well, after the fact.. B
Shirley the correct tool for putting in the neck bolt inserts would have been an impact driver with a hex bit?
+Jorge Orwell these inserts didn't have any way of putting them in, no slot for a Screwdriver or Moulding for a hex etc.. Most peculiar! B
I just watched this in Jan 2022: did you manage to get your fingers clean?
100 minutes! You're a lunatic Ben. Can I ask where you source the neck mounting hardware? (threaded inserts etc.)
That set is from Grainger Guitars who have recently supplied Crimson with bridges. (paused the video and read the packet!)
Myk Hough Haha why didn’t I think of that. Thanks!
Yes, you definitely should have been wearing gloves. But no real harm is done by their absence, since the stains are non-toxic, and the worst that will happen is purple/blue hands for the next few days.
Lucky he didn't decide to use a brown stain !!!
Not screaming to get a move on. I don't mind in the slightest if you're exceeding the time limit. Just don't hurt yourself.
can you marble stains by mixing water and alcohol based stains?
Не болей
Congrats on the 100,000 subs! If you're still looking for translators, give me a shout!
Get a move on!!! Ben!!!!
29:12 Does heating it have an effect on the finish?
As a purchaser of your purple stain, I concur. It smells like rotten eggs.
Do you think there will be raw series kit guitars? I really want one
"Employ people better than YOU and let them do their job " Don't panic future buyers of his guitars, thankfully he does!
What's the bong noise?
swearing censoring, instead of the traditional bleep
May I have that guitar, I like it.
the way the stain accentuates the grain is just stunning.. did you see what i did there ; ) mwahaha
The guitar on the wall at around 27 mins caught my eye, what wood is it?
Robin Marriott I'm pretty sure that's a buckeye burl might be wrong.
I think it's the 90 hour build.
I'd love a tutorial on galaxy finishes.
How strong and stable is the step drilled and cup washer neck joint? I have been using a new spoon bit to cut a fairly flat recess and was thinking I should be using a forstner bit for a neater hole.
How are you not having problems with the stain raising the grain? I've done two rounds of whiskering on the ash bass I've just stained with your stain and i still had to sand and restain around the edges. No disaster as I was bursting from black to blue and the sides were only done the one colour but still needed several rounds of wet and wait until dry.
Try your stain in a spray bottle Spray and Wipe
That does work but tends to go on a bit heavy and gets everywhere. I usually try and put on only as much as needed and keep the rag as dry as possible for precision. Thanks for watching! B
why do you always use a rug to put stain on, what's wrong with a brush?
Ben lol, it takes like 10 secs to put on gloves...
Alot of comments on putting the stain on with paper towel v.s. a brush, the wood is so freaking grainy I really dont think a brush would work well. Im not a fan of the way he is staining this but it is a 100min build kinda ridiculous Dont try this at home for sure..
scott 1911man the only thing I’ll say to this is that, if you watch his other builds, he uses paper towels all the time
@ 35:00 Or you can use a nut instead.
2 minutes in, I realized I was baking wood and it's been in the oven for half an hour. UA-cam, am I right?
Why aren't you wearing gloves whilst staining?
is that a South African Accent I'm hearing??
Can I ask why you have to do extra fret work on a kit guitar? I would have thought the idea of buying a ready-made neck like this is that it would come levelled etc
I've never built a kit guitar and I'm not a gambler but I'm prepared to bet that you have to do a lot of finishing on other kits. And you don't get the quality of wood and fret wire or the accuracy of construction.
I'd be more interested in a crimson guitar kit if the frets were levelled & dressed, and string-through holes were pre-drilled (in the case of the Tele body).
Ben said somewhere else that they don't pre-drill the bodies because there are different types of Tele bridge and some people don't like string through. If you watch how little time Ben needed with the levelling beam, you can see that the frets were already pretty level.
Guitar kits come in many different skill levels. Leveling frets and making the guitar play and feel the way you want is part of setup work. In my opinion, good fret work is less complicated than good finish work. If the neck has accurate frets and nut, and the neck pocket is strait and tight, and the cavities are correct without being too big; these are qualities that make a quality guitar kit. I personally spend more time on finish and set up than I do with the actual building from lumber.
Build a bass please.
solidsneakie they said a while back that bass kits are coming in 2018 and they will be selling basses on their site around now actually? I could be wrong though
LOL you should have just burned it
A cool video, but for what the neck alone costs on their web site; I could buy a used U.S. made strat.
Where are you finding a US made strat for $300?!?
Well used MIM at best for that price... Crimson's stuff looks better than most of the MIM Fender necks I've seen.
jeffrey blair quite a few used ones that can be refurbished for 300-400 Mark
A US Strat for $300 bucks? I fancy it came off the back of a lorry.
Yeah, U.S strat for 300$... yes please
$345 for a neck with undressed frets? You gotta be joking?
aDynoNet He did say in the video someone will go back over and do a proper fret dress on it. Every build challenge he’s done it’s been the same. Get it to a point it can be played as quick as possible and do it properly afterwards
Clean your freakin' hands Ben! Dafuq...
I see you voted in Iraq ... early and often!
He seems so disorganized.
Still trying to figure out the point in these timed challenges??? Seems like to huge loss in quality and craftsmanship...
Charles Edwards How about fun?
just for shits and giggles ;)
Yes it's for fun but seriously, you can't make guitars this good without having the skill and experience to pull it off. Also, the 6 hour guitar was given away, the burnt T-type will be given away (I'd love to win it) and Ben is keeping this one for himself so there is no reduction in the quality of the "branded" guitars.