Saga Electric Kit from Blues Creek Guitars

[naccoachbob]

Here's the link to the forum archives where I started this kit back in May.

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/archives ... 1_0_6_40_C

It's been very slow because I was waffling between spraying with a spray gun or spray cans.
I bought a mini spray gun, then found my compressor had died. By time I got that fixed, I had decided to bail out and do it by cans. John seems to use them and like them, so why make things complicated? The only advantage was that I'd formed a friendship with a guy at a body shop who would hook me up with any paint I wanted. Told me to just pick a car and it's color and he'd match it. But at about $75 for a pint, or was it quart?, whatever, 3 cans of spray paint got me done.
I then used a clear coat recommended by Ken at KMG, that was compatible with the paint, and here's the result before I start level sanding and polishing.



I like the red a lot. It has about 12 clear coats on it, and about 4-5 color coats. Prior to that, I put on about 3 primer coats. Being the first time, I probably have too much paint and primer, but doubt if it will hurt anything. I waited a good amount of time between priming, coating, clear coating.
Thanks for looking,
Bob

[deadedith]

Looking good Bob! I've been toying with the idea of that kit, so I'm real interested to see how it turns out. Are you going with strat Lace pickup set or something more or less?
Dave B

[naccoachbob]

John upgraded my pickups to "Mighty Mites". Not sure which type, but he assured me they would sound really good.
I'm not sure I can appreciate the sound of different pickups yet, but when I get this strung up, I can compare it with a very cheap Peavey that I bought about 10-15 yrs ago.
I'm still tickled about the difference in building an electric as opposed to an acoustic. With the electric, the finish gets done before the assembly. That's working out well, because I'd rather my current acoustic be better, and I got to play around with a spray (can) finish with the electric.
Now, I'm not opposed to experimenting with another type of pickup if you have suggestions! But I have less than 2 "C" notes invested in this, including the finishing.
Bob

[deadedith]

John gives great advice, I'd listen to him. There are no end of pickups out there, but they can get pricey.
Dave B

[Tony_in_NYC]

Hey Bob, thats pretty cool! Its almost the same color as my old Charvel. And by "old" I mean I fot it 20 years ago. Its a great guitar. I hope yours sounds great!
Keep posting the build along pics. I love those.

[johnnparchem]

The guitar looks great.

I been trying to get a les paul style saga built as well. I have been doing the painting with rattle can colortone nitrocellulous lacquer in my back yard. I upgraded my pickups to EMG 81/85 combo. My daughter is into metal and it is for her.

[naccoachbob]

Thanks Tony. It's gonna be fun when I get to the assembly part. The Saga manual is not the greatest in the world. Plus the pickup kit John sent with it had an extra wire coming out of it that the manual didn't address of course. John said it was another ground, but it's for something I won't have on it. Whew!!
John, that Les Paul kit looks super. I've never been a Les Paul guitar fan, but my cousin has one his dad bought for him in the '60's, and lately I've been looking at them with a different frame of mind. Did you do that sunburst yourself?
Please, please tell me how. That's another thing I've not been fond of in the past, but, again, my mind is changing.
Are those pickups for heavy metal, or good for most any kind of music? Expensive?
Thanks again, guys.
Bob

[Ken C]

That red will look nice, Bob! You must be getting psyched to be so close! I'm just a little bit ahead of you. I buffed out my sunburst Les Paul this evening. The burst and finish turned out very nice. With a little luck, I'll have the pups and wiring in this weekend.

Ken

[johnnparchem]

Bob,

I made my sunburst with stewmac Colortone tinted nitrocellulose lacquer, First vintage amber followed by red mahogany and then tabacco brown on the edge. Then lots of clear. I still need to polish it out this weekend. I was spraying out in the garden, so I had to make sure I grabbed the guitar every night and brought it in the the house before the temp dropped below the dew point. I really need a place I can spray this stuff.

I know very little about electric guitars and pickups, I am putting in what my daughter suggested,. From what I understand the 81 (bridge is high gain and is great for heavy distortion. The 81 (neck) is a little more tuned down and can function with other styles of music. The complete install kit pots, switch ... costs about $200. Fro

[Ken Hundley]

Nice job on both of htose guitars! Makes me want to finish the ones I have started!