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Building an Electric Guitar for the Los Lonely Boys A master luthier handcrafts an electric guitar for the Los Lonely Boys. From "Special Presentation" episode DLLB-S

(Continued from page 4)

Kelly examines the binding on the Bajo Sexto acoustic guitar.

Finishing the Guitar Construction

Kelly's biggest challenge with Henry's custom guitar is replicating the binding associated with a Bajo Sexto. The only way to achieve the look is to paint a similar pattern directly onto the alder body. It's a painstaking process of masking small squares and applying paint until the look is achieved. The body takes several passes in the finish booth and the neck does as well. A "stinger" is added to the back of the neck as a signature associated with First Act guitars.

Materials:

masking tape
paint
nitro cellulous lacquer

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1. To replicate the appearance of "binding" on this solid body electric guitar, Kelly has to mask the body allowing only small squares along the edge to be exposed.

2. Kelly sprays a dark stain on the body and removes the masking tape to reveal decorative squares surrounding the guitar (figure H).

3. The spray gun is less precise than required for such a visible detail, so Kelly hand-paints all missed spots with the same dark stain.

4. The newly created squares are masked. Kelly applies an amber stain to the guitar. When he removes the tape (figure I) he reveals the three colors of this guitar (the original clear coat provides the alternate color for the "binding" effect).

5. Kelly applies amber stain to the neck and adds a darker stained "stinger" on the back of the headstock (figure J).

6. A final clear coat of nitrous cellulous lacquer is added to both the neck and the body and left to dry for several days.

Figure H

Figure I

Figure J

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