Making a Kit Guitar
Channel: Spines And Splines
Date: 26/06/2022

In this video I make custom painted guitar for the Thomann Harley Benton DIY Kit Challenge. This is a long video, so check out the chapter links below if you want to skip to a certain part of the build.

0:00 Introduction
1:08 Design preparation
2:47 Unboxing the guitar
3:30 Dry fit build to check everything
4:09 Testing the pickups
4:14 Making it perfect before painting
4:32 Insetting the neck plate
6:04 Sanding and priming
6:47 Painting preparation
8:02 Masking out shapes
8:36 Starting the paint job
11:55 Perfectionist tendencies
12:48 Varnish DISASTER
13:45 Angry sanding
14:05 Cutting the headstock
15:08 Fine tuning the frets
16:43 Finishing the neck with oil and wax
17:40 Painting the headstock
18:40 Carving the headstock text
20:15 Filling the text with encaustic wax
21:25 Working on the nut
21:53 Installing the tuners
22:49 Engraving the neck plate
24:59 How to get super sharp edges on a painting
26:17 Varnishing
28:52 Assembling the guitar
29:33 Installing the pick guard and pickups
30:11 Installing the bridge and input jack
31:27 Installing the tremolo system
32:25 Attaching the neck
33:04 Stringing the guitar
33:18 Adjusting the bridge and tremolo tension
33:31 Adjusting the action height
33:37 Et voilà!
34:24 Clean tones from each pickup selection
34:42 Playing the guitar!

Buy the test paintings made for the guitar! https://www.crumpart.net/buy-art/

Guitar Geek's "How to build a kit guitar" video:
https://youtu.be/gj876UeOlKg

Setting up a Strat style guitar:
https://youtu.be/OMItRvqE0_c

Thomann's series on how to set up and service your own guitars:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLooPgX64bpwDWYhNNbkVu6oFJuVnUp_u3

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Affiliate Links (I earn a small commission when you buy things through these links):

Jackson's art supplies UK / Europe: https://www.jacksonsart.com/golden-heavy-body-acrylic-paint?___store=jacksonsart_en&acc=dd77279f7d325eec933f05b1672f6a1f

Buy something from Thomann Europe (maybe the Harley Benton ST guitar kit!). https://redir.love/thocf/3mq8cpp73a

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MATERIALS USED:

Guitar:
Harley Benton ST Guitar Kit
D’Addario Nickel Wound Gauge 10 Strings
Fender Surf Green Guitar Cable

Brushes:
Raphael Kaerell 20mm and 50mm flat brushes for gesso and varnish
Flat and filbert brushes in various sizes (Isabel Mangou and Raphael Kevin +)
Raphael 8404 4/0 round detail brush

Painting accessories:
Palette knives
Sennelier disposable palette
Random glass jars for paint mixing and storing
Fleetwood low tack washi tape
General sandpaper for removing sealer
1000 & 1500 grit automotive sandpaper

Paint:
Golden Heavy Body Acrylics (Quinacridone Magenta, Interference Blue, Zinc White)
Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylics (Titanium White)
Liquitex Iridescent Medium
Liquitex High Gloss Varnish

Other tools:
Files
Phillips Head Screwdriver
Combination spanners
Ruler
Fine steel wool
Arteina printmaking burnisher and scraper
EC Lyons Printmaking Engraving Tool Set
EC Lyons V Woodcarving tool
1mm Japanese woodcarving tool
EC Lyons Relief Knife
Cordless drill
Hand saw

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