Day Three

Before I start the poly coating process I’ve decided to have the fretboard levelled and dressed professionally. On my kit, it’s the single most necessary job to be done and the one that really does need both specialised tools and skill. I’ve been quoted £40 by the luthier at PMT in Manchester for a job he’ll complete in about an hour. Unfortunately due to the present health restrictions, I can’t watch him but even so, the charge compares very favourably with the cost of the tools for me to do the job myself, even if I ignore the company that rather arrogantly places itself and its equipment higher than all the other UK suppliers

The other detail I’ve discovered applies to this particular kit. That’s the very attractive deep scoop on the treble cutaway, a feature of PRS guitars. With Coban’s veneer top it’s difficult to mask the scoop to avoid getting the stain one uses on the veneer from the scoop – assuming one is going to treat the scoop in the same way as the back and sides – in my case as unstained wood. If I make another instrument with this design I’ll avoid a veneered top and treat the top, scoop, sides and back in the same fashion. I think it’s going to end up as a fine-pointed paint-brush job along the edge of the veneer.