Finishing

With the epoxy fully cured and joints cleaned up, the body is ready for finishing. The goal is a stable, smooth surface — not cosmetically perfect, but solid enough to take hardware without the finish interfering with fit.

Questions while you work? Chat in the Discord thread →

Before you start

Confirm the body bonding checkpoints before doing anything else:

• All joints sifficiently cured (minimum 10 hours for G/Flex spec)
• No visible gaps at any joint line
• Neck pocket clean and free of resin

Do not proceed to sanding if any of these fail. Gaps and fit problems are easier to address before the surface is worked.

Sanding

The main goal of sanding is to create a surface that's comfortable to touch, but you can go further if you want it to look more professional. Don't take off more material than is necessary to achieve the desired result, but you don't need to worry about being a bit aggressive. I start with 80 grit sandpaper on a rotary sander and really dig into it. When I have the rough shape, I go over it again with 120 grit. There will be some areas that you can only reach by hand. Avoid sanding the neck pocket. Focus on the top of the cap, the sides, and the back. This process usually takes me an hour.

How finely you prepare the surface is up to you. If you intend to use a spray paint or clear coat, do not sand finer than 220 grit. You need to leave something for the paint to mechanically bond to. If you want to leave the surface natural, you can keep going all the way down to a fine polish. I've done it but haven't been happy with the results. The material has a tendency to absorb body oils that leave dark spot.

Sealing

I've tried a few methods for sealing the surface. My favorite is Krylon Fusion spray paint. However, a layer of Danish oil is sufficient to keep it from darkening from your body oils. The problem with the Danish oil method is that it needs to be repeated often.

Next Steps

If you already know how to build and finish a guitar, you can safely venture off on your own from here. If you need more help, you'll need to give me some time. I've designed 7 voicings for the guitar and tested 6 of them in builds of my own. However, I won't be able to provide the wiring diagrams for you until some time in June (2026) due to other commitments I have (my day job). While you're waiting, feel free to browse the voicings. Also, come to the Discord community to share your experience with this build and ask questions. I'll respond when I'm able.

See all voicings →

Community