A New Envirocaster Build

Actually, I have two Envirocasters under construction. One is a double cutaway and the other is a single. Check out the progress on the single:

I'm using Ash for the body. This shot was taken just after cutting the shape on my band saw.

This one will be fitted with a pair of my custom wound P90 pickups.

After brushing on some thinned Timbermate, I let it dry for a couple of hours and sanded off the excess with some 150-220 grit sandpaper.

Since Ash is an open-grained wood, the surface has to be filled and sanded smooth before any finish can be applied. This is how it looked after sanding off the excess Timbermate. It's much smoother now, but I can still feel some of the grain, which is the look I am after.

I like to use a thin coat of oil-based Minwax Natural stain as a pre finish. The reason for this step is it helps me to see any surface flaws (scratches, dings, etc.) before I apply the final stain. Once I am happy with how the surface looks, I'll lightly sand it with some 320 grit sandpaper and proceed with a darker finish stain.