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What I've learned in ~18 months of building

So while I was sitting at my favorite workbench the other night (2x4 across my knees while I sit on an overturned 5 gallon bucket) I was thinking about what I've learned over 10 or so partial and complete builds. And the major thing comes down to these hard and fast RULES of making a CBG.

Keep sanding.
When you think you're done sanding, put it down for a day. Then come back and start over with 180 grit.
See rule 1, jackazz.
No, you are not done sanding yet.
See rule 1.
If, by some miracle, you have decided to finish sanding and all the large scratches and misaligned joints are more or less flush to one another, then you may start applying finish.
You forgot to remove all the dust, didn't you?
Sand 'em wood.
Try number 7 again.
Now, if you have somehow managed to have a beautiful guitar neck with no scratches and a nice finish, go ahead and give it a whack against something hard to get that first ding out of the way. You know, the one where you lean the neck up against something while you reach for the box, tuners, or something else?
Don't worry about the scratch. You were never going to sell this guitar anyway.

And the progress to date on this guitar is below. It isn't perfect, but I wasn't going to sell it anyway. :)

I still have to figure out a bridge/saddle and tailpiece design. The bridge and saddle sit between the Star Wars logo and Vader's head.

There will be no fret inlays on the face of the neck. The Force will guide your hands to the right notes. I hope.

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Comment by Clock The Wolf on April 16, 2012 at 7:20pm: Looked into this sanding thing.

Boy is my face RED!

Now I know why my hands are all torn up...

Comment by Clock The Wolf on April 16, 2012 at 12:18pm: What is this... sanding ... of which you speak?????????

Comment by Bad Finger (Eric) on April 16, 2012 at 8:52am: Aw, crap. You're giving away my Jedi secret. I'm going to drill 1/16" or so diameter holes on the top edge of the fingerboard and drop in some red paint. I have good eyes.

Comment by swampapple slim on April 16, 2012 at 8:32am: you can put small markers on top edge of fretboard only you see them my fretless is like that and friends wonder how do you know were you are and i tell them 100,000 miles practicing nice build so true worklooks as preaty as when you stop sanding keep it up

Comment by Jon Pruett on April 16, 2012 at 4:09am: Sounds like a great plan - you can't go wrong with an Elmar Klangbox pickup, and the single coil under the tin top sounds neat - I'll be looking forward to hearing the sound clip!

Comment by Bad Finger (Eric) on April 16, 2012 at 3:58am: Thanks Jon. The tin was a gift from my daughters for Valentine's day. They found it at Target or somewhere and it had some cheap chocolates in it. I don't remember the brand cigars for that box, but the lid was very thin and I used a utility knife to cut the opening for the tin. A Klangbox pickup will go on at the neck and then I have a cheap strat type pickup for inside the box. I'm going to try for a little springy reverb inside the tin and see how that works out.

Comment by Jon Pruett on April 16, 2012 at 3:50am: As I read each step I just kept laughing more and more. :) I completely understand where you're coming from there. And that box looks like a beauty - where did you find the tin piece?