Diurnal Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 What a great forum! This is my first guitar build and I need help with some finishing issues. A more detailed picture This is a standard Mahagony body and neck with a dropped Maple top. The fingerboard is Rosewood and will get stainless frets. I'm planning on using SD SH-4 and SH-2 pickups but I guess that is really a different issue. I need help deciding what color and finishing technique to use on the maple top. I know that color is a personal issue but I could use some other input. So far I'm thinking of dyeing it black, backsanding a bit and then adding a bit of brown with a nitro finish. This is all new to me as I have really only used oil finishes and paints on furniture projects. The Maple top is a bit unsual but it's my first project. The grain pattern is not consistant. It's much more pronounced at the bridge than near the bouts - a little unbalanced but maybe I can make it work. I think with a TOM bridge it will look good. Anyway, this has taken up a lot of time over the past few weeks and has been very new and enjoyable. I look forward to getting it finished. Thanks for any input... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMan686 Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 The choice of color is yours but I would go with some type of cobalt blue. Something not to dark and expose that nice grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diurnal Posted October 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Do you think that I should dye it black and sandback to enhance the grain no matter which color I use or would that leave too much grain intensity? I know that it's all a matter of taste. It's just that I have none! Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Do you think that I should dye it black and sandback to enhance the grain no matter which color I use or would that leave too much grain intensity? I know that it's all a matter of taste. It's just that I have none! Thanks for the input. ← Could work well. You got offcuts from the maple? Get ye some dyes, try some colours out, put a bit of clear on top to see what it'll look like, then make your decision. Blue, Deep red, purple, green, tiger-eye (browns/yellows), various bursts, all possibilities, all can look rockin'. Look around PRS's website, David Myka's website (mykaguitars.com) for some inspriation (just to name a few). Pick a colour you like, and get to work on scrap trying to achieve it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diurnal Posted October 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Thanks. I'll post some pictures when I try a few samples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROCKETROB Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Wow ...that top is way cool. The dark figuring makes it really interesting. Don't cover it with something too dark. Nice shape on the body too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american_jesus Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 i think a black and sand, then a nice blue burst would look most excellent...especially if you do it ala guitarfrenzy, with the whole body a nice shade of blue, and just a touch of black around the outside edges...that would be my personal choice. but good looking work, looks quite clean and well done throughout...congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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