chunkielad Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 After building my own custom last year but using a bought neck, I've decided it's time to do my own. Just to make things easy on myself, I've gone for a well known shape and bought templates off Simo so it'll be about concentrating on build quality rather than a new design. So.. a Telecaster it is. I have some mahogany and ash for the body (ash centre with mahigany wings) and a 5mm quilted top is on it's way. There's maple for the neck and a sexy bubinga fretboard. So now, choices on finish. I'd like something transparent all over and was just thinking os a good old sealer and Briwax but that quilted top needs something more - Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurits Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 You could stain it and sand back to have the quilt pop out more. Have you got any pics of your previous build? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 This is the old one - never put pics up of it finished as it still isn't! Just needs the control plate wiring up and fixing - I'll sort that this week but I'v been playing it straight out to the jack socket from the pickup for now. http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...1&hl=custom I was thinking of some sort of grain pop but my main thing now is the fact that the timber the body is made from (the ash and mahogany) are really nice looking and I'd like to keep them natural but the maple cap has an amazing quilt and I'd like to stain it - the cap is 5mm thick and I'd like to have the edge of that not look too out of place. Never tried a binding before and not sure how well i would get on with a fauz binding so I was thinking a burst but then i don't want to lose the figure... catch 22 eh? Dunno just want some more ideas to play with I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 If you hit the quilt with a drying oil like truoil or even very thinned shellac, you'll pop the figure, give it a nice golden hue, and a great shimmer. IMO, nice figured maple looks every bit as stunning under a good satin finish as it does under gloss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 (edited) I'm finishing off a chambered mahogany tele at the moment with a nice flame maple top (first real build). I stained (solvent-based) the maple dark oak after sanding flat, then sanded back and added a bit of deep red mahogany stain, rubbing off some of the colour depth in the middle of the body afterwards. This wasthen rubbed with a lot of thin coats of tru-oil to slowly build up a sheen, not a mirror gloss. It's starting to look really sweet and should be finished soon. The combination of stains and the tru-oil have really given the maple flame a great look. It's posted on this sub-forum if you're interested. http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=24810 http://www.niw-files.com/alheeley/music/woody8.jpg Edited August 13, 2006 by al heeley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 I like the guitar Al but I'm not a brown fan unless it's the original colour of the timber. You gave me an idea though which is to stain the whole guitar brown and sand back then stain the front in a yellowy/brown more of an ochre colour then try the shellac satin finish. I agree setch that you can get a great effect under satin and I am pretty sure I don't want to gloss this one. Have i heard the phrase 'tiger eye' some where? i'll go do a search.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Just had a look for Tiger Eye and they seem too brown or orange for my liking. Anyone got pics of a yellow type stain which has had a black or brown sankback? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Like this: http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?Produc...;CollectionID=6 Thats done purely with black sanded back and yellow on top. Personally i think it looks pretty horrible. The proper gibson is a bit better: http://www.gibsoncustom.com/flash/products...y/JoePerry.html But i feel that too much black will deaden the 3d effect of the flame. Ok it will make the flame stand out more but it will lose its shimmer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Personally i think it looks pretty horrible. And I'd agree! It looks dirty. The proper gibson is a bit better: It does but stll not quite right. i wonder if Amber will make a difference.... (Goes looking for black and amber - probably best with brown Amber though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 That will take you right back to the tigers eye kind of thing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 I bet that gibson is actually dark brown sanded back. I you put yellow over black die you will end up with a really nasty snot green color. I know that pic looks kind of gross, but I still think black would have looked worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Tru Oil! I second Setch's recommendation, it does a really nice job on flamed maple all by itself and keeps that shimmer, and it is very easy to apply. You will see the pores on the ash and mahogany, but the maple should be nice and tight, and you can buff it to *almost* the same sheen as nitro or poly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 I've looked for tru oil before and never been able to find it around here. Anyone know where i can get that and naptha in the UK? How would tru oil work over a stain? Will it pull it out at all when I wipe? Is shellac ok as the first coat to protect the stain? The brown and orange Tiger eye idea is really coming to be the most attractive toi me at the minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 For Naptha just go and buy a bottle of zippo lighter fluid, i havnt found tru-oil either, not as many gun shops around here as there used to be!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 What d'yall reckon to some sanding sealer, then a few good coats of Briwax? Will that come out anything like a satin/gloss finish? I don't want full on nitro glossy but then again, I'd like some shine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 You can get a reasonable level of shine with briwax, i use it over danish oil. The longer you spend waxing and buffing the better the shine!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Excellent news - I got a pot a while back but never used it - I think that'll be the wayI go then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 I've looked for tru oil before and never been able to find it around here. Anyone know where i can get that and naptha in the UK? How would tru oil work over a stain? Will it pull it out at all when I wipe? Is shellac ok as the first coat to protect the stain? Google UK search gives a few different UK outlets for Tru-oil. It's a nice easy finish. You can also search ebay shops for it. Most places selling it are gunsmiths and hunting/fishing type shops. I always have to buy mine over the internet like this. It will bring out a bit of the stain but you're rubbing it back in again. Naptha = Ronsons lighter fluid- fuel for Zippo's, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Well what do you know, i google tru-oil and find it straight away.. I havnt looked in a couple of years, glad to see its more available online now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 It defo wasn't available last time I looked but hey, always happy with new finds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 (edited) I worked a mock up of the guitar shape over the top and it's just too blooming gorgeous for any sort of stain - Tru Oil only is a very big possibility! What sort of volume of Tru-oil is a body going to need? Is the small bottle enough? Edited August 15, 2006 by chunkielad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Yep that will do fine. You build it up in very thin layers and rub it in well. Fine Steel wool is good for getting it into the grain. If you rub it in with a soft cloth you'll get thru a lot more oil as the cloth will take off 90% of what you put on. Don't be tempted to put too thick a coat on in one go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik17 Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Nice one! Is it just me or is there a cat face figure in the guilt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 I think it looks like E.T.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 yep, it's definitely an alien thing whose spirit has been pressed into the very quilt of the maple over decades of growth. Rather unsettling. Ooh-Err! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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