Drak Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 This pic was posted by mullmuzzler I think a few years back, and it absolutely floored me D-E-A-D. I have still never forgotten it, and it will be here, at the top of the page, for comparison purposes to see if I can win the 'Can Drak Match The Finish' game. This guitar speaks volumes to me in how they went about creating this look. I can't say first hand, but I think I can pick it apart enough to come pretty damn close. I hope so, because I absolutely drool over these pics every time I see them. There is nothing heavy handed or overstated about this finish, it is the very essence of the word 'finesse', from the stain/sandback, to the initial color coat, to the edge burst, it's all done with about as much taste as I can imagine anyone using for a guitar finish, this thing rates a 10 every time I see it, and now I am going to try and cop it for my very own . If you compare this guitar to my Stone Cold Satch finish, I think you will see that it isn't a large stretch to go from there to here. Basically substitute turquoise for the blue basecoat, use white pkps (no binding tho) and gold hardware. I have seen pics of LOADS of guitars that all have a similar finish (turquoise to blue) that usually look like crap to me, this one should be placed on a pedestal as the way to do this color of a finish AFAIC. Usually either the center color is waaay heavyhanded and too dark, or the blueburst is waaaay heavyhanded and too dark, I have really never seen another one of this color scheme that comes within light years of the beauty of this thing (to me). ...Funny I should mention the Stone Cold guitar, because I have a Telecaster body that has an IDENTICAL top to the Satch Strat all ready to go, put together, routed, ready and rarin' fo' some color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmarlin Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 Do it, put that finish on the tele, that would be beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 (edited) Pretty cool indeed. It's called a carriburst right? IMO it will look better on flame than quilt but to each his own and what not. I love those colors too Edited October 4, 2006 by Godin SD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 It's called a carriburst right? Godin beat me to it. Maybe not quite green enough for a carrie. I'd rout from the back with those pups. I've never been a huge fan of top-routed Fender-style single coils. P90s or jazzmasters work for me though. Yeah, 3 P90s and a 5-way. 'swat I'm talkin' 'bout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjensen Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 you'll need to ditch your usual stain black sand back to get this finish, but i guess you knew that. Not a big jump to "stain blue, sand back" I have no doubt you will nail it Drak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inisheer Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 That finish is great, I'm sure you can do it. Someday I want to make a Vee kind of like this Dean. To me these finishes look pretty close. What do you think, does this fall into your category of "too heavyhanded" ugly guitars? How would you go about doing this? I think it would probably be stain blue, and sand back lightly in the middle, then go over it again darker on the edge..... Sorry if this is slightly off topic, I didn't mean to steal the scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 All I see is a nice teal stain or trans coat and a blue burst??? From your work this is nothing out of the ordinary! The problem is having the right concentration of dye on the burst, too dark or too light and it won't have the same effect... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slabbefusk Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 DO IT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digideus Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Drak, as a step in teaching the rest of us how you do it, can we have a pic of the stained guitar and then one once your sanded it back? I for one would appreicate it because I have no idea how much sanding is required, and seeing it would explain a lot I think. Anyway, I know you can do as good a job on this finish, so im dying to see how good this is gonna be and a step by step guide? In the words of arnie..."DO IIIITTTT!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted October 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Anyway, I know you can do as good a job on this finish, so im dying to see how good this is gonna be and a step by step guide? Probably a step-by-step guide to the jaws of the W.O.D... The problem is having the right concentration of dye on the burst, too dark or too light and it won't have the same effect.. Yes, quite correct, and therin lies the game at hand. What do you think, does this fall into your category of "too heavyhanded" ugly guitars? No, that, although not exactly what I'm shooting for, is done quite nicely. When shooting for a color, it's just as important to look at similar finishes that you DON'T want as the one you do, it helps you narrow down the scope of what you're trying to do. Although I'm looking at the Pensa, I also looked at several others that were similar to it to see what I DIDN'T want to do, a very important step. you'll need to ditch your usual stain black sand back to get this finish, but i guess you knew that. I'm certainly open to suggestions Perry, what do you think they did here, simply wipe on and wipe off the teal/turquoise? Although I already have a plan of attack, I'm also certainly open to suggestions and would like to hear your recipe ideas. It is, after all, just about having fun with it Pretty cool indeed. It's called a carriburst right? I guess you could call it a Carriburst, but really, this seems too different from the rest of the typical Carribursts I've seen to classify it as something a little different, or a -very- understated Carriburst at best. I call it a Mint-Burst, or maybe a San-Tropez Burst. Pics of the victim guitar coming up today. It is identical to the Satch Strat, ala Quilted Maple (from the same board) over Limba (from the same board)...a 'sister' guitar to the Strat as it were... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biliousfrog Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 oooooh, that's purdy! I'm waiting with baited breath to see how you tackle that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted October 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Basically, forget ANY type of stain and sand back. You need TINTED lacquer for this one. NO direct stain. I would avoid nitro, as it is too yellow. You need to start with some real white maple, or it will just be green and washed out. I can agree with that, that's probably one reason this finish came to mind as the Satch Strat burst reminded me of this one, and that was done with tinted lacquer as well (the burst anyway)...but I would ask how then did they enhance the grain, ...are you saying it is simply the natural contrast in the wood itself? Seems possible, but seems a little darker than I would expect just from natural grain. But, thats just how i would do it. And i personally HATE the stain and sand back, so what do i know... You know a lot, why I asked. And I know you don't like stain/sandbacks. I'm doing this exact finish soon, for a carved top quilt maple double cut design with paua inlay. Cant wait, and its for me, so im going all out Well then maybe I'll just wait and watch how you do yours, love to see it. This one may take a turn to the left or right, as is always the possibility with my projects. I've been thinking about just doing another Satch job, just with turquoise instead of the blue, which would be a sort of halfway-in-between approach. But I would love to see an Ormsby interpretation of that finish for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 I'm with Perry on that, but I won't ditch the idea of a stained teal. I prefer it to just translucent coat, because if you for some reason don't like the tone it takes is a lot easier to wash out any excess than to sand out the laquer. And I too would use urethane rather then nitro for the same reason, or just take into account how much it will yellow and go easy on the teal stain. I love that finish, but I will like mine to be a little bit more blue, since it is my favorite color. Hey Perry is it for the shak inlay guitar, that have been in the works since I can remember!!!! Because it is about time!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Hey Perry is it for the shark inlay guitar, that have been in the works since I can remember!!!! Because it is about time!!! yup, thats the one. With a 22 month waiting list at the moment, i cant afford the time to be making stuff for me... but you know, its so long since i treated myself to a nice guitar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted October 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 OK, you are right, and of course I understand the wood itself is the baseline for everything that follows. I do see by your pic that flamed maple can indeed be that dark naturally, good pic and thanks. I have never used flamed maple for anything really, I just prefer quilted, but now I agree with you, it IS all in the tint, not in the direct wood staining. I feel very enlightened now, and completely at peace with the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 I know you don't really "fill the grain" with maple, but I could see how staining the wood directly could dumb down some of that nice chatoyance you see with naturally finished flame maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazzyone Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 I thought John Suhr made Marks guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 I thought John Suhr made Marks guitars Suhr worked for (co-founded?) Pensa-Suhr guitars before he went solo. Something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted October 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 ...and I can't say for a fact exactly who made that guitar, that's the way mullmuzzler explained it when he posted it I believe, so it's second hand info at best, maybe it is a Suhr... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjensen Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 (edited) Im no expert but, the way the burst-edge-color is all the way to the center of the guitar, in the "soft wood" part of the grain, makes me think that it IS stained the dark blue, and sanded back. In a picture it is hard to see what gets lost by the sand back. I person, I really dont prefer one over the other, they are just differant. Though I will say in photos, the stain and sand back thing always looks better. Edited October 7, 2006 by Tjensen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikhailgtrski Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Maybe I just got lucky... my tortoise shell geetar has a pretty heavy stain/sandback, yet the figure retains that pronounced 3D quality - the flame looks quite deep and shifts nicely depending on the light and viewing angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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