Flon Klar Guitars Posted March 12, 2007 Report Share Posted March 12, 2007 I'm in the final stages of putting together my "Firebird" bass. I used red and yellow Transtint dyes to color the body, headstock and part of the fretboard inlay. Now I need to protect it, as the dye is pretty delicate, i.e., comes off easily. Does anybody with any experience with the dyes have an effective method for finishing it? I'd appreciate any ideas and information. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 12, 2007 Report Share Posted March 12, 2007 Funky! Transtint dyes are made for wood, and they're meant to be sealed with a finish. Lacquer, poly, whatever you prefer. They're not meant to be used straight without any protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flon Klar Guitars Posted March 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2007 Thanks for the reply, and I don't mean to sound rude, but yes, I understand all that; I'm looking for a little more in-depth information on what particular experiences people have had with finishes over the dyes. Is there anything that tends to bring out the color more, or something that doesn't mix well with the dye, or ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 13, 2007 Report Share Posted March 13, 2007 No offense taken, and I hope none was given; I figured you weren't a newbie (either that, or a very, very ambitious one). I've use TransTint's successfully to directly stain the wood, cover it with waterbased lacquers (Target PSL and USL spray lacquers, ie the stuff StewMac rebadges) as well as nitro and shellac. Never tried them under oil. The TransTints are compatible with pretty much any finish you care to think up, dissolve in alcochol, water, lacquer thinner, all helps. Shellac and nitro 'pop' the finish a lot more (stain or no stain) than any waterbased stuff, so I tend to seal with shellac if I'm using waterbased finishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flon Klar Guitars Posted March 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2007 Cool, that's a little more to the point! Thanks man, that helps a lot. I like to try something new with every build, so I'm always a newb on some level! Thanks for your input; the shellac sounds like a plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 Word of warning on the shellac; you may want to spray a first light coat or two, to seal the stuff in. French polish may tend to swirl things around a bit, because the tints are soluble in alcohol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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