Finish Ambering/yellowing

[HerrHerron]

I'm getting conflicting information on the internet, so I'd like to make a thread just for this topic. I'm building a guitar with an all-maple neck, and I'd like it to be just a little bit vintage-yellow. Some websites say nitrocellulose lacquer yellows over time, and poly doesn't. Other sites say the exact opposite! Or is it both?

I'd also like to know how long it takes to see the ambered effect. I want my neck to be just barely yellow, so I wouldn't want to lightly dye it and then have the finish add onto that for an extreme yellow.

There are enough threads about nitro vs poly, I'm just interested in the yellowing aspect of each.

Thanks,

Drew

[Maiden69]

poly (the 2 part automotive one) won't yellow. Nitro does, but mostly depends on the enviroment you keep it. It takes years to yellow, so your best bet it to dye either one with an amber stain. like the one Ste Mac sells

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supp...uid_Stains.html

The vintage amber one.

Edited September 8, 2007 by Maiden69

[HerrHerron]

So exactly which environments make a nitro lacquer yellow? If I wanted a genuine vintage look, could I use nitro and intentionally yellow it for a while, and then keep in in a non-yellowing environment? Or are we talking decades here?

[CrazyManAndy]

You can darken it up by leaving it out in the sun, but if you're looking for vintage tint, staining is by far your best bet.

Just test out different stains/combinations on some scrap and then apply a UV-resistent poly or nitro.

CMA

[HerrHerron]

OK thanks both of you. That answers my question. I'm gonna go with a light stain and then that 2-part automotive poly. I don't have any spraying equipment, so I might as well go to an auto paint place anyway.

[HerrHerron]

And something I still don't understand:

Before staining the neck I dampen the wood to raise the grain, and then apply a wet stain... but I thought most of finishing a neck was to keep it protected from moisture? Or is that just a long-term ambient humidity issue? And the PG Tutorial says wipe the stain with the grain, but if the fret are already on, that'll cause a problem. Anyone had experience with staining over frets or with staining against the grain? Any tips?

Edited September 12, 2007 by HerrHerron

[postal]

Normally you add the color to your clear finish, and spray it on. This provides a nice even color that cant be done by staining the wood directly. You would spray on the fretboard, frets and all, and scrape the finish off the frets when dry.

[HerrHerron]

I know, I was just following the Project Guitar tutorial. If I'm doing it at an auto shop, I wouldn't have much chance to test the shades of yellow would I? I don't really know how it would work at an auto paint shop. Especially if I'm not providing my own finish. I don't know, I'll figure it out. If they let me test the color on some scrap wood then sure I'll mix it with the finish.

[HerrHerron]

Another thing: I'm making a logo following the tutorial on this website (on a transparency). If I add a stain to the finish, will it react differently to the transparency as opposed to direct contact with the wood? Will it look different on the wood, or does the stain just stay entirely within the finish layer? Does anyone have experience with that?

Edited October 2, 2007 by HerrHerron