A Little Paint Advice, Please!

[hihoslva]

Hello all - new member here. Love the forum so far, and learning all the time!

On my next project guitar, I'm looking to get a textured black finish like what is found on some speaker cabinets (and I have seen it on a few guitars, too).

Flat black, but with the grain pattern visible. The best representation I could find online would be this pic:

So I'm thinking a Swamp Ash body would really have some stand-out grain.

Would it just be so simple as painting the thing flat black and then maybe some matte or satin clear? If so - then giddyup, I'm on it!

Additionally - I may want a more "graphite" look. Maybe some of you have seen this color on some guitars - I think I've seen an Ibanez or two like it. Almost black color, almost metallic, but not quite. A tinge of gray. And the finish is flat, flat, flat. Any idea where to get a paint like that?

Again - love the forum, and look forward to hanging out here more!

~I

(oh, and here's a pic & info on the Warmoth build I just completed: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=35269 )

[Woodenspoke]

Hello all - new member here. Love the forum so far, and learning all the time!

On my next project guitar, I'm looking to get a textured black finish like what is found on some speaker cabinets (and I have seen it on a few guitars, too).

Flat black, but with the grain pattern visible. The best representation I could find online would be this pic:

So I'm thinking a Swamp Ash body would really have some stand-out grain.

Would it just be so simple as painting the thing flat black and then maybe some matte or satin clear? If so - then giddyup, I'm on it!

Additionally - I may want a more "graphite" look. Maybe some of you have seen this color on some guitars - I think I've seen an Ibanez or two like it. Almost black color, almost metallic, but not quite. A tinge of gray. And the finish is flat, flat, flat. Any idea where to get a paint like that?

Again - love the forum, and look forward to hanging out here more!

~I

(oh, and here's a pic & info on the Warmoth build I just completed: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=35269 )

I suggest a dry stain technique. Kind of not really dry but not very wet. A cloth with just enough stain to color the surface but not run into the pores of the wood. The white you see are the pores which are lower down than the surface. I will assume this will take more coats to get enough stain on the surface for the complete effect. Let the piece dry between coats so its does not get too wet. Make sure the cloth you use us in a ball and wrapped up tight like french polish.

Just a thought.

[rjhalsey]

It is done in 4 parts.

1. Stain the body black

2. Spray the body with a couple wash coats of lacquer

3. Mix white universal colorant in clear grain filler and fill the pours with it

4. Back sand till you get the effect you want.

[John Abbett]

I'm no expert in finishing..

When I recently used the black dye for an ebony fretboard (From Stu-Mac), I let it dry and then used steel wool on it. The grain showed through just like that picture. Give it a try. The dye is cheap and goes a LONG way.

-John

[WezV]

im with RJ - dont grainfill the body first. Spray or stain it black then do a white grainfill. Only works on wood with deeper pores like ash. Its just what gibson did for the gibson voodoo finishes.. but with red instead of white