Noob Going To Dye A Guitar

[User01]

I bought a replacement ibanez body and it is made out of mahogany. Its all sanded and feels as smooth as silk.

I want it dyed blood red with a non-gloss finish (similar to an rga), however i was just wondering whether its simple enough for me to do it myself.

here are the things i would like to know before going ahead:

1) what do i have to do to the smooth, already sanded body in preparation for dyeing? do i have to apply any chemicals or fillers?

2) once the dye has been applied, what needs to go on afterwards? i dont want it glossy, so im guessing i dont need a poly clear coat.

can i leave it as it is once it has been dyed, or will i have to use some kind of protective agent on top of the dye?

Thanks alot

User01

[Ilikes2shred]

1) what do i have to do to the smooth, already sanded body in preparation for dyeing? do i have to apply any chemicals or fillers?

Assuming your using water based aniline dyes: Just wipe it down with some water to raise the grain. Once it's dry, lightly sand the grain, and repeat the whole process a few times. Then make sure you get any dust off (you can use just about any solvent like mineral spirits or something so it doesn't raise the grain).

2) once the dye has been applied, what needs to go on afterwards? i dont want it glossy, so im guessing i dont need a poly clear coat.

can i leave it as it is once it has been dyed, or will i have to use some kind of protective agent on top of the dye?

Just follow the manufacture's directions. I don't think many dyes require anything other than a clear coat on top, but I may be wrong. I'd DEFINITELY put on some type of clearcoat though.

For a clear coat, I'd highly recommend Minwax wipe-on poly. It's quite durable, easy to apply, and can be bought satin or high-gloss, and even made matte with 0000 steel wool. There's a thread about it, and one guy said he only put on three coats.

[ihocky2]

Just remember, almost all matte finishes will eventually polish out to a gloss in areas that get wear.