Producing Different Finishes With The Same Substane

[Asherman]

What has to be done to ensure that the grain of the wood does or doesn't show through a coloured finish... i thought it was all about what you used for the colours, however i noticed some guitars finished in candy spray paint that do show the wood grain and some finished in candy spray paint that don't show the wood grain so it can't be the coloured finish.

Is it the used of a primer that does it?

Any help is appreciated

Cheers.

[wood is good]

Well, how do you know its a candy finish if you cant see the grain? That doesn't really make sense. Unless your just talking of the color NAME. Candy colors are transparent, and that's the only use for them. (besides over flake or something else)

What exactly is your question? If you spray candy right over a a clear sealer, it will show the grain. That's all there is to it. If you spray a color coat or primer, it obviously doesn't show the grain. Pretty self explanatory.

[Asherman]

Well, how do you know its a candy finish if you cant see the grain? That doesn't really make sense. Unless your just talking of the color NAME. Candy colors are transparent, and that's the only use for them. (besides over flake or something else)

What exactly is your question? If you spray candy right over a a clear sealer, it will show the grain. That's all there is to it. If you spray a color coat or primer, it obviously doesn't show the grain. Pretty self explanatory.

Thats pretty much answered it... i knew that candy spray was a transparent, but i've seen some guitars on here which have used candy spray and didn't show any woodgrain.

I'm not that knowledgeable on paints and finishes so it is pretty much the same thing for all paint finishes? clear sealer underneath for a show of woodgrain and primer to not show the woodgrain.

I imagine this is pretty basic stuff, but i just wanna confirm.

Edited March 5, 2009 by Asherman

[RDub]

If you're using laquer, there are toners, and shaders. I can't remember right now which is which, and I'm too lazy to dig out my books, but basically, one is transparent, the other is opaque. It depends on what type of color is added to the clear base. A TINT creates a transparent color coat, allowing the grain to show through, or in the case of a candy finish, sometimes an opaque metalic color underneath. If you add a PIGMENT, you get an opaque finish, basically paint. If you're planning on using a laquer finish, it's important to remember the difference. If you want that flamed maple top to show through the color, then you tint the finish, with a product like Trans-Tint. If you want a solid color to hid an ugly Alder body, you would use a pigment, such as Stew Mac's. Hope that helps.

-Rob