Finishing Opinions Please

[madhattr88]

Just completed a guitar made from Mahogany strips (see pic)...the neck is solid mahogany. FB and headplate are Indian Rosewood and I also made a Rosewood Pickguard. (not pictured)

I was looking to do an opaque finish on the body and leave the neck natural....but gloss the whole thing.

I don't own a spray gun. Any suggestions???

I was looking at a dark yellow color.

i searched through out the forum and read plenty of books, but i want your opinion on how to do this. Steps? Materials? etc.

thanks!!!!!

Edited April 8, 2009 by madhattr88

[dugg]

I would either dye the body wood first with a yellow/orange water based dye (I use Dylon made for fabric) then build up gloss with french polish, or mix the Dylon into the (wax free) shellac and keep french polishing 'till you're happy. With FP, you can just keep building finish, and if you make a 'mistake' it can almost always be fixed with more FP. Also, if you decide you don't like the FP, you can just put something else over, like an oil varnish or even urethane. Anything sticks to shellac, and shellac sticks to anything. Here's a good link to explain FP;

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Te...nchpolish1.html