Now For Something Completely Different

[Micter]

This is the mock up of my latest scratch build. Alder with a Koa top and obviously a maple on maple neck. I need to do something with the edges (burst) because of the weird grain but can't get my mind around something that would look good. The only thing that seems to work is black edges with natural front and back.

Any thoughts?

[kpcrash]

Think Cardovan. Kinda dark red/brown burst vs black. That way it won't look so cut and dry - more natural. Just a thought.

[rkennett]

carve it and do a solid black to natural fade from the edges?

[Micter]

I was considering binding that's why it's still hard edged. I'm going to do a 1/4" round over.

[Micter]

OK, here's what I ended up doing. I used Rit cocoa brown directly to the wood (both sides) then some boiled linseed oil to pop the grain. (I ran out of Tru Oil) then a coat of SS, timbermate dark walnut grain filler, a coat of SS to lock the timbermate down and lastly the black edges with some old lacquer I had on the shelf. I was going to do the red as well but just didn't seem to wrap my brain around the two color burst.

Being that it has a contoured back I decided to enlarge the burst on the back past the contoured area.

There was one small run on the edge that I will need to sand out then the clear coats will be a startin' :wink:

Thoughts?

[Our Souls inc.]

.....Thoughts?

My first thought is : Way to make that plain body POP!! When I first looked at it, it looked like a backyard project, plain as jane. The color and burst is quite a nice change.

Lookin forward to seeing it done now.

[Micter]

.....Thoughts?

My first thought is : Way to make that plain body POP!! When I first looked at it, it looked like a backyard project, plain as jane. The color and burst is quite a nice change.

Lookin forward to seeing it done now.

Thanks. I have to be honest, I had that piece of Koa lying around for a couple of years. I saw absolutely zero potential in it. I guess we were both wrong there.

[rkennett]

that looks really good. great job. i can't believe you pretty much did what a 13 post newbie mentioned. or, were you just waiting to hear someone else say it?

[Micter]

that looks really good. great job. i can't believe you pretty much did what a 13 post newbie mentioned. or, were you just waiting to hear someone else say it?

I didn't understand what you were talking about at first as I had 13 posts too. I had done a search for burst finishes on Koa. I found this pic and tried to duplicate it but without the red band.

Thanks for the compliment. It looks even better now that it has a couple cans of lacquer on it. I'll post up some pics once I wet sand in a few weeks.

[Micter]

Well, It's done (sorta). I tried an old Carvin pick up I had lying around and don't like it. I'm gonna wait til I need to change strings and swap it for the DiMarzio I had in it for the mock up.

Other than that I'm liking it.

I am very pleased with how the Koa top looks after clear. In person the grain looks like it's 1/4" deep. I had that piece of wood in the garage for years and saw NO potential in it whatsoever.

Edited February 16, 2011 by Micter