Ripthorn Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 So I am working on a strat with fumed curly eucalyptus veneer on top of a poplar body. My plan was to do a trans black on the poplar with a light burst around the veneer edges. I tested this on a piece of scrap, but the contrast is really high, so it seems like I may need to go to more of an opaque black on the sides. The question is do I continue the opaque all over the back as well? I'm just looking for suggestions to see if something really strikes my fancy. The neck is walnut with an ebony board. Here are a couple of in progress photos: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob123 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 If you're having trouble getting a clean edge, I would most certainly do a burst of some kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 If you're up for a challenge, use something like the Schneider Gramil purfling knife from LMI to cut a clean line around the veneer and then a second line a mm or so away from that. Install a strip of binding with acetone or binding glue. Certainly a lot more interesting than chickening out with a cheap hide-y burst to obscure a difficult-to-feather veneer. I think a lot of people do this veneer-on-a-rounded-body at some point. I know I did. It always ends up the same way with a burst trying to hide the veneer edge. Buck the trend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripthorn Posted October 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 Never saw that tool before, though I did try something like this on a previous build and it was catastrophic, resulting in the one thing that has made me look at that guitar and borderline hate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 Yes, it isn't the simplest of operations. Certainly teaches you a lot though! I gave up on my veneered nightmare because it chipped too much at the edges. Far more work than it was worth trying to get it smooth. In hindsight I would have done it differently or made it a flat top. It takes a lot of patience a a fairly sturdy veneer to get it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripthorn Posted October 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 I think the big mistake I made with this in terms of getting it so that the veneer didn't chip at all was that I had the roundover mostly done before veneering. That made it so that there are one or two tiny spots where the transition line is just a little off due to glue under the veneer. The only significant chipping on this is on top of the upper horn. We'll see how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 The question is do I continue the opaque all over the back as well? I would suggest going with solid black edges right up to your veneer. Continue that around the sides to a burst on the back. On the back spray a few coats of clear over the natural poplar, then a black tint coat, and more clear on top of that. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob123 Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 I would definitely do black all over the back. Every time i see a fender style burst on a guitar with a veneer it just looks tacky for some reason. Personal taste is all, its really up to you. Just make sure you grain fill properly so yoy dont get witness lines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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