How do I get this finish?

I'm going to try to build my first electric guitar and would like to end up with a finish like the one in the picture below.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/richa...ars/ab0a_1.jpg

I assume it's; Stain, Sanding Sealer, Clear.

What I'm having problems with is buying bright coloured stains.

Help?? :?

Hi Richard,

Check out the water dyes UBEAUT has. That's the first thing I thought of when seeing that green.

While you're there, have a look at the Shellacs and the Finishing Book as well.

Then have a look at the other Music Instrument makers. I'm sure they will have touched on your question.

Cheers
Wendy

I used to know a guy who built mandolins. For color he used leather dye and I think the finish was by french polishing.

ron

I have some food colouring dyes that are as bright as that, I got them from the supermarket, available from the baking section.

Al :)

I have done some coloured, timber products in the past simply using diluted paint, rubbing it in with a cloth. Finished it with a poly wipe (dont remember the one I used) and applied a wax with 000 steel wool and buffed it to give a nice glossy finish.Worked for me but may not be exactly the finish you are after but I am sure some of the members here will come up with some better suggestions than I have.

Thanks HEAPS guys.

I think I'll do a test with the food colour first, sounds nice and cheap. I like that. :wink:

Here is blue food dye on some ply drawers that I made, the ply didnt take the dye in some spots, I assume its glue on the surface that caused it?

Al :)

aniline dye, then laquer. I also felt the urge, but the final is a water based clear coat because high gloss wasn't practical for the shop.

http://www.mindspear.com/woodworking/images/table2.jpg

This is a chair i made a few years ago.
Its Quilted Maple using liquid clothes dye.

First I used a midnight blue aniline dye and left it to dry for 48 hours, then applied 2 coats of livos oil sanding with 800 wet `n dry (24 hours between coats) to "pop" the figure, then 4 coats of pre-cat lacquer.

Its a terrible photo, but you can see the quilting pop out. I got the idea from an article that Frank Pollaro did regarding his finishing on the stunning "George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue piano" he made.

Took a while to get back to this thread, but here's the (unfinished) result.
Before:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/richa...Front%2000.jpg

After:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/richa...ar%20Front.jpg

Using this:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/richa...2001/Green.jpg

Hi everyone,

How light fast are these food colours? Im in the middle of a Mandolin and am messing with various colour schemes but I like to think that there was some permanency if I use a dye

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sebastiaan56

Im in the middle of a Mandoline

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I bet that hurts :wink:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lukey

I bet that hurts :wink:

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Only when I pluck..., not when I strum