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Does anyone know what the black brush on grain filler that Martin uses on their Ukulelels? Saw a video with this. DO they use on the guitar as well? Calling John Hall, it looks like like grain filler?

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I think they use the oil based grain filler that leaves the pores filled black or what is probably really very dark red? I love that look on mahogany.

Probably should wait for John Hall to chime in but I have done finish work on a couple of Martins. fmckenna is probably correct about oil filler. The 2 Martins I have worked on I used oil base filler tinted to match the original color (very dark brown). I don't recall what brand filler I have (It is in a Mason jar now) but it is a neutral brown and can be tinted easily with solvent based tints.

I use to work in a local furniture company that makes Walnut office furniture. They offered different stains but all of the colors were over oil base grain filler. The beauty of oil base is that it doesn't shrink like other fillers and usually 2 applications are all that is needed. The drawback is that it requires a few hours to dry and it doesn't smell all that great.

But yea.... I would be interested in hearing what John has to say.

Cheers,
Bob

Not John either, but I believe it was pore o pack. Pretty typical until the last 25 years or so when the great search for grain fillers began. at least that's when I became aware of it. I used it on my first few guitars.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

martin uses a commercial filler that is actually a dark walnut color it isn't black.
seal ( vinyl sealer) fill Seal then satin finish. this is now done in Mexico
the filler is a mineral spirit based and can also use naphtha for quicker flash time
they buff the material into the wood .

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Silex, oil-based paste wood pore filler is what we call it. It is still the only filler I use.

The Sloan repair book, which if I recall, had a fair amount of content from the Martin repair shop of the 70s. Sloan mentioned sealing first to enhance contrast of pores and prevent staining from the filler, filling with dark walnut, then staining with a brown/red stain. Here's what I got with that recipe.

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Yup, that's the look Pat.