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I'm looking to add color to my current build. Not a full paint-like color. I still need it to be transparent to show grain and flash.
I'm looking at adding color to either:
A) The guitar iteself
B) The epoxy filler, or
c) The finish
How do ya'll do it, and what are the pros and cons
TIA
-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

You can do it any of those ways. I personally like to add the color right on the wood but you may get mixed result, which I like as when I'm adding color it's usually for a vintage kinda look and I like the sort of mottled faded look I get. Others add color to the finish. I don't think I'd try adding it to the filler as you will be sanding that and it's kinda hard to keep that consistent. I use waterbased stains, specifically gel stains that seem to me to be more consistent and don't raise the grain so much. I also raise the grain and sand a couple times before I stain so that doesn't happen while I'm staining.
After the color is on I use shellac as a sealer if I finish with varnish or vinyl sealer if I'm gonna use lacquer, sanding very little so as not to disturb the color until I have a sufficient build.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I do it the same way as John. Bare wood and seal with shellac. I always seal it cause the stain always finds a way into "unwanted" areas!!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

I like analine dye on maple, and amber shellac on tops. then finish as normal, just be careful about sanding through to the color it is hard to match.

AlA Peebels39001.5531018519

   I remember reading a posting from Howard Klepper in which he mentions pigments seize the grain of the wood in limiting the reflective properties.

   It sounded like it was equivalent to rubbing dirt into the wood. Pigments are essentially that!

   He and others have recommended adding the color to the finish for this purpose. Perhaps he'll pipe up.

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Ahh, very interesting. That makes sense. Anyone able to confirm that?
-j.

_________________
“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

Don't confuse pigment with dye. Pigment does not dissolve in its liquid medium, whereas dye does. When its medium drys, pigment remains on the surface of wood, and tends to accumulate in any low spots. Dye will penetrate the wood fibers along with its medium, so it leaves a more homogeneous coloring effect in the wood. Dye is also translucent. Pigment is opaque. Dye fades on exposure to light. Pigment is much more lightfast.

I like to use this dye in my finish.



If doing a burst it is done in layers in different dye to finish ratio concentration to achieve the fad. If doing an over all tent it is easy to maintain a ratio formula through out the application.
MichaelP39001.5808101852

I use these "Clearwater" gel stains available from Highland Hardware
They are really great for staining directly on the wood as they don't soak in like thinner stains especially for end grain.

_________________
Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

If I'm coloring in the finish then I use the ones Michael talks about above.John How39001.5918287037

_________________
Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Will the gel stains affect the shimmer and reflective quality of the wood as specified previously in this thread?
-j.

_________________
“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

[QUOTE=j.Brown] Will the gel stains affect the shimmer and reflective quality of the wood as specified previously in this thread?
-j.[/QUOTE]

This effect was achieved using these gel stains so it can have quite a drastic effect by piling a lot on but used in the normal way of just wiping on the color you want won't cover anything up. When I use this, I am interested in creating a vintage worn in look so I apply several layers of different colors and then rub them considerably with fine steel wool smetimes followed by more applications of color. Basically it's all just an experiment and that is what you will also need to do to get the results your looking for. As for this stuff soaking in and affecting the sound, Naw I don't believe it.

_________________
Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Stain and dye applied directly to the wood will show the grain the best (dye moreso because it contains no pigment), because it will not cover up the grain (stain does just a little, but not much), and it will emphasize any figure in the wood because different portions of the figure will absorb different amounts of stain/dye.

Adding stain or dye to the finish will still show the grain, but it tends to have more of a transluscent look than when the wood absorbs the stain/dye.

Filling the pores with a tinted epoxy or other filler, IMHO, disrupts the grain the most.

The best approach is to make up a few samples. It's very easy, and you will notice a huge difference between the different approaches.

J, don't color the black limba!!!!!!!!!    


And pay attention to what Carlton said about pigment vs. dye.

By the way, are you using KTM9 again, or are you going to use the
polyurethane?

Mike

SniderMike39002.081400463

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger