Official Luthiers Forum!

I would like to perk up a couple of back/side sets (EIR & Sapelle mahogany) with a reddish stain. I did a trial using scraps and even coverage seems to be an issue.

Will stain interfere with a lacquer finish?

The luthier suppliers sell a stain that gets mixed with lacquer - could someone who has tried it give a review?

Thanks!

    When I do finishing I like to use a sealer than mix the stain in the filler. If you want to get a real drastic change then yes you may want to stain the raw wood. There are a number of ways to do this. Be sure you have you sanding done. If you have an area where your grain is rougher than another spot it will be darker as the wood will be as porous as the surface allows.
   I like to sand to 320 on a sanding block , then use the sandpaper as a stain control and use that to work the stain into the lighter spots for even coverage.
    If you just mop stain on the wood you won't have an even color and this will make the wood look blotchie after you finish. Preperation is everything when it comes to the finish work. You still need to seal all and fill most woods.
   john hall