Handstained tops

[Mr Bones]

How to Create a Sunburst Finish

I think I may give this a shot on my next guitar. (Although not in that green color!!!)

[pinefd]

Originally Posted by nmguitars

How to Create a Sunburst Finish

I think I may give this a shot on my next guitar. (Although not in that green color!!!)

Thanks for that link, Nick. I subscribe to that magazine, but hadn't seen that on-line demo. This technique should come in real handy for me up here in New England, where the weather isn't ideal for spray finishes most of the year.

[tiedstick]

Wow that's beautiful! Thanks for that NM!

I got a dumb noob question (like all of my questions)--can this method be done over a clear coat or must it be done straight to the maple??

[Roman Rist]

Originally Posted by tiedstick

Wow that's beautiful! Thanks for that NM!

I got a dumb noob question (like all of my questions)--can this method be done over a clear coat or must it be done straight to the maple??

straight to the maple

[tiedstick]

Originally Posted by RFR

straight to the maple

thought so...

gotta whip out the spray cans!

thanks!

[Mr Bones]

From what I have been told, and maybe some of the pros can shed light on this, but this is a lot harder to do well than the video makes it seem. Not a lot of chances to screw up like with colored lacquer either. I like the idea of doing a handstained/ french polished guitar though.

I have a theory from all the murphys painted guitars that I have seen that since about 2000, when Murphy paints a guitar, he double stains it with blue (rather than black in the video). This combined with the red (lacquered not stained) of the burst makes for a really interesting and unique look to the burst. I think he just does the double stain in the areas where the burst goes too. This may be totally off base, but just going by what I've seen. Frank, I think Sue has this look going on, as did murphys personal guitar that he had a gibson last summer.

[Roman Rist]

Originally Posted by nmguitars

From what I have been told, and maybe some of the pros can shed light on this, but this is a lot harder to do well than the video makes it seem.

YUP!
This guy is a pro! it's like watching hendrix play guitar, looks easy till you try it.

I have done bursts this way, but it not a very forgiving technique.

Sometimes I will stain the top amber and lightly do a "Stained Burst" using his method. But I am still spraying on top.

Roman

[pinefd]

Originally Posted by nmguitars

From what I have been told, and maybe some of the pros can shed light on this, but this is a lot harder to do well than the video makes it seem. Not a lot of chances to screw up like with colored lacquer either. I like the idea of doing a handstained/ french polished guitar though.

I have a theory from all the murphys painted guitars that I have seen that since about 2000, when Murphy paints a guitar, he double stains it with blue (rather than black in the video). This combined with the red (lacquered not stained) of the burst makes for a really interesting and unique look to the burst. I think he just does the double stain in the areas where the burst goes too. This may be totally off base, but just going by what I've seen. Frank, I think Sue has this look going on, as did murphys personal guitar that he had a gibson last summer.

Nick, I'm not so sure about Tom using blue for double staining. I looked real close at Sue tonight with a magnifying glass, and I see no evidence of that. In fact, I had a discussion with Tom a few months ago about another guitar of mine that he had painted within that last few years, and he specifically said that he used a dark brown for the double staining. He did say, as you mentioned, that he mostly does the double staining (with the dark color, at least) in the burst area. I think he may double stain the lighter area with amber, but I don't know this for sure.

Regarding the hand staining method shown in the video, I plan to experiment quite a bit before trying it on a guitar. I at least would like to do some double staining using this method, and as Roman mentioned above, maybe apply the amber dye this way, with a little burst as well. I'll post my results (good or bad) when I get there.

[Roman Rist]

Originally Posted by pinefd

Nick, I'm not so sure about Tom using blue for double staining. I looked real close at Sue tonight with a magnifying glass, and I see no evidence of that. In fact, I had a discussion with Tom a few months ago about another guitar of mine that he had painted within that last few years, and he specifically said that he used a dark brown for the double staining. He did say, as you mentioned, that he mostly does the double staining (with the dark color, at least) in the burst area. I think he may double stain the lighter area with amber, but I don't know this for sure.

Regarding the hand staining method shown in the video, I plan to experiment quite a bit before trying it on a guitar. I at least would like to do some double staining using this method, and as Roman mentioned above, maybe apply the amber dye this way, with a little burst as well. I'll post my results (good or bad) when I get there.

One thing to keep in mind is this;

He was working on a flat piece.

The part where the endgrain was turned REAL dark.

On a Carved top body, you are in a position where due to the carve, there is always some endgrain exposed.

I dont remember if it was covered in the video, but one trick is to pre wet the endgrain with water so that not so much of the dye soaks in.

Roman

[pinefd]

Originally Posted by RFR

One thing to keep in mind is this;

He was working on a flat piece.

The part where the endgrain was turned REAL dark.

On a Carved top body, you are in a position where due to the carve, there is always some endgrain exposed.

I dont remember if it was covered in the video, but one trick is to pre wet the endgrain with water so that not so much of the dye soaks in.

Roman

That's a great point, Roman. I hadn't thought of that. He did mention at the beginning, before he did the double staining, to wet down the whole thing so that it didn't absorb too much stain. But I don't recall him giving that tip specifically for end grain. Thanks!

[Roman Rist]

Originally Posted by pinefd

That's a great point, Roman. I hadn't thought of that. He did mention at the beginning, before he did the double staining, to wet down the whole thing so that it didn't absorb too much stain. But I don't recall him giving that tip specifically for end grain. Thanks!

it is an old furniture trick, to keep the color even.