Blonde finish

[ScotttheScot]

Has anyone done a Les Paul in a blonde finish?
I love bursts and gold tops Black painted but I’d like to do something a little different.
It can’t be just spraying on coats of clear or can it ???
Blonde head stock,Dark Ebony fret board, blonde body, black knobs , chrome hi end hardware, Crome pick ups.
Anyway it might not be your cup of tea but you have any finish advice to achieve my plan any advice would be appreciated

 

[LtDave32]

Apparently, Michael Andrew does not have a problem with this..

 

[LtDave32]

In the 1959 Gibson catalog, they charged more for natural-finished guitars than they did their colored models.

Reason being, the wood has to be perfect.

Many, many Gibsons left the factory with nothing but clear coats of nitrocellulose lacquer on them.

..and they still do today.

 

[Freddy G]

Blonde will be very cool....blonde headstock though? Just holly with clear coats? I dunno.....it's not designed for that because of the Gibson logo and black filler around it. It's not easy to inlay in "white wood" like holly. It has to be perfect.

 

[ScotttheScot]

Blonde will be very cool....blonde headstock though? Just holly with clear coats? I dunno.....it's not designed for that because of the Gibson logo and black filler around it. It's not easy to inlay in "white wood" like holly. It has to be perfect.

Yeah I’ve been mulling that one over. It’s going to be a custom so it’s what ever goes. My mindset was blonde black blonde. I’ve done blonde into black as shown in the picture ( André Jacob Roubo ) music stands inspired by Roy Underhill and the fact my daughter in law is part French…. Tangent sorry. Yeah I’ll think it though! Thanks Fred

 

[ScotttheScot]

In the 1959 Gibson catalog, they charged more for natural-finished guitars than they did their colored models.

Reason being, the wood has to be perfect.

Many, many Gibsons left the factory with nothing but clear coats of nitrocellulose lacquer on them.

..and they still do today.

Thanks ltdave, I’m set on the esthetician other than the head stock as Fred has wisely mentioned inlay into blonde tough one .
I guess it’s like painting a black car … got to be perfect underneath !

 

[ScotttheScot]

Yeah I’ve been mulling that one over. It’s going to be a custom so it’s what ever goes. My mindset was blonde black blonde. I’ve done blonde into black as shown in the picture ( André Jacob Roubo ) music stands inspired by Roy Underhill and the fact my daughter in law is part French…. Tangent sorry. Yeah I’ll think it though! Thanks Fred

I had to cut these hinges in the same piece of walnut but it was fun ! A welcome to the family gift ,for my new in-laws

 

[LtDave32]

Thanks ltdave, I’m set on the esthetician other than the head stock as Fred has wisely mentioned inlay into blonde tough one .
I guess it’s like painting a black car … got to be perfect underneath !

Inlaying white is a bitch. Every litle bump, fleck and line will show.

 

[ScotttheScot]

I bought this family crest pin in NOTL Canada and was planning to inlay it into the same Tiger Maple that I got for the body. “Stand Fast “ on burning mountain. I was planning to shim the head stock thin and laminate an 1/8”piece of tiger maple. I’d use my planer to mill the tiger maple using a stacking technique.
Fred you really got me rethinking it’s a good thing !!

 

[valvetoneman]

I'd think about getting a waterside decal then clear coat over it if it's blonde

 

[ScotttheScot]

Thanks for your input!

 

[ArchEtech]

They make 68 customs in a TV yellow abs a TV white which is very close to blonde. I’ve wanted one for years.

 

[ScotttheScot]

I’m sure on blonde I’m just wondering if there’s any one out there that has actually completed this finish.
I’m sure it’s mainly in the prep and lots of coats of high quality finish
But I don’t know this for a fact.
Thanks

 

[Guitar gods]

Has anyone done a Les Paul in a blonde finish?
I love bursts and gold tops Black painted but I’d like to do something a little different.
It can’t be just spraying on coats of clear or can it ???
Blonde head stock,Dark Ebony fret board, blonde body, black knobs , chrome hi end hardware, Crome pick ups.
Anyway it might not be your cup of tea but you have any finish advice to achieve my plan any advice would be appreciated

My local guitar store converted a les paul ebony into a mick ronson tribute guitar. This was basically just the maple cap stripped back and then finished in natural. Looked amazing. This might work for you.

 

[vintageguitarz]

Gibson did "Natural" finished Les Paul Std's back in the 70's and early 80's, including "Studio" models, not very popular for obvious reasons .... doesn't look right.

 

[Guitar gods]

Has anyone done a Les Paul in a blonde finish?
I love bursts and gold tops Black painted but I’d like to do something a little different.
It can’t be just spraying on coats of clear or can it ???
Blonde head stock,Dark Ebony fret board, blonde body, black knobs , chrome hi end hardware, Crome pick ups.
Anyway it might not be your cup of tea but you have any finish advice to achieve my plan any advice would be appreciated

This is a link to mick Robson tribute guitar.

Gibson Mick Ronson Tribute Les Paul Custom Guitar | The Guitar Hangar

Condition: New

www.guitarhangar.com

 

[Paul_R]

Hi:
We’ve done a fair number of blondes/clear finish headstocks. I’m not a great inlayer by any stretch but one thing I’ve found is that the inlay can disappear once finished so I generally inlay it with black epoxy to kind of set it off. This isn’t a great photo but gets the point across. That said, a decal is much easier and I think looks good.
Paul

 

[Jamil Ecrire]

My Dirty Lemon isn't far from my Blond Tele:

https://imgur.com/a/ArM74eR

https://imgur.com/a/RuVE6Gi

 

[ScotttheScot]

Hi:
We’ve done a fair number of blondes/clear finish headstocks. I’m not a great inlayer by any stretch but one thing I’ve found is that the inlay can disappear once finished so I generally inlay it with black epoxy to kind of set it off. This isn’t a great photo but gets the point across. That said, a decal is much easier and I think looks good.
Paul View attachment 610682

Great feed back oops feed back are two four letter words in guitar speak lol
But really helpful info thanks

 

[greens]

I refinished a LP Jr in Stewmac Blond lacquer. It basically reads as TV white, especially with black plastics. When I tried out cream plastics it was more recognizably yellow.