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I'm working on a tele thinline with a figured maple top. The maple has a somewhat amber color and I was thinking of keeping it pretty natural looking. So I was thinking of just sealing it and poping the grain with Z-Poxy (which will add amber color). I have seen some videos on youtube however that show poping the grain with transtint. I could use an amber color or perhaps something darker... but I'm kinda leaning towards a fairly natural look and I'm thinking just using Z-Poxy is enough. The back and sides (alder) will likely be transparent blue (white binding BTW). I haven't used transtint before so this will be fun...

I will be using EM6000 finish, although I understand transtint might work better with shellac, so I'm thinking of mixing drops of transtint into shellac for the colors and then use the EM6000 as a top coat.

Any comments are welcome.
Thanks,
Steve

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Not sure about the transtint but I normally use zpoxy, shellac and EM6000 on my guitars. The combination of zpoxy combined with even medium to dark blond shellac does at quite a warm amber tint.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

Hi John,
I'd go with a water-based Transtint dye on Maple. It will raise the grain, but can be knocked down with light sanding.
You can do a dark dye, sand it back, and then a lighter color to make the grain pop.
You can buff it with steel wool to lighten the color where you want.
Epoxy can be a big mess that has to be sanded smooth and I would only use it to fill grain, not to add color.
I've never had to fill grain on Maple.
As always, experiment first on scrap.
Just my opinion,
Dan

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

I agree with Dan, Epoxy is for pore filling and Maple does not need it. Create your color effects with toners. A few coats of something very light amber, or even lemon yellow perhaps, should do the trick.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

A technique I've seen is to mix some transtint in some water and wipe it directly on the bare wood to allow the color to penetrate into the grain and then sand back to make a contrast between the colors deep down and the surface. Once that is done, finish can be applied. If additional toning is needed, mix the transtint into the finish and apply as desired.

Does this sound like the right procedure to pop the grain on this electric guitar? The reason I mentioned Z-Poxy is that it will also pop grain...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

The finish will pop the grain all by itself. I had a beautiful flame maple top that looked terrible after I used trans tint straight on it, it just looked two dimensional. I had much better results shooting with clear finish first, then using trans tint as a toner. If I were you I'd just try the natural finish first and see what it looks like.

I've had best results with a little steel wool disolved in vinegar, it seems to enhance the contrast without really changing it. The transtint method seems to darken the lighter wood more, then sanding back takes some of that away.
Use the vinegar solution to raise the grain, then sand it smooth. One application may be enough, seems like I did two or three. It's a pretty subtle difference, at least until you put finish on it.

With curly maple, finish is really the most effective at making the grain pop.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

I have used transtint (black) with alcohol, then sand back. I then use the amber transtint from Stew-Mac (I have used standard transtint and other amber dyes without getting the color "right"). I use shellac as a buffer coat, then 1 or 2 coats of em6000 tinted with the amber, then clear coats. I have added a drop of lemon yellow to one of the amber coats to brightened it up a bit. Your mileage may vary.

Also, I have tried tobacco brown instead of the black, but like the black better. The great thing about highly fiqured maple is that it will look good whatever advice (at least that given above) you follow.

Danny

My method for your projects would be to use transtint or similar dye, mixed with water and applied by hand. Lightly sanding back will leave more color in the lowlights of the grain and less in the highs. When finished off with your clear coating (which you could tint if needed as well) will create a very nice 3D effect in your maple. Previous posters were also dead on about maple not need pore filling.