Official Luthiers Forum!

I've got a 1965 Melody Maker on the bench recovering from a tragic moving mishap. The original pore filler is bright red. I've been having trouble duplicating this color using pore fillers and Mixol pigments and Trans Tint dyes. If I start with a light color it dries pink, starting with a dark filler dries brown. Does anyone have a recipe for bright red goo?

Steve

I find Solar-Lux Med Red Mahogany to be a good match for older Gibson stuff. You need to load the paste pretty heavy with it or it will dry pink. Gibson's process was a bit different then most from what I can tell, they applied the filer to bare wood and it was an all in one filler/stain combo. I usually wind up putting down a tint coat of lacquer with the same color added to it to get it to blend in nicely before hitting it with the clear.

_________________
Brian

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

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Thanks Brian,

I quit pussy footin' around and added a lot more pigment. Twice. Finally got to where I was going.

Steve

Gibson uses dark walnut pore filler for their heritage cherry finish on SG's and juniors. They then seal it. They then used a cherry toner for a few coats then multiple lacquer clear coats over top of that...Mike

_________________
Another day, another dollar.