Official Luthiers Forum!

OK, so I got my collapsible spray booth figured out and got a spray gun (DeVilbiss Finish Line). So once I get my stain color figured out I'm ready to go. I'm pretty sure I'll use Aqua Coat grain filler, since the couple of colors I've tried look a little off in my chosen wood (solid body with Primavera body and Ziricote top).

My question: What is your preferred method of staining? wipe/brush on or spray? Should I put it on first or tint my first coat of Nitro? I'm leaning toward putting it on first, as the Primavera I'm using has a nice but kinda light grain. I think staining it directly might pop it out a little.

Regarding stain color: Does anyone have an opinion on StewMac Colortone liquid stain? I got some "Vintage Amber" and it seems much more yellow than anything else. What color(s) could I add to "fix" it? I'm wondering how their colors match up to the recipe guide in the Finishing Step By Step book. I'm color blind. Not severe, but it's a pain. My wife's helping me, but this is an area where step by step (paint by numbers?) guidance would really help.

Thoughts?

_________________
"Real guitars are for old people, Mr. Marsh."

Eric Cartman

Note that Colortone (TransTint) is a concentrated dye, not stain. There is no pigment in dye. Get some scrap and mix the dye with water or alcohol and tint to your desire, test on the scrap. Then It can be wiped on with no problem.

If you want an even color put the tint in the lacquer. If you want the wood grain to stand out more and a more uneven color put in on the bare wood.

I always tint the lacquer with spirit based leather dye to achieve the color I want. Normally it takes about 7-8 coats of clear with level sanding on each coat then a coat of color followed by 2-3 more clear coats. You need to build up enough clear coats so there is no sanding through before applying color and the final clear coats must result in a thick enough layer to allow for final level sanding and buffing. Normally the color coat is very thin and the gun is adjusted for light spray so I can fog it on uniformly.

Thanks, guys.

_________________
"Real guitars are for old people, Mr. Marsh."

Eric Cartman

Bill, I am a relative newcomer to staining and tinting my lacquer but I seem to be getting pretty good results. I've used Colortone stain in alcohol wiped onto bare wood to pop the grain, particularly on flamed maple. I've done solid and shaded translucent finishes and sunbursts by mixing Colortone stain/dye in nitro and waterborn lacquers. As far as the amber goes, here it is applied to a maple back and sided and mahogany neck



and as the center of a tobacco 'burst - you can decide if its "too yellow"