Official Luthiers Forum!

I am french polishing the back, neck, and top of the ukulele I am building BUT the sides are going to be.....wait for it............pink its for my daughter who is turning 5 what can I use to get a pink side but not ruin the sound? Help! I will be giving the sides a coat of shellac but thats it then the pink, so help a guy out. My little girl has watched me build this and even helped out. I told her its for someone special but haven't told her its for her. Any suggestions would be very appreciated by a father who loves his daughter enough to preform sacrilege on a uke

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

Sounds like you want to see the grain through it? Maybe? Otherwise there's paint!

I have no experience with pink but I did do an electric in a black wash by thinning down a oil base paint to put on multple coats to get the shade I wanted. This was about 20 years ago before black stains were popular. Turned out awesome, got a lot of compliments as you could see the woodgrain clearly but it was black.

In doing pink, the problem is even thinning down a red stain or paint your going to get red to various shades of maroon. I have no experience, again, but would suggest you try a thin white wash first then give a very thin coat of red either in a clear coat or a stain. This would drop the saturation of the red and give a pink hue.

Experiment with scrap and I think you can come up with something. Somebody may come along with a better idea!

You didn't mention what kind of wood we're dealing with here? Are you looking at a bright florescent pink like Hesh


(Warning: Again don't look if your sensitive)








or a light pink like JJ here?








The florescent would likely require more white wash with a much stronger pigment added to the clear. The lower saturated pink would require a medium white wash with lighter pigmented clear.

Again, I'm guessing, as I've never done pink and I'm pretty sure, few, if any, have. Sure she wouldn't like black?

Seriously though, considering it's for a little girl, good luck! I hope it turns out well and this helps!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Zac buddy I painted a Mexican Strat with rattle can Krylon paint (black.....) 15 years ago and then gave it someone. The guitar is and has been played frequently and the paint job held up fine with no issues. Krylon is available many places, inexpensive, comes in lot's of the colors that Billy likes.... and is pretty easy to use.

Good on you too for building this for your daughter my friend.

Very cool Zac- doing a uke for your daughter !!
Pink....
I remember a finishing video from Stew-Mac where they painted a guitar pink.
I don't know if they still have it. Lets see, Yep ,They still have it . Its the Spray Finishing Basics
Sorry, I couldn't get the link to work but it's very easy to find . Good Luck with the uke!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Zak,

Maybe you could use Pepto Bismol as a pore filler.



Sorry, nothing useful to add, but good luck.
Hope your daughter likes it.

Cheers

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Horton, MI

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Aoibeann

Go to a craft store and get some quality oil paints. Color fast. Mix red and white together to get the shade that you want. Mix this with just enough turpintine to thin it down into a liquid form. Add this to violin varnish and apply in many thin coats (6-8). I had a person that wanted a blood red fiddle and that was what I did and it turned out real nice. It will probably take 4-5 days between coats, but the wait is worth it.

well they mixed me up some custom colored varnish since its the sides I figure that should be good enough I will post how it all comes out Thanks for all the suggestions Im in a time crunch so ended up with going local

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

Varnish did not do good so switched to enamel just hope it wont affect tone too much. I am in the midst of french polishing it should be able to glue the bridge on tomorrow night or sat and then string it up sat/sun will post when I am done

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here