Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello everybody!

I am building my first 'proper' guitar after building cigar box instruments and ukuleles. I have a question: how to sunburst a soundboard? I dont want to use any lacquer and will be french polishing to finish


Thanks

You might want to search through the Mandolin Cafe forum. I think there's a lot of that kind of thing there.

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Dave
Milton, ON

Well lets see.

For the sort of traditional "coffee" burst look like on a strat you need three colours of latex wall paint, yellow, red and dark brown.

Oh and some sand paper.

First you pour on a coat of the yellow and let it dry.
Then you pour on the red and let it dry.
Third you pour on the dark brown.

When the brown is good and dry you start sanding off the paint using a circular motion until the raw wood shows through.

Voila ~ sunburst finish without lacquer.



The point here is there gotta be a least a dozen ways to do a sunburst. All are valid.
Just that some are more valid than others. And so don't expect a quick and dirty answer to a question like this.

Do the research...lots posted in this, in other forums and on youtube on how to do a burst. Remember google is your friend.

And when you do do it....please, post a few pics.


blessings
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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You can rub alcohol based stains, which gives the look of old Gibson mandolins. Roger Siminoff's mandolin building book is one place to get a description of the process. It is really hard to get it looking good, and really easy to have it come out looking awful. Spruce does not absorb dye evenly and tends to look muddy where it does.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

See...quick and dirty answer....well kinda.


blessings

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Here is how I did my first sunburst on a mandolin. StewMac liquid stains, first applied by hand ala Siminoff, which I didn't like so I sanded most of it off and air brushed it on. I shot lacquer over, but you could do other finishes. Erlewine's book also is good for 'bursts

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/archives ... 65_0_7_0_C

Yes there are lots of videos on YouTube such as:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhSrQHmnmmE

I have another that I'll tag here when I find it.

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Michael Lloyd

“I was born to ignorance, yes, and lesser poverties ...
I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka

thanks for your replies - the internet is an amazing thing! Its great to ask folk who have experience in specific things like this....


I was asking due to the absorbency of softwood like spruce and cedar and still not sure of the process. Is a shellac sanding sealer advisible in the first instance? what effect does any process like this have on soundboards? If it turns out bad can I sand it off easily? Do I need to be careful getting a compatible stain with the french polish?

This is my first and only try. The red color is stew mac ruby shellac, sprayed onto the raw top. I then followed up with blond shellac in the sprayer for a couple a coats so that I would not rub into the burst. After that I did some very lazy french polish. I prefer my pigs without too much lipstick.
Rob

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http://shastaguitar.com/
http://www.kalimbakit.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/comfyfootgr ... ature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/robert.renick.7

Thanks Robert, that's the kind of thing i was looking for only darker.

Has anyone done an argentine grey burst?

Maybe first you should ask if anyone has heard of one.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

here is the technique I intend to follow on my #3 http://www.finewoodworking.com/Material ... x?id=30136 Jody

I was about to post the same exact link! In my opinion, if you're doing a french polish, this is the way to go. It will feel more natural because the technique is similar.

Don't know if it's been said yet--but even if so, let me say welcome, Derek.
You are certainly located in a beautiful part of the world, and I'm tempted to say "send the guitar to me and I'll finish it...in trade for some of that Cream of Galloway ice cream you are so justly famous for.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Do you have access to a spray gun rig? I spray my sunbursts with shellac and top coat with oil varnish. I seal the spruce with clear shellac before, so I can go back if I screw up.
Hand rubbed dyes (or stains) and sprayed bursts look different, the former having more "character". If you rub the dyes you can seal the spruce with a very light cut of shellac before, that will make the spruce absorb the colours more evenly, but less vividly. There is no going back once you've started, though.
I would advise to practice on scrap until you find a satisfactory technique and get the hang of it, it will take time.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

I prefer the look of sunbursts where the colors are applied directly to the wood. This can be accomplished either by rubbing or spraying, or a combination of the two. I like to use liquid aniline dyes mixed in alcohol, either Transtint or the Colortone (same thing) ones available from Stewmac. They can also be added to shellac or lacquer. It is possible to seal these colors and the bare wood with a sprayed, very dry coat of shellac, but lacquer works better. It is also possible to apply a base color to the bare wood, seal that, and add darker colors to the edges until you get the colors you like. There are many ways to mix and match techniques, and they all look different. Test on scrap, and see what you like, then go for it!

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

"i guess I'm not the outlaw I thought I was"... Good video. My first attempt was a bit embarassing even though the guitar came out nice. I wonder what you pros do to bindings during this process. Mask them off? Dye over them?

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"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

Mask and scrape.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin