Official Luthiers Forum!

Against my recommendation and the recommendation of the luthier that referred the job to me (he doesn't finish), I am refinishing a 1950s era Martin D 18. I have the whole thing about sealed and filled. I have always wondered about the popular choice of stain/tint for the neck and sides on these guitars. It's not just clear. It's some sort of trans brown. Before I go and do a bunch of test boards, does anyone have an idea of a good tint to start with? I have a bunch of transtint dyes which is what I normally use.


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"I'm not going to say that perfection has never been achieved. However, if it has, it probably went unnoticed due to it's lack of character."

An interesting thing to do If you have the time and have it prepped 100%,
is to hang it up and let it oxidize for as long as you can prior to any clear coat
it should take on a nice rich vintage looking color-

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You just pick up a chord, go twang, and you're got music. -Sid Vicious

Dale Bartholomew, who was the finishing supervisor in the Martin factory for years, had me use W.D. Lockwood #144 (Early American Maple, Golden Amber). I spray it on bare wood and can get an exct match to the Martin "brown". I know it sounds funny using a stain called maple but after several coats it darkens up beautifully.

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"I've been had again"
Tim Benware
Creedmoor, NC

Hey Aaron not being critical of you here at all but I did want to point out why I am posting. If it's against your recommendation too, and I would agree with this, why are you doing it? Who's holding a gun to your head?

We have declined on nearly 120 jobs so far this year. We have a counter and pull cord in our shop that we just showed our students this past weekend during the fretting class. On average we decline on bad-idea... requests more than once a day now. No shame in this, no one is going to think less of us for using our experience and great reverence for wanting to provide measurable client value for declining on jobs.

This is a subject that I have been asked to speak about to pro Luthiers and something dear to my heart too. Attempting to be all things to all folks will surely end badly and no I am not calling you Shirley...

Anyway again my friend not being critical of you but I suspect that you have very good instincts and am wondering why you didn't follow them in this case? You will find others here who are cool with it and advocate jumping in but refinishing older Martins usually will remove one half of their value out of the gate.... Not good for the instrument or the current steward.

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Ann Arbor Guitars

Agreed. The customer was clearly informed and still wanted to do it. Guitar turned out fine. Wouldn't have been my choice but... whatever. One day when I'm rolling in the dough I can be more selective.


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"I'm not going to say that perfection has never been achieved. However, if it has, it probably went unnoticed due to it's lack of character."

As many finishes as I have done, that actually makes sense to me. Thanks for the tip.


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_________________
"I'm not going to say that perfection has never been achieved. However, if it has, it probably went unnoticed due to it's lack of character."