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Loads of great ideas here thanks all. I'm interested in how you achieved your finish Rodger but I'd be worried that the black stain on the spruce top would look pretty patchy? I'm considering trying nitro again but I'd really like to find another way.

I would not stain any wood like spruce. Staining is really for woods like quilted/flame maple.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I used the water base tint thinned with water, sprayed with an airbrush directly on the wood. You could probably rub it on if you prefer.
If you want opaque black, it will take several coats. Let it dry for a couple of days, and finish as you usually do with TruOil.
The TruOil does not affect the water base tint once it's dried, the MEK base tint sometimes will smear when you put TruOil over it.
You can also add the MEK base tint to the TruOil if you want to darken up areas after you start the oil.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Sorry if I'm being slow but what is MEK ? And at what point or points do you sand?

MEK - methyl ethyl ketone.

http://www.lmii.com/products/finishing/ ... ncentrates

You have to finish sanding the wood before you apply the color.
You don't sand again until you have enough thickness of TruOil to avoid sanding through to the color.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

You can buy MEK from most hardware store. Don't bother ordering them online, they may require hazmat shipping.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Since it hasn't really been mentioned yet in this thread, perhaps what should be examined is what went wrong in the lacquer finish attempt?

A typical schedule is something like this:

Sand to 220
pore fill, paste or whatever
2 coats sanding sealer
sand level with 320
2 coats colored lacquer
10 coats clear lacquer, more if you're a beginner
level with 600 wet or dry and rub out through the grits to 2000
buff with fine and extra fine compound.

I think the main problem was that I was sold this

http://www.rothkoandfrost.com/earlex-hv ... -400-watt/

Along with the pore fill and nitro etc. I believe it can be used but I struggled with the large reservoir for the laquer and didn't manage to set a fine enough mist. End result was thick bubbly soft finish. My test pieces done some months before turned out fine. I think I'd do better with a small hobby airbrush. I have plenty more laquer so I really should step up and have another go.

I am surprised that unit can be used with nitro lacquer -- all that plastic? Nothing melted?

Anyway -- no do not get an airbrush. "Out of the pan into the fire" another headache.

I've found that a small or smallish gravity feed detail gun detail works well for guitar finishing.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

It does work but reservoir far too big and difficult to control.