I wipe on the stain first, seal it 2-3 coats of lacquer, then shoot the burst with an airbrush, shooting from the center outward towards the edge. The brush and direction of spray allows me to really control the thickness and density of the paint, plus there's no overspray in the center to contend with.
I use colored nitrocellulose lacquer. I buy clear and tint it myself. I tend to use Stew-Mac tinters but also use ML Campbell tinters as well. I prefer dye for the base color as it is water thin and penetrates so well.
Where did you get the tortise shell binding. I haven't seen any at stew mac.I would like to find other sourses for materials if you could help would be great thanks
Wow thank you so much for making this video. it really helped. I do have one question though. How do you get a binding to fit snug on the side of your guitar? how might i purchase the same type(look) of binding as you have in the video? How would you fix the binding to your guitar?
This is acetate binding glued with medium CA glue that cures in a couple of minutes. I put glue on the wood
and then tape it with 1" masking tape while it sets. I do a few inches at a time and then tape before I move on. For sharp bends like on the horns of my Model 1s you need a heat gun and practice.
Well first of all THANK YOU for making this vid, I'm currently working on my first completely scratch built guitar and nearing the point where finish can be applied. Its nice to see the process after reading endless pages and tutorials.
A few questions though, exactly what kind of paint do you use for the red? and how extensive is the prep sanding after before the final clear coat? do you have to sand over the red before the final coat?
I spray nitro and the red is clear tinted red so I get the transparency. When I do the red, I put on 3 coats of clear before I sand much because I don't want to go through the red and at the edges it's VERY thin. I want to get it covered enough so I'm sanding clear only. See my updated video on 'The classic sunburst finish'
I couldn't help but notice you are using a full size spray gun and in my opinion I think you'd be better off with a smaller gun (especially for the headstock).
We have a few different size guns that we spray with depending on the size of the job. There are times where we don't want as much paint applied to the surface. Anyway, that's my first impression that I would change guns. Good luck with your project.
Is the tortoise shell binding flexible and easy to work with? Btw, another way to clean up your overspray is to use fingernail polish remover and a smooth rag or paper towel. I spent forever scraping with the razorblade until i tried the fingernail polish remover.
@BassPlayersWild no! fingernail polish remover is a bad choice. it reacts and can soften plastic binding. scraping with a sharp blade or razor is the only safe way.
@deemilieu oh thanks! luckily i was only remodelin a bass and it was the back of the neck which was already varnished nd i was jus doin touch up stuff!
@snakev10v5 don't go there man. buy a nice prefinished aftermarket body and save your time and money. also, a sunburst is especially hard finish to do well.
@snakev10v5 you don't! reranch sells preloaded nitro spray for guitar. it's $20 a can. you'll need at least 1 for each color..and then 2 cans of clear for the top coats. but it's a lot of work, and takes practice till you get good results. don't get the stuff from home depot...unless you only want to do a clear finish. even then you won't get 'professional' results. same goes for auto spray paint from autozone. btw, modern 'pro stuff' is water-based and dries in a couple of hours.
Not really, I put about 3 coats of clear over the amber before I sand because I don't want to sand into the amber dye. I do sand before I put on the burst because I want the base to be smooth that I'm spraying onto. I put 3 or more clear over the red before I really sand for the same reason...I don't want to sand into the red when I'm trying to get it all smooth.
@KingBlossomGuitars This was really helpful, thanks. You must go through a lot of clear lacquer! What gradient of sandpaper do you use after the clear has been applied over the amber and then the red dye?
@gilligog you only buff out any minor specs of dust or imperfections. use really, really fine sandpaper. and change it often because the paper will tend to clog quickly. trick is to sprayso well there's little real sanding required. don't rely on sanding to fix a drippy, uneven spray job. it won't. light sanding also helps to ensure the coats will 'stick'
For anyone interested in an even flow with great control:
I think a small detailing airbrush might benefit your spraying, much more control. They range in prices, but they're handy things to have and if you want to do a really good job on sun bursting I think it could be worth the investment - considering the event of the over spraying with the large spray gun is a risk - nevertheless he's done a good job.
I gave my guitar a female name so I'm going to do a purple sunburst with a crimson border, black sides and back, and the name airbrushed on the bottom right edge. It's going to look great and I'm sure "she" will be a very unique guitar. Thanks for the tips!
hey guys i am working to get a free guitar and you can too! just takes a little bit of time! if you would like to know how plz send me a message on here and i can help out!
Do yourself a favor. USE A BREATHING MASK that paint gets in your lungs. Lungs never heal and having watched someone die fighting for his every breath isn't pretty. Best of luck to you
tape works fine, but just as a heads up, gibson actually scraps off the over spray on the binding using a razor blade. to me it looks more real to my eyes when it's done using this method, but either way works.
what is that "tiger looking" grain under the paint called? I always forget... I think it comes in sheets, and i'm wanting to put it on my custom guitar.
@Krowns4films 'flame' flamed maple is the most common, but a lot of different wood types can flame. you can get thin wood (1/32") veneer that's flammed. that's how it's done on inexpensive guitars. it's glued onto the base wood and finished. but the flame on a real gibson les paul is full thickness wood.
Nice work!!!!! Have a few questions if you can help me....
I changed the old nut on my Les Paul with a Graphtech nut. I was recommended to use superglue to glue it on. It came on a bit wrong (a bit skewed against the high E string. Du you have an idea how i can get it off? (it is a lot of glue under the nut.) Want to make my neck smoother. (sand off a bit of the lacquer so my hands doesnt hang on to it). What do you recommend to use? (sorry my bad english). Thanks.
I appreciate burst made by spraying the paint , but as i'm very lazy and don't really want to mess too much (like having 4 trial haha sorry) i prefer to do it 100% by hand with wood stain and seal the whole stuff directly
you can get a gun from either Home Depot or online. Look up Spray gun and you'll see they range from $30-$300. And there are tons of paints you can use ranging from latel, to oil to epoxy. Get a gun and start messing around, before you try and do your guitar, good luck, and dont forget to have fun
This guy does AMAZING work!!! I see ratings are back. Hopefully Youtube doesn't change the design of the site. It kept going back and forth for me all last week. It's now back to the old design and I hope it stays that way.
Autobody paint supply shop. INternet has TONS of info. You'll also need a compressor. If this is something you know nothing about it's better to do alot of research and learn hoe to use the tools before you tackle the job. Ask an autobody shop if they will allow you to hang around to get a feel for the spray guns. Learn furniture finishing. Guitar finishing is a melding of these 2 arts. There are 1000's of vids on Youtube that show compressor/gun spraying techniques.
The amber base coat is not graduated. The red is graduated from the edge towards the middle. I use a fine mist and low volume with low pressure to have more control over the application.
the best part in building your own guitar is that it is a one off, one of a kind, custom and you have complete artistic license to do whatever you desire. that in itself is reason enough to try to make your own personal masterpiece.
@BTBHSOHBOY actually, probably yes, and because they have improved so much it might have a finer mist than the old style production gun. just expepriment first and make sure resuts and finish are compatible.
Great tutorial on how to do a nice sunburst I, know it will help me a lot when I build my 1st guitar sometime soon. I have a question about the actual guitar used, re- the tortoiseshell binding. Is it a tortoiseshell plastic or similar? Or is it reclaimed antique tortoiseshell? My dream build is a Westbury super custom which had gorgeous triple binding, cream and tortoise- and I wondered if there is a tortoise alternative similar to the "Mother Of Toilet Seat" ABS used for inlays.
It's plastic (acetate) synthetic red tortoise. I found that you need to put a light color binding under it so it's color shows because it's fairly transparent. If you put it on an ebony fingerboard for instance, the color doesn't show very well. I'm building a guitar now that's all maple, including the fingerboard, so that the color of the tortoise shows nicely
I stain with amber and then seal it with a couple coats of clear....step 1 done. Now I spray the red and then seal it with the clear finish coats. You don't need to seal the amber before the red if you're really good and confident that you won't want to do it over. I do it the safer way so if I don't like the burst, I don't have to start over from the beginning.
kingblossomguitars could you take a look at my guitar in progress a vis on my channle and give me some tip plz i would like to paint it a relly nice white but with reflection you know a nice shiny white so plz have a look for me and tell me what you think i should do
This looks great. Do you have some advice as to how long the base coat of paint should sit and dry before you lacquer it? Also, did you use a primer before you painted?
I use catalyzed lacquer which is fulled cured in 30 days. I let the base coat dry a few days before I try to do the sunburst. The base coat is hard but not brittle and easy to scrape if I make a mistake. My steps are to color the wood using a water based stain because it doesn't affect the acrylic binding I use. After 3 days or so of drying, I use my clear lacquer coats to seal and then after a few days of drying, I do the sunburst and then the final clears over it.
hi Mr. KingBlossom, my question is, do you seal the wood before doing the base coat of stain? you do the sunburst finish with stain also or urethane or nitro?
I don't seal the wood first, I stain it with the base coat and then seal it with clear. Over that I do the sunburst color and then clear again. I stick with the same product throughout although you can do a water based stain for the base coat if you let it dry thoroughly and then clear lacquer/urethane.
You can make a nice guitar with many hours of labor (your first guitar) and about $500 for good components. What you make will be way nicer than what you could buy for the $500 if you have the woodworking skills.
Your series on guitar making is really super cool! I am really enjoying all of your videos. Thanks for taking the time to do them. I love guitars and seeing how they are made is a special treat for me. Thanks!
i think possibly using a smaller airbrush for smaller area details like the headstock would be a better choice then that big air gun. Also, You seriously should consider some PPE (Personal protection equipment) You've sawed & routered without ear, eye and breathing protection. And now spraying without those. You do great work, wouldnt want to see you not be able to one day due to something preventable.
i don't think there's really a list of materials on the internet. it depends on what you want send me a message and i'll answer any questions you may have. I've been building guitars for a few years.
Allparts I think. They have regular and red tortoise. This guitar has the red. You need to put a light color underneath it so it shows. That's why I did a 2 layer binding.
hello guitar experts,, .. hey,, how could i shined my guitar,, i just sanded my guitar and painted it with an aerosol spray paint,, how could i make my guitar shiny? :)
nice looking guitar! might i ask, do you mix the amber dye with laquer to spray it on or do you simply mix it with some thinner? I have heard of both ways being acceptable but i'd like to know which one is more convenient or better result. I'm halfway through my own guitar and it's getting to that point where i really should make that decision haha :P. thx a lot.
how do you do a 3 color sunburst????
dodgebee440 3 months ago
Clear coats between each color and then clear to finish.
KingBlossomGuitars 3 months ago
I'm glad you're spraying that laquer with out the face mask. Can't be safe.....
hunterlpdc94 4 months ago
what r u using to spray the guitar i wanna make 1 im 13 can u use just ordinary spray paint i just want it plain black
123minislash 5 months ago
Yes, you can just use ordinary spray paint
KingBlossomGuitars 5 months ago
congrats, nice result regarding he's using a regular spray gun, I do that with my airbrush equipment and find it way easier & more precise
monsarad 5 months ago
so beautiful
vilewills 6 months ago
Please tell me how you did the bindings, the look AMAZING!!
felix1696 6 months ago
Thanks. The binding is red tortoise over white if I remember correctly.
KingBlossomGuitars 6 months ago
I wipe on the stain first, seal it 2-3 coats of lacquer, then shoot the burst with an airbrush, shooting from the center outward towards the edge. The brush and direction of spray allows me to really control the thickness and density of the paint, plus there's no overspray in the center to contend with.
thewizardofaz 6 months ago
why not use a furniture scraper?
trumpetflowerII 6 months ago
i wonder if i can do a paintball paintjob
TheLOLSHAGGY 8 months ago
5:00 Alien transmission! :O
ravenshield56 9 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I have 2 questions for you.
my first question is what paint did you use?
my seccond is..im painting my acoustic guitar would you use the same paint if not what kind?
DaltonCarew 11 months ago
I have 2 questions for you.
my first question is what paint did you use?
my seccond is..im painting my acoustic guitar would you use the same paint?
DaltonCarew 11 months ago
I use colored nitrocellulose lacquer. I buy clear and tint it myself. I tend to use Stew-Mac tinters but also use ML Campbell tinters as well. I prefer dye for the base color as it is water thin and penetrates so well.
KingBlossomGuitars 10 months ago
@KingBlossomGuitars
Alright Thank you
DaltonCarew 10 months ago
@KingBlossomGuitars you have some surgeon hands there ;) Looks great! thanks for showing us.
JgHaverty 8 months ago
i think i bought this body on ebay from you...
JohnRoodMusic 11 months ago
Never sold one on ebay.
KingBlossomGuitars 11 months ago 3
wouldnt it be easier just to scrape the binding?
NapoleanXV 1 year ago
5:39 nonchalant
tubefed420 1 year ago
Dont you use a mask while spraying??
flashpadxxx 1 year ago
I absolutely do. I wasn't wearing one so I could talk to the camera. Now I spray and then talk afterwords.
KingBlossomGuitars 1 year ago
@KingBlossomGuitars THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!!! TROLOLOL
SoAwesomelyFunny 7 months ago
Where did you get the tortise shell binding. I haven't seen any at stew mac.I would like to find other sourses for materials if you could help would be great thanks
milners32 1 year ago
@milners32 luthiers mercantile, google it. there, you will find a whole new world of bindings as well as many other luthiery supplies. enjoy!
TannerCBrooks 1 year ago
Wow thank you so much for making this video. it really helped. I do have one question though. How do you get a binding to fit snug on the side of your guitar? how might i purchase the same type(look) of binding as you have in the video? How would you fix the binding to your guitar?
GuitarMaster268 1 year ago
This is acetate binding glued with medium CA glue that cures in a couple of minutes. I put glue on the wood
and then tape it with 1" masking tape while it sets. I do a few inches at a time and then tape before I move on. For sharp bends like on the horns of my Model 1s you need a heat gun and practice.
KingBlossomGuitars 1 year ago
can one simply design the head as they wish on a thin piece of wood, then add that to the top?
Or change the head when it is cut off for the angle? Or will these effect the strength?
PureZOOKS 1 year ago
Well first of all THANK YOU for making this vid, I'm currently working on my first completely scratch built guitar and nearing the point where finish can be applied. Its nice to see the process after reading endless pages and tutorials.
A few questions though, exactly what kind of paint do you use for the red? and how extensive is the prep sanding after before the final clear coat? do you have to sand over the red before the final coat?
DigitaIGhost 1 year ago
I spray nitro and the red is clear tinted red so I get the transparency. When I do the red, I put on 3 coats of clear before I sand much because I don't want to go through the red and at the edges it's VERY thin. I want to get it covered enough so I'm sanding clear only. See my updated video on 'The classic sunburst finish'
KingBlossomGuitars 1 year ago
why not make a scraper ?
zofoblues 1 year ago
I couldn't help but notice you are using a full size spray gun and in my opinion I think you'd be better off with a smaller gun (especially for the headstock).
We have a few different size guns that we spray with depending on the size of the job. There are times where we don't want as much paint applied to the surface. Anyway, that's my first impression that I would change guns. Good luck with your project.
TheseusTitan 1 year ago
Is the tortoise shell binding flexible and easy to work with? Btw, another way to clean up your overspray is to use fingernail polish remover and a smooth rag or paper towel. I spent forever scraping with the razorblade until i tried the fingernail polish remover.
BassPlayersWild 1 year ago
@BassPlayersWild no! fingernail polish remover is a bad choice. it reacts and can soften plastic binding. scraping with a sharp blade or razor is the only safe way.
deemilieu 1 year ago
@deemilieu oh thanks! luckily i was only remodelin a bass and it was the back of the neck which was already varnished nd i was jus doin touch up stuff!
BassPlayersWild 1 year ago
isnt that cherryburst because sunburst has the black around the rim
abcabc1415 1 year ago
how do you do this if you do not have a air gun?
snakev10v5 1 year ago
spray cans work.
KingBlossomGuitars 1 year ago 2
@snakev10v5 don't go there man. buy a nice prefinished aftermarket body and save your time and money. also, a sunburst is especially hard finish to do well.
deemilieu 1 year ago
@snakev10v5 you don't! reranch sells preloaded nitro spray for guitar. it's $20 a can. you'll need at least 1 for each color..and then 2 cans of clear for the top coats. but it's a lot of work, and takes practice till you get good results. don't get the stuff from home depot...unless you only want to do a clear finish. even then you won't get 'professional' results. same goes for auto spray paint from autozone. btw, modern 'pro stuff' is water-based and dries in a couple of hours.
deemilieu 1 year ago
Hi KingBlossom... Do you sand down the lacquer every time including the lacquer after the you've shot the amber?
gilligog 1 year ago
Not really, I put about 3 coats of clear over the amber before I sand because I don't want to sand into the amber dye. I do sand before I put on the burst because I want the base to be smooth that I'm spraying onto. I put 3 or more clear over the red before I really sand for the same reason...I don't want to sand into the red when I'm trying to get it all smooth.
KingBlossomGuitars 1 year ago
@KingBlossomGuitars This was really helpful, thanks. You must go through a lot of clear lacquer! What gradient of sandpaper do you use after the clear has been applied over the amber and then the red dye?
gilligog 1 year ago
@gilligog you only buff out any minor specs of dust or imperfections. use really, really fine sandpaper. and change it often because the paper will tend to clog quickly. trick is to sprayso well there's little real sanding required. don't rely on sanding to fix a drippy, uneven spray job. it won't. light sanding also helps to ensure the coats will 'stick'
deemilieu 1 year ago
I wouldn't be using a full sized spray gun on that type of work
theothertroll 1 year ago
@ADOPTmeBITCH - epic comment fail - dumb-ass.
theothertroll 1 year ago
don't mask the binding, spray over it and scrape it afterwards, that's how they do it at gibson's
fredgrohl 1 year ago
how did you get the fuzzy type design for the amber part?
kevinminwooyi 1 year ago
my gf wants to learn to play guitar she wants a blue fading into green is this posible to paint?
SoalHarvester03 1 year ago
Hi... im new on this... and i want to paint a guitar.. but i really dont know what kind of paint I must to buy..
jdario286 1 year ago
For anyone interested in an even flow with great control:
I think a small detailing airbrush might benefit your spraying, much more control. They range in prices, but they're handy things to have and if you want to do a really good job on sun bursting I think it could be worth the investment - considering the event of the over spraying with the large spray gun is a risk - nevertheless he's done a good job.
thead4 1 year ago
Great job.
t8anderso 1 year ago
I gave my guitar a female name so I'm going to do a purple sunburst with a crimson border, black sides and back, and the name airbrushed on the bottom right edge. It's going to look great and I'm sure "she" will be a very unique guitar. Thanks for the tips!
CocoEspada 1 year ago
does this painting technique apply for painting a silverburst ?
LTLfilms 1 year ago
Yes it does. I have a new video coming which will be even more helpful.
KingBlossomGuitars 1 year ago
If you dont have one of those spray guns can you just use a can of spray paint for the guitar?
KEVQUATRO1 1 year ago
hey guys i am working to get a free guitar and you can too! just takes a little bit of time! if you would like to know how plz send me a message on here and i can help out!
elpollodiablo88 1 year ago
theres nothing better than a homemade guitar
skullsguitarist1122 1 year ago
@skullsguitarist1122 exept one made by a co.
RapeAllRayPaul 1 year ago
can you do this in blue?
sbtrackrunner 1 year ago
@sbtrackrunner yes, a monotone burst has been done a lot of different colors & ways.
deemilieu 1 year ago
Do yourself a favor. USE A BREATHING MASK that paint gets in your lungs. Lungs never heal and having watched someone die fighting for his every breath isn't pretty. Best of luck to you
MrSmiley1964 1 year ago 22
@MrSmiley1964 True, good advise.
JamieGibsonGuitar 1 year ago
Did you order the tapes from StewMac ?
jp6l6 1 year ago
With the beautiful striping on that maple top I would have made the red shadowing much thinner and less opaque. It is beautiful though.
iatemine 1 year ago
tape works fine, but just as a heads up, gibson actually scraps off the over spray on the binding using a razor blade. to me it looks more real to my eyes when it's done using this method, but either way works.
oipunkguy 1 year ago
what is that "tiger looking" grain under the paint called? I always forget... I think it comes in sheets, and i'm wanting to put it on my custom guitar.
Krowns4films 1 year ago
@Krowns4films Flamed maple?
Kingddd333 1 year ago
@Krowns4films 'flame' flamed maple is the most common, but a lot of different wood types can flame. you can get thin wood (1/32") veneer that's flammed. that's how it's done on inexpensive guitars. it's glued onto the base wood and finished. but the flame on a real gibson les paul is full thickness wood.
deemilieu 1 year ago
You're very handsome.
MyHauntedExcursions 1 year ago
fireburst is betta!
djbro16 1 year ago
@djbro16 damn straight
danukenator123 1 year ago
Nice work!!!!! Have a few questions if you can help me....
I changed the old nut on my Les Paul with a Graphtech nut. I was recommended to use superglue to glue it on. It came on a bit wrong (a bit skewed against the high E string. Du you have an idea how i can get it off? (it is a lot of glue under the nut.) Want to make my neck smoother. (sand off a bit of the lacquer so my hands doesnt hang on to it). What do you recommend to use? (sorry my bad english). Thanks.
Tom
tomrogermarkas 1 year ago
nice work it looks sweet, just food for thought try an airbrush to spray the color on it should help
jeffgoebel55 1 year ago
why are you spraying with a large gun? invest in some nice air brushes for your sun bursts.
sgslayer99 1 year ago
nice job,you got great video,you know NickyBarzini??!!
PAULOcbi 1 year ago
Unfortunately, I don't. I've got another video coming on sunburst finishes
KingBlossomGuitars 1 year ago
@PAULOcbi isn't he the guy in godfather movie barzini ?? i'm kidding ha ha ha
WRAITHANGEL77 1 year ago
I love watching stuff like this.
nelaHnaVeiddE 1 year ago
I appreciate burst made by spraying the paint , but as i'm very lazy and don't really want to mess too much (like having 4 trial haha sorry) i prefer to do it 100% by hand with wood stain and seal the whole stuff directly
Fleg 1 year ago
you can get a gun from either Home Depot or online. Look up Spray gun and you'll see they range from $30-$300. And there are tons of paints you can use ranging from latel, to oil to epoxy. Get a gun and start messing around, before you try and do your guitar, good luck, and dont forget to have fun
mandaltby 1 year ago
cant i use spraying cans for a sunburst finish??
broeder6x6 1 year ago
This guy does AMAZING work!!! I see ratings are back. Hopefully Youtube doesn't change the design of the site. It kept going back and forth for me all last week. It's now back to the old design and I hope it stays that way.
Mjbabycakes7072 1 year ago
can anybody tell me where i can get a paint gun and paint?
i would really apreciate it if someone replied.
oh and by the way i live in england
habibabab 2 years ago
Try and auto parts store
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
@habibabab Don't buy a quart size siphon gun like he is using.Buy a gravity feed,(cup on top) touch up gun for shading work like this.
harleymike55 1 year ago
@habibabab something like homebase, halfords, B&Q, something like that.
they probably do, if not try online?
corpsemunger 1 year ago
@habibabab have you tried online stores? google 'spray gun'...
deemilieu 1 year ago
can anybody please tell me where you can a get a spray gun and paint?
i would really appreciate if anyone replied.
habibabab 2 years ago
Autobody paint supply shop. INternet has TONS of info. You'll also need a compressor. If this is something you know nothing about it's better to do alot of research and learn hoe to use the tools before you tackle the job. Ask an autobody shop if they will allow you to hang around to get a feel for the spray guns. Learn furniture finishing. Guitar finishing is a melding of these 2 arts. There are 1000's of vids on Youtube that show compressor/gun spraying techniques.
Mjbabycakes7072 1 year ago
the marks from the razor looks really cool
nogodgiveslemons 2 years ago
do u have to wear latex gloves when you are doing this. oh wait he's not wearing gloves.
nerdflanders8710 2 years ago
Those of us that can spell and actually watched the whole video, disagree.
Calderazhongkui 2 years ago 3
this should be a video about taping nit painting
yotties 2 years ago
do you use gradation with the stains to give it the blending in colors?
pandaland1 2 years ago
The amber base coat is not graduated. The red is graduated from the edge towards the middle. I use a fine mist and low volume with low pressure to have more control over the application.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
i need some of that small masking tape for the sound hole on my acoustic guitar that im painting
1GreenDayFan1 2 years ago
That gun looks wayyy too big for that job! is it devilbiss?
rendered555 2 years ago
Just a generic pot spray gun. I try to use tools that most people would have or have access to.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
the best part in building your own guitar is that it is a one off, one of a kind, custom and you have complete artistic license to do whatever you desire. that in itself is reason enough to try to make your own personal masterpiece.
datzfast 2 years ago 10
can you use he same process for the body?
themusic928 2 years ago
are you using nitro cellulose finish?
seanfoxie 2 years ago
All nitro
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
turtle shell is awesome!!!
paraglidermx 2 years ago
Catchin a buzz of that laq.lol!!
paraglidermx 2 years ago
I always wear a respirator except then so I could talk.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
great job man
tomm4272 2 years ago
master!!
rickdav79 2 years ago
The blue tape is painters tape and the small stuff is automotive pin striping tape.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
Great, just two questions, first, what type of lacquer should I use? Also, would a normal can of spray paint work?
BTBHSOHBOY 2 years ago
@BTBHSOHBOY actually, probably yes, and because they have improved so much it might have a finer mist than the old style production gun. just expepriment first and make sure resuts and finish are compatible.
datzfast 2 years ago
Good job and thanks!
opferte 2 years ago
Hi there,
Great tutorial on how to do a nice sunburst I, know it will help me a lot when I build my 1st guitar sometime soon. I have a question about the actual guitar used, re- the tortoiseshell binding. Is it a tortoiseshell plastic or similar? Or is it reclaimed antique tortoiseshell? My dream build is a Westbury super custom which had gorgeous triple binding, cream and tortoise- and I wondered if there is a tortoise alternative similar to the "Mother Of Toilet Seat" ABS used for inlays.
growguyuk 2 years ago
It's plastic (acetate) synthetic red tortoise. I found that you need to put a light color binding under it so it's color shows because it's fairly transparent. If you put it on an ebony fingerboard for instance, the color doesn't show very well. I'm building a guitar now that's all maple, including the fingerboard, so that the color of the tortoise shows nicely
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
are you using a hvlp spray gun???...nice job
cornflakesnwater 2 years ago
yes
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
Correction....no. High pressure with the pressure turned way down to get a fine mist.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
I stain with amber and then seal it with a couple coats of clear....step 1 done. Now I spray the red and then seal it with the clear finish coats. You don't need to seal the amber before the red if you're really good and confident that you won't want to do it over. I do it the safer way so if I don't like the burst, I don't have to start over from the beginning.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
kingblossomguitars could you take a look at my guitar in progress a vis on my channle and give me some tip plz i would like to paint it a relly nice white but with reflection you know a nice shiny white so plz have a look for me and tell me what you think i should do
ht448 2 years ago
Very nice guitar. America needs more people like you.
SoCaldiamond89 2 years ago 3
Thanks for taking the time to post this. . it is appreciated.
74LesPaul 2 years ago 3
that sound that happens when hes airbrushing "its a decepticon"!!!
VirtualLife227 2 years ago
Nice vid, very informative. How did you apply the binding?
Onyxaxe 2 years ago
Im tripping out, I thought the video title was how to do a sunburnt fish
murfeeeee 2 years ago 20
This looks great. Do you have some advice as to how long the base coat of paint should sit and dry before you lacquer it? Also, did you use a primer before you painted?
Very helpful video.
tiptopolive 2 years ago
I use catalyzed lacquer which is fulled cured in 30 days. I let the base coat dry a few days before I try to do the sunburst. The base coat is hard but not brittle and easy to scrape if I make a mistake. My steps are to color the wood using a water based stain because it doesn't affect the acrylic binding I use. After 3 days or so of drying, I use my clear lacquer coats to seal and then after a few days of drying, I do the sunburst and then the final clears over it.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
hi Mr. KingBlossom, my question is, do you seal the wood before doing the base coat of stain? you do the sunburst finish with stain also or urethane or nitro?
thank you
jeanpaulbazo 2 years ago
I don't seal the wood first, I stain it with the base coat and then seal it with clear. Over that I do the sunburst color and then clear again. I stick with the same product throughout although you can do a water based stain for the base coat if you let it dry thoroughly and then clear lacquer/urethane.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
thank u Mr. KingBlossom your a great luthier
jeanpaulbazo 2 years ago
I am an inspiring guitar luthier and I want to thank you for helping me understand how to make a nice finish
mrshredder226 2 years ago
You're welcome.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
Can i do a silverburst using the same technique?
Megaguitar666 2 years ago
You can make a nice guitar with many hours of labor (your first guitar) and about $500 for good components. What you make will be way nicer than what you could buy for the $500 if you have the woodworking skills.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
well it depends on what parts you use.. but yes for the most part building a guitar turns out to be cheaper alot of the time.
rocknwill003 2 years ago
it depends what parts you use? alot less then buying a finished guitar though
rocknwill003 2 years ago
another good one is Building Electric Guitars by Martin Koch
stratmaniac 2 years ago
Start with a book such as Make Your Own Electric Guitar by Melvyn Hiscock.
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
Your series on guitar making is really super cool! I am really enjoying all of your videos. Thanks for taking the time to do them. I love guitars and seeing how they are made is a special treat for me. Thanks!
gmabilli 2 years ago
i think possibly using a smaller airbrush for smaller area details like the headstock would be a better choice then that big air gun. Also, You seriously should consider some PPE (Personal protection equipment) You've sawed & routered without ear, eye and breathing protection. And now spraying without those. You do great work, wouldnt want to see you not be able to one day due to something preventable.
TheLivingDeadOne 2 years ago 4
yea man
gek918 2 years ago
Nice video!! Maybe I will use this kind of finish on my own guitar... This kind of videos help a lot!! Thanks !!!
ninjaoozaru 2 years ago
You're welcome!
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
Are you wearing a breathing mask?
74LesPaul 2 years ago
Great video. Hope there's more, Thank you.
robotssuckass 2 years ago
Thanks!
KingBlossomGuitars 2 years ago
i don't think there's really a list of materials on the internet. it depends on what you want send me a message and i'll answer any questions you may have. I've been building guitars for a few years.
iscareuiknowit 2 years ago
Allparts I think. They have regular and red tortoise. This guitar has the red. You need to put a light color underneath it so it shows. That's why I did a 2 layer binding.
KingBlossomGuitars 3 years ago
nice! i'm 13 and making my own guitar and if you have any tips i'm all ears
mirbrigra 3 years ago 6
Go for it....you'll learn as you go just as I have. I've done lots of things where I said "I'll never do that again."
KingBlossomGuitars 3 years ago
@mirbrigra you're 13 and you make your own guitars!?!?..you're awesome then..gotta say.
NOFXRules15 1 year ago
should have mad it easy on yourself
mask the binding and stuff on the headstock and painted black like a gibson/epiphone
cathodic11 3 years ago
What kind of Maple did you use, cause im looking on making a Guitar with a Les Paul body.
jonathonpvaldez17 3 years ago
I believe that was big leaf maple I bought from Oregon
KingBlossomGuitars 3 years ago
To get a better graduation on the burst you should do a few passes in seperate coats - moving further towards the middle in the subsequent coats.
The previous coats then become darker giving the graduation.
AlexSlams 3 years ago 2
You should be using a mask! Bad for the lungs!!!!
maxellison55 3 years ago 5
Me too!
KingBlossomGuitars 3 years ago
can you put a les paul pick guard on a les paul that didnt come with a pickguard??
vft98 3 years ago
Sure, especially if they're both made by Gibson or Epiphone (a guess) It has do do with the pickup cutouts on the guard fitting the guitar.
A custom one can always be made
KingBlossomGuitars 3 years ago
thats a nice colour wish i had that on a les paul
apessk8s88 3 years ago
do you do custom guitars for people?
ChocoboTheftAuto 3 years ago 2
That's all I do.
KingBlossomGuitars 3 years ago
hello guitar experts,, .. hey,, how could i shined my guitar,, i just sanded my guitar and painted it with an aerosol spray paint,, how could i make my guitar shiny? :)
michaelsuckatmath 3 years ago
Lacquer
kensal27 3 years ago 2
what if you dont have the spray gun, can i do this with rubbing stain, or can spraypaint?
hubermsj 3 years ago
Sure you can use spray paint. If you check at some hardware stores, you can find fillable small sprayer so you can use your own colors.
KingBlossomGuitars 3 years ago
does sunburst only work with red and amber or can u use other colors?
ahharocklookout 3 years ago
You can use anything....for instance blue with a silver metalflake halo or brown with a black halo. Amber and red is the classic combination.
KingBlossomGuitars 3 years ago
that spray gun sounds like aliens with headfones on
freddiefracture 3 years ago
do i have to use only the blue tape to cover or any type of tape?
(i have bad english)
justforcomments456 3 years ago
nice looking guitar! might i ask, do you mix the amber dye with laquer to spray it on or do you simply mix it with some thinner? I have heard of both ways being acceptable but i'd like to know which one is more convenient or better result. I'm halfway through my own guitar and it's getting to that point where i really should make that decision haha :P. thx a lot.
bloeregard 3 years ago
I mix the dye with gloss lacquer....kind of thin to make it easier to control the density.
KingBlossomGuitars 3 years ago