Sunbursting

One (of several) steps while sunbursting the top of a guitar. There's a bunch of photo's of my building process here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9609103@N07/sets/72157602052657065/

Also, the finished guitar is up on our website, http://www.hoffmanguitars.com/Gabe%27s%20Guitars.htm (the sunburst one, not the black one). I sprayed a very dark - almost black - edge onto the sunburst. The guy who owns it tells me he is happy!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Guitar
• Luthier
• lutherie
• woodworking

[loosebaggymonster]

Lightaces- What two colors are you using? is it simply yellow and black?

[lightaces]

@loosebaggymonster

I don't mind having them come out different from batch to batch, so I can't give you exact formulas. The Amber is probably mostly a "vintage amber" or something to that effect, with a bit of yellow added, and maybe just a grain or two (I'm using a dye powder) or red. The darker color I tend to think of as a "van dyck" brown, which is brown with just a bit of black added, say 10 parts brown to 1 of black, but I usually add a part or less of red as well.

[nelaHnaVeiddE]

Now that's a job. Listening to good music, nice and quiet, no one to bother you, and creating something that's beautiful and will bring joy to someone.

[lightaces]

@nelaHnaVeiddE

Great job. Not much or a way to make a living, though.

[lightaces]

@Jazz95Master

a hand rubbed finish like this gives you more control. Traditionally, when applying a sunburst directly to the wood like this you hand rub it. Sprayed sunbursts are usually tinted lacquer, and give a very different look. They tend to obscure the grain and figure of the wood, where a hand rubbed sunburst emphasizes it. Neither is better or worse, just different. Well, I think this is better, but that's just opinion. Some people like sprayed bursts more.

[TheChrisHimself]

Everyone knows you're not doing it right unless you have a awesome mustache

[WeLikeRockNRoll]

Ooh nice! Instrumental version of the 80 something Dont Stand So Close To Me!

[Nessi311]

LOVE THE POLICE! Nice choice in music!

[lightaces]

@23ericiscool

The best advice I can give is to go to Stew Mac's website and buy Dan Erliwine's book on refinishing, Guitar Finishing Step-By-Step. It is a very good book, and will teach you what you need to do to get a professional job. It is a big job, and while none of the steps are particularly complicated, you need to understand the process to do it well. I would also advise you to avoid all methods you find on the internet, as they all get it wrong.

[NarutoEX100]

at first i thought the liquid he was using for the guitar was coffee. lol

[iamchrisroth]

ahh dont stand dont stand so close to me.......i love the police