Hey all,
Tried doing a quick search for this but couldn't find an awful lot on the subject. What I'm interested in doing is buying an average, bog-standard, Squier-like guitar and taking the finish back so that you can feel the wood grain. Whether it's a very extreme or more subtle effect, this is the kind of thing I'm looking for:
The two guitars here are quite different, but from what I've managed to find out both effects were achieved by sandblasting. Would this process achieve the look I'm after with the average Squier-quality guitar? I'm not worried about ruining the finish in the process (in fact it might be a bonus, we'll see). My concerns are that since the original guitar will no doubt have the grain filled, or just not a particularly exciting lump of wood to begin with, that the effect just won't be the same. In which case maybe I'll just buy a body blank and do it that way.
Anywho, not sure if anyone may have tried something similar, but if there is any insight or advice to be shared, it would be much appreciated!
Comments
a few things to note:
1) Any finished guitar is going to have been grain filled so removing that is HARD.
2) Any finished guitar is going to have been sealed so the sunken finish is going to be patchy.
3) The type of wood used for the body has a massive factor on the sinkage - go for light woods like Swamp Ash.. IMO
There are loads of bodies on ebay - if you can guarantee the body isn't filled or sealed or oiled I really really recommend Wudtone it's the business.
Aw man, I'd not heard of BooBoo guitars.
That's got my mind whirring about projects now...
yeah, you need to start with raw ash to make sure there is no existing grain filler.
I have successfully achieved the look with nitro quite a few times, which is good because its the look of sunken nitro it is trying to replciate. you need to be able to spray well enough to not have to do too much flatting or buffing out. sanding between coats can fill the grains lightly if not blown out before the next coat and buffing will add compound to the pores that is a bugger to remove. but the good think about nitro is it will continue to sink in so the pores will become mroe apparent as it ages
you can vary the effect depending which stages you do or don't include. for instance this one was grainfilled, sprayed with 2 coats of sanding sealer, 2 coats of black, 2 coats of clear. It was buffed out within a day or two of the last coat of lacquer. the final look is sunken nitro (because i buffed before it had finished curing) closer to you would see on an old guitar that was grainfilled.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/cabrel20_zpsd2688ca1.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/cabrel17_zps45b87ff6.jpg
this one was just colour and clear, no sealer or grainfill
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030375_zps31d3eb24.jpg
Its on mahogany so the pores are not as deep are patterned as they would be on ash
This is similar on ash, but i think I had to sand level half way through finishing and some of the grain was reduced by that, since then it has continued to sink in and looks more grainy
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/complete%20guitars/st4.jpg
And i am doing another black nitro one on ash at the moment with no grainfiller, just 1 coat of sanding sealer, 2 of colour and 2 clear. At the moment its looking very similar to frankus' wudone example after a couple of days curing
These are the rattle can examples I do at home were i don't have any specialist spraying equipment ....other than a tub of warm water to put the spray cans in, it helps give a finer mist if the lacquer is warmed
Instagram
Instagram
Instagram
(though I've never found anything more concrete about the 'rare blood group' bit)