Fading a burst with aniline dye

Danielsguitars

I love old faded burst and I've been working on a couple, i love the cherry under the poker chip and pickguard.
The red went before I could get the fade around the pots, next one will have that though.

I don't really go for any particular burst it's just whatever I fancy at the time
One will be really faded and another a stronger but still faded teaburst, I hope.

The old aniline cherry dye fades really quick and I haven't even put a uv light on them yet.

The first pic is a light cherry over yellow base then a second stronger cherry with a touch of blue which gets towards the browser side, i also did a very slight just blue mist which gives it a diffent look againthen the ambered top coat followed by clear coats.

Get all the plastics on then fade away.


I'll post the images up if i can get it to work.

http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160617_175737_zpsuemioyij.jpg

Danielsguitars

http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160623_175120_zps6zottrbz.jpg

Danielsguitars

http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160705_155751_zpsuicmvwwa.jpg

Danielsguitars

really starting to fade
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160708_132833_zpsn8rnymeo.jpg

Danielsguitars

http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160708_174032_zpswghd310d.jpg

Danielsguitars

now you see how much it's faded then i knock all the shine off
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160711_132800_zpstkxfflee.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160711_135644_zpsinqcu6k2.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160711_135814_zps7uzmtwz7.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160711_135827_zpslr4eeo6c.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160711_140255_zpsvjctapcz.jpg

Danielsguitars

http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w449/plexiblues/guitar%20kit%20stuff/20160711_140230_zps0qovvnxm.jpg

SteveRobinson

Very nice, that looks the business.

Deadman

What witchcraft is this? Very nice.

Danielsguitars

I only bother on Lp's 
It's taken a few years of messing around to get confident with what needs to happen.
The original cherry dye must have been quite dark, I love how they all look different too.

I'll post pics of the other one when I'm happy with where it's going

Sarge

how fast are they fading?  and how are you applying the dye? 

looks fab! 

earwighoney

Looks amazing.

How is the process for making a 58-59 style faded burst in comparison to a solid top colour like a gold top or a black Custom? Would you use different grades of maple for solid colours as well?

Danielsguitars

That's faded over a few weeks
I mix my own aniline dye, the type that fades.
The only one you don't want fading is the yellow, it looks horrible if you've seen any.

I spray all my laquers and dyes, the dyes are mixed a little different before spraying.
I use a good nitro laquer that will eventually get checked but that's later on.

I'm just trying to find another workshop so I can offer finishing work, I only spray nitro at the moment

I'll spray normal colours too, I've just finished my limba tele in red, like Lp junior red, that's uv resistant dye.

It all keeps the finish nice and thin, which is what I want.

Danielsguitars

Thanks Shubs

I've already done a Jeff beck replica with a solid black top, it has to be really well prepared.
That had a maple top so doesn't sink whereas a custom is mahogany so needs good grain filling to stop laquer sink.

I'll have a gold top coming at some point, it's got the most stunning old mahogany body.
I changed my mind so I'll re top it first so it can have p90's.

The faded ones are just what I fancy or that one is Ramons and he wanted really faded, I just go with the flow.
I've got a rough idea where they're headed depending on what mix I do at the start.

earwighoney

Thanks for the info Darren.

I have to say there's a touch of Kim Walker to the bursts, I'd love to see one of your bursts on a Nick Lucas acoustic; my favourite Gibson golden era is mid 20's to mid '45's for bursts anyway (may be controversial...)

I didn't know the 50's LPC's were all Mahogany. Yeah I can imagine the pore filling must be tricky with a Mahogany top over a maple one. Have you ever used Wenge? Biggest pores I've ever seen! The 50's P90 gold top sounds like a winner. My favourite looking LP without a doubt, but the 57 LPC is my favourite sounding!

Danielsguitars

My favorite customs are a 56 and I'll do a 59 three pickup with bigsby 
That's in the pipeline

Jez6345789

I presume you are making these up from powder do you have a name for the raw dye as I am looking to do the same with an up coming Les Paul project, I saw a few options on the Les Paul forum but was looking for a UK source. 

thanks Jez

Danielsguitars

There's nothing over here that fades like that.
I get everything from the state's and Canada.

JudasVigilante

@customkits This may sound a little weird or unusual, but I'm more a fan of sg's than lp's. Have you ever faded an sg? I'm not sure I have either come to think of it. Most are solid colours like the classic cherry etc. Your work looks top notch. great results and it would be great to see a tutorial on mixing dying and applying them etc. Maybe you don't want to share your magic! Nice work.

Danielsguitars

Do you mean a faded red sg, if so that's easy.

Sorry but I'm not going into what I do, it's taken me quite a few years of messing around and i will be offering finishing work when I've sorted out another more suitable workshop.

Cheers

IvisonGuitars

Jez6345789 said:

I presume you are making these up from powder do you have a name for the raw dye as I am looking to do the same with an up coming Les Paul project, I saw a few options on the Les Paul forum but was looking for a UK source. 

thanks Jez

Rothko Frost do a great selection of aniline dyes and their red will fade really fast too - its great but I did find that you need quite a strong mix of red to start with as it can be a little weak.