Thoughts on Tele colors

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Thoughts on Tele colors

Certainly natuaral ash is by far the best choice, but if you must destroy it, the gold is the more unusual color for a Tele. The JD and APH2 are a great combination, especially if you've already got them. My second choice for neck would be the minihumbucker rather than the PG.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Thoughts on Tele colors

Alright, I just ordered the Scarlet colored water-based dye from guitar reranch - It says on the site that it can be applied directly to the wood, which will make the finishing easier. I already have a can of sand and sealer (I think) that I can spray over it, and a few cans of clear coat (nitrocellulose of course) that I can finish it off with. Hopefully it'll turn out well, I still have to find a neck for it. Already got the body, pickups, finishing supplies, etc. But I'd like to get the neck here so I have time to finish it with shellac and dye while I finish the body.

It should be an amazing tele when I get done with it, I'm really excited.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Thoughts on Tele colors

Put the water based dye on first! Just a S&S and a clear coat will not give you a smooth shiney finish with ash. If you don't mind the texture then okay, but if you want a smooth finish you will still need grain filler and two or three S&Sers. Just using S&S and nitro, it will soak up a whole bunch of finish.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Thoughts on Tele colors

Alright, well I have some grain filler here (think it's oil-based, but I can pick up water based if need be), what order should I apply everything in? I am going for a smooth, shiny finish so I'd like to do it right.

Is it: dye -> grain filler -> sand and sealer -> clear coat?

I'm also looking into doing masked binding, is there any danger of the dye bleeding through the masked sections of binding? I'm using frog tape, which has a powder that absorbs water (think the stuff in diapers), so I'm not expecting too much bleeding. Would it be better to skip the faux-binding?

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Thoughts on Tele colors

Yeah, once the wood soaks up something oil based, the water based stuff probably won't take.

Dye the wood to taste first. In an out of the way place put a drop of clear over the dye to see it how will look under the clear coat, as it will look pretty flat at that stage.

The thing about grain filler is that dries very hard. Wipe it off before it dries, so that it fills the pores and cracks, but you don't need to do a bunch of heavy sanding that might effect your dye job. Also put the grain filler on dark colored. If the grain filler is dark it will look natural as part of the natural grain and pores, but if it's bright it won't. I put a dark stain into oil based grain filler to make sure of this. If you want to use the water based grain filler you could put in some of the dye.

I would only be speculating about the bleed through issue because I havn't tried that. I Just don't know....

I wouldn't worry too much about the grain raising as a result of the water based dye. You will have plenty of light sanding ahead.