Choosing paint color for 1st time refinish/repaint

[Luna]

Doing research for my first time sanding down & refinishing a guitar, I have very little experience and I'm looking to practice on a squier strat body first, if my results are good i'd like to do the same to my esp eclipse. I want to paint the whole thing from red w/ a flame top to black with either a black or metallic gold top, and I'm wondering which top color would be more highly advised for a newbie.

 

[Rick]

That's easy black ... But if your removing all the paint why not a clear finish ... Maybe Tung oil.

 

[Luna]

That's easy black ... But if your removing all the paint why not a clear finish ... Maybe Tung oil.

I'd prefer some kind of a color finish on this guitar, and black makes sense and will probably be what i go with in the end however for style's sake I want to go with gold, but im afraid I'll mess it up