Grain filler choice for white korina

[Ace Flibble]

There's a rather tasty white korina body in the showcase I've got my eye on. For a while I've fancied trying to do my own finish, specifically an antigua burst but using transparent/mary kay white for the middle section (not entirely unlike Max's GOTY Tele up there, but on korina).

I'm pretty clued up on most of the finishing proces, what I don't know is what would be the best type of grain filler to use on white korina? I'm not looking to darken the grain or make it more obvious, but I'm not looking to completely hide it either. I would have thought there would be such a thing as clear grain filler, but I can't find any (at least not here in the UK).

 

[Cagey]

Try looking for something called "neutral". It's not "clear" per se - it'll appear rather milky in the can - but for all intents and purposes it turns out clear when applied.

 

[bagman67]

Depends on the product, Cagey - some neutral isn't clear, e.g., Timbermate, which is based on kaolin clay I think.  It turns out off-white. 

 

[Tonar8352]

I think I would do a test board with the following steps and see if it gets you there.

1. Do a wash coat of heavily thinned lacquer.
2. Lightly sand after the wash coat with 320 papers and blow all the dust out of the grain.
3. Shade the body with the Mary Kaye transparent white.
4. Grain fill it with a neutral pore filler.  There may be a color variation between the pour filler and the white but that is what will show the grain. Be very careful not to burn through the shade coat as you are cleaning off the filler.
5. Shoot some sealer coats and levels sand it.
6. Burst the edges.
7. Finish coats and wet sand and rub out.

 

[Ace Flibble]

I wish I could grab some spare white korina to test on, but alas I don't have that luxury. It's a bugger to get the black stuff here, let alone the white variant.

But neutral filler makes sense. First I've heard of it, but I'll have a look in the shops. Even if it's a little off-white, that's good enough. Ta, lads.

Though, painting it Mary Kay then filling the grain?

 

[Tonar8352]

That is the correct way to get the finish you are talking about and this is how I did Max's guitar with some variation for color differences.

 

[Ace Flibble]

Okay, cool. I trust you, you always seem to do fantastic work, I'd just never heard of it being done that way around before. Ta very much.