Help me pick a finish

[ildar]

I bought this body as a gift to myself. I decided I needed a Strat again. Nothing really special, nice quilt lam on a hollowed poplar back, it'll be converted to a uni rout, wilkinson trem.
My dilemma: I can't decide on a dye color. I'm vacillating among several: black, red, blue and tealish/turquoisish.
Hardware and guard colors will deifinitely be dictated by finish color, as will neck and board wood, though I'm really leaning toward a pau ferro board.
Suggestions?

 

[Xplorervoodoo]

I really like the look of the red dye on a quilt maple front...  Really makes the thing look on fire.  Or perhaps a cherry or honey burst would give a nice effect too?

 

[ss396]

tigers eye.two steps first dye black, sand back to desired level then stain amber.

 

[ildar]

Thanks for the ideas.
I already have a guitar with a finish similar to tiger's eye, but that's a great idea.
Bursts are a bit beyond my skill level, so I would have to use a single color. Red would look really good, I'm thinking a black pearloid guard, maybe chrome hardware...

 

[Xplorervoodoo]

Well I vote Red then.  and the chrome would look good on it as well  :icon_thumright:

 

[willyk]

Please don't use a pearloid guard on that top. Let the figuring grab the eye without the distraction of a busy looking guard :icon_thumright: :icon_biggrin:

 

[ildar]

Please don't use a pearloid guard on that top. Let the figuring grab the eye without the distraction of a busy looking guard :icon_thumright: :icon_biggrin:

Ok, matte black then, or maybe even cream? Anything but white. I don't really like pearloid as a rule, just thought it might look nice in this case.

 

[dudesweet157]

I'm going to jump on the red bandwagon here.  I'm picturing something like this:

Aged white plastics with a gold adonized pickguard.  Add a Cocobolo fretboard and we're in business!  Sadly, Warmoth won't do Cocobolo, or I would already have one.  *sighs*  A guy can dream anyway.

 

[ildar]

Yeah, that's close to what I'm thinking. Not sure about the gold guard though, still leaning toward black.
Kind of like this, but think white korina neck instead of maple.

 

[dudesweet157]

Ildar, thats a cool mockup.  I didn't put a black guard on mine because unless it's ebony or maple, I think black guards look cheap.  The mockup you did is very classy though.  I'm a big fan of the tuxedo plastics.  Good luck on whatever you decide on.

-Rose

 

[ildar]

Thanks for the kind words. And thanks to all who made suggestions.
Now to choose pickups...hmmm...