Help with finish. mahogany/flamed koa

[nafziger13]

Hey guys,

i just picked this strat up and was looking for a little help on how to finish it. ive read on different threads about danish oil, tung oil, tru oil and stuff like that. im just worried that if i screw up it would ruin the whole guitar for me. if i sprayed just a clear over it would the flame top stand out very well? Also curious on the best way to finish the neck. Any Pics and advice would be much appreciated.

 

[pabloman]

TruOil!!!! That is the only acceptable finish for that guitar. Anything else will cause it to spontaneously combust in your face while playing. It will be horrible. You'll never be able to play guitar again. Your amps will be confiscated and sold so that an up and coming techno DJ can buy a lap top to make "music" with. It'll be bad, so bad. Please just use TruOil.

 

[stratamania]

Tru oil +1

 

[frown]

I too would lather that body in oil...






Tru-Oil. Lots of Tru-Oil.  :icon_biggrin:

I've tung oiled a koa body on a Carvin I own, then Tru-Oiled both my Warmoth Tele's after finding it to be a better finish [less sticky when dried, lighter in colour and easier to apply as I recall].

 

[nafziger13]

thanks for the input guys. i got the body and neck today. i took a damp rag and wet it on half. what would get me this color? would a clear coat make it pop like that? i would like it to have a very nice gloss to it.

 

[pabloman]

You can get a very matte finish all the way up to a nice gloss with TruOil. This was done using it.

 

[nafziger13]

is the tru oil a real durable finish? seems like its not too complicated. is there a very detailed tutorial on how to do it?

 

[stratamania]

Applying a tru oil finish is quite straightforward.

Here's a neck I did and list of products and basic steps.

http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=22445.msg335422#msg335422

For a body, I would use a folded lint free cloth or folded soft paper to apply. You also want to make sure you don't get witness lines. So you may need a second cloth as a wipe off.

I like to apply the stuff thinly to let it gas off more easily.

As for durability you'll get different opinions. Depends also on how you treat your axe.

It's used for shotgun stocks etc, and can be re applied if needed.

 

[nafziger13]

I wanted to thank you guys for the help. Tru oil was very easy, and  it looks great.

 

[Tonar8352]

Nice job, it looks great!

 

[Great Ape]

Nice job, it looks great!

Yes it does!!  :icon_thumright:

 

[Fat Pete]

Yep, really nice! How about some shots of the back? I'd like to see how the hog looks - did you grain fill?

 

[nafziger13]

Yep, really nice! How about some shots of the back? I'd like to see how the hog looks - did you grain fill?

here are some shots of the back. i wet sanded and worked my way to a high grit sandpaper. it ended up having a really nice shine. please excuse the mess in the background haha.

 

[pabloman]

It came out great!! At least in the photos. You need to send it to me so I can verify it looks good in person though. ccasion14: :headbang:

 

[pabloman]

I love what tru oil does to mahogany. That's a beautiful guitar. Now put a really nice tortoise pickguard on it with zebra humbuckers and it'll be exactly how I want it.

Seriously though, she's beautiful.

 

[stratamania]

Result, well done  :icon_thumright:

 

[dmraco]

One finish have have never tried is true oil.  How durable is it??  I would assume chips and blems etc and just be sanded and more oil applied.

 

[stratamania]

One finish have have never tried is true oil.  How durable is it??  I would assume chips and blems etc and just be sanded and more oil applied.

Yes pretty easy to deal with blemishes etc. How durable is somewhat subjective. Some would say it's not. I would say what are you doing with a guitar that is more punishing than what shotgun stocks are subjected to ?

Possibly nothing, so if gunstocks are kept in good order by it, especially if you use Birchwood Caseys, Wax Blend additionally you are pretty durable.

If you are Yngwie, Blackmore in his younger days or Jimi Hemdrix, then of course YMMV.