Kuro's Turquoise Bel Air Strat

[Kuro Uma]

The wife, you guys and finally logic won out. I wanted to do a denim looking washed blue dye guitar but that'll wait until another guitar  :icon_biggrin:

I sealed off the binding and masked it. used a weak black dye and sanded it back.

I did the same with a stronger blue dye, but I forgot to take a picture after I sanded the blue back.

I then mixed up a color based of the turquoise inlays. Using mostly a color called Green Peacock Blue. I do agree it looks better with no burst but I did define the edge of the binding with a sharp thin black line. Here it is sealed to show of the figure a bit.

Another angle under the same light

You can see I was trying out an amberish type tint on the ash in the humbucker spot. I've decided I want to keep the natural color of the ash and just shoot it clear.
I'm real happy with it now. To me it feels 1950's like. I don't mean the model of the guitar as that's obvious, but the color scheme. Like a 57 Chevy Bel air or something.

 

[DangerousR6]

That's pretty awesome.... :headbang1: :kewlpics:

 

[Scuffcakes]

It seems there's a number of people on here just hell-bent on making me hate them for the absolutely gorgeous instruments they produce.  If the Raven hadn't already done it, this one would get ya on the list, mister.  That's seriously beautiful.  I can't wait to see it finished.

 

[tylereot]

Really nice, and I think you nailed the color!

 

[bagman67]

Nice work, K. U.


Is that some sort of liquid resist painted on the edge of the body in the "black dye sanded back" photo?  Nice alternative to fooling around with tape, if so.  What did you do there?


Bagman

 

[Kuro Uma]

Nice work, K. U.


Is that some sort of liquid resist painted on the edge of the body in the "black dye sanded back" photo?  Nice alternative to fooling around with tape, if so.  What did you do there?


Bagman

You know I'm always trying new methods. It always seems if I don't seal the wood where I want the natural look first the dye seeps under the mask. Before I've created vinyl masks to seal and mask complicated designs. This was just simple line. So what I did was use a bit of Tru Oil (as the sealer and to bring out the flame) on just the area where I wanted the natural binding. Then next morning I used my new favorite liquid masking tape and just painted carefully over where I wanted the binding. In any place I got on the raw wood I just used and exacto blade and trimmed it straight.

The alcohol and dyes don't effect it as your wiping the dye on. My only concern was when I was sanding back the layers. I was just careful around the edges. Also the radius of the edge was so that the sanding block actually just barely cleared the binding. You could likely just blindly sand as long a you were level. But being the first time I tried this method I was careful.

I just peeled off the masking tape and it left a nice fine line. Painted my little black line and done.

 

[anorakDan]

Pretty! Love the color!

 

[mullyman]

King Edward approves!!

MULLY

 

[bbl4ck]

That is one sweeeet  :glasses9: strat ya' got going on there :icon_thumright:
I really love the color and the fine black accent line really sets it off.
:kewlpics: :rock-on:

 

[Great Ape]

Very, very fine...the little details you come up with, like that black line edge, transform the piece from a beautiful guitar into something truly special...Yup, very fine indeed...

 

[tylereot]

I would appreciate your source for "my new favorite liquid masking tape".  I expect it isn't one of those things my Ace Hardware carries.

I'll second Greg: that tiny black line really transforms it.

 

[Kuro Uma]

I would appreciate your source for "my new favorite liquid masking tape".  I expect it isn't one of those things my Ace Hardware carries.

I'll second Greg: that tiny black line really transforms it.

This is the stuff.

They carry it most Hobby/RC stores. I know I'm not using it for it's intended purpose but it does the job.

 

[bagman67]

I did some reading up on that stuff last night, and apparently what a lot of the RC guys do is apply it to the entire object to be painted, paint the mask white or silver to better show the cut lines, then use a #11 Xacto blade to cut out patterns and peel back the mask to and spray.  Then peel the remainder of the mask off.  Voila  - nifty intricate patterns!


Kuro Uma can tell us how it works on bare wood, but I imagine it would work well on top of solid colors or a hard sealer like shellac.


Bagman

 

[hannaugh]

That Strat looks awesome!  I really like the color.

 

[ThePhilosopher]

That's a sweet color. ccasion14:

 

[tylereot]

I would appreciate your source for "my new favorite liquid masking tape".  I expect it isn't one of those things my Ace Hardware carries.

I'll second Greg: that tiny black line really transforms it.

This is the stuff.

They carry it most Hobby/RC stores. I know I'm not using it for it's intended purpose but it does the job.

Thanks, just ordered a bottle.

 

[Kuro Uma]

Got the last coat of Tru-Oil polished on the neck.

Hipshot Griplock tuners before drilling the screw holes.

And the Bel-Air emblem

 

[DangerousR6]

Very nice... :rock-on:

 

[croquet hoop]

This birdseye neck is gorgeous. How many coats of TO did you put ?

By the way, did you stain the wood directly, or did you put a coat of tinted lacquer ? If you stained it, is the liquid masking tape better than normal tape at preventing the stain from getting behind the mask ?

 

[Kuro Uma]

This birdseye neck is gorgeous. How many coats of TO did you put ?

By the way, did you stain the wood directly, or did you put a coat of tinted lacquer ? If you stained it, is the liquid masking tape better than normal tape at preventing the stain from getting behind the mask ?

For the neck I did about 6 coats from the bottle. Then leveled it with 2000 grit and lemon oil as the lubricate. Then I used the aerosol Tru-oil and shot a final coat. After about a week it was hard enough to polish.

For the body used a bit of Tru-oil to coat and seal the natural binding. Then I used the liquid mask after that was dry. I've used the mask before without first using a sealer and it works well as it fills in all the tiny places that normal tape just rides over. This is all so microscopic. But i feel it seals better. I did apply the dye directly to the wood. Black first, sanded back, a royal blue, sanded back, then the turquoise.

Hope this helps.