:help: okay ive got bunch of 8ft long boards of mahogany to glue together for a body and some walnut tops that are sort of a pinkish, purplish color and was hoping to make a les paul out of them. i want the wood to be colored but still show the grain. i was wondering what color combination would best show off the grain. also what glues to use when i glue the mahogany and the walnut together. this my dad and my first guitar build and we really could use some help. :help:
mahogany body with a walnut top, color suggestions?
- Thread starter jonn
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Personally, I feel walnut looks best with an oil finish. It is also an easy finish to do, which is good for a first build.
Mahogany, you could do an oil finish, but you may want to fill the grain first.
I know you said you want a colored guitar, but clear is normally the way to go for walnut.
Mahogany, you could do an oil finish, but you may want to fill the grain first.
I know you said you want a colored guitar, but clear is normally the way to go for walnut.
jackthehack
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Would help to see pics of the wood in question...
Cagey
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dNA said:
That's a very good suggestion. Rubbing a piece down with isopropyl alcohol is an excellent way to see what a wood will look like with a clear finish. It doesn't raise the grain like water does, but persists long enough before evaporating to let you stare at it for a bit to decide if you're happy. Plus, as a bonus, you get a bit of cleaning out of the deal, taking off handling oils, sanding dust and so forth. Some woods, like walnut and mahogany, produce startling results from that treatment.
Ya I know. That's why I suggested green. I was kidding. What happened to your old account? The thing about walnut is it's a pretty dark wood and there won't be alot of contrast in the grain once dyed and the dye will be very dark. If I was in your shoes I would get a different wood for the top. If you are stuck on a green top you can go the traditional route of maple. If you want something cool but still a little different you could do just mahagony or korina something along those lines. It would still come out darker than a maple top and you could save that walnut for the reason it was intended (oil finished soloist with walnut neck ebony fretboard abalone inlays black chrome floyd and Dave Mustaine Livewires!!!!).
Cagey
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Jonn said:
Walnut darkens dramatically when you put a finish on it, so any transparent colored finish would be lost or so substantially altered that it's unlikely you'd be happy. Fortunately, clear finished walnut is gorgeous. If you want to see what it would look like with a clear finish, get some rubbing alcohol and a rag and wipe the thing down with that.
