My first attempt at a clean line finish.....

[m4rk0]

So after bugging Dave R a hundred times about half a year ago, I finally got started on this..

What the plan was: clear back, tiger eye dye top..
in order to get the tiger eye effect, I was going to use a darker shade for the first coat, than sand down and another coat of a lighter shade on top of that...
The only problem is, this IS the darkest shade.. (double the standard dose)  and to be honest, I already quite like it.
so:
- should I still go ahead and sand down, dilute and go over it with another coat?
- go over it with an even darker shade and go from there?
- leave as is? it is not really as blotchey as it is in the pics... should I add more coats anyway? (of the same shade)
- also, how do you get dye from yer fingertips??  :tard:

I used honey amber transtint. I planned to delute with denatured alcohol, but then i remembered how I hated the fact that Shellac dried so fast, and that this was probably going to do the same... so I used water.

Before:

After:

 

[reinhold]

I would say go darker, maybe add a slight bit of brown to the mix, then sand back, then redo with that original mixture you had.

 

[pabloman]

Ya, go darker and then sand back and recoat with the original. Looks good the way it is too. Decisions decisions. ccasion14:

 

[Nando Vallart]

Looking cool, mate!

 

[DangerousR6]

All I have to say is, it's got a FLOYD....... :headbang:

 

[pabloman]

Is the one on the left Tru-oiled ? I'd like to pics of that and maybe a story to go along with. BTW, who the eff would want six wives?? Henry was a crazy SOB.

 

[m4rk0]

alright,
so I decided to ignore the advice
I loved the way It dried up, so I started to pull the masking off. and it turned out much better than expected. (I expected to spend the rest of the day scraping, sanding and touching up the clean line)

I can't wait to see how this looks after a couple of coats of true oil!! I am sure both back and front will darken a little, but I am still expecting a contrast
BTW, the hardware will be all BLACK!

the upper horn needed a little touching up (which  I did after taking this pic)

 

[Nando Vallart]

Awesome!

 

[m4rk0]

Is the one on the left Tru-oiled ? I'd like to pics of that and maybe a story to go along with. BTW, who the eff would want six wives?? Henry was a crazy SOB.

yes, I'll take some pics later.. the body is cursed though.. I am finishing it for the 4th time!  

6 wives... probably not a good idea, but a great excuse to make up a new church if you want to divorce one!

 

[DangerousR6]

Looks damn good Marko, but what happened to the "tiger eye" plan? :icon_scratch:

And lets see the back.... :headbang:

 

[m4rk0]

Looks damn good Marko, but what happened to the "tiger eye" plan? :icon_scratch:

I ditched it!! for the following reasons:
- I didn't want to waste more time ordering and waiting for a darker transtint
- I really like this color
- the dye came out so perfectly, I didn't want to jinx it by adding a darker color on top of this
- I am lazy

I will make some pics of the back later

 

[Nando Vallart]

:laughing7:

 

[OzziePete]

Looks great so far Marko.. :blob7:  :icon_thumright:

 

[rapfohl09]

Looking reallllll good  :icon_thumright:. Looks like a perfect line to my eyes.

 

[MedianMusic1]

I always wanted to do a clean line finish. Great job!

 

[bpmorton777]

Rick Wakeman likes it!

Brian

 

[m4rk0]

Rick wants a piece of the funk!
I have no idea why that record is there... it has been at that spot for probably 2 years though.. maybe is should go.. or maybe I jinx things then.. or it will make the balance of the universe go off...  :icon_biggrin:

thanks for the comments though. I am extremely pleased with the way the line turned out.. it is perfectly following the line were the top and body were glued together.
I am done touching up, and thinking about slapping on some tru oil tonight!
more pics to come!

 

[dmraco]

Marko...looks great!  I think the tru-oil will help it pop.  I did re-read my e-mail that I originally set you.  I started with Tobacco brown, sanded and then used the amber...that would account for the difference. 

I think it looks good as it is...but it is never to late to sand, apply the tobacco...sand, and re-amber dye...

Your call...BTW>>>The black hardware will look killer...what did you do withthe neck?

 

[CrackedPepper]

Hi Marko, what kind of tape did you use?  The green stuff looks like that new "frog tape" that makes a clean line by expanding when it comes in contact with paint to shut down bleeds.  I was told it would not work with dye by the guy at the paint store.  I am hoping he is wrong.

 

[m4rk0]

Marko...looks great!  I think the tru-oil will help it pop.  I did re-read my e-mail that I originally set you.  I started with Tobacco brown, sanded and then used the amber...that would account for the difference. 

I think it looks good as it is...but it is never to late to sand, apply the tobacco...sand, and re-amber dye...

Your call...BTW>>>The black hardware will look killer...what did you do withthe neck?

Thanks Dave! and thanks again for all the advise! I will do the tiger eye someday, but I think the way it is is just perfect for the project!

I have a mid eighties Japanese Strat (all maple neck), that currently has a late 80s/early 90s korean Squier HM Strat body on it.
I will basically be swapping out the body and leave all the (black) hardware on it...for now...