docteurseb
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Got this carved top Soloist body couple months ago, it has a mahogany back and Warmoth was kind enough to make it 1 piece w/o asking for it. It also happens to be quite light which is perfect:
When I ordered it I wanted to try again the color scheme used here:
https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=30158.0
In that prior build the test piece was a perfect match but the body turned out quite different:
1) the top I picked was too dark
2) it was my first dye job and I did way too much blending and two layers of finish instead of just one.
Although I was pretty disappointed when I got the body back, I've now come to like that finish too.
I still have that guitar and I'm updating it with a different neck for improved tuning stability.
This time around I wanted a light colored top with quilt figure as close as possible to the PRS (the angled tubular quilt figure just goes very well with a 'dragon breath' stain pattern).
I looked for months at Warmoth's selection of laminate tops and never found a good match.
Ended up shooting an email to Warmoth not really expecting much (usually what is in the showcase is what you get), and to my surprise Jeff and the shop's foreman actually located a piece of lumber that matched.
I'm hesitant attempting the same color again, instead I narrowed it down to couple options:
1) A more 'traditional' red/orange dragon's breath, can't really go wrong with that one:
2)Indian Ocean Sunset which adds purple and blue:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czVhy1T3XnA&feature=emb_logo[/youtube]
It may not look spectacular on this video, but I saw one such guitar when visiting the PRS factory last summer and it was a jaw dropping finish.
I did a test piece last week-end:
With a clear coat it's much more interesting:
With so many stains though it may be more difficult to get a really good dragon breath pattern and color blending.
4) Starting with a vivid red and going towards purple and dark blue could look great too. I'm thinking of a red like the PRS Graveyard II:
5) Final option would be a black to light grey fade with light sand back (aka 'frostbite'):
I did backplates in that finish for my PRS and it's an easy one when done on a small and flat surface:
I am however not confident enough in my sanding skills to achieve an even sanding on a curved top body.
As for the neck it will be roasted maple (1st time using one), fingerboard will be dark rosewood, ziricote, or ebony. Headstock veneer will be quilt maple dyed to match, or the same wood as the fingerboard.
Might take a while to see much activity here. If I order a neck with quilt maple veneer I would wait for it to arrive to stain both body and neck together, otherwise I can stain the body soon once I settle on a color scheme.
When I ordered it I wanted to try again the color scheme used here:
https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=30158.0
In that prior build the test piece was a perfect match but the body turned out quite different:
1) the top I picked was too dark
2) it was my first dye job and I did way too much blending and two layers of finish instead of just one.
Although I was pretty disappointed when I got the body back, I've now come to like that finish too.
I still have that guitar and I'm updating it with a different neck for improved tuning stability.
This time around I wanted a light colored top with quilt figure as close as possible to the PRS (the angled tubular quilt figure just goes very well with a 'dragon breath' stain pattern).
I looked for months at Warmoth's selection of laminate tops and never found a good match.
Ended up shooting an email to Warmoth not really expecting much (usually what is in the showcase is what you get), and to my surprise Jeff and the shop's foreman actually located a piece of lumber that matched.
I'm hesitant attempting the same color again, instead I narrowed it down to couple options:
1) A more 'traditional' red/orange dragon's breath, can't really go wrong with that one:
2)Indian Ocean Sunset which adds purple and blue:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czVhy1T3XnA&feature=emb_logo[/youtube]
It may not look spectacular on this video, but I saw one such guitar when visiting the PRS factory last summer and it was a jaw dropping finish.
I did a test piece last week-end:
With a clear coat it's much more interesting:
With so many stains though it may be more difficult to get a really good dragon breath pattern and color blending.
4) Starting with a vivid red and going towards purple and dark blue could look great too. I'm thinking of a red like the PRS Graveyard II:
5) Final option would be a black to light grey fade with light sand back (aka 'frostbite'):
I did backplates in that finish for my PRS and it's an easy one when done on a small and flat surface:
I am however not confident enough in my sanding skills to achieve an even sanding on a curved top body.
As for the neck it will be roasted maple (1st time using one), fingerboard will be dark rosewood, ziricote, or ebony. Headstock veneer will be quilt maple dyed to match, or the same wood as the fingerboard.
Might take a while to see much activity here. If I order a neck with quilt maple veneer I would wait for it to arrive to stain both body and neck together, otherwise I can stain the body soon once I settle on a color scheme.
