Staining my newest baby

tfarny

Master Member
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This one started off as most of mine do - with a discounted showcase body that I fell in love with and bought instantly. I probably won't complete this build for several months - I still haven't figured out what kind of neck or neck pup I want, for one thing. The other problem is that the wife doesn't know about this one yet!
I can't spray anything here but I still want a nice finish. I went with the minwax oil-based products because I know them and there's a good selection around. I eventually decided on a red top, natural back, so I taped it off, did the dark stain / sand back / apply final stain thing, and the only problem is:
Minwax Red Mahogany is BROWN! Brown!
Maybe it's the interaction with the stain underneath, I don't know. But it sure ain't red.
Do I:
1.leave it like this, and start in with the oil (Watco, I think)
2. sand it all off and go with an Amber / Orange dye (my second choice in color)
3. Perservere in getting a good red dye job out of this.
 
Tim,

you are not wrong. Minwax red mahog stain IS brown. looks the same on my mahogany body. dosnt look anything like the sample they had at the hardware store.

I would sand back a little and get some red dye

Brian
 
I was going to say that I do like what you have so far and I realy like the red mahog stain even if it dosnt look like the samples.

it almost looks like tiger eye to me.

Brian

 
I'd say give it a little rub with the orange dye just to see how it works with the brown. I think that'd be cool.... :icon_thumright:

But if you're set on red, then sand it back and just go with the red dye, I don't think I'd bother with the stain... :dontknow:
 
I'd try red dye (transtint) before sanding back. 

If you aren't satisfied with the results you can still sand back afterward and get a more pronounced effect, but if it looks good you've saved yourself a fair bit of effort..
 
Thanks everybody. Anybody know if water-based dye over the top of oil-based stain is a no-no? I'm wondering if orange / amber water based isn't the best way forward, after a little sand back. Getting this back to raw wood is more sanding than I'd like to do, because I want to keep it nice and level.
 
tfarny said:
Thanks everybody. Anybody know if water-based dye over the top of oil-based stain is a no-no? I'm wondering if orange / amber water based isn't the best way forward, after a little sand back. Getting this back to raw wood is more sanding than I'd like to do, because I want to keep it nice and level.
Usually oil and water don't mix, but I'm no finish guru, so I don't know for sure. :dontknow:
 
Man I thought maybe it was just my wood, but my red mahogany sure wasnt red either. The poplar soloist I did a while back was done with that. It had an awesome red if when you put it on, thats for sure, but as soon as you wiped it off and it dried, it was just brown.
 
I used the Ethanol Dyes from Reranch.  They were powder, and the red would look nice with the brown you have there.  I used about a teaspoon of dye with a cup of denatured Ethanol.  Those dyes will also work with MEK.  And I would avoid using water based dyes with the oil based stuff you already have on there.  It is likely to bead up on you if there is much oil left.
Patrick

 
Perhaps a wipedown with a rag soaked in denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, or acetone (the stink will be hard to hide though).  Sanding may end up looking uneven, unless you go all the way.  Even then the sides/edges will be tricky.  After the wipedown, go back over it with red dye, definitely not water based.  It looks good so far.  The brown will stay in the "flames", and even accentuate them.

James
 
OK, so these pics are after a careful wipedown / sandback to get rid of most of the brown while still allowing 'flame enhancement' brown to stay.
 
And this is MEK dye, red with a little brown and black added, on top. Came out more purple than I anticipated - odd since I didn't add any blue at all. Like a real dark, young cabernet. If I decide I like this color, the next step will be to add a bunch of black to my dye mix and try to do a little burst effect round the edges. Wow the MEK dye is easier to work with than water-based, just goes right on very evenly, no BS, dries quick. Smells like hell though.
 
That looks good!  I can make a suggestion on the F-Hole.  Shove a rag down inside the body to protect it and then take Q-Tips and carefully stain the edge of the F-Hole.  Be careful not to drip any on the surface and have rag damp with shellac solvent to wipe any excess that makes it up onto the surface of the body but try to avoid that if you can.  The wood will take it much darker in the F-Hole because it is end grain but it will look finished.

 
Wow, looks fantastic!

tfarny said:
And this is MEK dye, red with a little brown and black added, on top. Came out more purple than I anticipated - odd since I didn't add any blue at all. Like a real dark, young cabernet
I had the same thing happen to me.  I added some black to the red MEK dye that I was using, and it also turned out a bit more purple than I had hoped for.  I was shooting for blood red.

It's good stuff though.

Looks great!

James
 
Cool, that's pretty nice flame you got the Tim, although I kinda liked it without the red. But will look sweet with the black burst over the red...... :guitarplayer2:
 
I tried to do the sand-back on the Less Paul, and ended up in the same position. But like you, I did more sanding and it came out pretty good.

Actually, I'd say yours looks better!!!

I think the purple looks great. Probably not what you originally were after, but it still has a lot of character and a nice color. I am sure it'll look even better with some lacquer!
 
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