sunburst finishes

[The Dealer]

I am doing my first Warmoth build and i am determined to put a sunburst finish on it. I'm an experience automotive painter but I don't know jack about staining wood. The guitar is going to have a really nice flame top. What I'm looking for is a nice Tobacco or amber sunburst over the flame. Can someone talk to me in experienced painters terms and keep me from screwing this up. Should I stay with guitar kit type toners or has anyone gotten the same effect from automotive mixing toners? If you want flames or stripes I'm good but I don't know sunburst. :-\ :-\ :-\

 

[Dan025]

most traditional bursts as far as i know are painted with translucent colors not dyed or stained but that doesn't mean you cant start with a dye or stain if everything is compatible. look for posts by a member called Tonar, he should have said something to set you in the right direction.

 

[bbl4ck]

This is a link to a thread that shows Tonar doing a 2-tone burst. 

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=2971.0

Good luck and welcome to the forum.  Only one rule; you must post pics...

:rock-on:

 

[-CB-]

For a burst....

Beginners guide.  Your easiest bet is to make a dark edged burst that is completely opaque. 

Select the colors.  You can use dye for the center, or toner, as you prefer.  Color the body with dye or toner for the center color.  Spray the sides of the body with the dark outer burst color.  This will make them opaque and make things easier later.  Try and get as little as possible on the body top and back.  Then you can can mask the sides, and burst the middle color.  Unmask the sides and burst the outer edge color.  At that point, it doesnt matter if you bleed some on the sides... its the same color.

An ok burst can be done with rattle can toner. 

As always - PRACTICE - your spray pattern and such, on some scrap.  I mean... do up the scrap piece just like you'd do a body.  If you REALLY wanted to test and practice your skills, make up a test piece thats the same thickness as a body... and at least half body width, so you can full judge your overspray and patterns.

BRIGHT light is a plus when doing a burst, making sure your coverage and overspray and opaque-ness are just right.

 

[The Dealer]

Thanks, I'll be sure and show picts. when i'm done.