Anyone
Thanks!
I'm going to go for it.
I would like to try getting this look but with a solid rosewood neck.
Anyone certain of how to finish the body to achieve that look? Twenty coats of Tru Oil?
I'd like to avoid toxic finishes. No Nitro this time.
I'll buy a solid rosewood Strat neck and a roasted swamp ash body from the same vender I used before.
Now would seem the time. Everything's on sale.
I'll use the Fender American Standard Tremolo I like so much, Fender locking tuners and either Chubtone or Duncan Antiquity Surf pickups.
OP, I've gotten 3 roasted maple necks from W. All have been fantastic. Comparing it to all rosewood neck, which I do not have, I'd guess rosewood is heavier and may affect neck dive. I'd also guess, tone will be not as trebly as a maple neck
@Lewguitar - To answer you question on the look your after.
If it were I....
I'd sand the unfinished body
Give it a light coat of sealer
Apply black dye (since you sealed the "flats" of the wood, the black dye will get into the grain areas and really make the grain pop)
Sand off sealer
Mix up some flavor of brown dye and hit the whole body to get to the body color you want
Add sealer, but not filler (from the pic shown you provided, the grain is not filled)
This will get you to the point of applying Tru Oil (or similar).
I've done 3 guitars with a Tru Oil finish. My method was as follows....
Get a bag of rags from Lowes/HD
Cut to swatches that you can use as an applicator for the Tru Oil
Make sure to violently shake out the rags after being cut, as they provide some lint after being cut
Apply up to 3 coats a day. I'd highly suggest not doing more than 3 coats as it starts to gum up and what not
When you've gotten the finish to a layering you like (I've done up to 30 coats or so), if you want a great gloss finish, on the last coat, mix the Tru Oil with half Naptha or Mineral Spirits and apply.
For the final touch, I hit the body with swirl remover ( I use Meguirre's car swirl remover), and then wax and buff