refinishing questions

I have an alder body strat, unfinished. I like the color of the wood and grain, so I want to do a translucent olympic white.

Can I mix nitro lacquer with white paint or tint? if paint, do I mix some paint thinner?

How do you get a transparent white?

thanks in advance

You are on the right track. Stew-mac has some info on their site and also try the reranch tutorial and forums. Tons of info although most of the guys here are also using those sites. In other words you'll get plenty of info here, maybe just not as fast.

in addition to those sites, i'f go over to www.strat-talk.com and see if you can't get some advice from Ron Kirn. he's an excellent builder!

Thanks OldCane,
Stopped in the woodcraft store and got a white and a yellow tint. A worker said it should mix with the nitro. Maybe I'll get the first coat on tomorrow and see how it is!! I'll post some pics of the build.

Can I mix nitro lacquer with white paint or tint? if paint, do I mix some paint thinner?

How do you get a transparent white?

thanks in advance

Don't mix nitro and paint thinner. Make sure you use lacquer thinner.

Small amounts of tint added to clear lacquer will make a spray-able mix that will be transparent.

I'm not using a paint to color it, its a multi-purpose tint/dye. The guy at the store said he was able to mix it with a wax base, so it should do fine in the nitro.

should I still mix some lacquer thinner? what would this do?

On any semi-transparent finish the natural color of the wood is going to influence the final color, Transparent white over Alder will come out with a slightly pinkish look.

If you will be mixing your own colors, be sure whatever you are missing is compatible, Check Woodcrafters.com they carry many of the same products “guitar refinishing” sites do but without the heavy up-charge.

Ron Kirn

If I just use the nitro and white/yellow tints, it will look pink?!?!
Thanks for letting me know Ron
Would staining the wood first help that?

Here are some pics of the body

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I got the body a couple years ago and then just last week I found a very inexpensive Affinity squier.

What I've been doing is, first I recorded all the pups as a stock squier. Then I wax potted the pups, replaced the tiny pots that were in there, changed the wire to all cloth (except for the pups), and did a SRV wire job.
Then I recorded in the same matter and levels. I havn't listened to them both yet, but I can tell a difference just playing.

I have more pics of the wiring and wax potting and so on, if anyone wants to see them!
Thanks for all your help guys!!

This may help but I think these ash. I don't really know one wood from another. Someone has to actually tell me what they are.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/bad-dog-cafe/138456-mary-kay-[sic]-strat.html

And woodcraft sells the nitro, thinner and dyes and pigments and rpeval psrayers I think as well. Stay with the lacquer family.

I started thinking that too, Old Cane. I was searching everywhere last night to find out if its even Alder. Just maybe, I have a piece of Ash! Ill take some quick snaps and post them.

I have the nitro and dye already... still don't understand how the lacquer thinner helps...

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I have the nitro and dye already... still don't understand how the lacquer thinner helps...

Easier to mix, spray, and will dry with less orange peel. Plus its more cost effective. Multiple thinner coats are better than less heavy coats.

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