How do you do a translucent blue finish?

Hi guys, I'm about to embark on a revamped Tele I made several years ago. I love Lake Placid Blue, but would love to do this one in a translucent blue finish. Could anyone give me tips on how to do this process?

Thanks in advance, Jerry.

Translucent or semi opaque.

For example, translucent finishes are achieved by spraying a toner coat ( clear lacquer tinted with dye). Semiopaque finishes have less pigments than solid colors, so the grain shows through like a 52 RI. If you want to make your own semi opaque finishes you can either mix your own using pigments and dyes or dilute some paint with clear.

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Finishing/Colors%2C_stains/a-blueguitar.html

http://www.prsguitars.com/detail/finish.html

Stewmac or Transtint concentrated stains in spraying lacquer, then clearcoat as usual. If the body is ash, try dark colored grainfiller to enhance the grain under the color.

Haven't built a "blue guitar" but followed ole Dan's blue guitar tutorial (Shepherd's first link) to do this orange one.

......http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/jwells393/NewAlbum2/FrontBack.jpg

Jack, that's still the prettiest orange guitar I have ever seen.

Thank you gentlemen for the tips and info. I haven't decided on which wood to use. I know ash has the deep grain in comparison to alder, but I like alder a lot. I would like the grain to pop and show some contrast, should I use black dye over the wood first, then sand it back before applying the blue dye?

Here's one in blue.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9WkewA1I--4/Tyt2mEoelXI/AAAAAAAAClU/0l8FZRqjTWI/s800/IMG_4169.JPG

I tinted some lacquer with the StewMac color tone blue dye. Worked great to get a transparent blue.

If rattle can is your thing, the DupliColor metal cast does a blue that will yield a transparent finish as well. Just the color coat and then clear over it.

Do you mean Translucent blue?
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/attachments/2012-tdpri-tele-build-challenge/125166d1335340524-mike-simpsons-2012-challenge-build-thread-compled-2012-tdpri-sonicscotch8-jpg

Or do you mean Transparent blue ?
http://jelyfingerguitars.com/images/pi_307.jpeg

Thank you gentlemen for the tips and info. I haven't decided on which wood to use. I know ash has the deep grain in comparison to alder, but I like alder a lot. I would like the grain to pop and show some contrast, should I use black dye over the wood first, then sand it back before applying the blue dye?


If you want the grain to pop, you can use a dark grain filler before the color at least for ash or something with really open grain.

Seeing all of these translucent dye jobs is making me crazy! These are really attractive guitars.

Mike: The trans blue is what I've been visualizing! Beautiful.

Jack: The orange contoured one with the figured maple top is stunning!

Excuse me, everyone. I have to be alone now.

Jack, that's still the prettiest orange guitar I have ever seen.

I'll second that. Just beautiful Jack.

This is one I finished up a few months back. It's TransTint blue in clear shot over a silver metallic base. Topped with clear.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/duo/blue07.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/duo/blue02.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/duo/blue03.jpg

Not blue, but here's my transparent finish...RIT dye!

136214

Thanks Mike, I did mean transparent blue. But the translucent blue looks amazing too. Now what to do?

If you want the grain to pop, you can use a dark grain filler before the color at least for ash or something with really open grain.


Thanks for that suggestion. I was thinking of using the Stew-Mac transtint black dye to make the grain pop, then sand it back some. Afterwards, use some kind of clear blue spray then a clear coat. Does that sound like the proper procedure to acquire the desired look?

I have used Clou 160 wood stain which you can get in Germany in "Home Depot like" stores - I found it in the store chain called "Bauhaus". You can also find it sometimes on ebay or amazon search for Clou 160 blau Holzbeize. A bag is between 2Euro to 2.50Euro and will last at least for 5 bodies. It dissolves in water. There is also black in case you want to sunburst. In the picture below I just used an old rag and to put it in the body. There is a good movie on you tube where I learned the "how to": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u49jCIRNnmk

You can see more pics of my blue LP here where it show how I first stain it all black/blue to make the grain "pop" then sand it back and then the lighter blue. http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/317444-homedepot-maple-hollow-body-les-paul-2.html#post4237581

I have used Clou 160 wood stain which you can get in Germany in "Home Depot like" stores - I found it in the store chain called "Bauhaus". You can also find it sometimes on ebay or amazon search for Clou 160 blau Holzbeize. A bag is between 2Euro to 2.50Euro and will last at least for 5 bodies. It is dissolves in water. There is also black in case you want to sunburst. In the picture below I just used an old rag and to put it in the body. There is a good movie on you tube where I learned the "how to": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u49jCIRNnmk

You can see more pics of my blue LP here where it show how I first stain it all black/blue to make the grain "pop" then sand it back and then the lighter blue. http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/317444-homedepot-maple-hollow-body-les-paul-2.html#post4237581
I am so GASSING for that color guitar. I have a LPB Strat from '83 MIJ, and really want a flame maple tele or LP like this color scheme - drop dead gorgeous.

Haven't built a "blue guitar" but followed ole Dan's blue guitar tutorial (Shepherd's first link) to do this orange one.

......http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/jwells393/NewAlbum2/FrontBack.jpg

Yeah....this beats Gretsch at it's own game! I also think this is a beauty!

Wipe the guitar with a black dye…. sand until the dye is removed from all but the grain…. squirt is with a transparent blue lacquer…. if it's not coming out intense enough for ya, add black aniline dye to the blue tint… keep squirting…. If you aren't comfortable…. try it on scrap first….

Ron Kirn

wow, nice work guys!