Quick and Easy Sunburst

 The three way switch required a half inch hole, which I drilled with a forstner bit (flat bottomed drill). It makes a nice, clean cut.

I think most people wait until the guitar is put together before starting the colour finish, but I decided to go ahead with the top. I wanted that "tobacco sunburst" look, without having to source the high priced specialty stains. So, I went to the hardware store and found some spray stains by Krylon (one of my favourite paints for many projects). The lighter colour for the centre is Honey Gold.

 The darker colour for the edges is Redwood.

I placed the guitar top on a 5 gallon pail and sprayed around the edges, aiming the paint outward, away from the centre of the guitar. Gently, I swept over with light sprays until I had the desired effect.

I will sand it all very smooth when it's dry and apply several coats of gloss clear coat after the guitar is all assembled. I want the sides to be dark, and the back to have a similar look to the front. The neck is black, and I will blend that into the sides of the guitar body, and probably add some gentle black spray in the "waist" of the guitar as well.






As of July 22, I have taken the finish a step further. Since I want the feel of an antique item, I have given it a faux finish. The colour seems more muted here, but it's actually a little brighter than this. However, I sanded it down to give a worn look and then applied more spray stain. If you look very closely you can also see where I have started to notch the pickup inset holes to allow for the metal tabs that hold the height adjustment screws. The four little pieces to the right are the decorative covers I made to hide those notches. They essentially do what a pick up ring would do on most electric guitars; which is to say they cover the holes and provide an anchor for the height adjustment screws.