How to paint your guitar by hand: Staining
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- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
- Hey guys! I’m Brad, and I make how-to videos. I do custom painting projects, guitar painting, airbrushing, spray can painting, wood working, and a variety of other finishing work and tutorials. Please subscribe and check out my channel for more!
The time has come! The votes are in, and the result is a tutorial on how to paint your guitar without having to spray anything. No paint guns, no compressors, and no spray cans. This paint job will be done entirely by hand.
I realize that this option was popular because it doesn't require any specialized equipment, so in keeping with the theme of using accesible stuff, this paint job will be done entirely using products that can be found at your local home depot or similar hardware stores.
The shopping list for this particular job is pretty small. I used a standard sandpaper to prepare the wood for stain, and an old cut up t-shirt as well as some 0000 steel wool to apply it. You can also use a foam brush or paint brush to apply the stain, but you will want to use a rag to while off the excess.
The stains that I used for the front of the guitar are made by MinWax. They are: 230 Earl American, and 231 Gunstock. I don't use the two in one stains that are intended to provide a final finish. I don't believe that they are as high a quality as the finish you can get by doing these jobs in two steps.
On the back and sides of the guitar I used a black cherry stain made by Varathane. Like the top, this was applied using steel wool, and the excess was removed with a section of t-shirt.
I did something along the lines of a sunburst effect on the top. Since the stains that I used to create this burst effect were only one number apart in tone, the effect is much more subtle than that which you would find on something like a cherry burst gibson, or a tobacco burst fender. You can achieve a more pronounced burst effect simply by using stains that contrast more significantly.
The guitar body that I used for this video is a bare piece of alder cut in the telecaster shape.
Don't forget to ask your questions or submit video questions if you want to show me something.
Thanks for watching.
To get in touch with me with your questions, photos, etc. use the links below!
/ bradangovepainting
/ brad_angove
/ brad.angove
/ bradangove
Hello Brad, I don't often comment on these presentations however I must commend you on your videos. Thoughtful, concise, well articulated and professional. I'm 62yrs old, played guitar 50yrs and an avid woodworking hobbyist. Damn if you didn't teach me a thing or two and have inspired me. Your mom should be very proud and tell her I said so. Fondest regards.
Thank you! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and I'm always ecstatic to hear when my videos are serving a purpose.
I agree 250alphonse. Someone who. Really is genuinely kind - not annoying and not trying to make everything about themselves. Very humble and it's refreshing.
Gloss on the top and. Satin on the back!
Genius!
Brad Angove Good idea! Gloss on top and satin on back.
I agree best of both worlds :)
I think you mean Poker in the rear.
I didn't know Jake Gyllenhaal knew how to stain guitars! LOL, nah I'm just playing. This is great!
Haha thanks. Believe it or not I've heard that one once or twice.
Looks nothing like him but youre right
(im keeping in mind this video is a few years old since posting.) just an in case you didn't know yet/since...... you 'can' re-stain a finished/sealed guitar. it just takes a lot more work. ie lots of sanding, or a heat gun , or a 'stripper' to remove it first. Only thing one needs to keep in mind, is that you can NOT stain 'lighter'. use a light stain, its going to be darker than the stain you're putting on. This goes for more than just Guitars. but any wood product that's been finished.Or 'sealed'. Just a heads up from someone who's been a Paint/Stain Professional from a Well Recognized Hardware store. And Furniture refurbisher, Carpentry Apprentice. Aside from that, I absolutely love the fact you recommend using a cloth for stain application. It's my favorite. of course second is a staining sponge. Also a note for those who would like to do by hand but quick, but cant afford a paint/stain sprayer, Minwax has some stains with or without the poly in stain spray cans.
Gloss all the way!!! The flat finish makes it look like itch was finished in a sand storm.
Thanks Brad. You’re very clever and I’m glad I’ve found you here in the UK. This video is 7 years old so I’m hoping you’re still ok and finishing guitars🙂
I am still both of those things haha. Thanks Ivan.
Great channel, great video. This exactly the kind of instructional video i was looking for, painting with limited equipment. Nice job, thanks!
Dan Witzke Thanks for watching Dan.
You had that look of panic in your eyes when you saw the second stain didn't do anything but muck the top up worse than it was. If anything, this was entertaining. A well executed sunburst is a thing of beauty and the pinnacle of guitar finishing technique. I haven't mastered it yet and but have done about a dozen that could pass for the real thing and were all sprayed in lacquer. Keep on swinging!
I really like the editing of this video, it's great how you cut between your information instead of having a pause, it's much more effective and nice to watch, and you are very funny in this one too :D
Thank you. I wanted to try this new editing style, and I'm glad to receive some feedback on it. It takes a lot longer, but I think it's worth it.
I'm glad you found it entertaining.
Brad Angove Hey Brad, I asked you a question on another video about filler and sealers... I still don't know what a filler is but I recall you saying to apply a filler before a sealer. In this video instead you are staining before sealing. Is there a difference? I noticed you aren't painting this guitar.. is that why you stained it? Thanks Brad I appreciate your info.
This guitar didn't need filler because it doesn't really have open grain to fill. There is a difference between filling and staining. Filling is to make the surface smoother; staining just changes the colour. And yes, I stained it instead of painting it.
Awsome thanks for your help man, so basically all i need is primer, color paint (im using polyeutherane), and clear coat (polyeutherane also). Does that sound about right?
Technically yes. That's the basics of it.
So satisfying to watch. The guys not hard to look at either
Nice. I'd prefer a satin finish, think it makes the most of a stained wood grain body. Though the idea of gloss front with satin back is exciting too.
Ok, thanks.
This is awesome! Thanks Brad!
Thanks; I'm glad you like it.
Watching at the end of 2021, about to do a prototype Tele build - thanks for the info Brad!
Wish i could share photos here. I went with mahogany with black around the edges. 1st time with stain but i found it very forgiving despite some novice errors. Wish I'd seen the steel wool trick. The spray satin finish works well on the neck for me but I've got to go to wipe on for the body. Too much mess and too many fumes with the spray. Step away from the sand paper until you have at least 10- 15 coats of finish. I learnt the hard way.
Greetings from Costa Rica!! I´m about to stain my Les Paul and your video helped me a lot!!
Glad to year it. Good luck with your project!
Shine finish!!!!! Thanks for this !!!!
very helpful and informative. i was thinking of buying a dean ML type guitar kit in the style of dimebag darrell. its a mahogany body and neck, and staining seems easier and cheaper. glad i found this channel
Sounds like a fun project. I hope it goes well.
Hey dude I just stumbled on your channel and I'm super impressed! So I smashed the like button and I subscribed! I also shared it to a number of my guitar Builder Buddies. Thank you so much for the information! I'm in the process of finishing up a DYI Stratocaster and the Finish is what's coming up next and it's the one I have the least confidence with. So channels like yours with all this information is just what the doctor ordered!🎉😊
Thank you. I hope you find it helpful.
Gloss finish, Brad. Thanks! Great Video
Do both Brad! Gloss top(front) satin back and sides and neck or even an oiled neck an then you have all 3 of the most popular finishes???
Hi Brad! I just stumbled upon your videos and I must say that they are very informative and downright inspiring! I'm not much of a handyman but now have the feeling that I can give this a fair shot. As I officially have the ugliest Strat copy in the world (neon yellow; a sin of the 80s), this is more than necessary! ;-) I'll also be replacing the electronics but that is a different story. Thanks for your great videos!
Thank you. I'm glad you've found them useful. Let me know if you have any questions on the finish, and if you need any info on the electronics I know exactly who to send you to for advice.
I originally was gonna ask about a prestain conditioner and I see that question has been answered already... so... I'll just say thanks for all your awesome work, Brad!
Thank you sir.
Please do the Matt finish. Thanks. You do a great JOB
Ahhh. Don't shake the can, stir! Opposite of James Bond, that's how we remember.
Great video.
I'm looking to make my first guitar soon and I was hoping to avoid the painting hassle by just giving the body a nice subtle stain. I was worried I would have to use a brush and risk getting runs all over the edges. But it's great to see you can literally just rub it on with a cloth.
+RolandDeschain1 Yes, stain can be easier to apply than many people seem to think. I'm glad you found the video helpful.
Very subtle. 😁🇨🇦
well, your a good sport, sharp, talented and if you ever come to texas, you have a place to stay
That's very kind of you. Thank you.
...and wipe off all excess that runs on to the sides...
Fantastic videos thanks brad! Really helping me through my first kit build!
+Luciano Franchi Music I'm glad to hear you found it useful. Thanks for watching.
satian finish😎👍
Hey Brad, I'm with Sebastian Kisiel! Gloss top, satin back.
Thank you for sharing your videos! They are very informative and helpful.
Buck A Thank you. I appreciate it.
I would like to see the satin finish as I like satin guitars but then I have no idea how to do gloss so my vote is for the gloss finish :)
also I think I'm gonna copy your stain the colours work very well together
I'm glad you like the colours. I'll see what I can do about that gloss finish.
Love the video. Very informative. Definitely subscribed!
Thank you sir. I'm glad you liked it.
excellent video, I feel it's more comprehensive than most other tutorials, would be great to see some with other colors
Other stain colours?
Brad Angove yeah, I'm trying to fix up a guitar my wife bought me about 12 years ago and I would love to see a deep purple-to-blue burst! anyway, awesome work man, glad I found this channel
That would be pretty cool. Thanks for watching, I'm also glad you found the channel haha.
Thank you for your videos...you have really helped me figure it out man :)
I’m glad to hear that Jeff. Thanks for watching.
I don't know what to do at this point I'm using the same stain except for I chose ebony I should have did something a little lighter but in some spots I sanded it too well and in other spots I didn't send it good enough so I really don't know how I'm going to fix it only thing I can think of is get some acetone and start over. The spots that took look great but then there's other spots on my acoustic that are still wet and sticky and this stain is supposed to dry within 2 hours it's been about 24 hours now 🤔 I don't know if it makes a difference but I used a sponge brush to put the stain on instead of a paintbrush I'll probably end up wiping it all away and leaving the wood color I guess I'll experiment cuz it's oil-based so it shouldn't be too hard for it to come off. The sander I was using really sucks so there's a lot of gouges where I was just sending the hell out of it in one spot, I know that a dumb thing to do but the paint was just not coming off, I have one of those rectangle shaped Sanders and I should have got a circle shaped sander. I wonder what would happen if I just start buffing it I wonder if it would even everything out. I wish people would make videos on how to fix you dumbass painting jobs lol
Our town (less than 1,000 people), is 100 miles away from either a Home Depot, or anything of that ilk. So Walmart (at 20 miles) wins for any supplies needed.
+Richard Brubaker Hopefully they have some decent stuff there that you can use.
@Alpharion Omegon, I waited so that I could do a second coat, but you can blend the colours while they are still wet.
If you're using water-based stain you will want to let the first pass dry and then sand lightly to remove the raise grain (unless you follow the steps from my video about raising the grain before you start staining).
Quilted maple; Nice! I'm not sure what you mean about possibly dyeing it clear, since I don't think there's such thing as clear dye, but lets talk about the purple.
What you will likely want to do is choose a dark accent colour first to darken the open grain. This will make the quilting pop and it will look awesome. How thick is the quilted maple? Some kits (I'm not sure if you're doing a kit or a full build), come with very thin veneers of flamed or quilted maple and it is risky to sand them. Ideally, you would use a dark accent colour to dye the wood first, like a black or dark blue, then let it dry and sand it back until only the open grain is still holding that colour. You sand the rest off. Then come back in with your purple and dye the entire thing again.
Are you doing a burst effect or something, or a single colour?
4-5 inches thick? Wow that's a thick guitar. Are you saying the entire thing is made of quilted maple? That must have cost a fortune.
Acrylics should work. I use them on guitars sometimes. Just make sure you have a proper clear coat to put overtop to protect your work.
Have you tried that before? I get the impression that it would be difficult to get the primer to take on stain, and that you'd be better off spraying a transparent paint on there.
Alright, let me know how it goes.
I should have started off with a higher grid I just went right for it with 60 grit on my acoustic and I completely messed it up cuz I got some spots trying to get close to the bridge in the neck then after I gouge those spots I tried to even it out and things just went very bad I probably stained it and sanded it back down five times then I said the hell with it and just lift it the way it is I did really good on the back because there's nothing in your way all you have to do is get the finish off and I did a good job but for some reason the front kick my ass but I did learn from my mistakes I think I missed the front up because in my head I wasn't going to stain the front I wanted to get down to the cool looking wood and that's why I dug too deep but at least I know what to do next time, honestly as much money in stain, brushes, sandpaper, and then I got some vinyl paper to make a pickguard I actually did pretty good on that part and made a pretty badass Batwing pickguard but with inflation right now is much money as I spent on that stuff I could have bought a new guitar lol
bro the hum from your light balasts is realllll lol
Hahaha yeah. Quality setup.
Great video
Thanks for sharing...
C'mon Brad!
Do them both!
Haha I already did.
Cool!
I thought about a high gloss top with a texture back kinda like rhinohide separated with a binding...
Gloss finish
satin top,gloss back.
Just to be different?
i think it would be the best of both worlds...itl look good in my opinion.
Whoa same last Name and is into guitars!!
+James Angove Whoa!
Excellent video. Wondering why you chose not to use a grain filler? Would that have been another option?
Yes that’s an option.
I would Love to see you do a Gloss… ;) But it doesn't matter either way…
Sounds like I'm going to be doing both, so stay tuned haha.
Thank you for the video! Subbed.
Thanks; glad you like it.
Gloss finish please.
First off...I love all your videos!! I am learning a lot..I am going to be staining a mahogany guitar body...I have seen other videos people using grain filler with mahogany bodies. Is it needed or can you use this method with that wood as well..
Mahogany has deep grain, so if you want that all filled in for a smooth finish you will likely want to grain fill. You can however just do many coats of sealer instead, if that’s your preference.
@@BradAngove Thank you, you are Scholar and a Gentleman. This is going to be my first build. I got the Strat kit from StewMac. The idea I had was to make the body have the look/color of SRV Lenny guitar. I am going to do this method. I am just trying to find the correct color, which can be hard, online.
Ya, paint shopping online is a tough one.
Have you ever tried a product called Poly Color ? Could an interesting finish. I'm a gloss fan personally. Guitars are supposed to be beautiful with a Wow factor. Obviously NOT a Distressed finish fan.
Is that like polyshades?
Yes, seems to me that is the name.
Ya, I have a specific video on why I never use polyshades. That’s how poorly I view that product.
Thanks that's the kinda info I really need to cut through the short cuts out there.
Hi Brad, I really like your video on staining that telecaster body. I am going to do the same thing.
I'm thinking about adding some Amber dye to the lighter stain. Have you had a chance to try it?
+Hoyt Swinderman I've never tried mixing a dye and a stain. You can
apply them one on top of the other if you want. I've done that and it
tends to work fine. If you want to mix them, make sure they have the
same base and test them out together.
*Is it too late to vote for satin?*
A few years late haha. I ended up doing both as you will see in the next video.
hi brad, great video's, im doing a guitar at the moment, should i use a waterbased stain or oil based stain? also should i spray the clear coat out of a can or use wipe on? i have read that spray on clear is very thin,
i was looking at using a waterbased stain and then a product called polycrylic. Or do you think oil based is the way to go for a guitar?
I like water based stains personally because they penetrate deeper. They also raise the grain though, so you will want to sand lightly after your first stain application to smooth it out. Do you prefer to spray? It doesn't make much difference when all's said and done as long as you use a good clear coat. I wouldn't use polycrylic though. I don't find that it works very well, and it doesn't seem very durable.
Brad Angove ok awesome thanks for the info, the colour stain i wanted to use is water based so i will go with that,
What clear coat do you recommend.? i dont have access to spray guns so it has to be something i can get at hardware store, thanks again
Well that depends on whether you want to spray it on or apply it by hand. I like watch lacquer for spraying. Obviously I think the minwax wipe on poly gives a good finish if you like that application method. The brush on polyurethane is also a good choice, as is watco's brushing lacquer. Do you have a method by which you prefer to apply things?
Brad Angove ok great, i dont really have a preferred method but i think im going to go with the wipe on poly,
mainly because i just want to try it because i have not used it before.
Thanks for the info.
Sounds good. You're welcome.
Hi Brad, I realize this video was done quite some time ago now, but I was wondering if you had previously raised the grain on this alder body before sanding with 320? I have a similar alder body that I plan to stain with a water-based stain and wasn't sure if I needed to do this before applying the stain. Thanks for all the great content!
I don’t recall whether I did on this one, but it’s a good idea for a water based stain.
Thanks! That was my thoughts too.
After staining, do u have to sand it before applying the polyurethane? The Wood Finish stain seems to be making the surface smooth a lot.
No, that shouldn't be an issue. The exception is if you use a water-based stain and it raises the grain and makes the surface rough. Then you sand off the raised grain.
Do NOT shake the stain, stir it. You'll get much better results and no bubbles.
+theguitarpicker That's a good point. Thank you. I tend not to worry about bubbles when I'm wiping on stain like this, but it can't hurt.
Bubbles are no issue with stain. It's the poly that you should not shake. At least not just before using.
true, but I have had problems shaking stain too vigorously and not being able to works out all the bubbles, they tend to move around more than collapse. Also, stirring does a much better and faster job of getting all the pigment off the bottom of the can.
good middle ground is have the store you bought the stain from shake it up there. Stain DOES have pigment. and unless its thoroughly mixed you wont get the color you bought because it all settles at the bottom of the can .Let it sit a while, and the bubbles go away. can still be used same day. ^_^
Did you need to wait for that base coat to dry because you used so much initially? Or could you just reapply and blend all the colors while still wet?
Thanks for this video...after years of wanting to refinish an old bass these vids have given the info & confidence I need.In the staining process now,so far so good going to try for the subtle burst effect.
ricbassdude47 I'm glad to hear that the videos have been helpful. Keep me posted on your progress.
Brad Angove Yes I will...getting really close to applying the clear poly.Is it really necessary to add the second coat ? The lowest grit sandpaper I can find is 400....So if I put one coat one & sand it with 400 won't it just take it all off ?
If you like how it looks after one coat, then that's not a problem. If you put the first coat on then sand lightly with 400, it shouldn't take it all off. Then you would apply another coat. You can't find a smoother paper then that?
Not at Home Depot...might have to go to Mom & Pop store in the neighborhood,they a few more specialty item...thanks for the reply.Getting close to putting on the poly,will post some photos to your FB page.Thanks again..PK
Cool, looking forward to it. If you need an online source for higher grit papers I'm pretty sure I can find one.
Hi brad good to see your still making al kinds of gains. This video has been a massive help but minwax products are not available in England can you tell me what kind of stains I should be looking for (oil or water based) and wipe on poly seems like a myth in England can't find it anyway what do you think is the next easiest way to finish the body? Thanks for the video
You can go with oil based or water-based stain when using poly. Just don't use alcohol based. They move around sometimes when you're putting on that kind of finish.
As for the poly, you can get a brush on one instead, and if you would prefer to wipe it on just thin it a bit with mineral spirits or paint thinner. Wipe on poly is pretty much the same thing, but thinner.
Cheers Brad I'll let you know how it all goes thanks for the reply
Sounds good. Thank you.
Hi Brad, great series. You've given me the confidence to finally pick up a little tele kit (I know, it'll be a crappy guitar, but I'd rather get my mistakes out on a hundred dollar kit than on more expensive parts). I do have a quick question if you have the time - is there anything that needs to be done to bring out the grain or does it just show nicely with the stain? I'm going to be using swamp ash with Minwax in Sedona Red (222) and Red Mahogany (225) and am concerned that with the deeper stains the grain won't show prettily. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Hi there. I think you made a good choice to start with something inexpensive. That's what I did, and I'm glad I did.
I won't say that something "needs" to be done to bring out the grain. Stain often accents grain somewhat on its own. That being said, you can use dye to accent it further if you want.
Dye is typically more transparent than stain and less likely to hide the grain if mixed properly. For your purposes, it can be used in conjunction with stain.
You can use a dark (even black if you want) dye on the guitar first, which will soak into the open grain. Don't mix it super dark; it's easier to make it darker than to sand off a really dark dye.
Once you're put your dark dye on, let it dry and then sand the guitar to sand off the dye on the closed grain. The stuff that soaked into the open grain will stay there and accent the pattern.
I hope that helps. Let me know how it goes.
Brad Angove Awesome, that makes perfect sense. I think I will give that a try! I'll be sure to post a photo when it's done if it isn't utterly embarrassing. Thank you so much!
I look forward to seeing it. Good luck.
Gloucestershire finish
Hey Brad, I am interested in doing a "sand burst" or "tobacco burst" on a les paul style guitar body, so I can follow the steps you outlined in this video. The difference with my project is that I want to use a urethane clear to get a high gloss. What steps should I take between applying the stain and spraying the urethane clear? The wood I am working on is an open pore wood, so I plan on grain/pore filling before applying stain (although the filler I have is water soluble, so not sure how that will stand up to the wipe on water based stain). Any suggestions? thanks.
If you let the filler dry it should hold up against your stain. If you can, I recommend you test that theory on a different piece before trying it though. You don't absolutely have to pore fill, it just makes getting a smooth finish easier. You will probably end up having to use several coats of the urethane to seal and gloss coat your guitar. Sand the top as smooth as you can, and if you use some sand paper or steel wool to apply your first round of stain the mix of sawdust and stain will help pore fill a little.
Read through the comments (apologize if I missed you already answering this). Will regular wood stain like you use in this video build up (get stronger/darker) like I have seen some water based dye do? No place near me to access a dye kit however Walmart and Home Depot have stain. Loved the video
It will to an extent, but it definitely has a saturation point where it won’t keep getting darker.
I believe I have some dyes in the amazon link in the description if you’re interested in looking at what’s available online.
Great video as always. Do you have any thoughts on the need to apply wood conditioner before staining? I've see other wood staining videos saying you need conditioner to avoid splotchy stain spots.
It depends on the wood and the stain. Dark stains on uneven wood grains benefit most from wood conditioner.
What do you think about the "apply the darkest stain everywhere and sand the middle" technique? And then blend with a diluted stain?
That technique can work very well depending on the type of wood etc. I'm not sure where you got the idea, but if you want to see someone who's mastered it (and you haven't already check out his channel) have a look at the BigDGuitars channel. Tell him I sent you haha. He know that finishing style inside and out.
Nice! I'll definitely check out his stuff! Thanks
You're welcome. I'm guessing he will recognize my name if you mention it.
I'm also looking at doing a torch finish... leaning towards that. That would be a fantastic video! There are some really sweet looking pieces out there when it's done right. I'm thinking of doing a torch sunburst with a little bit of stain and shellac to amber it up
Torch finishes are really cool. I have a guitar that I did some burn work on that I featured in a recent video about wax finishes.
Whichever one you use, maybe you could cover the basic technique for the other on a piece of scrap.
Yes, I will likely be doing both to some degree.
awesome
Thanks.
Hi. I'm doing a small table with pine wood. I am planning to stain the table but I can't get hold of wood preserver or wood conditioner in time. Is there any substitution I can use? And what method of applying the stain should I use? Please help.
Also you videos are great. Its so simple and easy to follow and you get straight to the point which I really like. Good Luck for the future.
Hi there. Thanks for the feedback. I don't use wood conditioner personally. I just apply the stain and then my protective coating afterward. I don't think you really need to worry about it as long as the wood appears to have a reasonably uniform grain and is properly sanded.
If your tables are nicely sanded you can just apply the stain with a rag.
Thank you. That really did help.
I'm glad to hear it.
My vote is for gloss. is the finishing process different for the satin? Thanks
The final polishing process is different for satin. The application is essentially the same though.
Hey Brad, cool video. i have @ question. Can i still stain my guitar if i use wood filler?
Yes. Just make sure you sand off the excess first.
thanks!
You're welcome.
Sean Hales You can but the word filler will NOT absorb the stain the same and be clearly different than the surrounding wood.
I should have clarified. I assume you were only using the wood filler to fill the grain. Hopefully that was accurate.
Not sure if you mentioned this below - but how long would you wait for the first coat of stain to dry before applying the next coat of stain? And once the last coat of stain is applied - how long should you wait before you start adding the poly finish? Thanks man, really appreciate your vids! They're super helpful and informative
It depends on the stain type. Are you using water based, oil based, or alcohol based?
@@BradAngove Oil based - the same Minwax Gunstock oil stain you used (I believe that's what it's called off the top of my head).
I haven’t used this stuff in ages haha. It should say on the can, but I seem to recall it being 4 hours or so.
Give it at least a day before applying the finish afterward.
@@BradAngove Ah beauty, thanks brotha. Sorry if the question was unclear and a pain haha. Have a good one!
Gloss gloss gloss
Hi Brad, great vid by the way very useful.
I've just bought a LP style kit, nice wood but there are bits around the binding which won't absorb the stain. I think it's where they've been a bit sloppy with the binding glue. Any ideas how to overcome this issue?
I’ve heard that some solvent and a toothbrush can work for that. Be very careful not to melt the binding though.
Gloss please
I noticed you didnt use grainfiller. Does that mean that i dont have to use grainfiller on my mahogany guitar that i sanded down before staining?
This is a tight grained wood, so grain filler wasn’t necessary. Mahogany has open pores so grain filler is more important.
I think I know what I wanna do with my disassembled strat now. Thanks.
By the way.. since you've got a liner from Oracal 631 sign vinyl laying on your table top, would it be safe to assume you've got some transfer tape laying around too?
Could mask the face of the body in one app if you do.
I’ve got various vinyls and transfer tape kicking around haha.
possible to paint solid color by hand? I want a very specifc color that I can't find in a spray can. Let me knw. THanks
certainly it’s possible
Hello Brad, just wondering - could I stain a guitar body that has had grainfiller used on it? Really appreciative of your videos! They've helped me out a lot!
Yes. Grain filler takes stain differently than the wood will though.
Hi BRAD! How are you doing man? is it cold up there yet? It's been warmer (meaning above 0) the last few weeks here in Minnesota. Anyway i bothered you A LOT a few months ago, and finally said "F it" I sanded it all down it's perfect and ready to go. Should I pre-stain it? is minwax ok to use for a stain or would you recommend something else. ? thank you so much if you can otherwise no big deal. Happy new year and 'excellent Christmas Shirt.
Hi Derek. It has actually been relatively warm here this year. A couple days above zero, and none below -30 haha. I’m glad it’s looking smooth. A pre-stain is probably a good idea, and minwax should work just fine. There are many other options though depending on your end goal.
@@BradAngove Brad your the best. it's a hell of a thing to get a response from someone with 120 k views + that doesn't happen everyday, there very very few people i suscribe to and you def are the top of that list. I used the pre-stain, and it worked like a charm. Would love to see you work on acoustic at some point. ----:) Hey, thanks again so much , i'll send some pics when dried. From now on, i will be referring to you as the G.O.A.T.
I’ve got a relatively old series with a custom airbrushed acoustic if you’re interested. Glad to hear the pre-stain worked well for you.
@@BradAngove of course! You have it in any vids..?
Yes, I meant I have a series of videos on my channel about it. I believe it has its own playlist on there as well.
great video I have a epiphone sg and I thing I will use the rub on method after I get it stripped can you use the same method on the neck I call it my
z guitar if your mum thinks you got no freinds you got an old soldier from carrickfergus county antrim uk
You can definitely use the same method on the neck. Best of luck on your project! Let me know how it goes.
gloss thanks
Instead of the stain, can we paint a solid color, like a fiesta red or something?
+Sasmitha Waidyatilleke Absolutely, but are you trying to rub it into the wood, or paint it on top like abnormal paint job?
If I want to use a dark stain, is it possible to stain the neck so it doesn't contrast with the body as much? I don't like lacquer or any clear coat on the neck. Would stain with out any sealent feel like bare wood? Do you have to seal the stain?
+Ant Thomas yes, you can stain the neck to look similar. If you stain with no sealer it should feel just like bare wood typically. I recommend you seal the stain with some kind of thin finish. I’ve never seen a fully unfinished neck on a finished guitar really.
If a stain is supposed to soak up in the wood, how exactly does the tape keep it from seeping underneath?
You have to be a bit careful around the tape. It's not a perfect solution, but it is generally the quickest. The other alternative is to tape off the part you want to stain and seal the rest, then stain the areas that haven't been sealed.
Are build yourself guitars ready to apply, or does it need a rub down first ? And what grits do I need ?
Thank you 👍
Usually they need to be sanded first. The grit depends on the finish you’re applying. Usually somewhere in the 220 - 400 range.
I'm working on an 80s or 90s Jackson Soloist and this technique looks great for it. Question: if the stain gets on the binding will I be able to sand or scrape it off or will the stain sink deep into the plastic.
superbionicbatman Generally in my experience stain doesn't tend to do much to plastic, however, it depends on the stain and the plastic I'm sure. I would apply the "better safe than sorry" principle to this one. What I would do (not necessarily what you should do)is take some of your sealer or clear and coat your binding with it. Just brush it carefully onto your binding with a q-tip or something. That will prevent the stain from soaking into it. It should just wipe off of there easily, but worst case scenario any stain on there will still come off when you sand it a bit if there's clear under it.
Brad Angove Thanks!
I have a question. I bought an ash explorer and stained it. I have several coats of tru oil on it but it's not looking like I want it to. Can I still clear coat it or poly it? What are my choices? Thank you.
In what way is it not looking like you want it to?
I was curious if this was a water based stain or an oil based stain?
Oil based
Hi Brad, I have a guitar with ebony fretboard and I am trying to match my headstock to have the same kind of very dark, ALMOST black color, with the same type of matte or maybe satin/eggshell. Would you suggest spraypaint or staining? It seems like I might have to do a lot of staining to get it as dark as ebony wood. What are your thoughts?
I would probably use a black dye if it were me.
as you can tell, not a lot of knowledge here, only my second guitar. first....a joke. covered it with stickers to make it seem like a road warrior it was so bad. how long should I wait for primer to dry and how many coats of white before I gloss
I like to give the primer a couple days to dry before sanding. I would probably do 2-3 coats of the white.
I want to get a nice darkish blue stain color on a guitar what paint/stains should I use?
Well, it's really up to you. I would consider using an aniline dye for something like that if it were me. Or perhaps one of the alcohol based NGR stains from Behlen.
Great videos Brad, got a question though. How come you're not using pre stain before staining? You used 320 grit then went straight to staining? Just curious because I've sanded my guitar down completely using 320 now I'm about to start staining for my first time & was curious why you didn't use pre stain? Thanks!
+Austin Mandrell I pretty much never pre-condition my wood before staining, particularly when I have a nice piece of wood with an even grain. I don't find it necessary. That's not to say that you shouldn't do it; I just don't.
@@BradAngove Question, then: Do you not have a problems with the stain penetrating too densely along the sides of the guitar, where the pores tend to be more exposed? I'm concerned about this: when I've worked with staining furniture, the stain often will get soaked up into the sides more than on the surfaces, making the sides look much darker and terrible.
On the end grain you sometimes get a bit more stain absorption. You can remove some with a cloth and appropriate solvent, but if you’re concerned then pre-conditioning may be helpful.
Hi Brad, quick question:
Getting ready to do my first body, made from swamp ash. I keep reading online about how ash is really porous and that i need to use a grain filler. But, your staining method starts on bare wood. I'm really confused. Should i use a grain filler or not?
Grain filler is different than sealer. I'm suggesting that you need to stain before applying the sealer, because the stain needs to get into the wood to work properly rather than just sitting on top. Grain filling shouldn't prevent this, so feel free to use grain filler if you feel that you need it. It will make it easier to get a smooth glossy finish in the end. I have a video up about how to use grain filler to accent wood grain if you're interested. It may not be all that effective on swamp ash, but I would have used a similar technique if I had decided to grain fill this project.
Gloss. I've yet to try a high gloss finish with minwax out of fear it wouldn't turn out good enough compared to other products I use
What products are you referring to?
I use behlen nitrocellulose lacquer or shop-line 2 part catalyst poly depending on the job. My last guitar I did I used tru-oil to seal and tint, then finished it with a couple coats of poly. It turned out absolutely beautiful! I have to thank you, I've learned more on your channel about the various paints than any other video resource I found. Especially acrylics. I love acrylic paint now!
I'm very glad that you've found my videos helpful. It sounds as though you are accustomed to some high end products. You can achieve a quality finish with the minwax, but I would stick to the stuff that you're already working with.
I mostly have to order the stuff online but minwax is almost available at every store here in michigan. I'm just curious as to if minwax could be a substitute for a project if I have limited time or cash. Or a good refinish for a cheap guitar. Have you tried the borax swirl paint job at all? I've wanted to try it but haven't yet
I think the minwax could be a good option for you in those instances.
I haven't tried the swirl jobs. I don't particularly like using enamels on guitars, and haven't seen swirls done well with anything else. I also haven't had anything else to paint that would be conducive to a swirl job. Maybe I'll give it a try some time just for fun though.
Ok, I did the paint coat on the front of the hdstock and ORANGE PEEL. WHAT DO I DO
Have you already applied your clear coat? What have you put on so far, and how many coats?
if I remove my guitar finish with a heat gun, would that be consider bare wood? I mean would the stain be able to soak in or is there still a layer of something I have to remove
If you can get all the finish of with a heat gun, you might be at bare wood. The pores in the wood might still be clogged up though. Sand it after you take the finish off. That should help.
Should I wait to drill pickguard holes until after I stain and poly? Thanks Brad
No, do it first.
@@BradAngove thank you so much !