Walnutglo (solid) Finish

[hilbishnk]

I was curious if anyone could get me insight on the steps Rickenbacker achieves its solid walnutglo finnish as seen in this link:

http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... 6order%3D4

I have searched the forum but haven't come up with an exact answer. From what I gather on most finishes first a vinyl sealer is applied (two coats, sanded inbetween), then the color coat is applied (not sure how many, but from what I have read its typically a thin coat), then the clear CV coat is applied and sanded in between until desired thickness is achieved. For the walnutglo finish, would a stain be used, and would this be applied before or after the vinyl sealer?

Also when are the frets installed during this process, from pictures on the rickenbacker website it appears thet are installed before any finish is applied.

Please note I know very little about wood finishing, but am trying to learn as much as I can!

Thanks!

[jps]

What are you building, Nathan?

[hilbishnk]

I need the information for the 72 4001 I am attempting to restore. Some pictures can be seen in this topic:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=401335

[jps]

Ah, right!

I am sure PW will be right up, after he's finished playing this song!

[hilbishnk]

bump

[jingle_jangle]

Hi, Nathan. Sorry I missed your original post!

All Rick burst and transparent finishes (like BG) have three steps to the paint process.

The first step is to seal the surface so that the wood will not absorb color. Yeah I know that there's a whole crooked bookshelf contingent that uses oil stains on guitar bodies--you can see the results in countless Fender Mustangs, Duo-Sonics, and Musicmasters that turn up on eBay, week after week.

Believe me, this is NOT the way to go in getting any guitar to accept a see-through finish that displays the grain underneath. First thing, you gotta SEAL it.

Now mask off the fretboard and any binding that's present.

Second step is to spray a TINT. This is a lacquer or urethane dye of the appropriate color (in this case, walnut brown), which has to be custom-mixed from transparent, dye-based urethane or lacquer mixing colors. For a walnut brown, I start with transparent orange, add a bit of transparent red, and just a tiny bit of transparent violet to adjust the darkness. By adjusting these three colors' ratios, I get exactly the shade of brown I want.

Next, thin the final mix with lots of reducer--about 2-3 parts reducer to 1 part brown dye. Then spray in light coats over the body, nozzle opened wide. Allow each coat to dry before proceeding with the next. It may take 10 or 12 coats; these will add up to less than .002" of paint, as they're mostly reducer which evaporates.

Why so many light coats? Because that gives the most even color coverage, without streaks or spots, over the whole carcass.

Last, clearcoat. This is a catalyzed urethane that is reduced to spray. A bass takes two separate applications; one of 20 ounces total in as many coats as it takes to run out of paint. Spray the first coat as a light mist "tack" coat, and then spray wet coats. Allow these wet coats to flash-off for about 5-10 minutes before applying the next coat.

After the 20 ounces are sprayed, let the whole thing cure for two full days. Then, sand dry to flatten the surface with #320, dead flat. Pay attention--if you sand through the tint, you've got a problem as transparent dyes do not touch up easily.

Blow the sanding dust off the carcass, tack-cloth it carefully, and then spray another ten ounces of catalyzed, reduced varnish. Let cure for approximately 2 more days, then wet sand with #1000 paper and Windex and water in a 50-50 solution.

Wait again--a week is best--and buff.

Yes--it's Candy Rotten Apple Brown.

[hilbishnk]

Thanks a lot for the repsonse! My only concern is that there has been a preveous stain applied to the bass, and while I have got most of the stain out from sanding and scrubing with acetone, the end grains are still pretty dark alomost black. So I wonder if it would be better to apply a dark walnut stain or tinted lacquer first before the sealer to help hide these dark spots.

[bassman7365]

WOW......Paul, THANK YOU! I can say this. It is not every day when a master craftsman will lay out his steps and procedures when it comes to his own trade. We are quite fortunate on this site to have such a nice guy. Now it is up to us to practice, practice, practice this. I for one, am extremely grateful. Now where did I put those mixing jars. Sincerely

[Fretjob]

Hi, Nathan. Sorry I missed your original post!

All Rick burst and transparent finishes (like BG) have three steps to the paint process.

The first step is to seal the surface so that the wood will not absorb color. Yeah I know that there's a whole crooked bookshelf contingent that uses oil stains on guitar bodies--you can see the results in countless Fender Mustangs, Duo-Sonics, and Musicmasters that turn up on eBay, week after week.

Believe me, this is NOT the way to go in getting any guitar to accept a see-through finish that displays the grain underneath. First thing, you gotta SEAL it.

Now mask off the fretboard and any binding that's present.

Second step is to spray a TINT. This is a lacquer or urethane dye of the appropriate color (in this case, walnut brown), which has to be custom-mixed from transparent, dye-based urethane or lacquer mixing colors. For a walnut brown, I start with transparent orange, add a bit of transparent red, and just a tiny bit of transparent violet to adjust the darkness. By adjusting these three colors' ratios, I get exactly the shade of brown I want.

Next, thin the final mix with lots of reducer--about 2-3 parts reducer to 1 part brown dye. Then spray in light coats over the body, nozzle opened wide. Allow each coat to dry before proceeding with the next. It may take 10 or 12 coats; these will add up to less than .002" of paint, as they're mostly reducer which evaporates.

Why so many light coats? Because that gives the most even color coverage, without streaks or spots, over the whole carcass.

Last, clearcoat. This is a catalyzed urethane that is reduced to spray. A bass takes two separate applications; one of 20 ounces total in as many coats as it takes to run out of paint. Spray the first coat as a light mist "tack" coat, and then spray wet coats. Allow these wet coats to flash-off for about 5-10 minutes before applying the next coat.

After the 20 ounces are sprayed, let the whole thing cure for two full days. Then, sand dry to flatten the surface with #320, dead flat. Pay attention--if you sand through the tint, you've got a problem as transparent dyes do not touch up easily.

Blow the sanding dust off the carcass, tack-cloth it carefully, and then spray another ten ounces of catalyzed, reduced varnish. Let cure for approximately 2 more days, then wet sand with #1000 paper and Windex and water in a 50-50 solution.

Wait again--a week is best--and buff.

Yes--it's Candy Rotten Apple Brown.

Do you have time for breakfast?

[jingle_jangle]

Sure, if you're buying.

Nathan--put NOTHING on before sealer. It will not "even the grain". It'll just make a mess and you'll be sanding for hours and you'll end up with a long scale bass with a toothpick body...

I explain why in my first video, when I talk about spraying amber tint. All tints are the same. The variations are how strong you mix it, what color you end up with, and how it's sprayed. Sort of like sweet Rob Roys, except with those horrible things, the spraying at the end is done all over the loo wall...

[hilbishnk]

Thanks, I will watch your videos so I dont end up with the long scale toothpick. My worry is getting the finnish right so the end grains dont look weird but you will still be able to see the grain through the finnish like the link in my first post.