Finishing Up My Sienna Burst (PICS)

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Phildog

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So guys, I've been working on this body for a while now. I wanted to get as close to a Sienna Burst as I could. mixing the right color is critical, and I had just about ran out of scrap wood before I got it right. Then came the task of getting the burst to fade exactly the way I wanted it to be...rather subtle. I think I got it right, and very pleased with the results so far.

It started out this way...

Body-1.jpg


It's unfinished and undrilled.

Now it looks like this...

IMG_20140125_142902.jpg


IMG_20140125_142916.jpg


IMG_20140125_142921.jpg


IMG_20140125_142928.jpg


As you can see, I'm almost done the last coats of lacquer. The lighting isn't the greatest, but I think you can get an idea of the finish. I'll post some better pics when the lighting is better. So what do you think guys? It's my version of the Sienna Burst. Did I get it pretty close?
 
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sixty2strat

Member
Messages
12,557
I have 79 with that finish. Looks like your doing the more current style fender SB finish. How long did it take you looks like pro work.
 
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Phildog

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Messages
25
sixty2strat said:
I have 79 with that finish. Looks like your doing the more current style fender SB finish. How long did it take you looks like pro work.
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Hey, can you post a pic of yours? I never knew there was another version of the Sienna Burst. I'd like to see what it looks like. I went into this knowing that I wanted the burst to be very subtle. Almost to the point where the burst looks "shadowy"...if that makes any sense. I started spraying the burst, but it was coming in too heavy. I let it dry, and I sanded it back naked. I ended up rubbing the burst in by hand. I learned while Ash is a very hard wood, there ARE inconsistencies in it's density. I ran into some blotch issues. Once again, I sanded back naked. I got it right when I gave the naked body a wash coat of thinned lacquer.

Then, I added some of the thinned lacquer to some of the tint. I rubbed the blush on by hand and built it up. It took a god two weeks to build up the blush-style burst. Once I was satisfied, I added more tint to straight lacquer. And I hand-rubbed the dark tint onto the outside of the body.

After that dried, I then started to spray the lacquer. Oh, I didn't use any kind of grain filler on this body. I love the grain pattern and wanted it to be as natural as possible. Guys, I'm not looking for a "glass table" type of finish. So, there will be those grain patterns showing against glare. That's ok with me. What you're looking at now is approximately 8 coats of nitro lacquer sprayed fine and wide. I spray until there's a uniform "glisten" throughout the body. I gave the coats a day to dry. I didn't start wet-sanding until the 7th coat. Then, I wrapped 800 grit around a wood block, and wet-sanded. I used a little dish detergent in the water. Then, I sprayed the 8th coat a little heavier than the previous coats. As I left it, there were no flaws in the coat. When I return, I'll go 2 more heavy coats and she'll be done.

What a learning experience. Next up will be an Epiphone Les Paul body. I'm gonna refinish the body, but I'm gonna install a new Maple veneer on the top. Can't wait!!!
 
cratz2

cratz2

Member
Messages
11,360
Not a big fan of that finish, but yours looks great and it's not an easy one to pull off.

Great job! :aok
 
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sixty2strat

Member
Messages
12,557
p1_utxtcjpu2_st.jpg


Don't have any pictures of mine that I can post as they PRETTY BAD. Found one on Gbase and it looks pretty similar. The gold is deeper like this and fade line goes a bit deeper into the gold on the upper horn back to the arm contour. It's closer to a Gibson unfaded 50's burst in hue.

Ton of effort you put into your job and it shows, guess I'll leave my tele alone ..lol
 
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Phildog

Member
Messages
25
sixty2strat said:
p1_utxtcjpu2_st.jpg


Don't have any pictures of mine that I can post as they PRETTY BAD. Found one on Gbase and it looks pretty similar. The gold is deeper like this and fade line goes a bit deeper into the gold on the upper horn back to the arm contour. It's closer to a Gibson unfaded 50's burst in hue.

Ton of effort you put into your job and it shows, guess I'll leave my tele alone ..lol
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Thanks for posting this. I've compared mine to some of the pics on the web. I'm satisfied with the way mine turned out. And I contemplated going over the body with Amber-tinted lacquer, but the lacquer itself gave the body that subtle Rosy blush I wanted anyway.
 
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sixty2strat

Member
Messages
12,557
Phildog said:
Thanks for posting this. I've compared mine to some of the pics on the web. I'm satisfied with the way mine turned out. And I contemplated going over the body with Amber-tinted lacquer, but the lacquer itself gave the body that subtle Rosy blush I wanted anyway.
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After all that effort do like Frank Sintra :your way.. It came out so nice you'd be nuts to tamper. I'am a fan of the older sienna. Most people don't realize there is a difference. Rosy blush describes the difference perfectly. Never saw a lot of them in the 80's n 90's seems it's become one of fenders favorites outside the traditional colors the last 15 years. Always called it a cherry sunburst till in the 90's a collector corrected me. Saddly mine is not mint road worn after 33 years I remembered as I was typing I bought it Jan 25 1981, found the sales slip last month in the safety deposit box.
 
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Phildog

Member
Messages
25
62Strat, you're right. I don't plan to tamper with it. If I wanted it to look like he current, I would have added a light amber pigment to the body. But I wanted it to have my own unique look, but with the Sienna Burst, of course. I'm actually really pleased and excited with it. I have a Maple neck ready to install on it. Granted, it's a Squier Bullet made in Korea, but I love it. It's a little chunkier than the MIM's and some others. I refinished it with lacquer and put a decal on it. I have an old white pickguard loaded with Custom Shop 57/62's that I'll install. So I can't wait to plug her into the clean channel of my Hot Rod Deluxe man. That should be something special. Hey, this will be my first Ash body with a Maple neck. Is there a concern for it being too bright or "ice picky"?
 
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