Please, please, please - implore Christopher to do a tutorial on that gorgeous ocean burst finish he did. That is probably the most beautiful guitar I have ever seen in my life. I don't like the high maintenance frets and other excessive MIDI stuff, but I LOVE that finish on that quilted wood! Pity he wasn't on camera for that build.
I should be practicing my guitar but I keep finding myself watching your amazing videos!!!! So interesting and informative even for a non guitar builder like me. Your one of a kind Ben ! Awesome.
Hi Ben - actually pouring oil finishes, especially for the first few coats, is exactly the way to approach it. Once it starts to build I get a little more conservative - but those first coats need to fully penetrate. If i had enough volume to dip them in a vat of the stuff - I'd do that :-)
its real pain in the arse getting the finish off, not to mention sanding all the contours real nice, think twice before starting, but if youre dead set go for it! (i used a belt sander)
Just wanted to say thank you for inspiring me to restore my old guitar using many of the techniques in your videos I now have a lovely les Paul with a natural finish that I can't put down and it was stuck in bits in my shed for 5 years. So once again thank you Ben and all the team at Crimson guitars
I am very interested in oil on a guitar. I have built a couple of strars which are brilliant, but one think I have problems with is the finish. Can I ask a couple of questions - 1. Can you apply oil over a painted guitar - aerosol cans (car paint with primer) or does it only work with stains which keep the wood grain open? Cheers. Stuart
If it goes on thinner than tru-oil, how many coats would it take until it could be wet sanded and polished to a mirror finish? Is that even possible? I've only ever played with polyurethane and nitrocellulose
A finish I would love to see from Crimson is a easy at home nitro lacquer. I have always loved the way nitro finishes age but have never come across an easy way to get that finish without spending ungodly amounts of money.
That guitar started looking so much better once you started applying the oil. I personally would prefer a darker base stain. Can you mix this stain to get a darker finish or is there another technique you would use?
The stains are all totally compatible with each other, you can mix them all to get exactly what you want and also dilute as well.. Thanks for watching :)
+Crimson Custom Guitars I'll keep an eye out. Great job with and videos BTW. I recently finished my second guitar with oil. I'm a big fan of oil finishes. I use Osmo, I really recommend you check them out.
HEY BIG GUY LOVE IT GOT ABOUT 6 GUITARS OUT OF THE 20 THAT I'VE ASSUMED THE BUILDS ON I DID MY FIRST 5 , NEVER HAVE DONE ANYTHING LIKE A GUITAR BUILD NO EXPERIENCE BUT WATCHED YOUR VIDEOS NOW A YEAR LATER IM PUTTING OUT SOME QUALITY GUITARS . I STILL SHOP OUT A FEW THINGS BUT I'VE MADE GUITARS FOR 6 PAYING CLIENTS. SO AFTER MY INITIAL 20 BUILDS I'M ONLY IN THE HOLE ABOUT $5000BUT STILL DOING 5 BUILDS AT ONCE SEEMS TO KEEP ME BUSY AND FOCUSED ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR ADVICE. MM
thank you Ben . looks like it works well . do you have a video showing how many coats and the do you buff it after the coats. i did see you use the paper towels and rub it down i am guessing that was like a fine sanding between coats ?
I think its just ordinary paper towel. Which I believe has clay in it which may have trace amounts of silica in it. Just the natural stuff that you have in paper. Remember how your mum would get angry if you used her fabric scissors on paper? Thats why cause most paper has trace amounts of abrasives in it that will dull scissors which I think is what Ben is taking advantage of here.
Lol this is a late answer.. But it is instead of a lacquer finish, that wouldn't stick well on the oil. This protects from water and some wear just fine!
I have recently built a tele and finished with a minwax stain. I liked the look so much, I just left it like that. Can you get away with simply staining a guitar? What are some of the problems I might run into? I really prefer the wood feel on the neck, so want to try and avoid any finish that will take that away. Any suggestions? Keep up the good work.
I don't know if you got an answer to this, but there's two obvious issues with not applying a finishing coat. The first is that the stain will wear off quicker than with a finishing coat because stain is usually relatively thin, but they do make stains with a finishing product mixed in. The second is that unfinished stains tend to seep out with fluctuations in the weather, so the wood will become tacky feeling and will stain clothes. Usually that happens in higher humidity, but it's usually unheard of to leave wood unfinished.
looking good ben. are your stains compatible with other finishes like acrylic or poly 2k clearcoats ect. also if you get the chance. can you do a video of the amber stain on maple and possibly brown on a softer wood please. thanks Ash
You guys inspire me to be a luthier something i have wanted to do for a long time my uncle makes beautiful guitars. Unfortunately i live in a trailer and the only tools i have are a knife and pliers so im gonna have to wait on that. :/ i love the look and sound of every one of your guitars i have heard. You guys have a bright future
I'm dreaming of owning a custom Tele Deluxe in exactly this finish one day... With your amazing stains & oil finish aswell as something like an unfinished Warmoth body this just might be possible. Amazing stuff!
9 лет назад+1
Ben, would the oil seal a maple neck instead of using a clear coat, or would dirt still build up in the top layer?
Watched this series with my wife, who has been trying to decide on the finish for the guitar kit I’m building for her. Decision made! Placed my order for stain and finishing oil this morning.
+Crimson Custom Guitars thanks a lot! I just got the notification that my green and black stains and the oil have shipped. Going to remove the paint from my project guitar next week. Can't wait to paint it!!
Can anyone help, Im new to the wood finishing world (And woodworking world at that) So could somebody tell me, Does this sort of "Finishing oil" work on its own, Or do your still have lacquer it later?
Ok… Read what happened… I did everything exactly like Ben said on maple neck with the oil and I thought that the neck is smooth.my son who is musician he said it’s not smooth like his others guitars so I was waiting for a month to cure.nothing happened so I was disappointed and order tru oil and there wax.i start another neck and finished it with tru oil and I was ready to apply wax so I said fuck it,I don’t have nothing to loose so I grab the first neck sand it with 1500 and apply both necks wax My son can not believe how smooth was the first neck with crimson guitars oil and wax Now I have to remove tru oil from the second neck cause it’s not even close to the first one!!! I couldn’t believe that a wood can be so smooth!!!
Ben, thanks so much for the incredibly helpful videos! Question: is it possible to do PRS style "masked-off" binding with dye or stain like this? or with the product simply bleed/seep under the tape and create a blotchy, jagged mess?
Just started using this oil fingers crossed look ok after two coats just a bit tacky on back of neck but not fully cured yet, see what its like after 5 or 6 coats and leave fully cure.
I am planning on having my exceptionally talented and artistic 11 year-old twin nieces paint a couple of tele bodies for me using their wild imaginations and acrylic paints. I then plan to finish the artwork with Crimson Guitars guitar oil. Can anyone foresee any problems or issues with this approach? Ta folks P.S. I am actually Mike and must stop using my wife's account.
+Sonia Marsh i think the oil is not going to penetrate in the acrylic paint, so whats the point? i´m no expert but i think you should stick to the more conventional way and spray polyuretane or another gloss finish just to preserve the paint from scratches.
I actually though on that when making my guitar, but i think normal watercolor will get ruined if you just put any kind of "water" on them, atleast if you want to keep details, however if what you want is just make your guitar have a lot of colors and get the girls play with them I think your first idea was good, but consider 2 things, if the girls will "play" with the paint, the surface will propably not end up flat, so if you want to make it shiny and very polished its kind of imposible, unless you apply an insane amount of clear coats, or your girls do it very carefully :D. Btw consider this, the way i did mine, you can buy water based stains, like crimson ones (i used the ones you use to stains clothes,but they are not very colorful) and then prepare the mix (of water and stain) and let the girls apply it to the top. Stains are not dangerous but tricky to use, and harder to get out of your hands than normal acrylic paint. After its dry it will look alot clearer than when wet, but for some magic reason when you apply oil finish for woods they will look like wet again forever haha, i used Sherwin Williams minwax outdoors clear oil, finish or something like that and its really easy to use, just apply it and let dry. And to finish all this I applied a wax finish i made myself, its the way old tables were finished, you have to melt bees wax in a pot and then add an equall amount of terpentine, is not dangerous i think just open the windows, it will create a cream, sorry I have no better word, english is not my main language, you just apply it to the finished wood and it will create a hard coat of wax. is more matte than shiny, but it gets the job done. You just need to re-apply it every once in a while, because you remove it with friction. Just a final thing, have a good time with your project. Cheers and good luck mikem 8634
+mikem 8634 Hi Mike, I have had very good results over both stained and painted surfaces with a product called Rust-Oleum Crystal Clear. Where I live in the UK it is available in spraycans in matt, satin and gloss finishes. I generally use the matt version and then fine sand, buff and polish until I get the finish I want. I've used it on the back of several necks to a very smooth but in no way tacky finish and on the front of headstocks over decals to a beautiful shine. You can really build up the coats, it's quick drying but the fumes are very strong during spraying and for a few days afterwards so good ventilation is essential. I'd recommend a couple of weeks at least after spraying to allow it to harden before any final sanding and polishing. I'm only a hobbyist too so this isn't a professional recommendation of any sort however I've always been impressed when using it. Good luck with your project, sounds like a lot of fun!
No problem Mike, I'd suggest doing a test piece first to get a feel for it. It's worth looking around online too, you can get it at least a couple of quid cheaper than at Homebase! Cheers.
Firstly thank you Ben and all your team, really good work. I look forward to each and every video, educational and entertaining, ideal mix 😀. I would personally like to see the stains from your range shown on wood to get an idea of colour. I know the colour will vary depending on wood and other factors, but to get a rough idea. I'm about to buy some stain and finishing oil from your website and really can't decide which direction to go colour wise. I hope this is possible at some point. Thank you again! 🎸
+oliver damberg In english you'd call it a straight edge. But I've seen they 're using it for almost everything that is made pretty straight, what is kinda wrong. What you want to look for for a fretjob is whats called a "haarlineal" in german. It doesn't get better than that for hand tools. Its used for checking the surface of cylinder heads. I like the notched straightedge of the crimson shop too for checking the relief of the fretboard without touching the fretwire. Just go to their shop at www.crimsonguitars.com
Ben!!! Crimson Guitar videos are highly adictive! I know this is an old video but I'm hoping you read these. I just discovered you guys. Anyway, I've ordered your finishing oil with some stains. Black and red. I'm applying this to an SG body shape with a spalted maple top that I've put together. My idea is to dob the black around the edges, barley going past the SGs bevels. Then apply the red. How many coats of red need to be applied before I get a deeper red color? Thanks. Your videos really are my favorite. Blessings to you and your family!!!
Just keep going until you have the colour you nees. If you really want a very deep colour you should look at the Vibrant Shots and do not dilute very much, or try it neat. www.crimsonguitars.com/collections/guitar-finishing/products/new-stunning-stain-shots-pastel-vibrant
Can you show us the other stain colors, please? Like blue, green, purple? I want to build a purple stained flamed maple top telly in the future but finding a piece of "perfect" flamed maple in the EU seems impossible to me. Northridgehardwoods has some really nice pieces but its quite expensive especially with shipping. Or you can't get it cheaper anywhere?
Frankly *Ben,* you are quite naughty really. Nice job though. How about 'Indigo' or 'Ultra-violet' ? Also, any reason why you chose not to stain the elecronics compartments? Was it just economy? If so, then you are being somewhat overly-frugal, or even, dare I say -stingy (?) The staining clearly delineates the veneer interface though. . What about blow-torching the edge? A true 'fireburst' effect. Carbonised wood, really does shine in a unique way. My dad used to do it on his coffee tables back in the sixties, when it was in vogue. But I've often thought i'd be a good technique for customising cheapy guitars like that Astoria.
Hey ben. Ive used a popular wipe-on poly over an alcohol/transtint & water/transtint stained tops and found that my applicator picked up way too stain, to the point that it seriously changed the top color. Sanded down and started over. How do i avoid such problems, when using a wipe-on product? Also, what causes your CG oil to avoid this 'bleeding problem'? I'd like to order some of your CG oil but shipping to the states can be cost prohibitive.
How does this compare to Minwax Antique Oil, which is a really great alternative to Birchwood-Casey Tru Oil and and also used by makers of fine gun stocks?
I just purchased the oil for my project, i have no idea what i'm doing tbh - removed the finish from an old bass i had lying around and have removed the frets, is the oil only intended as a finish for the body? I have no idea what i should use to seal the neck, especially as i used wood filler to fill the frets, i should probably protect it somehow should i not? also I'm replacing the cheap P/J pup configuration with two good quality fender jazz bass pups and have routed it to fit, do you guys do custom pickguards by any chance?
Bill Hearn. Hi Ben I am just bought a used strat body and aim to renovate, I have just watched your video and I like the idea of staining, thefinish you got was very nice but I am wondering if I could infact apply a wax polish to obtain a reasonable sheen to the body or would I get a reaction. Hoping you can advise. Regards Bill.
I've used lots of Tru-Oil on gunstocks, of course, and with that stuff, to get a bit of a shine, it gets rubbed out (with rottenstone, for us geezers.) Would you recommend a similar process to bring your oil up to a shiny finish?
Greetings from 'merikkkuh! I have a question: if I wanted to produce a lavender, one-off, do you recommend purchasing red, blue, and white to mix it myself or could a lavender color be made from purple and white? In either case I think I'd go all out and get that oil, it looks lit. Also, how is the guitar kit idea coming?
2 chemists worked 6 month to create wiping varnishing? Its one part boiled linseed oil, one part spirits and one part spirit varnish - I've been a woodworker long enough to recognise wiping varnish AKA Danish Oil. For a finer finish add more spirit and less varnish.
I'm looking to finish quilted maple topped guitar with a mahogany body using your stains and finishing oil. Only the maple will be stained, then the whole body finished. Do I need to use grain filler on the mahogany before the oil? Also, the body is bound, is this something to worry about or should i just scrape the binding after finishing? thanks
I live in California and cannot legally buy Tru Oil. If I buy this finishing oil, will I encounter the same legislative issues? I want to learn how to do stains and finishes and specifically want to do a Tru-Oil like finish. Can I legally obtain this product?
Hi Ben , have ordered some cherry red and yellow stains (want to do a burst one a tele) and am looking at getting some finishing oil. Would you use oil on the neck and could you get a "satin" finish /feel?
How is the durability and physical resilience like of this finish compared to more "conventional" ones like nitrocellulose and poly? I'm considering a future sanding down and refinishing of the neck on my current main instrument to make it less shiny and sticky
I saw a guitar with magnets instead of screws to hold the back electronics plate. I know that wood is your passion from watching alot of your videos but would the magnets affect the electronics in anyway? thank you for all your sharing of information.
Hello, I really like Crimson Guitars and your instructional videos. what would like to know is, I have a Epiphone SG G-400 (similar to the instrument in this video). it is ebony in color. I want to strip the color off of the face of the guitar and it's neck and do a worn type finish on it, but leave the Black color only on the sides, and back, and head stock of the guitar. can you please give me some advise. thank you
Hi, could I then put some kind of poly on top of it? Or does the oil do the same? Sorry I'm new to this and getting ideas for a school project. Great channel btw.
Interesting product Ben and a lovely finish too. Would this product be ok for classical/ steel string acoustic applications ?These are the guitars I make, no bother with the the rosewood sides and mahogany necks, as these are easy to finish to a high standard, but what about the spruce/pine tops ?Would welcome your thoughts on this, thank you.Cheers,Midge.
Will your oil "melt" into itself? One of the worst aspects of truoil are witness lines. it will soak in fine, but problems arise when you build it up. Unless you thin the oil and spray the last coats, you can never get it to look "lacguer like"
If i wanted to do some pyrography and burn some designs into my guitar, how would the guitar oil and even the stains react with the burn markings? Do you think it would be okay to do that? Or not really?
Hi Ben, i asked this a little while ago... can you give me an update on how your oil reacts with, say your blue, or white stains? As i said i had a nice blue stain on another guitar body i did some time ago, but when i applied Danish oil, it changed the colour of the blue, by adding a faint (brown?) tinge to it. It ended up looking nice, but not quite the vibrant blue i had been hoping for. Maybe you could demo your blue and/or white stain (i think there may be others who would like to see this!) with your oil, and see? So when my Kickstarter body and neck turns up i will know what colour/finish i will need. I and now thinking of an emerald green, or possibly purple.Dunno. I guess i will endup having to buy several of your stains, and test them on some maple, and see what i like! PS Nice to see your shop is adding more and more stuff. More power to your (collective) elbows! PPS thanks for the Halloween episode. great fun. Hopefully you have now recovered from your "Chisel Incident"
If the true oil / your oil builds up after the first layer or so; with a porous wood like mahogany or cedar - do you still need to fill grain before applying? Not used oils before.
That's a very nicely finished guitar! I just have a couple questions before pull the trigger and buy oil that may be of no use to me! I want a matt finish on a matt black guitar and wondered if this oil would work as well as lacquer on paint as oppose to stain, or is it better to just stick to the spray on lacquer? Also, I have scolloped a neck (just for a laugh) and now need to seal it. Is this oil a good choice for the neck including fretboard, or would I be better off using a different finish on the rosewood? Thanks Ben, I have spent so much time watching all your vids in random orders, I could have built several guitars by now! :-)
i got a gibson worn brown faded if i sanded it with 0000 steel wool and rub some cherry staind will this work out well? i kinda want a more cherry faded vintage worn look
Hey I'm a bit late to the gig here but would you recommend your products on a spalted top?thanks I dig your videos you got me into this many years ago .
im doing same guitar as you ive left mine bare grain and looks good do you reckon 1 or 2 diluted coats 1st ,i was going to fine sand 2nd coat on before undiluted coats. thnx
Hey Ben, could you possibly show us those white and faded blue stains? I've been wanting someone to make both of those for longer than I can remember...
hey ben. whats your experience on removing finished. especially those with binding. i have a washburn hb30 in red poly. but want to make it nitro black. cheers!
The finish is going to be perfect for me as I have some Black Manns Wood Dye which I have had for ages that I need to use up. I am going to do my Tele body and headstock all Black and have been fretting (mind the pun) over the finish. This gives the Guitar a really nice matt look which is what I am after.
Do you need to scuff up the finish before applying additional coats? If so, what grit paper should be used? And how does wet-sanding apply in this case, if at all?
D'oh i wish i'd known about them dyes sooner! Well i'll be using your dye and oil on my next project an amber iceman :) superb pricing. On another note, would you say its possible for a hobby to pay for itself ie i'm no woodworker really but i like taking old guitars and transforming them and probably going to get the iceman in kit form. What i'm thinking is maybe if i make some and then sell them the hobby could pay for itself kind of thing not sure if people are in to buying kit and restored
What are the chances of that : I was looking for information about the stunning stains and applying oil after the stain in order to build an SG body. I was going to check the tutorial from Crimson guitars website (stunning stains page in the shop) and the suggested videos where those 2 with exactly what I want to do : oil over red stain on an SG body :D So now I know what to order. I'm so excited by this project (it will be my first guitar body, the rest will be a cheap kit to be improved).
will this buff up to a flat mirror like finish like a nitro or urethane finish, also can it be applied to a guitar that has had a spirit based grain filler and spirit based stain?
![FendiDa Rappa - Clock Dat ft. Shamar Marco [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3NBU8KHdxYY/mqdefault.jpg)
Please, please, please - implore Christopher to do a tutorial on that gorgeous ocean burst finish he did. That is probably the most beautiful guitar I have ever seen in my life. I don't like the high maintenance frets and other excessive MIDI stuff, but I LOVE that finish on that quilted wood! Pity he wasn't on camera for that build.
Does look great for a process with specialist equipment amounting to a roll of paper. Would love to see the completed job once multiple coats applied.
How did I miss these videos, lol, I'm in the middle of refinishing a guitar, and have been damn near tearing my hair out looking for the materials.
This is a stunningly simple and outstanding finishing process. I'm hoping to give it a shot. What color is best for Butterscotch Blonde?
Seeing a project getting oiled is just so satisfying.
Hey, I have two questions, A: Can I use this on a guitar neck, and B: Do I have to sand between coats?
Yes and No
I should be practicing my guitar but I keep finding myself watching your amazing videos!!!! So interesting and informative even for a non guitar builder like me. Your one of a kind Ben ! Awesome.
I know this video is seven years old, but on the website now there are 4 different finish oils. This one used, which one is it? Many thanks!
What is the difference between your stunning stains and stunning spirit stains?
Hi, fellas. I've been using your Stunning Stains. Excellent product. Is there a high gloss lacquer I could use over the top for a really deep shine?
Ben, I was wondering if this oil finish will have the same frictionless feel that tru oil has on a neck, thanks.
Yes its great
Hi Ben - actually pouring oil finishes, especially for the first few coats, is exactly the way to approach it. Once it starts to build I get a little more conservative - but those first coats need to fully penetrate. If i had enough volume to dip them in a vat of the stuff - I'd do that :-)
I would love to see a guitar bass or standard with a built up finish to see more shine... The satin look you gave it. Very nice. 👍
So... I guess the settles it. I'm stripping my Les Paul and doing the back and sides in this stain. I need to get to your webstore and place an order!
+Woodeso's Guitar Mods I would think twice about that. I might be ugly as fuck under the finish.
+Woodeso's Guitar Mods I was thinking of doing the same thing. Suggestions on the easiest way to strip a guitar? :)
its real pain in the arse getting the finish off, not to mention sanding all the contours real nice, think twice before starting, but if youre dead set go for it! (i used a belt sander)
I used a heat gun. Great fun. No toxic fumes at all. :)
Not to a nitro finish Les Paul man why...
Have just finished staining my new guitar. The stunning stains are great. Looking forward to getting it oiled up.
Just wanted to say thank you for inspiring me to restore my old guitar using many of the techniques in your videos I now have a lovely les Paul with a natural finish that I can't put down and it was stuck in bits in my shed for 5 years. So once again thank you Ben and all the team at Crimson guitars
+Ian Legg Thank you, it's great to hear success stories like yours.
VERY nicely done. THAT looks like a hum-dinger of a good project.
I am very interested in oil on a guitar. I have built a couple of strars which are brilliant, but one think I have problems with is the finish.
Can I ask a couple of questions -
1. Can you apply oil over a painted guitar - aerosol cans (car paint with primer) or does it only work with stains which keep the wood grain open?
Cheers.
Stuart
If it goes on thinner than tru-oil, how many coats would it take until it could be wet sanded and polished to a mirror finish? Is that even possible? I've only ever played with polyurethane and nitrocellulose
Great video, I love your channel! Can I get the Crimson oil shipped to the US?
Do you put the binding on the body before or after you apply the stain and oil? I'm assuming before right?
Can you get a high gloss finish from this like I would with tru oil?
Hey, should i use penetrating finishing oil or high build up finishing oil?
Please show the white stain. I am very interested in it. Thanks, great videos.
+Kenneth David He sucha tease, right?
NickyGoodWolf Frankly , yes
A finish I would love to see from Crimson is a easy at home nitro lacquer. I have always loved the way nitro finishes age but have never come across an easy way to get that finish without spending ungodly amounts of money.
Nothing awesome ever comes easy or cheap.
That guitar started looking so much better once you started applying the oil. I personally would prefer a darker base stain. Can you mix this stain to get a darker finish or is there another technique you would use?
The stains are all totally compatible with each other, you can mix them all to get exactly what you want and also dilute as well.. Thanks for watching :)
I'd love to see the finished oil finish with the 15 coats. Any pictures?
Tomorrow's video has a guitar by Christopher with 7 coats and it is perfect.. 15 would be basically gloss.
+Crimson Custom Guitars I'll keep an eye out. Great job with and videos BTW. I recently finished my second guitar with oil. I'm a big fan of oil finishes. I use Osmo, I really recommend you check them out.
the neck is pink.. ? maybe add a drop of black?
HEY BIG GUY LOVE IT GOT ABOUT 6 GUITARS OUT OF THE 20 THAT I'VE ASSUMED THE BUILDS ON I DID MY FIRST 5 , NEVER HAVE DONE ANYTHING LIKE A GUITAR BUILD NO EXPERIENCE BUT WATCHED YOUR VIDEOS NOW A YEAR LATER IM PUTTING OUT SOME QUALITY GUITARS . I STILL SHOP OUT A FEW THINGS BUT I'VE MADE GUITARS FOR 6 PAYING CLIENTS. SO AFTER MY INITIAL 20 BUILDS I'M ONLY IN THE HOLE ABOUT $5000BUT STILL DOING 5 BUILDS AT ONCE SEEMS TO KEEP ME BUSY AND FOCUSED ALWAYS SOMETHING
TO DO. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR ADVICE.
MM
thank you Ben . looks like it works well . do you have a video showing how many coats and the do you buff it after the coats. i did see you use the paper towels and rub it down i am guessing that was like a fine sanding between coats ?
What type of silica paper is being used to apply the finish? I can't find anything that seems remotely similar online anywhere.
I think its just ordinary paper towel. Which I believe has clay in it which may have trace amounts of silica in it. Just the natural stuff that you have in paper. Remember how your mum would get angry if you used her fabric scissors on paper? Thats why cause most paper has trace amounts of abrasives in it that will dull scissors which I think is what Ben is taking advantage of here.
Would you use this with a clear coat/lacquer or instead of one?
Lol this is a late answer.. But it is instead of a lacquer finish, that wouldn't stick well on the oil. This protects from water and some wear just fine!
I have recently built a tele and finished with a minwax stain. I liked the look so much, I just left it like that. Can you get away with simply staining a guitar? What are some of the problems I might run into? I really prefer the wood feel on the neck, so want to try and avoid any finish that will take that away. Any suggestions? Keep up the good work.
I don't know if you got an answer to this, but there's two obvious issues with not applying a finishing coat. The first is that the stain will wear off quicker than with a finishing coat because stain is usually relatively thin, but they do make stains with a finishing product mixed in. The second is that unfinished stains tend to seep out with fluctuations in the weather, so the wood will become tacky feeling and will stain clothes. Usually that happens in higher humidity, but it's usually unheard of to leave wood unfinished.
What are some non endangered alternatives to ebony
Wow 2x chemists to formulate it! I'm impressed. Good to mention that so we all know the degree of hard work you have going into your quality products.
looking good ben.
are your stains compatible with other finishes like acrylic or poly 2k clearcoats ect.
also if you get the chance. can you do a video of the amber stain on maple and possibly brown on a softer wood please.
thanks
Ash
Would this require sanding between coats? or is it fairly straightforward?
'also i probably should be wearing gloves'
would be like using condom
thanks! great vids and good info as always
You guys inspire me to be a luthier something i have wanted to do for a long time my uncle makes beautiful guitars. Unfortunately i live in a trailer and the only tools i have are a knife and pliers so im gonna have to wait on that. :/ i love the look and sound of every one of your guitars i have heard. You guys have a bright future
I'm dreaming of owning a custom Tele Deluxe in exactly this finish one day... With your amazing stains & oil finish aswell as something like an unfinished Warmoth body this just might be possible. Amazing stuff!
Ben, would the oil seal a maple neck instead of using a clear coat, or would dirt still build up in the top layer?
Watched this series with my wife, who has been trying to decide on the finish for the guitar kit I’m building for her. Decision made! Placed my order for stain and finishing oil this morning.
Glad to help, thanks for your support! B
Are there any precaution steps needs to be taken when applying the oil?
Can I do the process inside a room or does it have to be outside?
Thanks.
It does have some white spirit and other things in it, inside is fine but a window or good ventilation is a good idea.
+Crimson Custom Guitars thanks a lot!
I just got the notification that my green and black stains and the oil have shipped.
Going to remove the paint from my project guitar next week.
Can't wait to paint it!!
Could I get a similar finish with just the Tru oil that I already have?
Love your videos, thanks for the info.
Yes you do, just mix it with the white spirit and it will penetrate to the wood better.
Can anyone help, Im new to the wood finishing world (And woodworking world at that) So could somebody tell me, Does this sort of "Finishing oil" work on its own, Or do your still have lacquer it later?
+Torwulf games It works on it's own, it's all you need, it is a lacquer alternative.
Ben uses Renaissance Wax as the final step.
I really want to see one of these videos with the lacquer finish
Try this video - ruclips.net/video/CUl7mRImcvU/видео.htmlsi=MXFPLQvDNvoReK6T
Ok…
Read what happened…
I did everything exactly like Ben said on maple neck with the oil and I thought that the neck is smooth.my son who is musician he said it’s not smooth like his others guitars so I was waiting for a month to cure.nothing happened so I was disappointed and order tru oil and there wax.i start another neck and finished it with tru oil and I was ready to apply wax so I said fuck it,I don’t have nothing to loose so I grab the first neck sand it with 1500 and apply both necks wax
My son can not believe how smooth was the first neck with crimson guitars oil and wax
Now I have to remove tru oil from the second neck cause it’s not even close to the first one!!!
I couldn’t believe that a wood can be so smooth!!!
Ben, thanks so much for the incredibly helpful videos! Question: is it possible to do PRS style "masked-off" binding with dye or stain like this? or with the product simply bleed/seep under the tape and create a blotchy, jagged mess?
Does it need to be hand applied, or can it be sprayed through an air gun like traditional nitro?
+Wilmx217 Yes, our water based stains are thin enough to be applied with an air gun, I just prefer applying by hand.
I found you looking for ways to properly darken Pau Ferro fretboards… do you have a video of someone doing that? Might be a good one to make!
Any thoughts to supplying a “sampler” package with an assortment of popular colors in smaller bottles?
Just started using this oil fingers crossed look ok after two coats just a bit tacky on back of neck but not fully cured yet, see what its like after 5 or 6 coats and leave fully cure.
Wonderful video and wonderful finishing oil!
I am planning on having my exceptionally talented and artistic 11 year-old twin nieces paint a couple of tele bodies for me using their wild imaginations and acrylic paints. I then plan to finish the artwork with Crimson Guitars guitar oil. Can anyone foresee any problems or issues with this approach?
Ta folks
P.S. I am actually Mike and must stop using my wife's account.
+Sonia Marsh i think the oil is not going to penetrate in the acrylic paint, so whats the point? i´m no expert but i think you should stick to the more conventional way and spray polyuretane or another gloss finish just to preserve the paint from scratches.
I actually though on that when making my guitar, but i think normal watercolor will get ruined if you just put any kind of "water" on them, atleast if you want to keep details, however if what you want is just make your guitar have a lot of colors and get the girls play with them I think your first idea was good, but consider 2 things, if the girls will "play" with the paint, the surface will propably not end up flat, so if you want to make it shiny and very polished its kind of imposible, unless you apply an insane amount of clear coats, or your girls do it very carefully :D. Btw consider this, the way i did mine, you can buy water based stains, like crimson ones (i used the ones you use to stains clothes,but they are not very colorful) and then prepare the mix (of water and stain) and let the girls apply it to the top. Stains are not dangerous but tricky to use, and harder to get out of your hands than normal acrylic paint. After its dry it will look alot clearer than when wet, but for some magic reason when you apply oil finish for woods they will look like wet again forever haha, i used Sherwin Williams minwax outdoors clear oil, finish or something like that and its really easy to use, just apply it and let dry. And to finish all this I applied a wax finish i made myself, its the way old tables were finished, you have to melt bees wax in a pot and then add an equall amount of terpentine, is not dangerous i think just open the windows, it will create a cream, sorry I have no better word, english is not my main language, you just apply it to the finished wood and it will create a hard coat of wax. is more matte than shiny, but it gets the job done. You just need to re-apply it every once in a while, because you remove it with friction. Just a final thing, have a good time with your project. Cheers and good luck mikem 8634
+mikem 8634 Hi Mike, I have had very good results over both stained and painted surfaces with a product called Rust-Oleum Crystal Clear. Where I live in the UK it is available in spraycans in matt, satin and gloss finishes. I generally use the matt version and then fine sand, buff and polish until I get the finish I want. I've used it on the back of several necks to a very smooth but in no way tacky finish and on the front of headstocks over decals to a beautiful shine. You can really build up the coats, it's quick drying but the fumes are very strong during spraying and for a few days afterwards so good ventilation is essential. I'd recommend a couple of weeks at least after spraying to allow it to harden before any final sanding and polishing. I'm only a hobbyist too so this isn't a professional recommendation of any sort however I've always been impressed when using it. Good luck with your project, sounds like a lot of fun!
No problem Mike, I'd suggest doing a test piece first to get a feel for it. It's worth looking around online too, you can get it at least a couple of quid cheaper than at Homebase! Cheers.
Firstly thank you Ben and all your team, really good work. I look forward to each and every video, educational and entertaining, ideal mix 😀. I would personally like to see the stains from your range shown on wood to get an idea of colour. I know the colour will vary depending on wood and other factors, but to get a rough idea. I'm about to buy some stain and finishing oil from your website and really can't decide which direction to go colour wise. I hope this is possible at some point. Thank you again! 🎸
I'll have talitha put the pics up tomorrow.. I'm surprised they're not there already, my bad! Thank you for your support!
+Crimson Custom Guitars
Superb, thank you very much! 😀
I need a tool that is completly Straight. What is the name of such a tool? Would like it to be non bendable.
+oliver damberg
In english you'd call it a straight edge. But I've seen they 're using it for almost everything that is made pretty straight, what is kinda wrong. What you want to look for for a fretjob is whats called a "haarlineal" in german. It doesn't get better than that for hand tools. Its used for checking the surface of cylinder heads.
I like the notched straightedge of the crimson shop too for checking the relief of the fretboard without touching the fretwire. Just go to their shop at
www.crimsonguitars.com
Thank you. I will buy one.
Ben!!! Crimson Guitar videos are highly adictive! I know this is an old video but I'm hoping you read these. I just discovered you guys.
Anyway, I've ordered your finishing oil with some stains. Black and red. I'm applying this to an SG body shape with a spalted maple top that I've put together. My idea is to dob the black around the edges, barley going past the SGs bevels. Then apply the red. How many coats of red need to be applied before I get a deeper red color? Thanks. Your videos really are my favorite. Blessings to you and your family!!!
Just keep going until you have the colour you nees. If you really want a very deep colour you should look at the Vibrant Shots and do not dilute very much, or try it neat. www.crimsonguitars.com/collections/guitar-finishing/products/new-stunning-stain-shots-pastel-vibrant
Can you show us the other stain colors, please? Like blue, green, purple?
I want to build a purple stained flamed maple top telly in the future but finding a piece of "perfect" flamed maple in the EU seems impossible to me. Northridgehardwoods has some really nice pieces but its quite expensive especially with shipping. Or you can't get it cheaper anywhere?
Frankly *Ben,* you are quite naughty really. Nice job though. How about 'Indigo' or 'Ultra-violet' ?
Also, any reason why you chose not to stain the elecronics compartments? Was it just economy? If so, then you are being somewhat overly-frugal, or even, dare I say -stingy (?)
The staining clearly delineates the veneer interface though.
.
What about blow-torching the edge? A true 'fireburst' effect. Carbonised wood, really does shine in a unique way. My dad used to do it on his coffee tables back in the sixties, when it was in vogue. But I've often thought i'd be a good technique for customising cheapy guitars like that Astoria.
Hey ben. Ive used a popular wipe-on poly over an alcohol/transtint & water/transtint stained tops and found that my applicator picked up way too stain, to the point that it seriously changed the top color. Sanded down and started over. How do i avoid such problems, when using a wipe-on product? Also, what causes your CG oil to avoid this 'bleeding problem'? I'd like to order some of your CG oil but shipping to the states can be cost prohibitive.
Use a foam brush to apply oil and then wipe excess it should go on a lot better
How does this compare to Minwax Antique Oil, which is a really great alternative to Birchwood-Casey Tru Oil and and also used by makers of fine gun stocks?
I just purchased the oil for my project, i have no idea what i'm doing tbh - removed the finish from an old bass i had lying around and have removed the frets, is the oil only intended as a finish for the body? I have no idea what i should use to seal the neck, especially as i used wood filler to fill the frets, i should probably protect it somehow should i not?
also I'm replacing the cheap P/J pup configuration with two good quality fender jazz bass pups and have routed it to fit, do you guys do custom pickguards by any chance?
Bill Hearn.
Hi Ben I am just bought a used strat body and aim to renovate, I have just watched your video and I like the idea of staining, thefinish you got was very nice but I am wondering if I could infact apply a wax polish to obtain a reasonable sheen to the body or would I get a reaction. Hoping you can advise. Regards Bill.
I've used lots of Tru-Oil on gunstocks, of course, and with that stuff, to get a bit of a shine, it gets rubbed out (with rottenstone, for us geezers.) Would you recommend a similar process to bring your oil up to a shiny finish?
Greetings from 'merikkkuh! I have a question: if I wanted to produce a lavender, one-off, do you recommend purchasing red, blue, and white to mix it myself or could a lavender color be made from purple and white? In either case I think I'd go all out and get that oil, it looks lit. Also, how is the guitar kit idea coming?
2 chemists worked 6 month to create wiping varnishing? Its one part boiled linseed oil, one part spirits and one part spirit varnish - I've been a woodworker long enough to recognise wiping varnish AKA Danish Oil. For a finer finish add more spirit and less varnish.
I'm looking to finish quilted maple topped guitar with a mahogany body using your stains and finishing oil. Only the maple will be stained, then the whole body finished. Do I need to use grain filler on the mahogany before the oil? Also, the body is bound, is this something to worry about or should i just scrape the binding after finishing? thanks
I live in California and cannot legally buy Tru Oil. If I buy this finishing oil, will I encounter the same legislative issues? I want to learn how to do stains and finishes and specifically want to do a Tru-Oil like finish. Can I legally obtain this product?
Great stuff on this channel, been learning a lot from y'all! Rock onnnnn!
Hi Ben , have ordered some cherry red and yellow stains (want to do a burst one a tele) and am looking at getting some finishing oil. Would you use oil on the neck and could you get a "satin" finish /feel?
How is the durability and physical resilience like of this finish compared to more "conventional" ones like nitrocellulose and poly? I'm considering a future sanding down and refinishing of the neck on my current main instrument to make it less shiny and sticky
I saw a guitar with magnets instead of screws to hold the back electronics plate. I know that wood is your passion from watching alot of your videos but would the magnets affect the electronics in anyway? thank you for all your sharing of information.
Hello, I really like Crimson Guitars and your instructional videos. what would like to know is, I have a Epiphone SG G-400 (similar to the instrument in this video). it is ebony in color. I want to strip the color off of the face of the guitar and it's neck and do a worn type finish on it, but leave the Black color only on the sides, and back, and head stock of the guitar. can you please give me some advise. thank you
Hi, could I then put some kind of poly on top of it? Or does the oil do the same? Sorry I'm new to this and getting ideas for a school project. Great channel btw.
Interesting product Ben and a lovely finish too. Would this product be ok for classical/ steel string acoustic applications ?These are the guitars I make, no bother with the the rosewood sides and mahogany necks, as these are easy to finish to a high standard, but what about the spruce/pine tops ?Would welcome your thoughts on this, thank you.Cheers,Midge.
Will your oil "melt" into itself?
One of the worst aspects of truoil are witness lines.
it will soak in fine, but problems arise when you build it up. Unless you thin the oil and spray the last coats, you can never get it to look "lacguer like"
If i wanted to do some pyrography and burn some designs into my guitar, how would the guitar oil and even the stains react with the burn markings? Do you think it would be okay to do that? Or not really?
Hi Ben, i asked this a little while ago... can you give me an update on how your oil reacts with, say your blue, or white stains? As i said i had a nice blue stain on another guitar body i did some time ago, but when i applied Danish oil, it changed the colour of the blue, by adding a faint (brown?) tinge to it. It ended up looking nice, but not quite the vibrant blue i had been hoping for. Maybe you could demo your blue and/or white stain (i think there may be others who would like to see this!) with your oil, and see?
So when my Kickstarter body and neck turns up i will know what colour/finish i will need. I and now thinking of an emerald green, or possibly purple.Dunno. I guess i will endup having to buy several of your stains, and test them on some maple, and see what i like!
PS Nice to see your shop is adding more and more stuff. More power to your (collective) elbows!
PPS thanks for the Halloween episode. great fun. Hopefully you have now recovered from your "Chisel Incident"
Did you rub the excess oil off with a tissue or a light grade wet and dry sandpaper?
Frankly... Great videos. Thank you so much, exactly what I needed
If the true oil / your oil builds up after the first layer or so; with a porous wood like mahogany or cedar - do you still need to fill grain before applying? Not used oils before.
That's a very nicely finished guitar! I just have a couple questions before pull the trigger and buy oil that may be of no use to me! I want a matt finish on a matt black guitar and wondered if this oil would work as well as lacquer on paint as oppose to stain, or is it better to just stick to the spray on lacquer? Also, I have scolloped a neck (just for a laugh) and now need to seal it. Is this oil a good choice for the neck including fretboard, or would I be better off using a different finish on the rosewood? Thanks Ben, I have spent so much time watching all your vids in random orders, I could have built several guitars by now! :-)
Do you apply something else on top to make a shinier gloss?
i got a gibson worn brown faded if i sanded it with 0000 steel wool and rub some cherry staind will this work out well? i kinda want a more cherry faded vintage worn look
Hello, how to paint guitar, so you can't see wood ? I mean like you cant see thru laquer, just good solid color?
Hey I'm a bit late to the gig here but would you recommend your products on a spalted top?thanks I dig your videos you got me into this many years ago .
im doing same guitar as you ive left mine bare grain and looks good do you reckon 1 or 2 diluted coats 1st ,i was going to fine sand 2nd coat on before undiluted coats. thnx
I did a burst on my guitar will this oil dilute or ruin the stain
Hey Ben, could you possibly show us those white and faded blue stains? I've been wanting someone to make both of those for longer than I can remember...
hey ben.
whats your experience on removing finished.
especially those with binding.
i have a washburn hb30 in red poly. but want to make it nitro black.
cheers!
Fire, well.. , hot air gun really and be very very careful around the binding.. Mask and extraction/ventilation a must!
Is this the High build guitar finishing oil? How many coats would I apply for a gloss coat?
Do you know of any good Flying V kits for about 200-300 dollars (US)?
The finish is going to be perfect for me as I have some Black Manns Wood Dye which I have had for ages that I need to use up.
I am going to do my Tele body and headstock all Black and have been fretting (mind the pun) over the finish. This gives the Guitar a really nice matt look which is what I am after.
Do you need to scuff up the finish before applying additional coats? If so, what grit paper should be used? And how does wet-sanding apply in this case, if at all?
D'oh i wish i'd known about them dyes sooner! Well i'll be using your dye and oil on my next project an amber iceman :) superb pricing.
On another note, would you say its possible for a hobby to pay for itself ie i'm no woodworker really but i like taking old guitars and transforming them and probably going to get the iceman in kit form. What i'm thinking is maybe if i make some and then sell them the hobby could pay for itself kind of thing not sure if people are in to buying kit and restored
What are the chances of that : I was looking for information about the stunning stains and applying oil after the stain in order to build an SG body. I was going to check the tutorial from Crimson guitars website (stunning stains page in the shop) and the suggested videos where those 2 with exactly what I want to do : oil over red stain on an SG body :D So now I know what to order. I'm so excited by this project (it will be my first guitar body, the rest will be a cheap kit to be improved).
This was excellent! Thank you and good luck. B
will this buff up to a flat mirror like finish like a nitro or urethane finish, also can it be applied to a guitar that has had a spirit based grain filler and spirit based stain?
Will you apply a clear coat at the end or is the oil enough to protect the wood? Thanks. Great video.