Finished one today

[Dan Smith]

Finished one of two gifts toady.
African Mahogany, Maple, Mesquite.
Import hardware, US electronics, GFS pickups, plastic binding.
Dan

[Peter Wilcox]

That is a really nice looking guitar! I love it.
How did you dye the maple?
Can you split the coils on the pickups - push-pull pots?
Where did you get the black tuners with the white buttons?

[Dan Smith]

Thanks Peter!
I used Transtint dye in water. First I raised the grain with water and sanded smooth.
I applied the dye until the top was pretty much solid black.
Then I sanded to expose the Maple. I buffed with steel wool in the center to create the burst look.
I could split the coils, but it sounds like a Tele, so I like it as-is.
The tuners are Guitar Fetish. Not very smooth, but they seem to work well enough for the cost.

By the way, I like your Walnut builds!
I'm nearly finished with a Walnut guitar. I filled the grain with shellac and wood dust.
It worked very well and was fast, and the shellac brought out the figure.
These two will be sent to my cousins in the Smoky Mountains.
Regards,
Dan

[Jason Rodgers]

Excellent, Dan! Great work! I have a black-fade maple and a walnut twin, too, but your finishes are beyond my current chops. And I'm really digging that mesquite fingerboard.

[Gordon Bellerose]

Looks nice Dan. The mesquite fingerboard is very nice.
Good job dying the quilted maple too.
The headstock in the same color is a nice touch.

[Dan Smith]

Thanks fellows!
I'm getting better at applying the finish, but of course I can see the flaws.
Dan

[James Tonguet]

Very nice work indeed

[Bob Francis]

Nice Dan!