Thanks Chris. I used to not like bursts for two reasons:

1) They are really difficult to shoot and hold the band of color even all the way around the perimeter. Not only even in width but also in concentration of color. Then there's always the risk that the spray gun will surprise you with some "spatter" of paint when you least expect it. Unfortunately you can't disguise those mistakes so you have to wash the color off and start over. :mad:

2) Often larger bursts will cloud or cover up the natural beauty of the wood. That is one reason why I have gravitated to "minimal bursts" because less wood beauty is compromised.

Over the years I have gotten better and more accurate shooting bursts so I am not as fearful as I once was.

One more comment, is that from an audience perspective and point of view, I think bursts look particularly appealing on stage and under the lights. However, if there are visual mistakes in the burst, there's no where to hide because they show up like a sore thumb. :eek:

Wait, you DO still have both thumbs, right?

Yep, I still have both thumbs. :up: :up: ... Although they are both on the left hand ;)

Pretty bursting for a guy with two thumbs! I would know, as a guy with two left feet!

Pertaining to the bursts, it looks like you're using an airbrush? Any particular model/type you use? I have a couple that I bought for doing bursts, but I have not had the opportunity yet to spray one. I would guess you have a pretty dry air/color mix to achieve some "transparency" in that burst? Really nice...

I use to use Pasche' air brushes but the prices got way to crazy. I did like them because they have a true two stage trigger / button so you can accurately "feather" in the color.

Now I use $10 Harbor Freight single stage air brushes. They work good enough for the work we are doing and if you walk away and forget to clean your gun before the paint kicks you are only out $10 instead of $400. Don't ask how I know about this little known fact :mad:

The down side with a single stage button is that the paint comes out all at once, immediately and you can't feather it in. Therefore I just start the paint flow, with the brush aimed off of the surface, then move into the surface while the brush is in motion. This method prevents any spatter or dark concentrated areas of color.

The pattern is easy to adjust on the HF brush. I do spray semi wet coats but the color is thinned way down so it takes several coats to build to the color depth I want. If you spray too dry, then the sandy texture will build up too thick around the taped off lines. This will then take too much clear to build up to transition smoothly to the lower taped off areas ... if that makes sense?

Hello, Tim! These are looking lovely. Really tasteful finish work and coloring on the burst. :up: :up:

JR

Thank you for the kind words JR. Its been a fun and educational project for us.

It's time to burst the sides:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A...0/IMG_3500.JPG




https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b...0/IMG_3501.JPG




https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_...0/IMG_3502.JPG




https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p...0/IMG_3506.JPG

After the burst has been sprayed the masking tape is removed and then the entire guitar is clear coated. This picture was taken after 3 coats of clear were applied and the surface was level sanded.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0...0/IMG_3545.JPG




The sound port location laid out:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y...2/IMG_3546.JPG




A hole is routed:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f...2/IMG_3548.JPG




The the edges are beveled, AKA the "Todd-Port"
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n...0/IMG_3549.JPG




https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s...0/IMG_3550.JPG




Finally all bare wood and edges sealed, around the sound port, with CA (AKA Super Glue) in preparation of the next clear coat session:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k...0/IMG_3551.JPG

You know how when you see something awesome that sometimes it will make you sort of chuckle at it's awesomeness? Well that just happened when I saw that olive wood. Can't wait to scroll through this thread to see the work being done. :D

Tim, I hear you on the burst but.. That looks like George Jetson just claimed it in 1928

ya, well tell Adam and Eve that we said hello :hmm:




























:D

Tim, I assume the green stuff in the sound hole is to protect the inside, but what is that stuff?

Are you ready to hear what this high tech green item is?

It's a plastic butter dish that's turned upside down. Tim sets a sponge (small dish sponge, carpet piece, etc) inside which when the plastic container is in place it remains snug against the top keeping it from moving during the spraying process.

He has been using the same technique since before 1992 although we have given a variety of plastic containers since then.

I've seen soda lids used for that. But my favorite is... A balloon. It keeps itself snug.