Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: elzie on February 15, 2006, 02:03:05 PM

Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: elzie on February 15, 2006, 02:03:05 PM
How does Alembic get that yellowish aged look on some of the finishes. I remember seing a picture of one in the spray booth a few years back. It looked great and I was wondering how it was done. That is, if it isn't a trade secret.
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: dfung60 on February 15, 2006, 03:39:43 PM
I'm sure you'll get a definitive answer from Mica or Valentino, but I believe that the way that they get that yellowish look is...  are you ready?...  it's a little yellow dye in the varnish!
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: Bradley Young on February 15, 2006, 05:30:06 PM
Quilted maple looks *awesome* with a little bit of yellow tint.  It really makes it pop.
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: s_wood on February 16, 2006, 03:37:02 PM
It sure does!  Check this out:
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/3335.html?1131567795 (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8617)
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: Bradley Young on February 16, 2006, 04:31:13 PM
Steve,
 
Your Europas are exactly what I was thinking of.  Mmmmmm... amber tinty goodness.
 
Will you put me in your will?  Please?
 
Brad
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: lbpesq on February 16, 2006, 04:50:18 PM
I couldn't agree more on light amber tint over maple.  The plan for my getting-closer-to-being-finished custom Further has included a light amber tint on the 5A quilted top from the very begining.
 
Bill, tgo
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: bigredbass on February 16, 2006, 08:55:54 PM
I wonder . . . does ALEMBIC do the spray tints only, or do they do the 'dye job' where the color is hand-rubbed into the wood first, ala PRS and others?
 
Most painters have their 'recipe' for amber or yellowed/aged clear, or whatever you prefer to call it, usually revolving around adding yellow or even a little orange into the clear.
 
J o e y
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: lbpesq on February 16, 2006, 10:34:40 PM
Alembic tints the finish.  They don't stain the wood.  It makes it much easier to refinish or even change it down the line.
 
Bill, tgo
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: elzie on February 17, 2006, 05:02:25 PM
Who would've thought it would be as easy as tinting the finish? I thought there may be a special additive or technique. There I go over-thinking things again.....
 
 
Paul TGO
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: David Houck on February 18, 2006, 05:41:30 AM
Bong water.
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: Bradley Young on February 18, 2006, 07:35:37 AM
So, Dave,
 
I think your additive might end up causing something a bit more black than amber.
 
And it might be too oily to mix with finish.  Haven't you ever spilled any on your clothing?  You can't get that stuff out.
 
Brad
Disclaimer- I was a minor when I found this stuff out and the records have been expunged .  I might've inhaled, but I've been clean since 1989.
 
(Message edited by byoung on February 18, 2006)
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: lbpesq on February 18, 2006, 09:25:48 AM
Dave:
 
Good one!
 
Bill, tgo
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: old_guy on February 19, 2006, 03:19:13 PM
Stand-Up comedy at its best. This does explain why some nites my 76 S-1 does funny things. I should have taken it to rehab with me! Name Withheld. Great comeback Dave! Funny how the brain reverts to primal era's.
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: s_wood on February 20, 2006, 09:53:39 AM
Here's another example of using an amber tint to make the quilted maple squeal!  
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/25330.html (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8634)
 
In the old days, we used cigarette smoke to do this, but since most of the bars in Delaware, Philadelphia and New York where I usually play are now smoke-free we have to rely upon Alembic to synthesize toxicity for us!
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: jazzyvee on March 04, 2006, 08:46:57 AM
I have an orion guitar since December.
When I first had it the finish on the front was sort of matt coating over the Quilted maple.
 
Since then i have noticed it is going shiny where my arm rests on the guitar and where my fingers touch the guitar during playing.
It's not what I particularly want, so I wondered if anyone knows how to care for the guitar so that I can keep the matt finish in tact.
Jazzyvee
Title: Aged finish question....
Post by: jazzyvee on March 04, 2006, 08:58:07 AM
I have an orion guitar since December.
When I first had it the finish on the front was sort of matt coating over the Quilted maple.
 
Since then i have noticed it is going shiny where my arm rests on the guitar and where my fingers touch the guitar during playing.
It's not what I particularly want, so I wondered if anyone knows how to care for the guitar so that I can keep the matt finish in tact.
Jazzyvee