Matchy Matchy

[solfege]

So as detailed in this other post over here, I'm building a Jag based on a Rosser ash body and a late 70s vintage Musicmaster neck.

My question is about finishing. I've sort of settled on trying to get a body matched to neck look like this thing (found on this thread).



But I'm not sure how best to achieve that.

Here's the best picture I've managed to take showing the color variation between the totally unfinished body and the neck.



Any suggestions from the more finishing-experienced among you about how to get a good color match there would be super appreciated. Bonus points for a process that an apartment dweller with limited experience could achieve.

[DrQuasar]

This method from Dan Erlewine would probably work. Plus no spray.

[solfege]

This method from Dan Erlewine would probably work. Plus no spray.

Saw that, and considering it, but wondering how it'd interact with grain filler, sealer, and some sort of clear / topcoat to finish an Ash body. Maple as I understand it is a bit easier to deal with in these respects.

[DrQuasar]

I know lacquer-based clear will yellow so you wouldn't want to use that. I know polycrylic stays clear and its water-based so less fumes. Minwax has some waterbased stains too. If you use products from one line, then you know that compatibility from filler/sealer to stain to clear won't be an issue.

I doubt there is a way to ensure that the color and body colors stay the same as the finish ages.

I would get some scrap pieces of ash and do some color testing. Just remember to label and document everything really well or if you're like me, you'll forget what you did to which scraps and you'll have to start over.

[Con-Tiki!]

tru-oil is pretty easy to use. As you build up coats it adds color, so you could stop when you were happy with the match.
There are a couple different ways to apply it, I prefer to rub very thin coats into the wood with a rag. It takes longer to build up, but it cures faster, and cuts down on how much time you spend knocking back in between coats.
here's a photo of a body i did. it was just as pale as yours when i started..

[solfege]

Thanks, both. Yeah, Rosser was awesome and included a bunch of scrap pieces with the guitar, so I can do multiple tests if I want.

Going back and forth between water / oil based. I'm thinking oil just b/c less issues with moisture and guitar bodies. Tru-oil is definitely something I'm considering a lot. What I've been trying to get a sense of is how much color it'll add. Con-Tiki's picture's really helpful there.

I'm also slowly making peace with the idea that I'm not going to get a completely perfect 70s Fender / MusicMan 'natural' match, but i'd like to get close because I think it'd be a cool sort of thematic thing to do with the 70s neck and the white tuners I have.

[solfege]

Also, Con-Tiki, did you grain fill that?

[marqueemoon]

I believe my partscaster tele is Tru-Oil and is a similar color to the example you posted. I didn’t do it though, so I’m not sure if any kind of tint/stain was used along with it.

Sorry for the potential thread derail, but what does your Rosser Jag body weigh?

I know he does one-off for ebay sale and probably provides specific weights for those, but on his web page all bodes are listed at “6+ pounds” which is a little offputting.

He appears to be the best priced option for a universal routed JM body and I can live with a little extra weight for cheap, but I don’t want a total pig.

[solfege]

I believe my partscaster tele is Tru-Oil and is a similar color to the example you posted. I didn’t do it though, so I’m not sure if any kind of tint/stain was used along with it.

Sorry for the potential thread derail, but what does your Rosser Jag body weigh?

I know he does one-off for ebay sale and probably provides specific weights for those, but on his web page all bodes are listed at “6+ pounds” which is a little offputting.

He appears to be the best priced option for a universal routed JM body and I can live with a little extra weight for cheap, but I don’t want a total pig.

I have not actually weighed it yet, but I mean to. Now I have some motivation. It's not what I would call light, but it's a nice piece of wood. I posted bigger pictures in my other thread. More in a bit once I find the postal scale I know we have *somewhere* around here.

[solfege]

I believe my partscaster tele is Tru-Oil and is a similar color to the example you posted. I didn’t do it though, so I’m not sure if any kind of tint/stain was used along with it.

Sorry for the potential thread derail, but what does your Rosser Jag body weigh?

I know he does one-off for ebay sale and probably provides specific weights for those, but on his web page all bodes are listed at “6+ pounds” which is a little offputting.

He appears to be the best priced option for a universal routed JM body and I can live with a little extra weight for cheap, but I don’t want a total pig.

I have not actually weighed it yet, but I mean to. Now I have some motivation. It's not what I would call light, but it's a nice piece of wood. I posted bigger pictures in my other thread. More in a bit once I find the postal scale I know we have *somewhere* around here.

Actually it's a bit under 6 pounds. 5 pounds 13.6 ounces.

[solfege]

Did the naptha thing that's supposed to give you a bit of a preview of how a clear finish / tru-oil will darken things while I had it out to weigh it.



Color seems fairly close to my eyes. Seems as if I'd want to avoid yellowing / amber tints, I think. But obviously it'd need to get darker. People are suggesting it will with more coats of Tru-Oil, right?

I think I'll order up a can of that and a grain filler to do some testing.

[marqueemoon]

I believe my partscaster tele is Tru-Oil and is a similar color to the example you posted. I didn’t do it though, so I’m not sure if any kind of tint/stain was used along with it.

Sorry for the potential thread derail, but what does your Rosser Jag body weigh?

I know he does one-off for ebay sale and probably provides specific weights for those, but on his web page all bodes are listed at “6+ pounds” which is a little offputting.

He appears to be the best priced option for a universal routed JM body and I can live with a little extra weight for cheap, but I don’t want a total pig.

I have not actually weighed it yet, but I mean to. Now I have some motivation. It's not what I would call light, but it's a nice piece of wood. I posted bigger pictures in my other thread. More in a bit once I find the postal scale I know we have *somewhere* around here.

Actually it's a bit under 6 pounds. 5 pounds 13.6 ounces.

Thanks! That’s heavier than I was hoping for, but I’m thinking in my case the swimming pool rout would help somewhat. Sounds like the quality is there though.

Looking forward to seeing how yours comes out.

[solfege]

^^^
yeah, traditional style Jags have really limited routing compared to JMs. It's about as solid a piece of wood as imaginable (or two pieces).

I have to admit I'd love to get one of those pine tele bodies he occasionally seems to do.