Help me pick a finish for my Mustang project?

[brucer]

Hi all.

I've got a hardtail Mustang project underway. Finally got the body, pickguard and hardware laid in, but have started questioning and re-questioning my finishing plans.

I was originally going for a Costello Jazzmaster look, but maybe with a maple neck.

Now that I've come this far ... I just don't know where to go with it.

Alder body with tort pickguard and a rosewood strat neck inserted is shown here:



Grades of walnut stain from none to dark and with (top) / without (bottom) clearcoat are shown here:



Open to all suggestions, but will throw a poll in for which stain goes best with the current pickguard and a rosewood neck anyway?

[kdanie]

I can't stand shit brown... just my opinion. Your body looks like ash, I would give it some amber dye and a few coats of Tru-oil then buff it down with 0000 steel wool. It feels amazing and will age into something comfortable like an old shirt. Stewmac sells the liquid dye, you mix a little with alcohol and rub it in, easy stuff.



Someday my telemaster will age into something like this vintage tele body...



ken

[agiehler]

Medium looks the best to me, especially with the darker tortoise pickguard you have.

[brucer]

I can't stand shit brown... just my opinion.

LOL!

But really, thanks for the suggestions and votes.

Decided to go with light "shit brown"!

[s_mcsleazy]

dark brown

[Zork]

I've just seen a gold plated body and I'm absolutely all over the look:

[YALCaster]

Mary Kaye.

[blimpage]

Paint it pink you coward

[brucer]

Paint it pink you coward

Yeah, I get your point ... but I'm a big guy and Mustangs already look like toys without being colored like one.

[TeenageShutdown!]

Colored stain.