After stripping polyurethane finish-How to get antique-look finish (without distress marks) ?

bohemewarbler

After stripping the polyurethane finish from my Altamira, do I have any experienced folks here who know how to get that antique-look finish? I'm not interest in scratching or distressing the guitar. Also, if you know of a video that demonstrates this, please.

AndyW

I used artists’ oil paints mixed with tru-oil to darken up an old, cheap gypsy guitar top & neck, if you’re talking about changing the colour.

Bones

If you are just talking about the aged look of lacquer, you can tint the lacquer a bit with amber (Stew Mac sells colors for lacquer) or use amber shellac if you are French polishing or whatever color you are looking for.

bohemewarbler

This is what I'm aiming for (see images). As long as the finish allows the sound to breathe through, I think I'll go with Danish Oil or something similar followed by a final layer of shellac for further protection. French polishing looks a little more advanced for an amateur home project type. Not sure yet how to get the subtle changes shading, though.

Buco

I think this is much more of an art form than a standard finish. If you have a painter's hand, try it. You always remove the tint and start over before you get to varnishing. I'd imagine you'd choose a shade of tint and apply to the whole body and then artfully remove some and streak some.