Transparent/Translucent Finishes.

Hi Group.

Warmoth call one of their types of finish transparent or translucent. It's coloured bur still shows the grain very well.

See: http://www.warmoth.com/paint/paint.cfm?fuseaction=trans_red

They give no other info.

I asked the local paint shop guy who guessed it might be a small percenatage of dye added to clear.

Does anyone know for sure what a transparent/translucent finish is? ..and provide an exampl or trade name please?

TIA

A transparent finish is infact a dye more specifically a tinted filler... The filler is soaked into the grain which doesn't cover the grain but rather accentuates it. The filler can be colored whatever color you would like... this gives the wood the desired look... Then clear coats are applied to make the finish shine. Different manufacturers do it different ways. Some dye the wood with a powder filler... then dye the wood with a licquid filler... Some just dye with a licquid filler. An example of a powder filler would be the use of red filler on the Gibson Voodoo series guitars... this leaves the grain ends with a red tint... while the rest of the wood is painted black color... very cool. As far as trade names go... I'm not sure. look at stew-mac.com for finishing products called fillers and dyes... that may help you out. You also might want to look for any books they have on guitar finishes...