Hi All,

I am a complete newbie when it comes to finishing wood (and guitars). I have started with an ambitious project, because I am a glutton for punishment . I am going to try to turn my TLA-1Q into a tuff-dog esqe Tele. My goal is a tobacco burst on the quilt top. I have purchased Keda dyes as well as Mohawk Black lacquer and Clear Stringed Instrument Lacquer. My plan is this...

1. Use Terps to find glue marks
2. Use goof off and a tooth brush to remove glue
3. Dye with black Keda
4. Hand Sand back as little as possible to highlight the quilt
5. Dye entire top with Amber Keda (which I will create by mixing yellow and orange keda dye).
6. Let dry
7. Tape off and paint back and sides with black lacquer
7. Cover top with tear shaped cardboard lifted with toothpicks to raise the edges a bit and spray outward with black lacquer to create a feathered burst.
8. Let dry and use clear lacquer on face sides and back to apply several coats
9. Sand with increasing grit sandpaper to polish clear coat.
10. Compound wax, etc.


Question: Will the black lacquer be noticeably higher than the dyed center? Am I better off hand rubbing the burst?