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Normally, modern builders just won't dye a wood like QS hormigo (or cut off the sapwood), but in my book, guitars aren't orange. Here are a few photos of a customer's new GC-6 with dyed back and ribs...
Tinted top with Larson purfling...



Filling the hormigo...



Dyed with the first coats of lacquer...

Hans vy nice job on tinting the hormigo. I did a few bridges an FB in hormigo an just left it the natural colour an buffed out with linseed oil.

That turned out very nice, Haans!

That is a fine looking guitar Haans...what type of filler may I ask?

Thanks guys...
Jack, the filler is "Goodfilla" black with a LOT of Trans tint black in it and a whole lot of black tempera paint powder added too. Colortone (Stew Mac) is rebranded Goodfilla. May switch to wallboard mud next time...

Looks great, as does the stylin' purfling scheme on the top. I assume you made the red centre section. If you have a chance, there's a lot of new people here that would probably appreciate seeing how you lay up those.
A friend of mine uses tinted drywall mud for filler. It does a good job of tinting the pores and a fair job of filling them. I guess it depends if you're going for the "looks like wood" or the "looks like plastic" finish.

Enjoy The Day

Beautiful staining Haans! Is that ivoroid binding? I imagine you are razor scraping after staining not masking, yes? Thanks Tim.

Thanks Danny and Tim!
You can find all the info on the layups for the center purfling on my website. I never go for "plastic" finishes as it would not be in tradition.
Tim that is Ivoroid, and yes, a lot of scraping with utility knife blades.

Haans -why did you use this wood if you did not like it's color?

My avatar is Hormigo no color added.
Different shades of shellac (as a sealer) could have given you the desired
color without turning the wood black.
If I get a set that I do not like the looks of
I sell or give it to someone who likes it.

Just my 2 cents.
Mike

_________________
Mike Collins

Mike, it's about tonal qualities and what the customer wanted. He wanted the Hormigo and I said it would be dyed. He agreed. I had planned on dying the wood no matter when I used it, and he wanted the wood. He has several of my guitars, and trusts me to do what is right.
You and I don't build the same way, it seems. My instruments are traditional, yours seem to be modern with sound ports, raised necks, sapwood, and natural finishes. I dye my necks, you don't. I cut out sapwood, you don't.
I very much like the wood in this back and rib set. It's very straight QS heartwood. That's very hard to find in Hormigo. John (the customer) and I both liked the tap. As I said, I don't like orange guitars. Don't like the look of natural mahogany either, but that doesn't mean I won't use mahogany for necks...
I didn't turn the wood black. I filled the pores with black filler. I dye white oak, mahogany, Sapele, Hormigo, walnut, maple and I have been known to tint tops.
I don't give away tonewood. I don't mix my finishes on guitars. I don't use shellac.
So, I guess we have different outlooks on building instruments. I'm a traditionalist. I'm thinking there is room for both of us in this world...

Haans;
I understand !
Sorry to mouth off like that !
Mike

_________________
Mike Collins

No problem, Mike. The world would be pretty plain if we all thought alike. We'd all be building dread-naughts too...

Hi Hans,
Nice looking guitar! The black filler really brings out the grain. I agree that most natural mahogany is pretty bland. I could see the Hormigo going either way.
I also cut out the sapwood when possible (not always possible), but the current trend seems to be to leave it. Maybe this is because of the shortage of good old growth wood.

Thanks Clay!
I would rather do something like I did to this Hormigo back and cut out the sapwood than leave it in.





I took the cutoff from tapering the ribs to make the center section.

Nice!