How to get this finish?

[davidgotmilk]

Hello, I recently saw this guitar over on Blackat Facebook, and I absolutely LOVE the finish on this, but I have no idea how I would get it. Here's my assumption, the top is burled poplar, and they used some kind of blue stain/dye over it, but I don't know if just doing that would bring out the dark circles like in the picture. Also what kind of dye/stain would go best for burled or maybe spalted maple top, with this similar color scheme?

Here's a picture for reference

 

[JuliusJahn]

A blue dye was applied, dried, and then a clear was put on. I imagine it was stabilized beforehand with a sealer coat or CA glue. The burls are darker naturally, and also absorb more dye then the surrounding wood.

Spalted maple would definitely need stabilization beforehand.

 

[davidgotmilk]

A blue dye was applied, dried, and then a clear was put on. I imagine it was stabilized beforehand with a sealer coat or CA glue. The burls are darker naturally, and also absorb more dye then the surrounding wood.

Spalted maple would definitely need stabilization beforehand.

Could you elaborate on what stabilization means?

 

[JuliusJahn]

Spalted maple is soft, and "spongey". You can dent it through the finish with your fingernail. Saturating it with CA glue (super/krazy glue) or a water thin epoxy hardens it and increases its integrity. It can still absorb color though afterwords.

 

[givemeajackson]

you stain it black, sand it back until most of the black stain is gone and it only stays in the more open grained parts on the burl, then stain it blue, then put on a laquer or oil or whatever you feel like.

 

[HUGH JAYNUS]

Also a light touch with a torch can really bring out wood grain before staining