Sunburst Finishing — Lutherie Encyclopedia

Sunburst FinishingType: techniqueA graduated color technique where darker tones at the edges fade to a lighter center, creating the iconic sunburst pattern on guitars.## Overview The sunburst is one of the most iconic finishes in guitar history, seen on instruments from Gibson Les Pauls to Martin dreadnoughts. The technique creates a graduated transition from a darker border color (typically dark brown, red, or black) to a lighter center that reveals the natural wood grain or a lighter tint. Sunbursts range from two-color (tobacco burst) to three-color (cherry or vintage sunburst) to elaborate multi-color custom fades. ## Process Sunburst finishing is performed during the color-coat stage of a lacquer finishing schedule, after the sealer and before the clear top coats. The luthier uses an HVLP spray gun loaded with tinted lacquer (usually nitrocellulose, though water-based and catalyzed options exist). For a classic three-color sunburst, the process begins with a transparent amber or yellow tint applied uniformly across the entire top. This establishes the center color. After drying, a transparent red or cherry tint is sprayed around the perimeter, fading inward. The gun is held at a shallow angle and moved in smooth, overlapping passes around the body edge. The final border color—typically a dark brown or black—is sprayed at the very edges, feathering inward to blend with the red layer. Each color layer should transition smoothly into the next, with no visible lines or hard edges. The key to a good sunburst is the feathering technique: the spray gun is moved steadily while the trigger is "feathered" (partially pressed) to produce a light…