Can I get a tobacco finish with only black stain?

[Dave24]

This is my first post to woodnet, so please forgive me of any naive comments. 

I am a pedal steel guitarist, and I am planning on building a new steel guitar body.  I'm finishing a rather plan maple body in a curly maple veneer.  I would like to finish it just like the picture shown.  I contacted the man who finished this guitar, and to my surprise, he said he only used black stain and black lacquer for the burst.  The stain was very thinned out. 

I wanted to get a second opinion on obtaining a tobacco color like this with only thinned out black stain. Is this coloring method common?

[MikeBob]

Have you thought about a dye to get that color and then a wipe on boiled linseed oil to pop the grain then your finish of choice? I find it is easier to adjust a shade of a dye color then a stain.

[jteneyck]

Welcome to WoodNet.   Why not just ask the guy what specific products he used?  If he won't tell you, then you'll have to figure it out.  One approach is to take a scrap of your wood to Sherwin Williams and ask them to match the color.  If you want to experiment on your own, try some oil based asphalt driveway sealer or roof coating.  Seriously.  Long ago, bitumen was often used to stain wood.  It gives a black/brown color depending upon what wood it's used on, how much mineral spirits you thin it with, how long you leave it on, how hard you wipe it off, etc.  

John

[Sawdustd]

Agree with John's option to use an oil based asphalt driveway sealer or roof coating.  Surprisingly, it will give/provide the color you're looking for when thinned which will require a lot of testing.  No to worry about using extra veneer.  That's a given in what ever option you choose.   In terms of cost, you'll probably pay as much for a couple of bottles of dye as you will for the asphalt compound normally sold in gallon buckets.   Good luck.

Dave