So now that the project is essentially complete, it is time for a little bit of back fill on the blog.    First up is coloring the curly maple top.

I essentially followed the great tutorial that Gator Payne posted on the MyLesPaul.com forum.  I used trans-tint dyes mixed with water.  I started by doing a grain enhancement with a mix of dark brown dye on the maple top.  This is then sanded back to almost bare wood.  The dark brown remains in the end grain of the curls, effectively enhancing the figure in the wood.

Next, I worked towards a subtle burst.  After wetting the entire surface, the first color was Yellow that I placed only in the middle of the arch.  This was followed by several passes of consistently darker Honey Amber  working towards the edge.  I barely blended into the inner yellow.  Finally, I wanted a little bit of a darker and warmer look, so the next day I hit the edges with the same Honey Amber, but I added about 20% of Red Mahogany to the mix.  I blended this in towards the middle.

Overall, I am pleased with how it turned out.  I would probably darken it up a bit more next time, but it worked out as a rich and natural-looking finish under lacquer.