best finish for les Paul type guitar kit

[Radmcg]

Ok I just finished my second LP kit from Stewmac. Have one left. The first two I sprayed with nitrocellulose. Need suggestion on how to finish the last one. It is thin veneer top so I cannot stain it and get the results I want. So options are to spray the top translucent colored lacquer, opaque lacquer, or some kind of oil finish like Odie oil. Need suggestions. I was thinking of lacquer the body and top and some kind of oil finish on the neck. Love to hear suggestions.
The first I did was cherry burst translucent. The second was a gold top metallic.
AHA
Patrick

[rcnewcomb]

Is the veneer pretty? That will help you decide if you want solid color or not.

[Radmcg]

Its ok. If I could stain it and sand I think it would be beautiful. But as with my last 2 kits kind of gun shy of that. The first alcohol based was a streaky nightmare and the second a water based stained delaminated. So staining is out for the next one. I a thinking of some kind of oil like true oil or Odie's. I would like a dark back and neck with natural oil top. Never done oil before. How do you get color in an oil finish? What do you do about the binding? Doing research now but haven't seen those questions answered.

[tippie53]

lots of ways My personal favorite is to stain the top and finish with nitro if the grain is pretty
if I want a solid color I found that the colors at auto shops works well. Still the process is seal fill seal then color
its all about the prep

[Radmcg]

What about the back. The last kit I did I sprayed toned lacquer and it looked nice but was a pain to repair. Is it easier to stain the mahogany and then clear coat? I have colortone liquid stain in red mahogany. So I can do it either way. I have decided just to spray nitro again as I am fairly good at that. Want the back red mahogany and not sure about the top. I want to stain it but with the thin laminate I'm gun shy after my last 2. I think I 'm just going top try to perfect a gold top.
AHA