Creating Any Colors With Metal Complex Dye Set
Further instructions and links to the full mixing guide, palettes and recipe tables are provided with your order.
Metal Complex Guitar Dye Powder Kit, ethanol-soluble 4-color set
Create transparent guitar stain shades with a metal complex dye powder kit made for repeatable, professional-looking finishes. Four concentrated colors (Yellow, Red, Blue, Black) dissolve in ethanol for fast drying, high clarity, and visible grain.
Colors: Yellow, Red, Blue, Black | Dye per color: 2 g each | Total dye powder: 8 g | Solvent: Ethanol (denatured alcohol) | Guide ratio: 1 g powder ≈ 70 ml ethanol | Max solution yield: ~560 ml concentrated dye
- Mix classic ambers, bursts, teals, purples, olives, and deep wine tones
- Designed for transparent stains with high clarity and grain definition
- Fast-drying when dissolved in ethanol
- Typically enough for multiple guitars, depending on use
Complete guitar dye kit for creating and reproducing transparent guitar stain colours using a simple, repeatable system.
What’s Included
- Metal complex dye powders: Yellow, Red, Blue, Black (2 g each – 8 g total)
- Measuring tool: micro-scoop / small measuring container
- Mixing containers: 30 ml and 50 ml bottles
What You Add
- Ethanol / denatured alcohol (recommended): 95–99% for best solubility and fast dry
- Avoid 70% alcohol when possible (higher water content can reduce solubility and raise grain on some woods)
Mixing Ratio & Yield
High-strength dye powders. Guide ratio: 1 g powder ≈ 70 ml ethanol. With 8 g total you can prepare up to ~560 ml of concentrated dye solution.
Coverage depends on process, wood species, desired darkness and number of coats; typically enough for multiple guitars when working in 30–50 ml mixes.
Why Metal-Complex Dyes
- Highly transparent: preserves grain (ideal for flame/quilted/figured tops)
- Strong tinting power: a little goes a long way
- Instrument-correct tones: build vintage and modern colours
- Ethanol-based workflow: fast drying, controllable application for bodies and necks
Color Mixing System
Use two colours to build a clean hue; add a small amount of the third only if needed. Black is useful for vintage shading, pushing yellow toward olive/forest and red toward wine/burgundy.
Tip: Mixing Yellow + Red + Blue in similar amounts often yields a darker, browner, muted result. For bright colours, keep recipes simple: two colours + optional black, then fine-tune.
Preparation & Application
- Step 1: Measure powders into a clean container
- Step 2: Transfer into a 30 ml or 50 ml bottle
- Step 3: Add ethanol per ratio/recipe; shake until dissolved
- Step 4: Rest 10–20 minutes, shake again; filter if ultra-clean spraying is desired
- Step 5: Apply with cloth/sponge or spray
- Step 6: Let dry fully, then seal and apply clear/top coat
Test & Adjust
Always test on scrap or a hidden cavity; judge only after fully dry.
Adjustments
- To lighten: add more ethanol
- To darken/age: add a tiny amount of black
- To shift hue: add a small amount of Yellow / Red / Blue, then re-test
Create any dye colour
Pick a colour and how much you need, and get the exact powder amounts.
Your colour
–
On a body
Illustration only, ash Strat body.
How much do you need?
Your recipe
A Strat-sized body takes 20 to 30 ml for a light shade, 30 to 50 ml for a deeper one. Add 10 to 20 ml if you are dyeing the neck too. Mix a little more than you need: matching a second batch exactly is harder than making one batch slightly too big.
