Sunburst (finish)

Sunburst is a style of finishing for musical instruments such as electric and acoustic guitars and electric basses. At the center of a sunburst-finished surface is an area of lighter color (often showing the wood grain underneath) that darkens gradually towards the edges before hitting a dark rim. Among the best examples of a sunburst finish are the Gibson Les Paul guitars and the Fender Stratocaster. It was originally intended to imitate an aged French polish finish, as applied to classical string instruments such as violins, as well as to enable the use of wood with less attractive edge grain on high-end instruments.

Some vintage mandolins made by Gibson actually had a burst style finish achieved with stain that was wiped on to the top of the instrument and sometimes the back as well but sprayed tinted nitrocelulose lacquer later proved to be a faster way to achieve a burst finish.

There are various types of sunburst finishes. Some common types include "vintage sunburst", which is golden yellow in the very center and black around the edges, "cherry sunburst" - sometimes disparagingly called "clownburst", which is a golden yellow at the very center and cherry red towards the edges, "tobacco sunburst", which is golden yellow in the very center and burgundy around the edges, and "three-color sunburst," which fades from golden yellow at the center through a layer of red and finally to black around the edges. The finish is often transparent in order to show, and accentuate, attractively-patterned wood or wood veneers such as flame maple, but may be opaque where the wood is not strongly figured, such as basswood or alder.

Sunburst Finish (album)

Sunburst Finish is the third studio album by art rock band Be-Bop Deluxe, released in February 1976. It was recorded in Abbey Road Studios, London.

The album contains what would become one of their few forays into chart success; the February 1976 single "Ships in the Night", which reached number 23 in the UK Singles Charts.

Keyboardist Andy Clark, who had served as a temporary member during Be-Bop Deluxe's 1975 Futurama tour, joined the band as a full member for this album. He remained until the band was dissolved by Bill Nelson in 1978 and would be the only member of Be-Bop Deluxe apart from Bill Nelson to become part of Bill Nelson's Red Noise.

Track listing

All songs written by Bill Nelson