How do you get this sort of finish?

[Pea Turgh]

The “battered 200yr old old violin” look I see on Marleaux basses is awesome.  How would one replicate it?

 

[fleabag]

Reminds me of my old school desk in secondary school. 

 

Loving that look !

[Pea Turgh]

I too relate it to my early years, as my dad used to restore antiques.  This has that vibe!

Edited May 17, 2022 by Pea Turgh

[Pea Turgh]

Tried to edit my post to sound less stupiderer, but double posted instead.  There’s no hope for me.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Pea Turgh

[Si600]

I would try starting from bare wood then make a kind of handle with a piece of string through a neck bolt hole and carry it around for an hour or so banging it carelessly into things. Probably do that bit outside so you don't trash the sideboard

 

Then a coat of light brown stain and rub it off with a pad so you don't wipe it out of any dings. Repeat until you have the depth of colour you want then finish with a matt lacquer or wax.

 

I've never done this so I'm hypothesising (making it up), but that's how I would try to do it.

[Andyjr1515]

I reckon that the top wood is sitka spruce or similar - a bit like the stuff used for acoustic guitar tops.  It's got that kind of tight, straight grain but also quite soft so relatively easy to scratch and dent.  Then a combination of light brown and dark brown stains and outside burst and finally finished with something like Osmo 1101.  Nicely done though - probably took a few attempts to get the right degree of relicing and staining

Edited May 20, 2022 by Andyjr1515