Howdy folks for my first build i'm going to keep it fairly simple a white P bass with a maple neck and fretboard and a black pickgaurd. There are a few things i want to know 1. Do maple fretboards need finishing 2. What Dingotone neck finish can give me that vintage Fender look and 3. Are there any stains that are white (because i would like to show some grain) or would i have to spray it
Hello! Usually you would finish both sides of a maple neck with the same neck finish.
Polish it or scrape off the frets after
You might try an 'iced oak' style stain, not seen a guitar done in this but it gives a nice distressed white look to kitchen cupboards!
I'm sure loads of people can help you with Dingotone. Polyurethane clear will make the neck yellow nicely.
I would look at some stains at a hardware store. I used Feast Watson on my guitar. Good product and it goes a long way. Also, grab some wood panels so you can have a play with the stain before you stain the guitar. That way you get the look you are after. Another thing I would do with the stain so you get the grain come through, is to reduce. I would look 2 parts reducer and 1 part stain or 3 parts reducer and 1 part stain. Enjoy your build and I hope it goes well.Originally Posted by AerGuitar
What type of stain should i be looking for? and would a have to apply Tru Oil over it?
you can use, water, spirit or oil based stains, just be sure that the clear you get is compatible. On your fret board just use a few coats of tru oil on its own. I usually mask the fret board off really well and do it last after the rest of the neck is done. Of course if you are leaving the neck unstained you can do the whole neck in tru oil.
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Ive been checking out some of my local hardware stores and i'm seeing nothing for a white. Could i use a white wash?
Last edited by AerGuitar; 17-11-2018 at 11:35 AM.
The thing is there really isn’t such a thing as a white stain. Any white medium is made up of opaque pigment in a suspension. If it were me ( and I’ve been half thinking about something similar) I would spray white automotive acrylic and then sand it back to expose the grain. Then do a bunch of clear topcoats over that so you can cut back for a shiny finish. White wash might work but I’m not sure about sealing it.
That sounds like a pretty good idea but i'm not to confident with a spray gun or solid colour finishing at all. Im doing a little 'research' on white washing guitars i haven't sound much yet but i'm sure ill decide what 'im going to do soon.
Rattle can spray paint is pretty easy to use with a little practice. Automotive acrylic lacquer is pretty forgiving as well and not super expensive. If you are in Australia the supercheap septone stuff is pretty good
You could probably do similar to what sonic said but instead just add a small amount of white to your clear. You’d need to spray test panels to get the exact amount of transparency you desire. You’d then need to do a few coats of normal clear over the top as you won’t be able to cut and polish the white and clear mix.
You’d be surprised how forgiving spraying acrylic with a gun is (weather permitting). You should definitely have a go
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