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This may be a dumb question but here we go. I recently purchased one of the EX kits which doesn't have binding where the fret board and neck meet. So my question is, where do you stop finishing at? Do you sand up to the and paint the base of the fret board or do you go all the way top corner of the fret board?
Hi and welcome to the forum.
On my unbound necks I prefer to tape off the fretboard and sides of the fretboard when applying finish coats, when the finish is cured and polished, I then lightly sand the transition lip created by the finish and the unfinished fretboard up through the grades from about 1200 to about 3000 grit until I can't feel the lip, then I wax my fretboards including the sides.
Each to their own i guess but thats my technique. If I can feel a line of the lip between the finish and the fret board, It really annoys me.
I'll try that out. Thanks!
As Andy said, standard practice is to paint up to the neck/fretboard join line on necks with a rosewood or ebony.
Where Andy says he then waxes the side of the fretboard, most manufacturers will clear-coat the neck and sides of the fretboard, whilst masking off the top of the fretboard. Sanding down the clear-coat should then get rid of any join-line ridge. This also helps seal-in the fret ends.
There is no right or wrong way here, just personal choice.