Staining over a binding...

[Mark_Shingleton]

Hi guys.
Got my stains today and was going to start the finish but I am just wondering what will happen if I do not tape the binding? This is the first time I have used stain, so I am not sure if it will stay on the binding or wipe off.
It is a dark stain ( black and brown ) but white binding. If it just a matter of the binding going black then I am ok with that, I'm not sure how the dark guitar will look with white binding anyway, would have preferred no binding, or black.
What would you guys recommend?
I am aiming for something like the smokehouse burst on Gibson LP studio.

[McCreed]

I have only done one build with binding, but I can say that you definitely want to tape it at the very least. Especially if your stain is oil based from what I've read in the forum. It's worth taking the time to tape it as neatly and thoroughly as possible and rubbing to ensure the best adhesion.
You will get some bleed through the tape, that's mostly inevitable, but certainly manageable with scraping after the colour coat is done (and before the clear coat).

I have read of others applying a coat of poly on just the binding before staining, which I think have yielded positive results, but I've not tried it myself. I'm sure one of those members will jump in here.

[RocknRolf]

Second McCreed, I have used 3m green tape and burnished it down, still had some minor bleed throughs.

That clear coat options sounds like worth the try!

[DarkMark]

Stain will get into the cracks that you don’t even know are there in the binding. I advocate giving the binding a couple of coats of whatever your clear coat will be, give it time to dry, cover with tape. I use 3mm automotive tape. Take care not to get clear coat onto your staining surface, sand if you have to.
Once your stained guitar is dry, remove the tape. When you are ready give your guitar a coat or two of your clear coat. A slight amount of stain will be picked up and dragged about in the clear coat. Let it dry.
Now is a good time to give the binding a good scrape with a shape blade as the colour is sealed in and no more will drag across the binding leaving a nice clean finish (We hope).

[McCreed]

Good advice from someone with firsthand experience clear coating the binding. However I'll just add one thing relative Mark's final comment.

A slight amount of stain will be picked up and dragged about in the clear coat. Let it dry.
Now is a good time to give the binding a good scrape with a shape blade as the colour is sealed in and no more will drag across the binding leaving a nice clean finish (We hope).

This is only relevant presuming you're going to do a hand-applied finish like wipe-on poly or Tru Oil etc.
If you're spraying your clear coat, the stain will not move unless you spray it too heavily and get a run, then that may be enough to attach itself to the clear and create a problem.

So if spraying, do a couple of very light might coats first, allow them to dry and follow with "normal" coats. This will "set" the stain as well as provide better adhesion for subsequent coats.

[DarkMark]

Thanks for the addition, McCreed. As I only have used wipe on products I am ignorant in the ways of the spray gun.

[McCreed]

...I am ignorant in the ways of the spray gun.

Me too! (and I made the leap two years ago!)

However, the same principle does apply even just spraying with rattle cans.