Official Luthiers Forum!

I want to keep the fretborad color natural on the edges but I want to tint the lacquer on the rest of the surfaces.

On my electrics....there is no hope of getting a tint down evenly in one pass due to all the complex surfaces.

My best idea (untested) is to mask off the edges an use a touch-up sprayer to establish a hard color line in one pass. Then let it cure for a number of days after which I will lay down the rest of the color in multiple passes...which has been successful for me in terms of getting the color down evenly. On these passes I'll have to lightly mask the fretboard edges and slightly overlap the tape over the previously hard color line....and then try to feather in the subsequent color layers with about 6 coats of lacquer...retaping after each coat. After that....several more topcoats that cover everything....including the fretboard

This seems pretty complicated and loaded with potential pitfalls.....and personally....I'm sick of stripping and resanding this particular guitar. Pretty much ready to paint it black and call it art.

Is there anyone out there that has a better idea how do accomplish this?

_________________
I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

I don't understand what you're trying to do - shading? A sunburst effect?

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Yeah I don't quite get it either. I'm guessing you have a lighter colored fret board, maple probably and are wanting to create a line down either side to make it look like it's bound in lighter wood than the field of the fret board?

If this is the case I don't understand why you would want to unmask and re-mask it over and over to get the effect. If you want it to be like a fade to the edges I'd recommend taping it off and making your toner super dilute so you can build it up where you want without having to worry about the overspray darkening your lighter areas too much.