Staining a rosewood FB + mahogany body

[Eddie J.]

I never done anything like that, but I`m thinking about staining a whole guitar body and rosewood fretboard in black ebony stain.

Here is link to stain color which I plan to use: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishi...ints,_and_stains/Black_Fingerboard_Stain.html

And this is the guitar that could be the target of this operation:

I hope this stain would be good enough to provide that dark color which I want to achieve, cause i was never too fund of rosewood fretboards. If there is some better ebony stain product, please let me know.
I do have some doubts about this project, and here they are:

First, what about inlays, frets and neck binding? Should I mask them (and how) or they wouldn`t react to stain aplied to them?

Second, what is the best way to treat this body before the staining, how deep i should sand it before the stain job? This guitar sure looks alredy stained, so should a new stain sink in the wood well?

After the stain, i thought to apply some 1st class carnauba wax finish allover. I allready have it, I was treating necks with it and It was always beautiful.

And finnaly, how long would the stain stay there? I guess that body can be stained for life under wax or tung oil, but what can happen with fretboard? Should i repeat the process sometime, or is it any potential stuff to avoid here when staining it?

Another thing, how will lemon oil affect the stain on fretboard later on?

Well, that is it. A bunch of questions.
Thanks for any info

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Staining a rosewood FB + mahogany body

Don't do it! It will be hard to get it the exact tint you think your getting, and it will be hard to get it on even with no blotching. It might just look too dark, but not black, under lighting or off lighting. There's no telling how it will turn out, but there's no going back.

There's nothing wrong with how that guitar looks in my opinion.

 

[Redmist]

Re: Staining a rosewood FB + mahogany body

What you're wanting to do will be time consuming and a bit unpredictable, but if you have your mind made up, then go for it. I have seen the finish on the prestige models with their 'satin' finish and it leaves alot to be desired (no grain fill and what looks like a badly oversprayed satin poly)
If it was me, i wouldn't do the board as no matter how you finish it, it will always wear through eventually and need completely redone.
The body however couldn't get any worse no matter what you did! (within reason)
To get it looking GOOD, light sand by hand using 180 then 800 grit, at least through all the finish. It doesn't really need to be through all of the original stain so long as the new stain can be easily absorbed into the grain evenly.
Carefully remove all dust using a tack cloth then thoroughly rub with a course microfibre cloth. Follow the instuctions on your stain - especially drying times between coats, but basically successive coats will give a very uniform dark finish. Keep coating untill all blotchyness disapears. The stain will only take the wood to a certain shade then will not darken any more whilst any light bits will catch up. Let the final coat dry for a few days no matter what your stain says.
Personally i would use tung oil for the finish cause if applied corectly will last better, feel and look better than wax. Only obtain pure tung oil, not any of the commercially available mixes.
First coats go on diluted with white spirit. You will find ratios on the tung oil container. Final coat is pure tung. The secret to tung is the fact that it does not cure with either time or heat! It oxidizes to a hard milky sheen independant of time or heat. The method i use is suspension in front of a reciprocating cooling fan for a whole day per coat per side. This increases air circulation and improves oxygen flow. Finish is to die for but will buff in areas where your arm rests etc. to a less matt finish. If you want a more permanent matt finish , look more to shooting with a satin poly, however the aged look of a well tunged and worn in finish rocks IMO.
Let me know if you go for it then post some pics.:beerchug:

 

[Eddie J.]

Re: Staining a rosewood FB + mahogany body

Thanks!

Yeah, I will ditch the freatboard staining idea. I would love to do it, but i prefer solid and clean feel when compared to all the possible problems which i managed to google out in the meantime. + all you said.

Thanks for tung oil tips, i`m still in the process of making a decision should i take this or that guitar, but when i finish this deal, i`ll post the results.

cheers :beerchug:

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Staining a rosewood FB + mahogany body

I have used Old English scratch remover to darken rosewood necks before, and while they do not come out black, the color is much nicer. I just apply with a Q tip and wipe off. I have never had it discolor the inlays or binding.

YMMV

 

[Redmist]

Re: Staining a rosewood FB + mahogany body

Good lad yerself!