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Hi

Going to dye my mahogany neck a bit darker, just finished sanding it so do I now

- Grain fill, seal, dye
- Grain fill, dye
- Something else

Tried this a few years back and got dark patches on the end grain heel block area.. Looked poor so never tried again

Cheers

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

Garnet Shellac. After all, it is likely how the original you are emulating was done.

The one time I stained a mahogany neck, I stained the bare neck wood first and then pore filled over that with z-poxy. When level sanding the z-poxy, I didn't sand all the way back to the wood. I used Behlen Solar-Lux non-grain raising dye wiped on with a paper towel (wearing gloves). On that guitar, I was aiming to match the color of the rosewood back and sides so I did four dye applications to get it as dark as I wanted. I'm sure there are other ways to go about it too.

Regarding the end grain on the heel, it dyed evenly but it did come out a bit darker than the rest of the neck.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Min wax wood conditioner, heavy coat of very dark Pore o pac thinned to a creamy consistency, wipe off, burnish in using a power buffer. If memory serves I first saw this method at the Martin factory.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

I've been told Martin uses a darkly stained filler to darken their necks. Not sure how that would work for you.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Using a wood conditioner, or alternately a couple of wash coats of blonde shellac, should partially fill the pores of the neck. The end grain will take more of the conditioner or shellac and and then take stain more evenly with the rest of the neck.

For oil finishes on necks Addam Stark told me years ago to actually burnish the wood, sanding to 600 grit or finer and wipe on a dark oil based filler with blue shop towels and wipe smooth. I used the old LMI stuff. Follow with TruOil.

It came out nice and even and a good color.

I am not sure if that technique would work for a sprayed finish, would it be too smooth for the finish to stick? Ken when you burnish the surface after the pore filler can you spray finish right over that?

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Yes -- I use vinyl sealer, I always wait at least a day before applying lacquer over an oil based product.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/