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In the further adventures of putting together and modifying my Strat/Les Paul hybrid (and doing so on a very limited budget), I had someone give me a neck that I'm using for my project.
The guitar body is going to be gloss black, and the neck is a very streaked (but pretty) rosewood fretboard that will not work with the finish on the guitar body. I bought the ebonizing stain from StewMac, and I'm wondering what is the best way to go about darkening my fretboard... I know the best way would have been to build a neck from scratch, or had one made for me already the way I wanted, but I'm disabled and don't have the tools (yet) to do it all from scratch.

Will I need to raise the grain, while taping off the neck back? I assume it won't stain the metal on the frets (which I can also tape off if needed).

I appreciate any tips... my put-together project is preparing me for my first actual build after I get my shop together and recuperate from my injury.

Thanks!

If you can do a refret, I'd suggest that as the best way. Pull the frets, stain the fretboard, then refret. Odds are, if the neck you were given is a factory neck, it could use a fretdress at the very least. Most factory guitars need one right out the door. If you can't or don't want to refret it, then you don't really have a choice. Just tape everything up very carefully and try to get the stain into all the nooks and crannies. Use a pipette to get the stain into tough areas, like near the fret wire.

Just take your time and good luck!

If I were going to do it, i would try to do it with the frets on. Worst case is that you would have to pull the frets if it didn't work, but if you can make it happen without pulling them then you saved some work.

_________________
John Thiessen
http://www.iszacguitars.com

You could try carefully coating the frets first with something like shellac. Once the job is done clean up the frets with metho and a cotton bud.

Cheers

Kim

Thanks for all the tips! I'll take them into consideration and proceed in a few day. Again, the ideal way to do it would have been to build the neck for myself, but disability and lack of funds prevents me from setting up my shop yet. I'm waiting on lawsuit money to fill-out my 14x24 work room with the rest of the guitar-building essentials I lack.

I'm having a blast working on my first project though - can't wait to post photos!

Thanks - Carl from Texas