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take more than a minute to stain the neck, nor more than
three minutes to stain the body . Stain the peghead veneer,
too — it’s easier than trying to mask it .
Let the stain dry . Unmask the sides of the fretboard, sides
of the nut, and the soundboard (if the body was stained) .
Everything else should remain masked .
KIT TIP: Stain or not to stain
You can also use the ColorTone waterbase brown
paste filler to color the bare mahogany while filling
the pores, and skip the stain entirely . Test this on
scrap mahogany and see if you like the somewhat
lighter appearance .
Wear plastic gloves when handling stains! The neck, back
and sides of the mahogany kit should be stained . For the
rosewood kit, only the neck should be stained (the back and
sides don’t require staining) .
We recommend our ColorTone water-soluble stain in an
equal mix of tobacco brown and red mahogany . Add 25
drops of each color to each ounce of water to produce a
warm dark stain . For a lighter, redder color, you can use only
the red mahogany at 50 drops per ounce of water . Test these
stains on sanded scrap mahogany first .
Four ounces of mixed stain is plenty for a neck and body;
one ounce is enough for a neck . Pour the stain into a shallow
bowl . Wet a soft clean cloth with stain and apply in long uni-
form strokes in the direction of the wood grain . It shouldn’t
Staining
and body . This is a coat that’s not so heavy as to cause runs .
The washcoat seals the stain or the natural color in the wood,
and keeps the upcoming coat of paste filler from produc-
ing a smudged look . Sealed in this fashion, only the open
pores of the wood accept the filler . Let the neck and body
dry overnight .
Wear clean cotton gloves whenever you touch the wood .
Lacquer is highly flammable — always work in a dry, well-
ventilated area, away from open flames or sparks . Be sure to
wear an appropriate respirator while spraying .
Spray one uniform “washcoat” of clear lacquer on the neck
Applying a washcoat to seal the wood
working across the grain, with an open mesh, lint-free cloth
such as burlap . At any time during the grain-filling process,
you can use a rag lightly dampened with water to soften
any filler that’s hardening too quickly . When the wood pores
have been filled and wiped level, a bit of blotchy, hazy resi-
due will probably remain on the surface . Let the wood dry
overnight . Light sanding with 320-grit Fre-Cut® may be
required to remove any remaining buildup of filler on the
wood surface . Try to avoid sanding through the washcoat
into the stained mahogany . If you find such an area, wipe a
little stain on it and wipe off the excess .
We recommend our ColorTone waterbase brown paste
filler for leveling the rosewood and mahogany grain pores .
Because it dries fast, you won’t be able to fill all the guitar’s
surfaces at once, so work in stages . Practice on scrap pieces
before starting on the guitar .
Remask the soundboard with paper and tape, and apply
grain filler to the back, sides and neck, in stages . The wet
filler should be packed into the pores with a rubber squeegie
held at a 45° degree angle across the grain (a discarded credit
card also makes a wonderful squeegie) . Within minutes the
filler will start to harden and look hazy . Wipe off the excess,
Filling the wood grain pores
to sand out every shiny spot or sunken area in the lacquer .
Clean off all the sanding residue . Now spray the neck and
body with three uniform coats of clear lacquer, one hour
between coats . You now have SIX coats . Let the guitar dry
overnight .
KIT TIP: Running
If you get a “run” in the finish, let the surface dry for
24 hours and level-sand the problem area . If you
touch wet lacquer, you’ll leave a deep impression
which will be much more difficult to fix .
Day One:
Never apply more than three coats of lacquer per
day . Spray an initial light misting or “tack” coat, followed
several minutes later by a heavier wet coat . The tack coat
gives the wet coat better adherence and lessens the chance
of a run or “sag” in the finish . Spray three wet (not runny!)
clear coats on the neck and body, an hour between coats,
and let them dry overnight .
Day Two:
Lightly “scuff-sand” the neck and body with
320-grit Fre-Cut® paper to knock off the high spots in the
finish (on flat areas, be sure to use a backing pad on the
sandpaper) . Sand just enough to “open” the finish; don’t try
Lacquer spraying schedule
29
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