Colour Matching The Neck

[gosh]

http://bp2.blogger.com/_3Z2Az_8GYNs/Ry310G...-h/IMG_1309.JPG

As previously mentioned, I'm building a replica 59 LP.

We've already established that the neck I have is Maple and the body is Mahogany. A 59 would have been built using a Mahogany neck too. Both coloured red on the back before the top clear coats.

My question is, As MY neck is lighter than the body, I need to have them as close in colour as possible BEFORE the colour is applied and the top clear coats. So I'm pretty sure the neck will have to be painted with wood dye? before anything else to get the two closer.

What is the best advice I can get to make my neck match the mahogany body?

I'm thinking I'll have to apply some mahogany coloured wood dye and try to get as close as possible. Water based dye? Any other method? I'm clueless as to achieve what I'm after.

Here's a model similar to what I'm building and you can clearly see the neck and body match:

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/lpsun.html

I need to get my two pieces of different woods to look the same before finishing.

Any help at all would be great.

Thank you.

[~davie]

your best alternative would probably to get some kind of oil-based stain like minwax, and search for a mahogany colour that matches your mahogany wood most, and make sure to use some pre-stain wood conditioner so it doesn't get blotchy spots. If the maple neck is already finished with a clearcoating then i would suggest you sand it off.

test it on some scrap maple? or a non-visible spot on the neck, if the stain is too dark then dilute it slightly with some thinner, i guess. if its too light then i guess you could try multiple stain coats.

hope that helps. lol

Edited November 15, 2007 by ~davie

[gosh]

your best alternative would probably to get some kind of oil-based stain like minwax, and search for a mahogany colour that matches your mahogany wood most, and make sure to use some pre-stain wood conditioner so it doesn't get blotchy spots. If the maple neck is already finished with a clearcoating then i would suggest you sand it off.

test it on some scrap maple? or a non-visible spot on the neck, if the stain is too dark then dilute it slightly with some thinner, i guess. if its too light then i guess you could try multiple stain coats.

hope that helps. lol

Thanks for your reply.

Both the body and the neck are currently in the raw state with no finish at all of any kind. I'm still working on both of them.

BUT, when i'm finished and put it together, i need them to be closer in colour, if not identical BEFORE I start applying colour and finish.

Your suggestion of a stain like miniwax, worries me because of the word "WAX" i think. Surely that would react with anything I try to paint over the top of it?? Like the colour coat and lacquers? That's why I wondered if there was any water based colouring dye to match a mahogany colour. I might also require a supplier in the UK as shipping materials like this is a problem for some suppliers these days.

Of course, you are right, I have two necks, one to try tests on and i can even use my actual neck in places like the tenon for testing. Good idea.

Any further thoughts from guys who are experienced at this kind of problem would be great.

[~davie]

Thanks for your reply.

Both the body and the neck are currently in the raw state with no finish at all of any kind. I'm still working on both of them.

BUT, when i'm finished and put it together, i need them to be closer in colour, if not identical BEFORE I start applying colour and finish.

Your suggestion of a stain like miniwax, worries me because of the word "WAX" i think. Surely that would react with anything I try to paint over the top of it?? Like the colour coat and lacquers? That's why I wondered if there was any water based colouring dye to match a mahogany colour. I might also require a supplier in the UK as shipping materials like this is a problem for some suppliers these days.

Of course, you are right, I have two necks, one to try tests on and i can even use my actual neck in places like the tenon for testing. Good idea.

Any further thoughts from guys who are experienced at this kind of problem would be great.

lol, it's minwax, NOT miniwax, Minwax is a BRAND of finishing products (http://www.minwax.com/), they make stuff for stains and clearcoats. They have have both water-based and oil-based stains, which both have some sort of mahogany colour. The oil-based one is gonna need a pre-stain conditioner, but I think the water-based ones don't need one. There are some other brands out there, but I've used Minwax stuff, they aren't bad.

Once the stain is fully dried and absorbed onto the wood then you should be able to clearcoat over it. Polyurethane or nitrocellulose sprays would probably be your best choices. But it depends on what you're going for.

[gosh]

Ahhh.

Sorry for my misreading that.

Gotcha. I'll take a look at the web link you posted and If I can get it here in britain or at least contact them to see if they ship or at least tell me an equivalent, I'll follow your advice. Thank you friend. Much appreciated.

Paul