Colored peghead for maple LP neck

[Buckrock]

I just purchased a birdseye maple LP neck with brazilian rosewood headstock.  I would like to color the peghead black.  I picked up some Colortone Nitrocellulose clear gloss spray can and Colortone Nitrocellulose black gloss spray can. I plan on doing a clear coat first, then do the black, and then do some clear coating over the black.  Will this work?  Will the black stick?  Will it coat properly?  I know maple isn't pourous so will clear coating first do the trick?  What is the minimum outside temp I could do this in?

 

[bpmorton777]

you bought a neck made from exotics woods and you want to spray paint it black? I would say send the neck back and get a cheaper neck and have Warmoth finnish the thing for you the way you want it.

Brian

 

[Buckrock]

Not the entire back of the neck just the peghead.  Although it would good without.  I haven't totally decided yet.  I just want to know if it would work.

 

[bpmorton777]

I just read your other post with pics of the neck...seriously, I would have Warmoth finish that neck for you. You've spent a lot on it and the body already, you should go the extra bit and have the whole guitar look nice.

Brian

 

[tfarny]

You got a birdseye neck with a brazilian laminate on the peghead and you want to spray it black? Why they hell did you get brazilian lam then? Please don't spray it, that stuff is an endangered species and it seems wrong to cover it up.

 

[Buckrock]

Sorry I wrote my original post wrong.  It is a birdseye maple neck with brazilian rosewood fretboard not veneer.  I just was thinking of coloring the top of the headstock like a Gibson would look.  Don't get me wrong I am in no way trying to make a replicate of a Gibson.  I was just thinking it would balance out the color.  I am not trying to cover the whole thing up.  This neck was actually the cheapest neck I saw and I want to do the finishing myself.  This project I want to do the neck and the next project I want to do all the finishing.  It's all apart of the fun and experience.  It's not like I have cheap laquer or spray paint is all Nitro.  Can anyone tell me if it would work so I know if I decided to do this?  Also what is the minimum outside temp for doing a Nitro finish?

 

[GoDrex]

don't let the wood freaks intimidate you

 

[jackthehack]

I'd try shooting it with sanding sealer first; then the gloss black, then shoot the black, then go back over everything with the clear gloss top coat. You need to do the first coats of gloss on top of the black REALLY light and leave all non-black surfaces masked off as the nitro lacquer will "melt" into the under coat and it can run very easily unless you're applying very light coats till you get the clear lacquer built up a bit.

It might be more interesting to cover the front of the peghead with ebony veneer, then finish in lacquer, but jet black ebony veneer does not appear to be very easily found on the internet, everything I pulled up quickly was macassar ebony with brwon streaks.

 

[jackthehack]

Also, for best results, I'd wait until it was minimally 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit out, with relatively low humidity; I've got two projects that have been sitting in the basement all winter waiting for warmer weather to finish...

 

[Buckrock]

Thanks for the info Jackthehack.  Well this means I have at least a month before I can do finishing.  Bummer.  It will be worth it in the end.