Painting Headstock

[Mr Real Nice]

I ordered a mahogany/pau ferro neck with a satin finish.  If I'm going to paint the headstock, I won't need to fill the grain, will I?  Can I just sand and start priming?

 

[jackthehack]

You'll need to fill the mahogany unless you want visible grain pores in the finish.

 

[Mr Real Nice]

How sure are you?  I just called Warmoth to check on the status of my neck (another 3-4 weeks ) and decided to ask Spike while I had him on the phone.  He said I should be fine just scuffing the satin and going for it.  I want him to be right, but I'll trust anyone who's had hands-on experience with this.

 

[NonsenseTele]

Not sure about, Spike knows the things, but Jack knows too, he has paint some of his guitars, each of very nicely!

 

[jackthehack]

Misread your post, didn't realize it already had a satin finish, was thinking raw wood.  Might be a good idea to do a practice square masked off at the neck butt where it won't show to test your paint choice and how it lays/flows

 

[Mr Real Nice]

Misread your post, didn't realize it already had a satin finish, was thinking raw wood.  Might be a good idea to do a practice square masked off at the neck butt where it won't show to test your paint choice and how it lays/flows

good idea, thanks!  :icon_thumright:

 

[-CB-]

I'm not sure what the current W satin finish is.

In the past, it was fairly "rough", almost textured as it was applied, and in places where your body rubbed it (like your hand on the back of the neck) it would just buff out to a nice luster.  In that luster, you could clearly see the grain.

If you want a smooth gloss finish on the headstock, you'll want to knock down the existing satin finish "level".  You can use some 400 paper on a sanding block for this. 

Once you get it to that point - look at it.

Since you're painting it...  the superglue fill, and re-level is an easy way to go.  Spread it on thin with your finger tip, let it dry, level (with the block please).  You'd use some 320 paper to level the super glue, then 400 or even 600 to get a nice smooth base for the paint. 

I mean, you're gonna have to evaluate whats there, as you go, and modify accordingly.  Spike, Jack, Me... nobody... can say for certain, as we dont have the wood in hand, and we dont know how the finish is exactly, and what you're planning on doing exactly.  You do.  Ultimately, its yours.

But we're here to help!~

PICTURES!~  please

 

[DangerousR6]

In the past, it was fairly "rough", almost textured as it was applied, and in places where your body rubbed it (like your hand on the back of the neck) it would just buff out to a nice luster.

I noticed this on my VW body. i had them do a clear satin finish and over the years where my forearm come in contact with the leading edge of the body(where a forearm contour would be) it has buffed out to a shine. But just on the edges, nowhere else that i see...

 

[Mr Real Nice]

I'm not sure what the current W satin finish is.

In the past, it was fairly "rough", almost textured as it was applied, and in places where your body rubbed it (like your hand on the back of the neck) it would just buff out to a nice luster.   In that luster, you could clearly see the grain.

If you want a smooth gloss finish on the headstock, you'll want to knock down the existing satin finish "level".  You can use some 400 paper on a sanding block for this. 

Once you get it to that point - look at it.

Since you're painting it...  the superglue fill, and re-level is an easy way to go.  Spread it on thin with your finger tip, let it dry, level (with the block please).  You'd use some 320 paper to level the super glue, then 400 or even 600 to get a nice smooth base for the paint. 

I mean, you're gonna have to evaluate whats there, as you go, and modify accordingly.   Spike, Jack, Me... nobody... can say for certain, as we dont have the wood in hand, and we dont know how the finish is exactly, and what you're planning on doing exactly.  You do.  Ultimately, its yours.

But we're here to help!~

PICTURES!~  please

Sounds like good advice.  Unfortunately, it will be another 3-4 weeks until my neck gets here, so I won't be able to get you pics for a while. :'(