staining wenge

[JK]

would there be any problem staining a wenge neck black? i assume that if you can there would be no need for a finish. is this right?

 

[RLW]

I can't think of a reason why someone would want to do that, but with the HUGE pores in Wenge I just don't think it would be a good idea. Nothing concrete, just my feeling. You're liable to end up with a gummy, sticky mess.

 

[JK]

i really want a solid black neck, that's the only reason. do you think water based stain would gum up?

 

[jackthehack]

"i really want a solid black neck"

Then you're going to need to spend some $$$ and buy a jet black ebony one. You'll never turn a wenge neck "solid black" using stain or dye. You could PAINT it solid black, but would have a MAJOR job filling the grain and would be better off using a different neck that would not cost as much.

What brought up the idea of making a wenge neck solid black?

 

[JK]

just esthetics. the guitar body will be some shade of red with an ebony fretboard and black tuners, nut, bridge, knobs etc. i was looking for a good wood that would seem to go along with that color scheme, but i decided i wanted a wenge neck for its qualities. the natural color of wenge doesn't look like it will fit with the other colors too well so i though of staining it. that's about all there is to it.

 

[jackthehack]

Might depend on your aesthetic and the shade of red involved.  It's hard to discern the real color of wenge from pics on the site; they tend to look darker/browner than the wood looks in real life, or at least they have for the necks I've bought, the darker parts are almost a "purplish" brown.

Suggestion: Canary/jet black ebony neck. Will make the black tuners "pop out" more visually, look good with red body of any red hue and tonally is just a hair brighter than wenge.

 

[JK]

thanks for the suggestion, i'll check it out.