Binding Repair Help

[Ben-Had]

I just completed this exact repair today on a 1963 Les Paul. I used this (Vintage Amber) on a Q-tip directly out of the bottle:

http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Su ... tains.html

You can control the color quite well directly to the binding. Let it dry and apply the lacquer. If you try to match the color by mixing it into the lacquer it is much more difficult (in my mind any way).

[pryde]

I just completed this exact repair today on a 1963 Les Paul. I used this (Vintage Amber) on a Q-tip directly out of the bottle:

http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Su ... tains.html

You can control the color quite well directly to the binding. Let it dry and apply the lacquer. If you try to match the color by mixing it into the lacquer it is much more difficult (in my mind any way).

So are you saying it would be better to use this amber stain on the binding then spray clear lacquer over it?
Why not just use the already tinted vintage amber lacquer from stewmac and just spray it? Are the results not as good?

[Ben-Had]

Yes. If you were spraying all the binding you could get it to match well but a small piece like that is more difficult to match the color on either side. By putting it on with a Q-tip and then adding to it for more color or wiping some off to lighten it you can get blend it better and get an almost perfect match. I'll send you a pic when I get in the shop today.

[pryde]

Yes. If you were spraying all the binding you could get it to match well but a small piece like that is more difficult to match the color on either side. By putting it on with a Q-tip and then adding to it for more color or wiping some off to lighten it you can get blend it better and get an almost perfect match. I'll send you a pic when I get in the shop today.

Great thank you for the help

[pryde]

Also what are your thoughts on using a vintage amber touch-up pen vs the stain for coloring the binding? The pen is cheaper and if it will do the same job as the stain then maybe I would buy it instead.

http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Su ... arker.html

[Ben-Had]

I believe that would work OK. I have some touch up pens as well, just not those. Here's a pic. As you're looking at it, the new piece of binding goes from the fret slot to the right of the right most inlay block to the fret slot to the right of the block on the left.

[pryde]

I believe that would work OK. I have some touch up pens as well, just not those. Here's a pic. As you're looking at it, the new piece of binding goes from the fret slot to the right of the right most inlay block to the fret slot to the right of the block on the left.

Looks good. I think i will order the pen and see how it works out.

[Ben-Had]

I believe that would work OK. I have some touch up pens as well, just not those. Here's a pic. As you're looking at it, the new piece of binding goes from the fret slot to the right of the right most inlay block to the fret slot to the right of the block on the left.

Looks good. I think i will order the pen and see how it works out.

It just struck me that that pen is a lacquer pen and not a stain pen. You will have the same issue matchung color with that pen as with mixing lacquer. I would still go with the stain.

[pryde]

I believe that would work OK. I have some touch up pens as well, just not those. Here's a pic. As you're looking at it, the new piece of binding goes from the fret slot to the right of the right most inlay block to the fret slot to the right of the block on the left.

Looks good. I think i will order the pen and see how it works out.

It just struck me that that pen is a lacquer pen and not a stain pen. You will have the same issue matchung color with that pen as with mixing lacquer. I would still go with the stain.

I see thank you. I was wondering (assuming that the pen is a close match) if one could just color the area in and build it up a bit, then polish it out. Seems like a simple way to do a binding patch IF the color matches ok.

I will still buy the stain as you suggest but just thinking out loud.

[pryde]

Another question to save a buck:

Since the stewmac amber dye is $20 and I need less than a drop of it can I use something else to stain the piece of binding? i.e. shoe polish, wood stain, etc? I could probably be creative and get a decent match with something but I wonder if clear nitro would have adhesion problems with the said stain?